The Trimaris Fashion Report
(and other things happening around the Kingdom)
The way we dress is an expression of our self-image. While looking at the clothes people wore in the past, we also see the ideals of their times.
MISCONCEPTION: Medieval people smelled bad and/or never washed their clothes. FACT: While it is true that medieval people rarely washed their outer garments, their inner garments were washed quite frequently. In the days before dry cleaning, the brocade and gold embroidered outer garments of the nobility could not be laundered without being severely damaged. However, peasants and nobles alike wore linen undershirts under all their clothing. These shirts had long sleeves and extended to mid-calf protecting the outer garments from sweat and oil. These shirts were usually white and washed often. From the very cool website: http://historymedren.about.com/homework/historymedren/
CORONATION - AND THE BEST DRESSED WERE OUT AND ABOUT The fashionable were all on the field for the Tournament of the Ladies of the Rose fundraiser for the Crown (hey, where were They?); the tournament consists of 5-man teams that the populace bids on. Countess Maisie, the COOLEST Countess in Trimaris, spearheads this great idea every year. Anyway, around - and on - the field were fashionable folk. On the field. Sir Ardion. Trimaris' newest knight is certainly starting out on my "Best Dressed on the Field" list. Not only did he look fabulous in his tabard of red and white stripes (with appropriately matching pants to accent), but his squire, Lord Celwin, looked just as spiffy. Did you know that Sir Ardion made those two tabards? Who knew such talent was concealed by that big mouth? And I cannot go without mentioning my two favorite centurions, Sir Morgan Attalus and his squire, Lord Lorcan. They should just wear their awesome Roman armor all the time. Lady Roxanne O'Malley looked outstanding in a red Byzantine, upper-middle class gown. Did you see her as she walked about the list field with that cape gently following behind her? What a sight. Red certainly is her color.
That night, before court, Sir Roland strutted about the feast hall in a smart-looking tunic and a still new shiny white belt. I hear he is a member of the "fleur obsession club", like so many of the ladies of this kingdom. I wonder if he'd be hard to take down in a fabric store brawl? There was a young lady in a red German Renaissance gown, wearing a wreath of flowers. You looked fabulous, my dear. I asked around, but no one I knew knew who you were! Meanwhile, Master Iefan, Elizabethan dandy that he is, was wearing a sharp number of yellow and blue, with a gold ruff, and a beaded doublet. You can always count on Iefan to be well dressed, no matter what the occasion and temperature.
And the highlight of court that night were the knights - Sir Braian, Earl Benen, Earl Gregory and Sir Kalim - wearing the ever-popular cheerleader/catholic school outfit of a plaid skirt and a tight sweater, did this amazing, uncoordinated cheer to get volunteers for the upcoming Gulf Wars. But the most remarkable part of the whole episode is that Sir Braian MacNaughton can do a split! I wonder what exactly were the requirements to become a knight back in the day?
TRIMARIS' SECOND WINTER A&S EXHIBITION - & IT'S A SUCCESS! Cool displays were everywhere - from the medieval wedding to the weaving fanatic, there was something there for everyone to enjoy. It looked like the amount of entries doubled from last year! And there was double the amount of the fashion-elite showing off too. Sir Elizabeth was seen wearing a white cotehardie with gold accents. Lady Quintana looked radiant in a simple magenta tunic. I think it's her beautiful, long red hair that makes her such a striking lady. Lady Ginevra looked just fab in a red-over-white Italian Ren gown (again, the red hair makes it look even better). Milady Grania (not a red head), a striking early period example of Irish history in green and white, was overheard by Mistress Abigaille complaining that no early period people were ever mentioned in my Fashion Report. (Hey, I was going to mention you regardless of your complaint. You always look great, but I wanted to try and find out your whole name, but you're not in the Trimarian Order of Precedence, so yadda, yadda, yadda, send your local herald $5.) I overheard someone tell Earl Benen Mactire he looked "scruffulous." I think that suits him very well.
OLDENFELD - THE SHIRE THAT ROCKS! I cannot recall when I ever had a horrible time in Oldenfeld. They throw the best events, and this recent Lion's Tourney was no exception. Chivalry was on the menu that day, and there were plenty of folk armored and on the field who looked great. Among them, one lady stood out - Catriona Amber Roche. She was wearing her Lions tabard, plate armor, and a chainmail coif. Later that night after kicking some ass around the field, she changed into a lovely early period Irish gown - embroidered and fringed - and wore lots and lots of very nice real amber necklaces. Did you all know she first picked up the urge to whack people during Quintan & Cara's reign? (That was back in 1988!) Walking about the event was a lady named Catherine from Aberdeen, Australia, in a fab burgundy and gold wide horizontal striped dress - and yes, she could pull it off! She was wearing a dress I swear was straight off of the Sienese wall fresco "Good and Bad Government." The ladies dancing in a circle? You know the one I'm talking about here. Later that night, way later after feast, Sir John Paul sang for everyone in the hall. Not only was his singing entertaining (and at times downright hilarious), but he was dressed in his colors - a black tunic with blue trim, and matching hood and gloves to boot. Do you know he makes all his own clothes too? Some of these knights are just amazing - doing stuff besides just beating their opponents up, I mean. Oh yeah, and Milady Grania was there too - in another very nicely put together early-period Irish gown, with a lovely accent of embroidery and beads adorning the trim. (See - I notice you!)
Overheard Around the Kingdom
"Classes to be taught today: 'You and Your Comforter - Avoiding the Wet Spot, Taught by Earl Benen', and 'Blow Calibration for Women Only, Taught by Sir Braian MacNaughton'!" - Countess Nadira (!) at Winter Art-Sci
"You can just sugar-smack my ass!" - Sir Ardion to Sir John Paul at Oldenfeld's Lion Tourney