Renaissance Festival

うちから1時間半ぐらいのところで2月から3月の週末のみ開催される、ルネッサンスフェスティバルというやつに行ってきました。
日本で言う、時代村なところ。ヨーロッパの中世からルネッサンス期風の小屋がいっぱい建てられて、働く人も皆仮装して、ルネッサンス風（魔法使いや妖精なんかのファンタジーも含む）の衣装や小物やらを売るお店がじゃんじゃんあるところです。
行くの2度目だけど日差しが強い中一日歩きつかれるぐらい満喫しました。

Went to a renaissance festival. Second time in my life.

First of all, it was pretty hot in the sun. I felt sorry for all the workers and visitors in costume laden with layers of garment (not that they are that authentic) and capes and armor. Yup, it is already T-shirt and shorts weather in the desert.

We went to jousting, and all the while heading there, I was talking about the knight that we had last time, how cute he was wearing blue. And we got the same cute knight!!! He looked like a proper hero knight on a white horse.

I actually did a lot of research on sewing patterns for ren faire appropriate costumes. I just did not have time or material or know-how to make a proper costume, but I really wanted to make one.

I thought about a Hobbit, since I have been reading LOTR: needed chopped off trousers, long jacket and vest with optional cape. Way beyond my sewing skill.

I thought about an Elf, with long dress, big sleeves, and belt. Easier to make than any other costumes. Well, I pictured myself in the costume, a stubby middle age Asian with dark bob hair (with bangs!) in Elf costume... Just does not look good, does it, unless I get some ridiculously fake wig to make it ridiculous.

I thought about just using some generic renaissance flavored costume pattern with poofed sleeves and skirt: I did not want to make an undergarment or hoops for the skirt. And I didn't want it to be too Halloween costumey.

I thought about Pride and Prejudice type, high-wasted dress: well, Pride and Prejudice is a bit past Renaissance, isn't it? I didn't want people to call out that I was not in the right time period (not that Hobbit or Elves are in anyway historically correct time period). But you know, Regency or steam punk shouldn't mingle too much with ren faire.

I thought about a wizard, you know, Gandalf like wizard: Too hot to wear woolen robe and cape in the 80 degree weather.

I thought about a generic knight/king costume with sack like tunic, cape, and hood. I thought about putting a Stark sigil (a wolf, from Game of Thrones) on the tunic, but then, Winterfell people usually wear dark colored clothes with lots of layers for cold weather and never the generic knight-like. I thought about Sansa costume, but she doesn't have a signature look, both Sansa and Arya go down south and don't wear Winterfell-like clothes.

I could put Lannister lion stenciled on the sack tunic but who wants to be a Lannister? The only Lannister I want to be is Tyrion, and I did an extensive research on Tyrion costume, and had a good idea: burgundy colored doublet with clasps for closure, a belt, and black pants with boots. I thought I can either make a long doublet, or short doublet with separate thigh guard pieces, wear a black long sleeve T-shirt underneath and black leggins and boots. The issue was that I could not find a good burgundy fabric. I wanted it to be a nice material, that represents Lannister's wealth, and no polyester. I was looking for something brocade with not too obvious patterns, or silk dupioni, or something burgundy with some texture. I just could not find "the one."

So, at the end, I succumbed to a 21st century commoner outfit of jeans and cardi. It's funny to think that I would want to wear a costume. Obviously, I wanted to "make" a costume, not just to wear it. But who knows, maybe I have just been a closeted cosplayer?