SCs of the Renaissiance

[Treasure]

I grew up a Rennie - I tell people I'm a Ren-Kid.... I started going to Faire(s) when I was 11 years old.

My mother makes garb.
She makes all of MY garb.
Momma has RULES

at 11-13 I wore child appropriate gowns
at 14/15 I got to wear more grown up dresses - but - I could not show off even the hint of cleavage, and my sleeves were up ON my shoulders
at 16/17 I could wear tops that showed the barest hint of decolletage, and I could pull my sleeves down to my elbows if I wanted, provided it didn't lower the neckline
at 18 - it was tight bodices, padded-bras, hiked skirts, and bared shoulders - BUT I had to deal with the stares and leering...
at 19.... well at 19 I won a wet bodice contest at the Sea Devil Tavern (TRF) - the prize was a free drink token, that I surrendered to my mom, since I wasn't olde enough to drink - the Pirate in charge of the contest about soiled himself when he over-heard "underage" - we explained "Legal - just not enough to drink"

after I turned 21; all bets are off - old enough to accept or turn down whatever is being offered, and more than capable of defending myself verbally, and if that doesn't work... I'm loud and have friends that work faire

I have one dress that when it was first made (after 21) I kept "coloring, outside the lines"... I had friends on color patrol, they were to let me know that I needed to fix myself, I never actually left my top, but due to the natural phenomenon that one side is larger than the other, that side occasionally heaves higher.... My mother, my seamstress has offered to put a sheer ruffle along the neckline to help conceal - I keep turning her down... I am aware of the situation, but at almost 30 its also my decision to make; I didn't wear the dress all that often to begin with, and now I've got to lose weight to get back into it, and by the time I accomplish that, with any luck, peek-a-boob won't be an issue.

before PICs! get demanded

[Gizmo]

Does his name rhyme with "Marlan Hellison"?

No... A UK star who was in a certain 80's school TV show - character name rhymes with "Mr Wronson". Was also in one of a certain trilogy of films.

[Cazzi]

No... A UK star who was in a certain 80's school TV show - character name rhymes with "Mr Wronson". Was also in one of a certain trilogy of films.

If its the same one I'm thinking of, I'm sure I was at a small con where he was standing on a chair in the middle of the dance floor conducting a sing-a-long to Bohemian Rhapsody one year!

At least, I think it was that song.. may have been something else

[Gizmo]

If its the same one I'm thinking of, I'm sure I was at a small con where he was standing on a chair in the middle of the dance floor conducting a sing-a-long to Bohemian Rhapsody one year!

At least, I think it was that song.. may have been something else

Yes, it might have been. And it might have been the alternative version of Bo Rhap which isn't really safe for children. I'm now wondering if we've actually met but don't know it since there is a very specific version of Bo Rhap at one particular yearly convention I go to...

[AlmightyALT]

We didn't have any SCs at my Ren Faire this year. Or last. Or the year before last.

Maybe because I work at the knife makers booth as one of his apprentices and we've got heavy things, sharp things and FIRE and know how to use all three effectively.

Though last year we did have an adult male creep sneak in and harrass the younger women and girls. He started to make the Archery Booth Daughter/Sometimes Forge Apprentice (12 years at that time) really uncomfortable and thankfully for him her parents went to the owner who threw him out and banned him. If we had been told first.... well... heavy things, sharp things, 2000 degree FIRE....

[Cazzi]

I only ever went to one, & that was way back in 1998 in Cardiff.

[rose_metal_nz]

before PICs! get demanded

Oooh that is the awesomest dress - love it! Wish we had Ren Faires over here, don't know of any, and certainly not in Auckland (that I'm aware of). Apollo might have to correct me here...

[morgana]

Does his name rhyme with "Marlan Hellison"?

Got seriously letched by him at a Star Trek convention many years ago. Man can write, no argument, but geez what a sleeze . . .

[XCashier]

before PICs! get demanded

Beautiful dress! What material is it made out of?

My garb is rather modest, very similar to what you see in my avatar pic. Chemise, bodice, skirt. Haven't the bravery or the cleavage to wear something like yours. I'd like to make something new, though, and historically correct if possible.

[ApolloSZ]

We don't have ones on the scale of the Ren Faires over in USA. There is a small one for a weekend with me, alongside a Jousting tourney.
And there is Canterbury Faire down in Chch each year. I will go oneday (as a fighter lol).

I think Kink posted once about a rather... undesirable man breaking into a womans tent, and once caught by the Knights he... fell over alot... before being picked up by Police.

[earl colby pottinger]

It is my understanding

Yup! Historically, swords were 2-4 pounds, 10 at most. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a fantastic page about medieval European arms and armor.

Pre-medieval in areas without good iron working skill some swords were nothing more than bronze/iron rods that were unable to keep an edge so, needed the mass to create brute-force trauma. Even then 20 pounds would be hard to swing about in a long fight, they would be in the 10+ pound range or so.

[Treasure]

Beautiful dress! What material is it made out of?

My garb is rather modest, very similar to what you see in my avatar pic. Chemise, bodice, skirt. Haven't the bravery or the clevage to wear something like yours. I'd like to make something new, though, and historically correct if possible.

it is an Asian brocade.

I have the more modest attire too... I have about 6 outfits that are MINE, and then probably that many more that were my mom's, and she can't wear them anymore, but I can, and when I don't want to wear them, they get loaned out...

[dalesys]

Does his name rhyme with "Marlan Hellison"?

Who may or may not have been the one laying some thing on a seated woman's shoulder, asking "Whadya think of that?"


"Looks like a man's p****, only smaller."

[artcurmudgeon]

::dusting off me old garb::

I spent many years building armour for sca and private collectors. And truthfully misinformation about how things were is rampant.

A normal 1 handed sword circa 1000-1600 would weigh 1-3 pounds(sometimes 4) but this was dependent on the length of weapon, quality of metals and the culture of the time and its over all purpose.

And if anyone ever hears that full suit(of any armour)weighed over 100+ lbs, please hit them because they are idiots and are in need of being beaten.

Nuff said for now....

::deactivating rant machine::

[MoonCat]

Hmmm, where to start...?

LOVE the pic. Gorgeous dress!

Thanks for the info on swords and etc., I've always wondered about that. Stands to reason they can't have been TOO heavy, but the one time I picked one up at an SCA event, I could barely lift it, so it made me wonder how heavy those things used to be.

Cleavage...There was an annual end-of-winter SCA event called Ice Dragon that we went to a few times. Didn't seem to be too many rules...I recall one woman whose dress hung so low she might as well have been topless. And gravity was not her friend.

I've been to the Ren Faire in Sterling, NY a couple times but unfortunately it got out of my price range, plus too hard to get to (very long drive & we have no car right now anyway). I enjoyed it very much, though. If I ever get to go again, I'll be sure to dress the part (appropriately!)

Oh, and Harlan Ellison...I recently read that he is terminally ill. Never met the man, always heard that he had a very snarky personality.