Stop calling me a "garb nazi"

Ok. Let's get this straight:

The mass genocide of almost an entire race of people is so not the equivalent of someone making fun of your SCA garb.

Seriously.

I know it's hyperbole. I know it's supposed to be a reflection of garb snarkers' seriousness in their cruelty.

But really people, equating some of the worst human beings ever to walk to earth to a person who picks on the flaws in the historical accuracy of your dress-up clothes is ludicrous.

No, it's not chivalrous to tear someone down for something as trivial as clothing. No, it's not nice in a modern sense either.

The best way to deal with people who insult your style is really simple: ignore them.

Maybe You're Blowing it Out of Proportion:

I know some people will yell about "someone came up to me at my very first event and totally dissed my Gold Key t-tunic and tennis shoes". You know what? I've only been really involved in the SCA for 3 years. I've been familiar with the SCA for going on 6 years. I've had (and have) some ugly-ass horrible, unresearched garb. My first event was Baron Wars (Midrealm) and my second was Pennsic. I have never seen anyone behave in that way to any new person, ever.

I don't do a lot of hobnobbing with the Peerage. I'm generally known to my small group, but I do know of and about other Midrealmers and I am a people watcher at parties and events. I also happen to champion the underdogs of this world when I see an injustice.

If I had ever heard anyone saying that or heard from someone that they had been insulted, I would have investigated and helped smooth the situtation.

But I've never heard of it! I've never seen it! The only things I've ever heard are FOAF stories. There were no details so that the rude person could be identified. There is always the, "I was standing there innocently at my first event and someone walks up to me out of nowhere and tells me my glasses are OOP and my cotehardie doesn't have enough buttons and is machine sewn or [insert insult here]".

Maybe what happened is that someone who was trying to help a new person came up to you and asked innocently about your garb. You already felt out of place being in a new environment and they mistook your awkward smile as invitation to tell you a few things about how historical clothing works.

SCAdians are not always known for their social skills. They probably mispoke and felt bad and tried to backtrack and ended up saying something even more insulting. And maybe what you should have done was grown a thicker skin and try to make them feel more comfortable with their mistake.

Now, I'm not saying it has never happened that someone was rude about garb, but there's probably a really simple explanation for most of these cases.

So What Can You Call Me:

If you still feel maligned, you can call me a garb snark. You can call me a woman who wants the SCA to be about some measure of authenticity. You can call me anything, really, except a "nazi" about garb.

I don't think the SCA is a place for your Ren Fest clothing. I don't think it's a place for your modern belly dancer clothing. I don't think it's a place for your bluejeans. I don't think it's a place for your stuffed animals or modern tents.

I think that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard. Maybe not to the highest standard, but definitely to one better than for-profit Renaissance Faires! We're here for history, not to party constantly or to oggle or to hang out. If you're not here for history, then there are plenty of places to do the things we're not here for.

Why You Should Stop Whinging On About "I Can't Afford...":

Because you can afford medieval clothing.

You may not be able to afford Kass McGann's patterns or pre-made clothing from high-end reproduction merchants. You may not be able to afford perfect shoes or hats or belts.

But you can afford what all medieval people had: time.

Listen up, I work 40+ hours a week, am a full time student carrying 15+ credits per semester. I have family and friends that are separate from the SCA. All that takes time, but I still manage to make clothing that is reasonably accurate and to purchase fabrics that will fit in my time periods.

If you can sew a straight line on a machine or by hand, you can make medieval clothing. Sew while you watch TV. Sew for a few minutes in bed before you go to sleep at night. Sew on the bus or metro to work. Sew on your lunch break at work.

But you have to sew!

You don't need closets full of crappy garb for the SCA. Historical people had a few pieces of very sturdy clothing at a time that they mixed and matched and wore over and over and over again because clothing was a hugely involved process from sheep to needle. As long as you don't smell too bad, SCAdians don't generally care if you wear the same dress to every event you go to!

An investment in some really good tropical worsted weight wool and a heavier fulled wool will make you two cotes that will last for years if you take care of them properly. Add in a little bit of linen for some headgear and a smock and you've almost got an entire outfit. Use your wool scraps to make hosen and a hood and get a good pair of leather turnshoes and you are a nondescript medieval person, male or female.

If you think of it this way, you're actually more historically accurate that people who have closets full of garb!

So spend some time, get a mentor if you need help, or even email me! I can either direct you to people who can help or I can help you myself!

Yours in Service,
Lady Gillian