Feb 21 2009
LARP and Renaissance Faire Costumes: Basic Components I
Getting your first renaissance faire or LARP outfit together can be a bit daunting. Fortunately, it’s not very hard to put together a basic costume for your first event.
PART I: Asking for help is okay!
Before you begin, make sure the garment is practical and within the rules. The SCA, for example, has strict and specific rules regarding historical garb, era, research, and time period. If you are making your first piece of garb for a historical group, it is recommended that you work with someone in that group.
LARPs often have rules of their own as well. Some allow real armor, for example, and others do not. With a beginner costume, your primary concern is what type of costuming is allowed for each race. Do races and classes favor specific colors, coats of arms, or styles? For example, an elf who lives in the forest would likely wear greens and browns, not pink. The staff at most LARPs are usually happy to advise you on this and will be grateful that you asked.
Even if you are just making something for a fun event with little or no rules, you’ll still want a garment that you can wear in the future. Core pieces are the most important. Even though I have been attending events for years, I still wear some of the same ones I started with, but I alter or add on to them. When I attend a new type of event, I usually solicit advice or opinions from trusted friends, such as expert LARPers and convention goers. You’ll want to ask someone you can trust to help you without criticizing too much, because selecting costumes can be a daunting and intimidating task. (And seriously, ask those people. They are very nice and open to helping new people.)
PART II: The footwear
People often mistakenly overlook footwear, especially at renaissance faires. It’s tragic to see a faire attendee in an exquisite costume sporting Nikes instead of appropriate footwear. You will find that passable footwear is much easier to find for women than for men, and also that while women often have the annoying task of minding their skirts, skirts hide shoes, so they can get away with a bit more when it comes to footwear.
If you’re a woman, check your closet first. Chances are you have some comfortable boots that will work for your first event. Avoid any obvious logos. If you have a spare pair, bring that, too–chances indicate that your regular footwear won’t hold up as well if the weather turns sour. Women should also check stores such as Payless and Wal-Mart to find inexpensive shoes for first time event attendees. However, never sacrifice comfort if it comes down to a few dollars.
If you’re a man, understand that you’re probably going to have to spend some money for a decent pair of boots. Your footwear will likely be visible, so it’s important that it looks remotely fantastic or historical. Don’t say it’s unfair, though–women generally spend less on shoes, but more on other parts of their costume because so much more fabric is involved, and because it’s easier for men to find passable costumes. Men should consider SCAboots.com’s Sir Henry Boots.
On a budget? Try the below pirate boot.
Check back tomorrow for more basic components of LARP and Renaissance Faire costumes, such as tabards, hats, and hair accessories!
