ES - Baldrics

Mon May 18 05:39:06 PDT 1998

Kiriandra wrote:

    I have some fabric given to me by my father, also an SCA member, as a gesture of welcome to his "household". I have enough for a tunic for one or the other of my kids, but not both. I thought maybe a baldric for each. Is there any significance to baldrics on smalls in the SCA?

    As a costuming Laurel, I just have to get my two cents in.  First of all, from the way you used the term "baldric" I suspect you have confused baldrics with tabards.  That's OK.  There's lots of terminology just in the costuming field, and it's impossible to learn it all overnight.  (Let's face it - I can't remember all of it, myself.)

    As Galen said, the only baldric with real significance is a white one.  However, many people use both baldrics and tabards to display a badge of some sort - usually a household badge or a badge of office.  Sometimes a group will make baldrics which all the helpers at a particular event will wear so that if you need help it's easy to know who to ask. Usually the official court Herald will wear a tabard or baldric with crossed horns.  Also, the Marshals on the field often wear a tabard with crossed swords.  There are many other examples.

    So what you really need to stay away from is putting an added on design to your baldric or tabard so that people don't get the wrong idea.  Patterned or plaid fabric is fine, or a plain solid color.  Or you can just run with this idea, and put your father's Household's device on the baldrics/tabards for your children.  If I may suggest, though, the Romans wore a sleeveless tunic which is cool and takes very little fabric.  If you would like to come to Clothiers' Guild tomorrow (that's Tuesday, 7:30 at Arabella's house) I will gladly show you how they were made.

    In service,
    Jeanmaire
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