While I don’t belong to the SCA, I do belong to the International Wenches Guild and the International Fellowship of Privateers. What does this all mean? I’m one of those crazy people who dress up on the weekends and go to renaissance faires.
For the past sixteen to seventeen years, I’ve been visiting various faires across Texas and a couple out of state. My closet is filled with garb, the costumes we wear, that range from semi-historical to fantasy. One day I may dress like a pirate, another a snow leopard belly dancer, and then go World of Warcraft elven. Scarborough is my home faire since it’s the local one to me but it’s not my first. My first was Texas Renaissance Festival near Houston when I was in sixth grade. I was hooked, the family members I went with weren’t. It took a boyfriend of my mom’s and his friends (all adopted like family) a few years later for me to go again. This time, it didn’t take long to come home with my first set of ren clothes.
The influence the faire has had on me is great. It’s a hobby that has helped me in my English literature degree; it’s shocked many of my classmates and instructors with the random knowledge and that I go. Early school interest and knack in world history and cultural anthropology played right alongside. I have daily clothes that are very faire-like and I wish I could get away with wearing more in public. I know, it doesn’t help with the ecentric author lifestyle image. It’s help adapt styles into faire, steampunk, Victorican, boho, and mori (I think that one is right, the new Japanese forest clothes trend).
This is the first stop of the time traveling author. Weekend time hops minus the TARDIS.
The Musings 