Steampunk Crossover

[Merlin the Elder]

Is someone inferring that faeries don't exist?!? If faeries don't exist, then wizards don't exist, and since I think, I am, which means faeries exist.  Got it? GOOD!

[iain robb]

Just a thought on the whole fae/wizards question ...

Having spent some time studying, and among, animistic people today, I can assure you that what we would see as things of myth and legend are absolutely positively real to them. They'll even tell you they've seen things that you know don't exist, and they're not lying. They really believe it.

I can only think that in the Medieval and Renaissance eras, such things as faeries and wizards, witches and centaurs, dragons and mermaids were unquestionably real to people. Not that people would have strolled right past one in the lanes, but they certainly would not be considered fantasy at the time. I do not doubt that there were people who would testify -- and believe -- they had actually seen such things.

That is why, to me, the question of fae and wizards and other people and creatures that are present in period literature is a different question of steampunk.

[DonaCatalina]

I totally agree with you Iain. I know that 'unofficially' Scarby's justification for fae folk is that many people of the time fervently believed in such.
Even for myself, my indoctrination by my Irish grandmother was such that when an unusual patch of shamrocks appeared at the base of one of the oaks, I cautioned my husband against mowing it.

[Merlin the Elder]

I promise you... I exist...   To prove it, if I don't shower.... "I stink, therefore I am."

[Trillium]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I exist also....

Although...If I don't exist, does that mean I don't have to pay taxes? 

[Rani Zemirah]

I have to laugh when someone asks "do you believe in Faeries?"  Do I believe?!?  Hell, I KNOW Faeries!!!    



And a wizard or two, as well... 

[Tammy]

You know, the ones who toss on something stupid, like tin foil armor, and then decide they are in character and refuse to break it.

The people in the tin foil armor are a personal pet peeve of mine.

For me, when I see this I smile and think "at least they are trying to get into it"

This is an extremely expensive hobby, a lot of folks wanna come out and have fun, for me it's not as much fun unless I try to dress up. I don't have period clothes, heck some of y'all might think I'm WAY off...but, I'm TRYING!!

Oh, and I love SP, I go to tea parties and conventions as much as possible. I agree it's not a good fit at faire, though some of my garb will cross over the two hobbies. It's a money issue...so I'll wear my faire skirt that I sewed for $6.00 with my SP outfit. Guess what, not one SP person will ignore my existence because I don't match.      I know that sounded snarky, and I really am not trying to be rude..but the thought that I'd be ignored because I can't spend $100+ on an outfit I'll wear 2 maybe 3 times in a year just hurts.

[DonaCatalina]

A Tammy, I'm sorry if you thought my post was directed at you or the amount you spend on garb. I don't purposely ignore anyone.
I am thrilled by whatever Renaissance-ish effort people make in their garb, regardless of how much it cost. I can't tell you how much stuff I have picked up at thrift stores for $2.37 for garb. No one is faulting you or intended to hurt you because you are tight on funds, leat of all me. Aren't we all tight on funds to a degree?
But I am so focused on the clothing of pre-1600 that my subconscious tunes out sci-fi and mundane type clothing.

[EmbyrretheFae]

I have to laugh when someone asks "do you believe in Faeries?"  Do I believe?!?  Hell, I KNOW Faeries!!!    



And a wizard or two, as well... 

YAY!!!!

[Tammy]

My reply wasnt focused towards you DonaCatalina. You've always seemed like a very nice person here on the boards. It was meant as an 'in general'.

[Merlin the Elder]

I can personally attest, Tammy, that the Doña is really that nice. We'll be visiting the Doña and her Don by this time in the morning!

[Elennare]

So, I have a thought to toss into this discussion, if you don't mind.

What do you think of goths showing up at faire?  Do you feel that they ruin the atmosphere?  To them, the "costumes" are what they wear every day.  That *is* their mundanes.

To some people, steampunk is the same.  That's actually what they wear, every day.  If you're ok with the goths, why does the steampunk bother you?

...

My thoughts on the matter are (and, I can see I'm in the minority here), wear what makes you happy.  I really enjoy costuming.  A well made costume is cool.  A not as well made, but clearly effort put into, costume is great, too.  Do I like it better if you're going with the spirit of the event you're attending?  Absolutely!  That makes it more fun for everyone.  A couple of out-of-place outfits aren't going to ruin it any more than all the mundanes are. 

I haven't seen any stormtroopers or things like that at my faire, but it wouldn't bug me.  I'd perhaps think they were a bit silly (I think the idea of a stormtrooper in a kilt is awesome, though), but it wouldn't bug me.  Heck, at the faire I go to now, you'd be one of the more costumed people!

The only thing that bugs me is when people aren't wearing *enough* costume.  You do, in fact, need to wear something underneath the chainmail bikini (have seen, needed eyebleach!).  Guys, invest in a dance belt or a cod piece if you're going to wear tights w/o pants over them.  Or at least some tighty-whities.  Please. (have also seen, there was NOTHING left to the imagination! )

[Captain Teague]

I can personally attest, Tammy, that the Doña is really that nice. We'll be visiting the Doña and her Don by this time in the morning!

Rub it in.

Yall have some fun and dont break im, eze brittle and all.

[PollyPoPo]

Non-renaissance period clothing does not bother me at all.  I attend Sherwood, TRF and Scarby in Texas.  All 3 require their workers to garb period appropriate, but customers come as they want.

Some people I know have encountered snarkies and self-styled garb police at TRF or Scarby in the past, but in each case the put-down came from someone in mundanes or dressed in a brown or black toned, cotton, machine-loomed, machine-sewn, wannabee monk thingee.   The hardest thing to do is not burst out laughing. 

It takes something really out of the ordinary to catch someone's eye at the large faires, like the "blue dice heads" at TRF last year.  After the initial "nerd alert" we all were amazed at how they were created and worn.

Of course, I did see Adam and Eve once at a faire, with strategically placed leaves – hopefully they were wearing thongs - but I was more fascinated by the paleness of their skin and wondering how much sun screen they were wearing and if it would last all day in the Texas sun.  As for little kids seeing too much – makes for good teaching chance about sun, bugs, and poison ivy.   

[Delireus]

I love seeing interesting outfits at faire, different people make the world go round! People are incredibly creative, especially when they believe they're going to a place where they won't be judged for wearing whatever they want. Most people attempt to match the renaissance time period, but a few don't. I'd never get upset, look down on them, or have any animosity towards those people, and I'd certainly never deliberately ignore someone just because their clothing choice.

When I go in my steampunk garb to a faire, I've always felt included and welcomed. There are only a handful of times when someone has said anything rude or snarky (once in my fairy outfit, once in my pirate garb, and once in my steampunk one) but other than that, people have seemed very receptive and nice. In my experience, just about everyone at faire is welcoming, no matter what someone is wearing, and that's a big part of what I love about faire so much! There will always be someone out there who has a problem with something you have on, sadly, no matter what you're wearing, so just try to focus on the positive reactions you get, rather than the negative ones