Wearing of med. clothes

[Vicki Marsh]

In this vein....

>>>I guess it's time for an intra-kingdom anthropology question. Do other
>>>people/groups wear medieval clothing (garb) to local group meetings?

As a recent transplant in Elfsea from Bryn Gwlad, I have been at both ends
of the spectrum, i.e. from no garb at any meetings in Bryn Gwlad, to garb
being **REQUIRED** in Elfsea.  With cold weather being here, the garb
requirement has been unofficially suspended, but from what I understand, it
used to be forbidden to show up in mundanes, even at guild meetings.  The
unofficial history/gossip that I have heard is that this practice drove away
some of the members.....Who knows??
Personally, I feel that fighter practices should be in costume.  Populace
meeting (here called Moot and done in court fashion) is kinda nice in
costume, with banners hanging on the wall, and a herald and the seneschal
controlling the proceedings (I think to be a Controller is a requirement for
those positions).
However, I know just how hard it can be to attend a meeting in garb.
Getting off work, picking up my son at day-care, going home, discussing the
day's business with my spouse, getting everyone fed, putting a load of
laundry on to wash, finding a costume, driving to the meeting...pant,
pant....Two or three times a week... It gets real old, real fast.
While I like dressing in my Byzantine outfits, and think my husband looks
pretty good in his Elizabethan era clothes, I don't think that dressing up
for guild meetings (unless it is a special high-persona class) or
Officers/Business meetings should be mandatory. When faced with a choice of
going to a meeting in garb or not going at all, I know how I react.  Either
throw a T-tunic or cloak on over my mundanes, or just not go at all.  And I
don't *like* either choice.
Of course, one can always volunteer for a regional or Kingdom level office
and not *have* to attend local meetings, but I don't know anyone like
that..(tongue firmly implanted in cheek);=)
        I have rambled long enough. ZZT