Planning for the long haul

Or, how to have enough garb to last for a multi day event, such as Rowany Festival, without needing your own, personal baggage train to get it there.

- by Laetitia de Harfleur

If you plan on attending multi-day events, such as Rowany Festival, ICW, wars, or even a 2 day event, you will find that you need more than one outfit. You can't really wear just the one tunic for 4 days straight. What if it rains? What if it gets hot? What if it gets cold? Not to mention that you will probably start to smell a bit.

Sure, you could have one complete outfit, per day, you could even have one each from a different time and place, but they will take up a lot of space.

The best way to prepare for events like this, is to think like a medieval person. Think of your garb as clothing, not a costume. The average person in the middle ages would have had more than one outfit, but far less than you would have today. They would have several undergarments (under tunic, shirt or chemise), probably 3-4, and they would have at least 2 of the next layer of clothing, one for 'best' and one for work, and maybe even one in between, for 'better'. Then they would have at least one outer garment, a cloak, coat or over-gown. In addition to this, they would also have a coif (or veil), and a hat or hood, and various other accessories (shoes, boots, belt, pouch, pins, jewellery).

One of the best visual examples of this can be found in the Tudor Tailor book, The King's Servants. The illustration depicts a boy of the leash, and his summer and winter liveries, including all layers.

Including what the boy is wearing, his entire wardrobe consists of: 5 shirts, 5 pairs of hose, 2 doublets, 2 coats, 4 hats and 2 pair of shoes. That is quite a lot more clothing that most people would expect a medieval servant to have. But the reality of most royal 'servants' is that they were a part of the noble class, most were lesser lords and ladies, or their children. There are two main reasons for this, the first being that they created a buffer zone around the royals and the higher nobles, but also for their own gain, in an attempt at social climbing. Which is where most of us enter the SCA, we are those social climbing, lesser nobles, we serve those who rank above us, in the hope of one day joining those ranks. This is why looking at the clothing of those who serve the royal household, is useful to gain insight as to what was worn.

If you plan to go to Roawany Festival (or any several day event), you need to plan ahead. It's likely that between now and then, you'll attend other, single day events. This means that rather than becoming your own personal shirt factory, you should think about making one complete outfit, and then slowly expand your wardrobe. That first outfit will eventually become your 'work' outfit, its what you'll use if you want to engage in something messy, sweaty, or smoky (such as chopping wood, cooking over a camp-fire, or digging a latrine).

If you start with a shirt, in linen (or cotton), then add a doublet in wool, lined with linen (or linen/cotton blend, lined with the same), and hose of wool, lined with linen. This is a good start to a basic outfit, then you can add a hat, and a coat, and some shoes, and a belt, and a pouch.

Now, return to the start, and add another shirt to your wardrobe, maybe even two, and another doublet, perhaps of a slightly different style, or different fabric, maybe one with laced in sleeves, and another pair of hose, in a different colour, maybe with some slashing on the knees to make them fancier. You might want to add a leather jerkin, rather than another coat, and another hat, of a different style. And before you know it, you have two complete outfits, that are interchangeable. Add another shirt or two, another pair of hose, and some spare shoes, and you're ready to go to festival!

But wait!

What if you're not a Tudor man?

The process itself doesn't change, only the specific garments do. You plan one complete outfit, and then expand the wardrobe, in a practical manner.

What if you're from an earlier time? Its still the same!
Start with your under tunic, in white or unbleached linen (or cotton), add an over-tunic, and braise and hose (or trews, or whatever pants are worn in the time and place you have chosen). This is a basic outfit. Then you can add a coif or some other hat, a coat or cloak, some shoes (or boots), a belt and a pouch.

Now you add to your wardrobe. Add another under tunic, another over-tunic, a hood, and some more pants. All you need now is another under tunic or two, and some spare pants and shoes, and you're ready for festival!

But what about a lady?

Its still the same process. For a Tudor era woman:
A chemise, a kirtle, and a cap/coif/head-wrap. That's a basic outfit. Add shoes, hose, belt and pouch, an over-gown, and a fancier hat.

Then its back to the start, with another chemise (or two), another kirtle, another head-covering, another gown. And more chemises, until you have enough to last, with one for each day of festival.

An earlier era lady would be similar to the men’s, but with longer tunics.

It doesn't matter what era you look at, you will still need to plan in the same way.

You will need multiples of the garments that are closest to your skin, its great if you can have a clean one for each day. Generally, its best if this garment is in linen, typically, in most times and places, this garment would be made from white or unbleached linen. Linen is very effective at wicking away moisture, and does a fantastic job of protecting your outer garments. And it is, by far, easier to launder than your middle and outer garments.

Points on garb for longer events:

• Many of these longer events are warmer during the day, but they can get very cold at night.
• Head-wear is very important. By day, it protects you from the sun, and by night, it helps to keep you warm.
• Having woollen garments, that can be layered, will do a lot to help to keep you warm at night. And due to its nature, even if your outer layer of wool gets damp, it will still retain your body’s warmth.

The romance of cloaks.

Please, kill it now.

Cloaks are fine, if you're standing around, and don't have to do anything, but the moment you move, or try to use your hands, they become useless, and get in the way more than they will keep you warm. A coat will serve you better.

Though, that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a cloak at all. You can throw one over your coat, when you're sitting around the camp-fire, and don't have to do anything. A cloak is useful as a spare blanket, and will be handy if you have to use the privy in the middle of the night.

One important thing to remember with cloaks, and coats (and women’s garments), is that if they reach the ground, and the ground is wet/muddy, then so too will be your garment. Cloaks and coats are better if they reach mid calf, and women’s garments, no longer than to the top of your foot (unless you wear your gown tucked up like a German Trossfrau).

When to buy fabric, to make planning garb easier.

If linen is on sale, buy it, buy it all! (or several meters), calculate how much you will need for 4-6 sets of undergarments and other items you will need made from it, and then allow a meter or two extra, because you may end up using it for linings.

Middle garments can also be made from linen, even coloured linen. Again, if it's on sale, it's worth buying extra.

Silks and wools are usually something that is planned for. Unless you plan to have all your outer garments in one colour, only get enough for what you need.

Linen typically is on sale at the end of summer, and wool is usually on sale during the warmer weather. When you plan ahead, you can take advantage of these seasonal sales.

The main points.

• Plan your entire wardrobe, well before you need it. Stick to one era.
• Be prepared to make a lot of undergarments. Get a large quantity of the fabric required by watching for fabric sales.
• Start with a basic outfit. Get the fit right, learn how much fabric is required for each piece. Keep it plain, keep it simple and you will complete it sooner.
• Work from the skin, out. Undergarments before outer garments.
• Don't forget to include hats, belts, shoes, pouches and any other accessories your persona would carry with them.
• Repeat the process for your second outfit, this one can be a little fancier than the first one.
• Make more undergarments, so that you have enough to be clean each day of the event.
• If more middle garments are required, they can be added once you have enough undergarments.
• Coats are more practical than cloaks, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have one of each.
• The aim for your middle layers is: Work. Better. Best. Each year you can shuffle them all down the line, scrap your old work outfit, and make a new best.
• Linen is ok for middle layers

A well planned wardrobe for an event such as festival is likely to include:

4-6 undergarments (shirts, chemises, under-tunics)

3-4 leg-coverings (for men, hosen, trews, or whatever is appropriate for your chosen era)

2-3 middle layers (doublet, kirtle, over-tunic)

1-2 outer layers (coat, gown, robe) + a cloak, if it is appropriate for your era.

You should also include at least 2 linen head-coverings (coif, cap, veil)

And at least one warm head-covering (hood, chaperon, cap... whatever is appropriate for your era)

A minimum of 2 pair of foot-wear, just in case one pair becomes waterlogged.

With the right garb, you will remain cool when the sun is hot, warm when the night is cold, and dry when the site is muddy. Comfortable garb will go a long way to making an event more enjoyable, and having enough clean changes, will keep you feeling more like a lord or lady. A full wardrobe can be quite an expense, but it is an investment, if you plan on attending many events.