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Fun = Modern?
Apr. 3rd, 2009 12:36 pmAh, once again, else-journal, the fun = modern argument has crept up. This isn’t about snarking people for not having uber authentic garb, wearing crocs in the kitchen, or sunglasses at an outdoor court (so PLEASE let's not go there). This is the idea that to have a “fun” event, that to do “silly” things, one has to introduce modern elements to it.
Warning! These are simply my opinions and my opinions only. I’m not going to hate you if you don’t share them (wait, I so totally won’t respect you in the morning…). Not only that, my opinion might be different next week, so there!
Exhibit One (GOOD): The Bad Garb Party These are great. These are usually held in private camps, for a limited amount of time. They’re opt in, opt out. They’re fun. THIS is where your Viking Elizabethan dress belongs.
Exhibit Two (BAD): The Bad Garb Event Not so keen on this. I think it’s great to encourage people to be fun with their clothes, or to dress in a theme, but since when does fun or theme have to mean that somebody puts effort into making something absolutely horrendous that they should never wear again? Fun with clothes can mean wearing a dirty carnival badge, wearing boy clothes when you’re a girl, mixing and matching colors in a period but awful manner, etc. Fart jokes are period! It can mean a lot of things, with varying degrees of effort or accuracy, that don’t fall into the OHMYGODWHYISTHATFLAMINGOFABRICWALKINGTHISWAY category.
Why not? What’s the harm at just one small event? Some people can’t or don’t travel, and that event might be half of their participation in the SCA. If they want to go to an event, they should at least be given some semblance of a medieval experience. (Yes, I know they’re held in gyms and high schools, but don’t let the best be the enemy of the good).
Exhibit Three (GOOD): Bad garb at Midnight Madness at Pennsic To me, this falls under the category of “bad garb party.” I know people who have bad garb parties at Midnight Madness. But, it’s a short time, not a whole event. If you’re at Pennsic, you’re likely there for more than just Midnight Madness. Now, letting all of your dangly bits hang out or dressing in a manner that’s better suited for the pole… that’s right out. You’re still in “public”.
Exhibit Four (DEPENDS): The Hawaiian Print Cotehardie I won’t argue that they’re not funny! They’re hilarious! They’re especially hilarious when you find somebody wearing it who normally wouldn’t get caught dead in anything but wool with linen undergarments. In the context of the Bad Garb Party, they absolutely belong. Though, heaven knows when people have the time to spend making something that they’ll wear once. I wish I could!
Exhibit Five (FANFREAKINGTASTIC): Superheroes A few years ago, a household got together, and everybody made superhero outfits for a particular event. Only, they were done as real SCA garb, with real colors, real fabrics, real styles. One person, standing alone, would look like a normal SCAdian. Get them all together, and suddenly you realized that His Highness was BATMAN! (In a beautifully dagged houppelande).
Why is this good? It’s CLEVER. It’s original. You can wear it all over, and it’s still medieval clothing. It’s a little subtle. It was awesome.
Silly is great. Silly is awesome. Some silly has been overdone. Just because it’s Hawaiian, doesn’t mean it’s funny. The first person that did the Hawaiian cote was funny. The 432nd? It’s fine for what it is, but it’s not all that funny anymore. Be original. Be clever. Be subtle. And have fun!
Warning! These are simply my opinions and my opinions only. I’m not going to hate you if you don’t share them (wait, I so totally won’t respect you in the morning…). Not only that, my opinion might be different next week, so there!
Exhibit One (GOOD): The Bad Garb Party These are great. These are usually held in private camps, for a limited amount of time. They’re opt in, opt out. They’re fun. THIS is where your Viking Elizabethan dress belongs.
Exhibit Two (BAD): The Bad Garb Event Not so keen on this. I think it’s great to encourage people to be fun with their clothes, or to dress in a theme, but since when does fun or theme have to mean that somebody puts effort into making something absolutely horrendous that they should never wear again? Fun with clothes can mean wearing a dirty carnival badge, wearing boy clothes when you’re a girl, mixing and matching colors in a period but awful manner, etc. Fart jokes are period! It can mean a lot of things, with varying degrees of effort or accuracy, that don’t fall into the OHMYGODWHYISTHATFLAMINGOFABRICWALKINGTHISWAY category.
Why not? What’s the harm at just one small event? Some people can’t or don’t travel, and that event might be half of their participation in the SCA. If they want to go to an event, they should at least be given some semblance of a medieval experience. (Yes, I know they’re held in gyms and high schools, but don’t let the best be the enemy of the good).
Exhibit Three (GOOD): Bad garb at Midnight Madness at Pennsic To me, this falls under the category of “bad garb party.” I know people who have bad garb parties at Midnight Madness. But, it’s a short time, not a whole event. If you’re at Pennsic, you’re likely there for more than just Midnight Madness. Now, letting all of your dangly bits hang out or dressing in a manner that’s better suited for the pole… that’s right out. You’re still in “public”.
Exhibit Four (DEPENDS): The Hawaiian Print Cotehardie I won’t argue that they’re not funny! They’re hilarious! They’re especially hilarious when you find somebody wearing it who normally wouldn’t get caught dead in anything but wool with linen undergarments. In the context of the Bad Garb Party, they absolutely belong. Though, heaven knows when people have the time to spend making something that they’ll wear once. I wish I could!
Exhibit Five (FANFREAKINGTASTIC): Superheroes A few years ago, a household got together, and everybody made superhero outfits for a particular event. Only, they were done as real SCA garb, with real colors, real fabrics, real styles. One person, standing alone, would look like a normal SCAdian. Get them all together, and suddenly you realized that His Highness was BATMAN! (In a beautifully dagged houppelande).
Why is this good? It’s CLEVER. It’s original. You can wear it all over, and it’s still medieval clothing. It’s a little subtle. It was awesome.
Silly is great. Silly is awesome. Some silly has been overdone. Just because it’s Hawaiian, doesn’t mean it’s funny. The first person that did the Hawaiian cote was funny. The 432nd? It’s fine for what it is, but it’s not all that funny anymore. Be original. Be clever. Be subtle. And have fun!