[NR] Northern Digest, Being 'In Period" garb

[Caius Fabius]

Sure, as we play in 'the Dream' longer, our clothing should, like the rest 
of our display, become more accurate.  It takes time and or money to be 
correct for your period.  For example, my hand spun, hand woven, hand dyed 
100% woolen tunic is expensive in time and money.  Then some do-gooder comes 
along and tells me I am in inappropriate garb, because I obviously have 
Greek or Roman clothing, and they are sure that SCA starts at AD800, or some 
such.

The main "period pollution" that I am seeing, other than people not wishing 
or being able to devote the time and money into period materials and 
patterns, is the creep to 17th and 18th century costuming, especially 
"Pirates", 'seadogs', their ladies  and such, which has been more and more 
on the upsurge after some very good and exciting non-SCA period Pirate 
Movies.

Perhaps we could encourage more accurate costuming by having small awards 
and honors for novice SCA participants, or even remembering to stop and 
complement those who are doing a good job, publically!  What if, at many 
courts, the people who have done a good job, are just singled out for a nice 
word.  You don't need a specific award to have someone make a public 
complement in a official setting!  Of course, if someone achieves 'word 
fame' for their costume or costuming efforts, an official award can follow.

I remember that fighting was a great place to ruin clothing.  Beautiful, 
fancy clothing gets torn, sweaty, bloody, rusty and oily. It is very period, 
but I hated to ruin my court best on the field.  (Of course, if I had been a 
better fighter, I wouldn't have got my garb so messed up, probably).  I can 
see not having period clothing on the list field, we don't use period 
weapons and we don't require period armor.  It's probably not a great idea 
to sneer at a lad in bluejeans and tennis shoes with a big wooden stick, 
aircraft aluminium shield and hard plastic joint protection.  It is 
wonderful to be able to loan them a tabard to wear on the field, and maybe 
gift them with something different to wear to feast......  :)

Wheel chairs and garb... always a problem.  I wore suspenders to try and 
hold my (non-period)  trousers in place,  while I spent months in a 
wheelchair; but you still have the normal problems with mobility, dirty 
hands, tunics getting stains in strange places, and people looking at you 
like, "why is he even here" or talking about you like you don't exist.  You 
do the best you can, with what you've got, and any sensitive people will 
recognize the effort you put into 'living the dream'.

Perfection?  Not possible!  You can't remove your fillings, get rid of your 
small-pox vaccination scar, throw out all the things and bits that make us 
modern.  Would we force people to not wear glasses, stop smoking, and not 
use a fork at a early period feast?  Would we ask fighters only to fight 
with real weapons and real armor, and have all knights ride horses?

Often it is the self-styled experts that do a dis-service, pouring water on 
the newly kindled fires of excitement that burn in the heart of a new 
SCAdian.  The fellow that tells the young lady that her very colorful 
costume is garrishly non-period for pinks and aquas (obviously hasn't read 
Ovid), or the dear lady who tells a young fighter that tennis shoes are not 
allowed, even though he has a tunic and has spray painted his tennis shoes 
brown, may not be helping to build a proper dream.  Instread, encourage, 
complement and assist.

If someone just can't seem to find time, money or inclination to improve, 
and they are awarded honors for fighting, service or arts; perhaps a 
suitable gifting could be made, to support an area where they may not have 
as much skill.  Newcomers classes can teach different styles prior to 
AD1601, and group projects with newcomers can give owners of Laurels and 
Thistles a chance to show both their art and their diplomacy.  Yule gifts 
can also be helpful in improving the visual impressions of people who might 
not otherwise improve their costuming, through sheer lack of knowedge!

with respects to all,
Caivs Fabivs