Paradigm Concepts

[Njal Val'Assante]

What sort of costuming do you wear for an Arcanis LARP? What would you wear to emulate your character? Are there places you go for suggestions online?

I figured this thread would be a great opportunity to share costuming tips and hints, links to places you can purchase good quality costumes or hints on how to make your own, or even just to get those highlights that take you from being "just another Sarishan" to "that Sarishan with the awesome holy symbol and appropriately embroidered robes".

On that note, for the Nierites and Legionnaires out there: http://www.geekchichq.com/the-labs/ (Scroll down to the Blazing Sword and the Gladius respectively).
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Anthony Nijssen
Instigator. Causer of Chaos. Nobody Important.

[Harliquinn]

Personally, I go all out. I paint up my face; I'm sorry to hear about your cat, but sounds like he had a great life put on horns, hooves and a tail; dress up in crafted or bought outfits; and speak in a bad accent. I add fake weapons to the mix and viola! Then again I'm playing a dark-kin, so there is more involved. I've seen about 12 or so people at the LARP (outside of the moderators and NPCs) who go similarly all out. Some folks jus go in street clothes and a lot go somewhere in between. Whatever you are most comfortable with is the key. You'll still have fun.

John
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- Harliquinn, John Bellando
Ohio Harvester

Kelb'Bakari, Dark-kin Altherian Corsair, Gentleman Archaeologist
-"Judge a wine by its label and you will miss out on the best vintages."

[Nierite]

If I (ever again ) go to Origins I'm going to need to find a Flamberge, muscle Cuirass (preferably flaming one), and a nice cloak with a flame-pattern for my Nierite.
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Cody Bergman

aka = Haakon Marcus val'Virdan, Priest of Nier (Divine 1.
aka = Dyabe val'Abebi, Templar of Althares (Divine 1.4)
aka = Jorma Ostoman, Battlemage of the Coryani Empire (Arcane 1.2)

[SamhainIA]

I'll probably stand behind Nierite with an unassuming bucket of water
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--Josh Elliott
Harvester of Eastern Iowa and associated Dominions

[hustonj]

After never having the time (or desire) to spend a great deal of time working out a costume for the short-term LARP experience through the entire original campaign, I felt kind of left out and WANTED to dress up for the LARPs.

My new character was selected based on him being something I could wear my Ren Faire Garb in order to be in character. Instead of finding a way to make a costume for a character (where it will see rather limited use, honestly), I spent the time making a character to fit an existing costume!

Your mileage may, naturally, vary.
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Valeriano Innocenzo Camillo de Larissa la Galletti
San Antonio, Tx-based Harvester
Jeff Huston
huston.harvester@cox.net

[SamhainIA]

I could totally just look at what my grandpa wears and figure out the archais equivalents, i wonder what i would replace a seed corn hat with... a straw hat of somekind?
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--Josh Elliott
Harvester of Eastern Iowa and associated Dominions

[Njal Val'Assante]

*grins* I've seen all you guys at the LARPs. I was hoping to use this thread as a reference point for linking costuming ideas and places to get accessories (like the wooden swords link I posted).

Jeff, your Ren Faire garb is great, especially for your character, and it makes sense for you to have built the character around it, but I'm curious where you got it, or if you made it, where you found the patterns to do so that something *like* that might be replicated for other Savonan characters.

John, where do you get your fake weapons, the face paint, the accessories for your dark-kin? Have you found certain types of paint work better/are cheaper/are easier to get?

Stuff like that.
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Anthony Nijssen
Instigator. Causer of Chaos. Nobody Important.

[hustonj]

[hustonj]

My garb is pretty standard stuff. It DOES represent money and not a pauper, but it is fairly standard.

My shirts are all natural cotton, hand-dyed and sewn. There are many vendors providing such shirts all over the nation. I REALLY like the supplier I've found. He's out of the KC area, and his business is Tigger's Toggs (no known online presence). He sells tights, cloth doublets, shirts, big muffin hats, and more. I currently have 3 of his shirts, a pair of tights, and a cloth doublet. I plan to purchase at least two more sets of tights from Tigger.

The pants that you've seen are just cheap, entry-level pirate pants. Somebody on the floor at Origins is likely to be selling the equivalent.

Belts, belt pouches, hats, mugs, etc. are all things you simply watch for and pick up something you like when you find it. The generic black warrior's belt will also almost assuredly be available on the floor at Origins.

Boots are much, much harder to find something you like, and far more expensive. Many people get tall moccasins, trim the frill off, and wear them for several seasons before spending the money on a real pair of boots. The pair of boots you've seen me wear were made by Ren Boots (http://www.renboots.com/), and are called the Jack Sparrows. They were around $200, though it's been a few years since I bough them. My new boots were custom, handmade leather by Nativearth (http://www.nativearth.net/) and cost me about $675. I have a friend who's entering the third decade of wearing his Nativearth boots, and he wears them to work daily . . .. Yes, they are expensive, but they are REALLY comfortable and built to last! There are also a wide variety of simple shoe styles, all of which are MUCH cheaper than a good pair of boots, and mostly represent the more common man, including the traditional Scottish Highland's footwear and rope sandals, both of which are normally under $50, IIRC. Heck, I've seen rope sandals under $20, ONCE.

My good leather doublet (and my new paned slops to match) are both from Pendragon Costumes (http://www.pendragoncostumes.com/). Pendragon has had a booth at Gen Con for several years, now, but I haven't seen them at Origins, yet. My fancy leather doublet (with sleeves) ran me about $400, and the leather paned slops ran me about $225. Dressing well, regardless of historically or current, costs money.

I'm also fond of another leather working company that has never, yet, gotten any of my money. They are called Son of Sandlar (http://sonofsandlar.com/).

Last year, there was a leather working company on the floor at Origins, somebody I had never seen before, but whose material LOOKS nice, and is machine washable. That's HUGE. I was going to consider spending some money with them this year.

I have some leather arm bracers that I picked up from a vendor at the Spring Faire in Wichita, Kansas back in 2011. They were made using traditional Roman methods.

I intend to wear the good leather outfit [minor noble] (with different shirts and underwear) on Thursday and Saturday. I intend to wear the more piratical outfit on Friday. If I pick up another shirt before Origins, I might wear one of the outfits on Wednesday also. If I pick up something form the leather vendor who was there last year, I'll WANT to wear while there, too . . ..

Yes, getting a good set of FANCY garb costs a pretty serious chunk of change. Purchasing garb for lesser stations is cheaper. A typical fantasy wench outfit for my daughter (all purchased at once from a vendor I trust at the KC Ren Faire) ran me about $400, I think. That was a chemise, simple (boned) cloth corset, two skirts, and a belt. Since her skirts are floor-length, she can wear pretty much any shoes she wants, and nobody is the wiser.

Generally, you pick up one piece at a time, finding things you like, and slowly spending the money instead of just dropping a chunk o change all in one shot. A pair of rope sandals, entry-level pirate pants, simple shirt, and belt is a valid outfit, can be almost historically accurate, and should cost around $150. Cloth is SO MUCH cheaper than leather, until you get into the heavy, fancy brocades of upper nobility and royalty.

There are LOTS of web sites dedicated to Elizabethan garbing.
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Valeriano Innocenzo Camillo de Larissa la Galletti
San Antonio, Tx-based Harvester
Jeff Huston
huston.harvester@cox.net

[southernskies]

For Coryani (roman) style garb, there are plenty of websites with instructions on sewing your own.

A simple "T" tunic (self made), belt and cheap summer sandals (ladies look better) should cost you less than $40 in total.

One thing though, if you're going to do a toga, a decent cloth to use is going to be *expensive*. The toga I made for Origins'05 was 150cm x 4m and just the cloth was $80+ (and I still wasn't happy with the weight of it).
If I did one again, I'd buy 2 x 150cm x 5m and seam them together (150cm wasn't quite wide enough to hang properly).
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CSE: Astra Tonsoria Ursula val'<Spoilers!> - val Martial Former Tribune of Balantica

LA: Barbara Duran Hiro - Human Pat5/Ftr4/Cent10
LA: Arianne Racine Sylvia - Human Ari1/Wiz16 (cohort)

[EricGorman]

Buffalobreathcostumes.com is a great resource for people who have money to spare. Many/most of my items come from there.

Eric Gorman
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~Eisener val'Holryn. Holy Champion of Nier and haunted veteran of the crusade
~Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn, gave his soul to help free King Noen from the LLT Banner

[Harliquinn]

[Auroris]

Does anyone have suggestions for elorii costuming? Besides pointed ears and fangs I've never quite been sure what to wear as an elorii.
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Kailandos, Elorii Chanter of the Rebirth and the Bright People
Prince Arcahvir of the Tir Betoq
Harvester for Iowa
James Vacca

[Harliquinn]

[KittyCurtis]

And a quick cop-out note, especially for those who are flying or otherwise limited in what they can pack.

There is a costume shop across the street from the convention center. Run down to where the exhibitor hall is, hang a left, walk across the street, and look over to the right. I've forgotten the name, but it's right before the pseudo Irish pub (also forgotten the name, but the food's fantastic). Their hours are not great, so try and hit them early in the day, if possible. Their selection is not huge, but they always have wigs, hats, temporary hair dye, cheap face/body paint, plain masks and costume jewelry. So far, they've always had foam breastplates, but I wouldn't count on them always being in stock.

Personally, I'm anti-clutter, so I rarely create an outfit specifically for a character. I've got a couple dresses in just one color, and I'll accessorize the heck out of them via makeup, jewelry, ribbon, and other mixed-and-matched accessories.
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~Kitty Curtis~
Legends of Arcanis Campaign Director
director@shatteredempires.com
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