michaelsbagley

The most ideal solution would be to have the collar pulled off and a larger one put on. Of course that may not be possible if you don't have enough fabric left over... Cuff links might work if you can sew a buttonhole, and the existing buttonhole is large enough to accommodate cuff links. (And if you won't find the metal to rough on your throat). Ties could work, but I am not very fond if that option as I find ties can slip a lot and cause the shirt neck to either fall open or constrict more.

Okay, I have one last question. Cooking. I have small portable cookware I can pack to bring, but will there be a cookfire? I haven't been since things moved inside the fort, so I haven't paid attention to how this is being handled. As long as there is a fire, or someone with a brazier willing to share with me, I should be good. (And I imagine this should be the case). I will likely be dining on the town at least one night (if not two) and with the pig roast Sunday my main concern is breakfasts and lunches.... and most importantly morning coffee (I will be bringing some of the Widow Black's coffee and a small coffee pot with me). Other than that I should ne pulling up to Fort Zach at around 3:00 to 4:00 PM Friday afternoon. If anyone needs a ride from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West (or anywhere in between) friday afternoon shoot me a message and I will help you out.

I'd say the justacorps is more 1660 to 1680 (maybe 1690s), and while the term "frock" seems to be applied to coats after that time until the end of the 18th century, what a "frock" looks like seems to change every few decades. But remember, these terms are generally used more as modern classifications (while they may be used in period as well). Try not to get hung up in the term, and focus more on what a "coat" looks like in the decade you are aiming for. I have heard the term "justacorps" applied to French coats up to and including the French and Indian Wars (7 Years War late 1750s-early 1760s). The number of buttons seems to be a fashion thing. It varies by country and decade. However, if you really want a generalization (and I don't advise this), plentiful buttons seem to be a more early thing than late thing. Also note the position of the pockets seem to vary by decade and country of origin. As for how long a garment is acceptable in re-enactor terms.... That is a very subjective question. Personally I try to avoid wearing anything more than a decade or two out of time for the 17th and 18th century time frames. I might stretch an item as much as 30 years if I am really pressed to make an event of a specific time-frame and don't have the time to make something better. But That would be a rare thing for me indeed. Personally, I would avoid going to an event rather than wearing an item 50 years or more out of time for it. But I can be a bit more strict on myself than most are.

To broad of a question to answer effectively. Some yes, some no. Most did have buttons and buttonholes to close them with, the fashion would have been to wear them more open in warmer weather. Functional ones (not the fancy ones in museums) would have been buttoned up more often than not. Some yes, some no Not likely. The inside pocket is a more modern thing Great Coat is generally a term for a heavy coat that is warn OVER a just-a-corps. Frock coat is what later period coats were generally referred to as (or basically what the Just-A-Corps evolved into). The name is French, I haven't studied enough period writings to know what else it was called (regional names, etc). But please keep in mind, classification is a more modern thing, in period it was more likely referred to as a "coat". The garment first started to show up in Western Europe in the 1660s. It is thought to have evolved from the eastern "zupon" (sp?), basically the long Slavic coats worn in the earlier 17th century. It basically evolved into the Frock coat. As an aside, you obviously want a great deal of information regarding this style of coat, you'll find you are likely to get better answers if you space your questions out. It would take an essay length response to fully answer all the questions in your post to the depth you seem to want to know. Few folks want to write an essay on a forum like this.

Try to be careful with aging brass though. Copper oxide is (mildly?) toxic, and the main ingredients in brass is copper. Copper oxide the the slightly greenish tarnish brass (and bronze) gets when aged. You likely want to avoid aging any prices that are touching sensitive areas (like your eyes).

Can you perhaps post the registration form in any format besides ".docx"? Microsoft Word/Office 2010 or later is required to open the ".docx" format, and while I could open it at work (where I have Office 2010), I am unable to get to the web site (blocked by at work web filters) and I only have a very old version of Microsoft Word at home. PDF format, or preferably the older ".doc" format would be best. Thanks.

Okay, I just booked my flight. I will get a registration form completed and start to confirm other arrangements over the next few weeks. I appreciate all the offers for places to crash and weapons to borrow (both on forum and via private message). See you all there.

Yeah I figured the renovations would be the biggest factor in sleeping in any part of the fort. Thanks for the heads up and the offer of the weapon Haunting Lily. Mission, how is your chest being transported to Key West? They TSA restrictions on how a firearms is transported does match your locked instrument box... So that may be an option. And I will make sure the monkey attends... even if I can't/don't.

I'm still very on the fence about coming (and the decision isn't completely mine to make)... But if I am able to make it, I will be flying. While I can book a hotel, I would rather keep it on the cheap. If I pack a bed-roll and am able to attend as a more "campaigner style" re-enactor, is there a chance of sleeping in one of the sections of the Fort that is relatively sheltered from the elements? I seem to recall this happening in the section where the canons are a few years back... But with the rules changing from year to year, I really don't want to assume anything. Failing that, anyone have some extra space in their tent? Lastly, in order to travel light, bringing a weapon i unlikely (although I own many), is there someone attending that may be bringing extras? Again all of the above are based on a very slight chance of me being able to pull this off.

I had some good experiences two and three years ago, and skipped last year (was too busy)... But I would be happy to join back in for this year.

Glad to hear you worked it out! Are you powdering the walnut for dye? Or Walnut ink? Or both? I tried this a few years ago, and outside of losing steam in the project and earning some badly stained hands.. I never got any where with, so I am curious to hear about someone else's success.

Also keep in mind Tortuga (and others) may have been pirate friendly ports... but they were port towns first, pirate friendly locales second. Most if not all towns of the period would have churches. Even if it happened to be a port town, and even if it was a pirate friendly port town.

Thanks for the heads up Fayma. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery for Poppa. I'm sure Scarlet and Lily will do a great job.

While my attending this year has always been pretty unlikely, October is rapidly approaching and the decided lack of Info regarding the Fort Taylor Festival is making the snowballs chance in Florida of me showing up, closer to some shaved ice's chance. I know some have already booked travel, and they have to be wondering at the rather complete lack of information on this years festival.

I think the tassles come in at the end of the 18th century... I know the French were wearing the long voyageur knit caps from at least the 1680s, if not earlier. I've just never seen evidence of the anglais (English) adopting them until much later in the 18th century

I'd love to try the Fort in the cool November weather rather than the balmy June heat... but I am already committed elsewhere. Hope you guys have a great time, and maybe next November will work for me.

I wish I could base this on documentation and not just gut feeling... But the voyageur hats were still a pretty new thing to the French at that time, so I would be pretty skeptical of any English adopting it that early. Probably later in the 18th century, but I would doubt it for GAoP.

Plague doctor masks are commonly made of leather... the same guy that does your tailoring is pretty handy with leather as well.. . In fact Thomas Alleman forwarded me a patern for one just a few weeks ago.

The Loyalist Arms shoes are he'll on the feet. I use a full shoe insert AND an extra heel cushion, and that helps (as long as I don't forget them as I switch them between the two pairs). Ivan Henry also posted something about a pair from the UK that were comparably priced, and a bit lower in the heel which would likely be easier on the feet than the beefy heeled Loyalist Arms or Reconstructing History shoes.

KoS, the fugawees previously posted are likely the most worn model bt pirate re-enactors... it is true they are a bit later period... but as Jas said, they are close enough (basically earlier shoes had longer tongues and narrower latchets). However, if you want to spend an extra $25 to $50 or more, and perhaps wait longer for the end product... closer to the mark shoes do exist. Look up Loyalist Arms (I personally have two pairs), the Practical Goose, or Reconstructing History for shoes that are a bit closer to the correct period style. If you do a search in the "Theive's Market" section of the pyracy pub you will find lots of links, suggestions and reviews by pub members on the various shoes available. If you try to call Dixie about the Queen Anne, let us know if you have any luck. I tried for a year to reach them a long while back and never got a response from them.

I don't think there are any "rules" or even general conventions yet... So I imagine goggles would work fine... But why not take it a step further and go with a 17th century Plague Mask? Wiki Link for more details

SteamPunk events would be the obvious choice... At least until it (hopefully) grows into it's own "thing". And I seriously need to get caught up on Dr. Who... The Adam Ant suggestion is awesome though! There has been quite a bit of suggestion that the upcoming "Three Musketeers" film being a good starter for this genre. There is use of baroque dirigibles with flame throwers, and I've heard mention of a Submarine type contraption in the film as well.... The Dumas purist in me cringes, but my curiousity over the LacePunk genre is starting to make me interested in this film. Trailor on this link

For anyone who is connected to me on Facebook... It has become obvious that I have been pretty interested in miniature wargaming in the last many months.... And for those who aren't linked to me... Well I have been painting and collecting a lot of 25mm (1 inch) miniatures over the last many months, to tabletop wargame with. As one gets more involved in a hobby (or at least I do), new forums regarding that hobby are sought and joined etc. etc On one tabletop miniature gaming forum I am reasonably active on, SteamPunk (Or "Victorian Science Fiction" as they seem to persist in calling it, or VSF for short) is a pretty popular style for tabletop miniature gaming... But lately, I am starting to notice an increasing amount of conversations about "LacePunk". As anyone here can surely guess, Lacepunk is basically a "tricorn" era influenced fantasy/sci-fi genre. Like Steampunk or VSF, it is loose on history, combining elements of most of the 18th century (and even late 17th century) with fantastical things like clockwork machines more advanced than anything that really existed, and fun things like sailing ships and galleons with air balloons to form "earlier" than reality derigibles. Anyways, I thought it might be something folks here might be interested in concept wise. Hell, despite my like of Steampunk, I haven't gotten anywhere with my steampunk gear, and am starting to think Lacepunk may be the thing for me, since so much of my existing re-enacting gear can be used, and just added to with extrordinary clockworks etc to make a fun Lacepunk outfit... Or I might just go the easy lazy route, and start collecting minis, and just game in the "Lacepunk" era. Anyone else hear anything about this? Or interested? Or even just think it is neat?