[Sca-cooks] suspenders

[Laura C. Minnick]

Stefan li Rous wrote:

> > 'Lainie
> > -my sweetie's a fireman, and I'll tell you- it's the suspenders!
>
> Hmmm. I thought of baldrics, but those were used to hang swords not
> hold up pants. So, I'm afraid this is getting further off subject, but
> does anyone know when suspenders (ie: the straps that go over the
> shoulders to hold up pants, not the heraldic kind) first appear.
> Are they period?

I don't know what they are called, but my friend Grendal (Master Master
Nicolai Grendal Gornych) has these... things that he wears over his
chainmail. Looks alot like the harness I used to put on my kids when
they were little and we went to the mall or whatever. One strap right
under the 'bustline' (for lack of a better word) and two that go over
the shoulders. Nick saw pictures of them in Byzantine stuff (he's byz)
and didn't know why they were there. So he made one and wore it to see
what happens. What happened is that with it strapped on firmly, when he
raises his arm to throw a blow, only the section of chainmail above the
harness moves with his arm- he's not raising the whole side of his mail
when he moves, which means a lot less fatigue. The shoulder straps keep
the rib strap from sliding down. I've seen it in action- it's pretty
cool.

Admittedly, it doesn't hold up one's pants, but if it gives an edge in
battle, that might be more important.

Still not as cute as James' turnouts though! ;-)

'Lainie