kass

Skavenger, I'd call you a gentleman, but that would just be silly! If I think about it, I'll bring some of my natural dyed stuff to SWPF.

Actually a more subdued maroon red is a more expensive dye than the tomato soup red produced by madder, the commonest and cheapest red dye. But I digress... I have not heard the explanation that blue dye became cheaper and that's why the navy adopted blue in later years. Unfortunately this does not hold water for two reasons: #1 -- Blue dye (from indigo or woad) is one of the cheapest and most readily available dyes. As far back as the Middle Ages, blue was used to indicate common status in paintings because it was that cheap. #2 -- The most common colours in the 1706 through 1740 Slop Contracts are red and grey. But in the 1663, 1690, 1694, and 1702 Slop Contracts, there is no mention of red or grey at all. But there is mention of blue shirts and blue suits. So they used blue quite a bit in the 17th century, then switched to red and grey in the beginning of the 18th century, then switched back to blue by mid-century.

It was totally acceptable, Jessie -- for the upper classes. We don't see common women without caps on their heads. But we almost never see upper class women wearing caps. But their hair was always done. Think about it this way -- a cap you can put on yourself. Having your hair done requires a servant, thereby indicating that you had the wealth to retain such a person. In the later part of the Baroque period, the impossibility of the hairstyle demonstrated the wealth of the wearer. The bigger and weirder the hairstyle, the higher class the wearer.

They look kinda like hoodies, Michael. But a little wider in the body. Thus: I don't make a pattern for them, but you give me ideas...

I've never heard of a frock coat made from canvas. But short jackets (as Foxe has quoted) and also sailors' frocks (not frock coats) were made from canvas. So were breeches and trousers...

Do try to remember that RF2 is not a festival for GAoP reenactors. It's a festival for Ancient Roman through WWII reenactors. The decision is in the hands of the organiser. He's going to make a decision largely based on price and location. Williamsburg is too remote and too expensive. Baltimore was looked at because of its location, but it's also too expensive. The last time I talked to him, Gettysburg was the favourite because they really want the convention to be held there. They're giving him a deal good enough to make it affordable for everyone to attend. Would you prefer to pay twice as much just to get in at Williamsburg? Just to play devil's advocate -- Greg, how much of Stratford or Coventry did you visit TORM weekend? I saw TORM, the Living History Faire down the road, the restaurant, and my pillow. And TORM doesn't have a ball! I don't think the surroundings of the event site matter much at all. As long as there's a local airport/train station/bus station/car service, it's good.

Oh Hester, I just love wearing historical pieces mixed with modern ones. I made a set of stays based on an example from 1740, but I made them in bright red duchess satin and built an evening gown on them to wear on my honeymoon. It's cool. Of course, being that this is Captain Twill, I'll go back to the historic stuff now. By the way, we make stays to your measurements. It's not on the website yet, but if you're interested, PM me and I'll quote you a price.

The problem is that convention centers are not inexpensive there. And no one is going to have a convention there if it doesn't have a chance to make money. It's also bloody remote. Surrounded by nothingness. Ewww... And Gettysburg is making a BIG play to have RF2.5 there. :)

Sure. In a pinch until you can build something more appropriate. You're not really going to see it anyway. Stays were most often a light wool or linen. Brocade is very high end and should be used sparingly. You're better off with wool or linen stays with a brocade stomacher to cover the front. But a whole set of stays in brocade is alot of money. Well, come to my website (link below). We sell a pattern for stays. My apprentices made their own stays and it was the first sewing project either of them did. So an utter novice can manage it. It's called a mantua. It's actually a dress that opens down the front but is worn looped back. There's an article on mantuas on my website too. Have a look. No. Not shawls. Kerchiefs, yes. But wearing a Victorian silk shawl with GAoP dress is the equivalent of wearing a frockcoat with jeans -- cool looking, but not historically appropriate.

Skavenger, At the bottom of this page, you'll find a bunch of books in the bibliography. If I had to choose one for a beginner, I would recommend Jenny Dean's "Wild Colour". It's a terrific book with lots of colour photos of how the dye experiments come out. And it has a couple of projects in there especially designed for the first-time natural dyer. Very easy to get hooked. From there, I'd get a copy of Liles book. He's a reenactor who natural dyed his own uniforms. Very historical. But best to read Dean first and have some fun with it.

Merrydeath, have you looked at the pictures from RF last year?! Some of the people were in totally farby stuff! It's not a living history reenactment -- it's a convention! No one is going to throw you out for an honest attempt. And remember, you can always come in street clothes too.

Oh John... You give me such fiendish ideas...

He looks vaguely familiar but I don't know why...

Oh Murin! You don't need finery for the Pirate Feast! There are people there in 100% authentic kit and there are people there wearing bandanas and eyepatches and saying "Arrrrrr." One year there was a guy in a three-piece suit with a briefcase -- he was a Corporate Pirate! Perhaps you'll join us next year? Watch this space in September for the announcement. Jim, darling, the girls will be very put out if you don't go. Shall I have them PM you with enticements?

Yeah, they're gorgeous. I've always had a kind of fantasy about being painting in that idiom. :)

That's what I'm saying, Lilith! Two Reenactor Fests in this country and two in the UK every year... SHOPPING!!!

Well, Black Fox, the Pirate Feast generally sells out within a week of tickets going on sale -- back in early September. I'm afraid if you don't have tickets now, there aren't any yet. Anyone have Chort's email to share?

Bob, the girls, and I will be there with the usual bells on! Jim! If you aren't there, who will the girls roll around on the floor with?

There seems to have been some bad information passed in this thread. To clear this up, the director of Reenactor Fest has asked me to post this: In other words, the February Reenactor Fest will continue to be in the Chicagoland area. A NEW Reenactor Fest is being added in November. Do not believe the rumour mill. If you have questions, don't hear it second-hand. Please email info@reenactorfest.com

Hey Murin, I have some great advice for you! The key to packing light is wearing the same things in different ways. For example, your "business woman", "fighter" and "wench" shifts can all be the same shift (or two)-- just worn more buttoned as a man and less as a wench. Your "wench" petticote can be the underpetticote for your "business woman" outfit. Men and women, high class and lower class, wore very similar shoes in this period. And if you wear a sailor's jacket for your "fighter" rather than a frock coat (which is too much coat anyway), that packs very small. Hell, you could even wear your sailor's jacket on the plane with your street clothes! Believe me -- I've flown to events on international flights and trains and had to pack extremely light. The secret is to reuse stuff. Don't think "outfits", think "separates".

You know what's even cooler about this episode? I heard that our own Foxe was a consultant about the pirate myths!

Or someone not in mourning. Momento mori were really common jewelry motifs in the 17th century. They weren't meant to be morbid. Just to remind you of your mortality.

Pretty typical momento mori there, Jim. Doesn't have anything really to do with pirates unless the provenance of the piece is definitively known.

I've got some great articles on working women in the 17th and 18th centuries that I'll share as soon as I can find the titles. One bases its information on the court records of women who testified as witnesses. This is one of the only times their professions would have been recorded. Another talks about the relative freedom and rights women enjoyed before the Revolutionary War precisely because the rules of property ownership and divorce didn't function as well on the frontier so they were often not enforced. Really good stuff. You'll love it, Chole! I'm afraid you'd have to obtain the articles through interlibrary loan though. They're from academic journals...

Okay. Good question, Lilith. I should add this to the article. I should have said when women are depicted in a public setting with their hair down, they are meant to show a state of distress. Mary of Modena (James II's second wife, right?) and Nell Gwyn (Charles II's mistress) are shown with their hair down in those portraits because they are "bedroom shots". In other words, the portraits were painted either as minatures for their lovers to carry around with them or as full-sized portraits for private enjoyment in their chambers. They are pinups. Their hair is down provocatively, to be sexy. If you look at their clothing in the portraits, they probably are wearing a loose and flowing wrap or something that looks like it's from ancient Greece or Rome -- definitely not clothing they would wear in public. It's a costume for the portrait. Think of them as the "naughty polaroids" of the time. :) In other words, neither Mary nor Nell were walking down the street or going to court or attending a ball looking like that. No more than you would do so in your lingerie.