Larp Couture
Fabric Bolt! Fabric Bolt! Fabric Bolt!
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Today’s DIY Friday features pin curls! If you watch the video, you’ll see an excellent example of pin curls at the end. The lovely instructor is doing a hairstyle that depends on thoroughly modern tools; however, the basic pin curl can be achieved with nothing more high-tech than hair pins. Don’t take my word for it; check out here and here.
The up version of the pin curl is a relatively recent trend, judging by the visual record; it’s a 20th century thing. However, pin curling is not just a hair style, but a method of hair styling. Once the curls are let down, they could be brushed out to get this look (NSFW), or left to curl, like this.
One warning: I have it on good authority (from my American Girl books) that sleeping on hair pinned up can hurt like the Dickens. Consider that before you experiment with the authentic, old-timey method.
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Pearson’s Renaissance Shop is Giving Away a $35 gift card; Enter By May 31st! ~ If You Loved the Movies and Want the Comics, Start Here ~ A German Politician Gets Stopped At Airport- Due to His Larping Ax! ~ ZOMG Steampunk Mini Cooper ~ Sword and Soul: Things to Think About When Portraying “Other” in Fantasy (Part II & Part III) ~ Names in Guild Wars 2 ~ Sexual Health in the Zombie Apocalypse ~ A Guide To Small Town Larping
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The earliest chainmail we know of appeared around 300 BC, amongst Celtic cultures. Whether they had the time or inclination to make crazy shoe jewelry is up for debate, but they certainly had the ability!
(The best part about these shoes is that I’m sure some of you chain-slingers out there can make these in an afternoon. And then voila! ARMOURED SHOES.)
Image: Walk of Shame by Litter SF. Iron. Ships to many countries. $68 USD
PS They sell chainmail mustaches!
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![Ritual without Religion
Kombolói are Greek thing. Throughout most of Greece, you can hear them click-clacking softly in the background as people go about their life, soothing themselves. They come in amber and coral and seeds and shiny metals and cheap, heavy plastic, and true fans will argue which material makes the most pleasing noise, or feels the most pleasing in the hand. But they agree on one thing- these are not a religious item.
That is somewhat unique; if you’re Catholic, for example, you might have seen the image above as a rosary, or if Buddhist, as prayer beads. But this Greek pastime is it’s own thing, separate from whatever religious belief the individual might have- the way taking deep breaths to calm oneself isn’t (usually) a religious act.
If you are looking for more variation in the way you perform magic in your game, worry beads might be an interesting addition. They would make a great basic healing spell, for example- something like “First Aid”, that any class could use to self-heal a small amount of damage. As the quality, rarity, and expense of the beads increases, so too could the power of the healing- to the point where a downed character might be able to use the beads to rally back, once a day. Certain people believe the beads become attuned to the user, which suggests self-targeting spells and perhaps even items that cannot be transferred between players once used. (For the rest of that article, see here, here, and here.)
If you’d like a to see a grizzled old man slinging beads outside a café, click here.
Komboloi Prayer Worry Beads by Jeannie Parnell. Available in many colors and sizes. Varies; mostly acrylic. Ships from Turkey to many countries. $4-$18 USD
Scented Olive Seed Worry Beads by Culture Taste. Olive seeds and frankincense; cord material not specified. Ships worldwide. $14 USD
Scented Nutmeg Seed Worry Beads by Culture Taste. Nutmeg seeds and frankincense; cord material not specified. Ships worldwide. $21 USD
Worry Beads by Fredericks & Mae. Wood and horsehair. Ships to the USA only. $265 USD
Image by Lumbricus (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4doj2EVN71r0k1xoo1_r1_500.png)
Ritual without Religion
Kombolói are Greek thing. Throughout most of Greece, you can hear them click-clacking softly in the background as people go about their life, soothing themselves. They come in amber and coral and seeds and shiny metals and cheap, heavy plastic, and true fans will argue which material makes the most pleasing noise, or feels the most pleasing in the hand. But they agree on one thing- these are not a religious item.
That is somewhat unique; if you’re Catholic, for example, you might have seen the image above as a rosary, or if Buddhist, as prayer beads. But this Greek pastime is it’s own thing, separate from whatever religious belief the individual might have- the way taking deep breaths to calm oneself isn’t (usually) a religious act.
If you are looking for more variation in the way you perform magic in your game, worry beads might be an interesting addition. They would make a great basic healing spell, for example- something like “First Aid”, that any class could use to self-heal a small amount of damage. As the quality, rarity, and expense of the beads increases, so too could the power of the healing- to the point where a downed character might be able to use the beads to rally back, once a day. Certain people believe the beads become attuned to the user, which suggests self-targeting spells and perhaps even items that cannot be transferred between players once used. (For the rest of that article, see here, here, and here.)
If you’d like a to see a grizzled old man slinging beads outside a café, click here.
Komboloi Prayer Worry Beads by Jeannie Parnell. Available in many colors and sizes. Varies; mostly acrylic. Ships from Turkey to many countries. $4-$18 USD
Scented Olive Seed Worry Beads by Culture Taste. Olive seeds and frankincense; cord material not specified. Ships worldwide. $14 USD
Scented Nutmeg Seed Worry Beads by Culture Taste. Nutmeg seeds and frankincense; cord material not specified. Ships worldwide. $21 USD
Worry Beads by Fredericks & Mae. Wood and horsehair. Ships to the USA only. $265 USD
Image by Lumbricus (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
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Video reblogged from Little Details. Apparently.[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
Have a lovely NSFW DIY Friday, gentle readers.
A Victoria knot is a Four-In-Hand knot with an extra turn.
This one’s called the Victoria knot.
Music—Sohodolls - I’m Not Cool
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Update—This video has gotten more notes in 4 hours than the previous one earned in 3 weeks. One can only deduce that Tumblr prefers the Victoria knot to the Windsor.
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Entirely New Old Language Discovered! ~ Images from 50 years ago: 1962 ~ Things I Might Try During Hurricane Season ~ Not Everyone is Honest or Accurate: Things to Think About When Reading (and Writing!) About the Past ~ Pretty Butterflies are Pretty ~ Broken Heroes in Fantasy (I’m particularly interested in the experiences of larpers with various abilities; I imagine you’d have some keen insights on the matter) ~ Design Your Own DC Converse ~ A Girl Live Roleplays an MMO, and Gets Her Own GW2 NPC ~ How Did I Not Know About Jennie Breedan’s Larping Comic??
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It is absolutely much more challenging to find costume clothes in a regular store as a man. It seems as if the vast machinery of Western fashion cannot cease inventing odd ways for women to dress, or using clever references in cuts and ruffles to evoke the past. Meanwhile, men’s shirts come in Button Down, Polo, and T-shirt, and may the elder gods help you if you want something else!
With that in mind, I’ve collect the basics for a Napoleon-inspired modern ensemble, all of which would be suitable for larping. There is a zipper on the men’s jacket, but if you are crafty that can be modified and if you are not, it can at least be painted or colored a dark grey. Or you can simply pretend to be a modern Napoleon. Either way, enjoy!
Image by Antoine-Jean Gros [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Bottom Left: LAB:CO by B:SCOTT High-Neck Sweatshirt via Urban Outfitters. Cotton. Ships to many countries. $89 USD
Bottom Center: Rude White Skinny Fit Denim Jeans via Hot Topic. 98% cotton; 2% spandex. Ships to many countries. $37 USD
Bottom Right: Funtasma by Pleaser Men’s Halloween Gotham-100 Boot by Funtasma. Made from synthetic materials. Ships to many countries. $46-$132 USD, depending on size
Pirate Man Boot Covers via Costumes 4 Less. Polyurethane. Ships to the US only. $19 USD
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![Imagine, for just a moment, that you are a landed noble from a long and storied family that has served king and country for centuries. Now imagine you are out in your carriage, only to see it made to look rather shabby next to the absolutely sumptuous affair nearby- a silver, cream and carnation confection of a conveyance. And whom does it convey?
Miss Gertrude, a commoner in the printing business.
Sumptuary law is the English name for the category of law that restricts luxuries to certain classes of people. These laws exist for many reasons- in some cases, for example, they are meant to alter the flow of trade. However, they are more commonly associated with laws designed to make it visually obvious who has the higher rank, especially when the money of those with said rank is not up to the task. And then there is that other version- sumptuary laws based on religion.
If there are going to be out of game requirements for clothing, it would be worth considering having in-game sumptuary laws related to said requirements. This could be as simple as “The Lord of the Land has stated that all vegetation-based beings wear green,” or as complicated as any puff-up medieval dandy could wish.
On the other hand, I would be careful before altering your games established garb rules or creating in-game penalties for what might, honestly, be an out-of-game problem regarding cash. Costumes can be a rather expensive outlay relative to your players budgets, so make sure they are willing to dash out and buy or make more if they need to.
A third option is one that may appeal to players who primarily enjoy the game through dressing up; considering how inequitably sumptuary laws were enforced, it would be possible to generate a plot around the creation of these laws that only effects the players interested in it. After all, most non-martial nobles have very little interest in the dress of the man pointing a sword at their guts- but a great deal of interest in the doings of other non-combatants.
Image Credit: Burmese Upper Class Couple by Philip Adolphe Klier [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m40e4oNQlo1r0k1xoo1_500.jpg)
Imagine, for just a moment, that you are a landed noble from a long and storied family that has served king and country for centuries. Now imagine you are out in your carriage, only to see it made to look rather shabby next to the absolutely sumptuous affair nearby- a silver, cream and carnation confection of a conveyance. And whom does it convey?
Miss Gertrude, a commoner in the printing business.
Sumptuary law is the English name for the category of law that restricts luxuries to certain classes of people. These laws exist for many reasons- in some cases, for example, they are meant to alter the flow of trade. However, they are more commonly associated with laws designed to make it visually obvious who has the higher rank, especially when the money of those with said rank is not up to the task. And then there is that other version- sumptuary laws based on religion.
If there are going to be out of game requirements for clothing, it would be worth considering having in-game sumptuary laws related to said requirements. This could be as simple as “The Lord of the Land has stated that all vegetation-based beings wear green,” or as complicated as any puff-up medieval dandy could wish.
On the other hand, I would be careful before altering your games established garb rules or creating in-game penalties for what might, honestly, be an out-of-game problem regarding cash. Costumes can be a rather expensive outlay relative to your players budgets, so make sure they are willing to dash out and buy or make more if they need to.
A third option is one that may appeal to players who primarily enjoy the game through dressing up; considering how inequitably sumptuary laws were enforced, it would be possible to generate a plot around the creation of these laws that only effects the players interested in it. After all, most non-martial nobles have very little interest in the dress of the man pointing a sword at their guts- but a great deal of interest in the doings of other non-combatants.
Image Credit: Burmese Upper Class Couple by Philip Adolphe Klier [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
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Ladies, gentlemen, and fine folk of the world, I present to you: my very first DIY Friday video!
I teamed up with the lovely Doria Grace to do a video on gargoyle make-up. Also, if you like the music in the video, you can download it here. As this is my first foray into this field, please feel free to give as much feedback as you like; every little bit helps.
I hope you enjoy it!
![Ritual without Religion
Kombolói are Greek thing. Throughout most of Greece, you can hear them click-clacking softly in the background as people go about their life, soothing themselves. They come in amber and coral and seeds and shiny metals and cheap, heavy plastic, and true fans will argue which material makes the most pleasing noise, or feels the most pleasing in the hand. But they agree on one thing- these are not a religious item.
That is somewhat unique; if you’re Catholic, for example, you might have seen the image above as a rosary, or if Buddhist, as prayer beads. But this Greek pastime is it’s own thing, separate from whatever religious belief the individual might have- the way taking deep breaths to calm oneself isn’t (usually) a religious act.
If you are looking for more variation in the way you perform magic in your game, worry beads might be an interesting addition. They would make a great basic healing spell, for example- something like “First Aid”, that any class could use to self-heal a small amount of damage. As the quality, rarity, and expense of the beads increases, so too could the power of the healing- to the point where a downed character might be able to use the beads to rally back, once a day. Certain people believe the beads become attuned to the user, which suggests self-targeting spells and perhaps even items that cannot be transferred between players once used. (For the rest of that article, see here, here, and here.)
If you’d like a to see a grizzled old man slinging beads outside a café, click here.
Komboloi Prayer Worry Beads by Jeannie Parnell. Available in many colors and sizes. Varies; mostly acrylic. Ships from Turkey to many countries. $4-$18 USD
Scented Olive Seed Worry Beads by Culture Taste. Olive seeds and frankincense; cord material not specified. Ships worldwide. $14 USD
Scented Nutmeg Seed Worry Beads by Culture Taste. Nutmeg seeds and frankincense; cord material not specified. Ships worldwide. $21 USD
Worry Beads by Fredericks & Mae. Wood and horsehair. Ships to the USA only. $265 USD
Image by Lumbricus (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4doj2EVN71r0k1xoo1_r1_1280.png)
![Imagine, for just a moment, that you are a landed noble from a long and storied family that has served king and country for centuries. Now imagine you are out in your carriage, only to see it made to look rather shabby next to the absolutely sumptuous affair nearby- a silver, cream and carnation confection of a conveyance. And whom does it convey?
Miss Gertrude, a commoner in the printing business.
Sumptuary law is the English name for the category of law that restricts luxuries to certain classes of people. These laws exist for many reasons- in some cases, for example, they are meant to alter the flow of trade. However, they are more commonly associated with laws designed to make it visually obvious who has the higher rank, especially when the money of those with said rank is not up to the task. And then there is that other version- sumptuary laws based on religion.
If there are going to be out of game requirements for clothing, it would be worth considering having in-game sumptuary laws related to said requirements. This could be as simple as “The Lord of the Land has stated that all vegetation-based beings wear green,” or as complicated as any puff-up medieval dandy could wish.
On the other hand, I would be careful before altering your games established garb rules or creating in-game penalties for what might, honestly, be an out-of-game problem regarding cash. Costumes can be a rather expensive outlay relative to your players budgets, so make sure they are willing to dash out and buy or make more if they need to.
A third option is one that may appeal to players who primarily enjoy the game through dressing up; considering how inequitably sumptuary laws were enforced, it would be possible to generate a plot around the creation of these laws that only effects the players interested in it. After all, most non-martial nobles have very little interest in the dress of the man pointing a sword at their guts- but a great deal of interest in the doings of other non-combatants.
Image Credit: Burmese Upper Class Couple by Philip Adolphe Klier [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m40e4oNQlo1r0k1xoo1_1280.jpg)
