I got to spend some quality time with my Knight (Count Ralf le Bigod) yesterday afternoon going over patterns for braise and how he does his awesome looking hose. I "think" I will be able to copy his pattern for hose pretty easily. Unfortunately he has chicken legs so no way can I just use his pattern darn it. The man has no calves....seriously...they're like peglegs!...no wonder his winnegas ALWAYS stay up!
Anyway, after we discussed the patterns we got into a really great conversation about period underwear & why I would wear them. Oddly enough I had never even considered WHY my personae does what she does. I know WHAT she does, its like she just popped out ready made and thats who she is, but I never really bothered with the Why. I have done some research and have a lot of my basics figured out but to drill it down to "Why does your personae wear mens underwear?" was never a thought.
I know many people really don't have their own personae fleshed out and thats perfectly fine. In my previous SCA life as a 14th Century Scottish woman I made up reasons why I fought but it was all conjecture. Nothing was truly supportable should I have really wanted to document my history but it suited me and no one ever criticized me about not having something fleshed out. Even now, I don't think anyone would do that really. But to those of us that enjoy such things and "Would You Like To Know More" (to quote Starship Troopers hehe) it gives us even more insight into our alternate beings hehe.
It excites me now to know I can fully support why Helchen does what she does, wears what she wears and why she fights. Everything can be documented - right down to WHY she would wear mens underwear and even to why they are the color they are (or will be once I make them hehe). I am amazed at the levels of detail knowing my personae's history opens up to me. It also makes this challenge that much easier.
I was having problems with my documentation. I have never done documentation before and I thought you had to do things exactly like the period references you find did them. I was confounded when I was using two different examples for my shirt and one had gussets and one didn't...so how am I supposed to make the shirt? After much discussion with gloriously knowledgeable friends I realize the references are simply that. I simply need to show what WAS done in period and why I am doing MY shirt the way I did it. Which rolls into...my personae would have done it this way because....
So yea I am breathing MUCH easier now with the choices I am going to have to make regarding fabric, design and embellishment because its all based on Helchen and if anyone knows her best...(and knows why she wears men's drawers)...its Me =)
Rogue
(who occasionally wears men's underwear...in her real life too)
When you take on a man's profession, it stands to reason you would wear what was available and practical for the activity.
ReplyDeleteThorvald keeps insisting I wear what conditerri women would have worn - but there were none because war, glory and honorable combat were man's profession. A woman of quality and refinement would not touch a sword. This was the era of Petrarch's Laura, you remember "My lady is like the sun, save she is more beautiful and fair.". So, I am planning to make a vests, which is the womanized version of a man's doublet and wear scandalous breeches without a proper petticote. Poor Papa would despair at the scandal his daughter becomes. What did he expect, sending her to Florence with her ridiculously younger brother (Giovanni could not even grow enough whiskers to shave) to avoid the invasion of Swiss mercs. ;-)
Accursed mercenaries.