Skillshare is a really great resource, I am very happy to have them as a sponsor. The first 1,000 people to use this link get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/livinganachronism08221 This video is set for the laymen, I'm not a costume designer, but for larp and reenactment, I think we need a simple way to help us design our costumes, without needing a degree.
Great video, lots of good tips. One aspect I think is worth considering in all this is "The Tiffany Problem". That being that the name Tiffany is a historically-attested name going back hundreds of years, but if you named a D&D character that, it wouldn't seem authentic. What *IS* authentic and what *feels* authentic are two different things. Our mental picture of the Middle Ages is built up by all sorts of media, both accurate and inaccurate. For some folks/games/etc actual authenticity is the goal. For some, it's more about the feeling of authenticity, and knowing which side of the line you want to come down on in your design can really help inform your choices.
That is a really good point. I myself thought that I came down on the "historical" side originally, but as I have considered it more, found myself more drawn to the romanticism and the fantasy. It's still really fun to learn about what is truly accurate, and what is an anachronism, so at least I know what I am doing is intentional and not just a mistake. Great comment Joshua, thank you
@@LivingAnachronism I completely feel the same. As a kid and young adult I started out very fantasy obviously (LOTR, Prince Ironheart, D&D, Conan, last of the mohicans etc) Then I got interested in history, ventured deeper there and focused on that. But I did take the full turn and prefer fantasy and romantic. Yet I still love the accurate historic site, first because it's good to know where you took liberties (as you said), second it's great to understand how stuff actually works and third it's very useful to get weird ideas. Fantasy is mostly modern stuff made to look old, but the actual medieval stuff is mostly more strange to us than the highest fantasy. It's kind of similar with classes I like. I loved rangers. LOTR had a big influence, but also western stuff like last of the mohicans and Karl may (German 19th century wild west fantasy). Later I switched to knights and warriors. And came back full circle to rangers :D I just love the survivalist idea way more than heavy armor and front line battlefield
This is such an excellent point, and why groups need to decide, together, whether they want more historical accuracy, or more fantasy, or some mix. So if (for instance) I was looking forward to a weekend of Middle English immersion, it kinda kills the mood for someone to say, "Forsooth, 'tis a totally gnarly lair!" (yeah, real example, lol) however, people mixing "thou" and "thee" just sounds non-grammatical, so it's not so jarring. *Btw, for anyone interested in Middle English, there's actually an app where "The Canterbury Tales" is read by a narrator who has brilliant pronunciation, so now everyone can hear how beautiful a language Middle English is, and how Chaucer used regional accents a bit like Mark Twain did, although less frequently. Listening to this -- like listening to period music -- is great background when I'm working on my costume, or even just packing.
it might be a spelling thing, a lot of modern names can be traced back hundreds of years but weren't always spelt exactly the same, so it would feel more authentic to name your character Tiphaine than it would Tiffany.
@@MythicalHex not exactly. The spelling “Tiffany” is recorded in the Domesday book in fact (although spellings like “Tiphaine” and “Typhainie” also existed). However: it was a surname! In the premodern period, surnames were never given as first names. This started among African-Americans and only became a trend in the mid-20th Century. A medieval person would never give a surname as a given name (the two uses of “Lucy” are a convergence: the feminine name is from Latin “lucilla”, the surname is from Latin “lucens”). So, while it would be believable to have a knight named “Thomas Tiffany” it would not be plausible to have a lady named say “Tiffany Villiers” (as those are both surnames).
I think for me the key takeaway is layering. A character like this travels and lives outdoors in all weather conditions, so he will be prepared for all weather conditions. He has layers that he adds and subtracts depending on what the weather is doing and what he is doing. He has to carry a lot of gear, so he'll have that in various pouches and packs. He isn't concerned about how it looks, he's alone most of the time, so the colors will all have the look of whatever was available when he needed that specific garment. All of his garments will be mended, darned and careworn. Everything has to withstand getting wet and muddy, and has to be cleaned in a natural body of water with whatever tooks and materials he carries with him. He should probably look a bit shabbier than you do in your final look, this version of the ranger must have just spent a longer than usual period in a pastoral or urban setting, and has had access to mending and cleaning services from tradespeople.
"Living in" your garb is an excellent point. (and it's why I wear an apron even when it's over sweat pants and not a long skirt!) So useful! Once you have gone on several 'campaigns' or LARPS, the wear patterns and repairs will start to happen automatically. BTW, be sure to include a "period" appropriate sewing kit with your daily load-out. I can't tell you how much time I've spent repairing other people's kit because I was the only person in camp with a needle and thread!!!!
@@LivingAnachronism a little rectangle of leather or cloth that folds/rolls up is pretty period for a long time - basically Viking clear through to US Civil War - called a 'husif' or 'housewife' in the later periods. Horn would make a nice needlecase. I've seen one turned from the very tip of a horn, leaving the 'pointy' end unpolished 'raw edge'. Very handsome.
I've seen a small kit made from a chicken thigh bone. Cut off both ends, clean out and use wood to cap the ends. It was very simple but looked amazing. He had used a wood burner to add a pattern to the surface too.
How intense do you get about period/historical needles and thread? Most reenactment people I've talked to use artificial sinew because real sinew is a bit of a process to acquire. Tandy sells linen thread, which I suppose is more historical than nylon/poly thread. Can I use any old needle or does it need to be hand forged.
I think it's really fascinating that you can say things like "Ranger from Lord of the Rings" or "I don't look like Aragorn" and just about every one of us immediately thinks of Peter Jackson's trilogy. It certainly attests to the quality and thoughtfulness of the design in those movies, but I wonder what kinds of images might have popped into our minds back through the decades.
“there’s two much black” yes! Aragorn’s costume in the movie isn’t actually black (well, until the end obviously). It’s actually green, gray and gold! Ngila never said this in so many words, but I think she must have taken the colors from the Ring of Barahir: which is spot-on thematically. I would totally buy your final look as a costume for Aragorn I (grandfather of King Elessar). It’s similar enough to be clearly the same culture, but the duckcloth on the jerkin and things like that suggest another time period. Also a ranger in the LotR era would just be a lot scruffier since they were pretty consistently doing heavy fighting: but Aragorn I’s chieftaincy was much more peaceful. And while you don’t look like Aragorn II Elessar, you could definitely be in his family tree somewhere.
I’m so glad you pointed this out bc it was the secret sauce to making that costume so perfect! The fact that everything is dyed so subtly adds so much depth and texture to the costume
For some of my cosplay clothes, I wore them as much as possible, slept in them, washed them frequently - basically tried to compress months of ownership into as short a time as possible and force them to age and wear in the way they would normally do so. Spending time in your costume is vital - you learn what problems there are and how you fix them, you learn what effort it takes and the shortcuts you make, and all the choices you make to improve practicality.
"Wearing your garments as if they are actually clothes. Which they should be." I very much agree with this, we call our garments garb. As someone who does medieval as well as mountain man re-creations, and who is also involved in theatre, I make a distinction between garb and costumes. In theatre, we have costumes. Many people who are not involved (the audience, if you will), but see us doing these things call them costumes, because all they know is it's probably not everyday clothing.
I'd be interested to see this outfit with a brown gambeson. I have a feeling the gambeson doesn't work mostly because of its color. Solid black tends to stand out in a natural environment and rangers are supposed to blend in.
I don't make physical costumes the way you do (at least not on any sort of regular basis) but I do design characters, and while not everything you bring up in your videos is new to me, they often get me to think of things in a different way. I really enjoyed seeing you building a costume in layers, as that's what I tend to do when drawing character designs. I like to build up from the underclothes to the outermost wear, and that can help me figure out what works and what doesn't one step at a time. It also helps inform how outer layers should be worn, and how they will drape. Surprisingly similar process in a different medium.
@@LivingAnachronism glad to hear it. Seen too many channels who's entire identity is video game criticism take sponsorships from shitty mobile games like Raid Shadow Legends. Really undermines credibility.
This is awesome! As a child I binged 'The Making of' dvds after every LoTR film, a good example of detail is the location shoot for Edoras, they flew around looking for something that would work with the description penned by Tolkien. Saw a hill in the middle of a valley and got to sketching (John Howe & Alan Lee are the GOAT) the rest is history.
"If you have to explain why something is there in order for it to make sense, then it wasn't specific enough" is the best advice I could ever tell anyone about costume or character design
Soothing to see a man with such knowledge and experience debate with himself about his garment. Makes me feel better. Thanks to your tips, I can do it even more intensely now
I have been enjoying your videos. Thank you for making them. I have done armored broadsword fighting and reenactment in the SCA for over 40 years, some of that in equestrian context, and I do have some insights I would like to share. In general, things made in the past had more individuality to them, simple because they were not mass produced. Categorically adding embroidery, fancy stitching, and decoration to everything that is wood or fabric or leather does reflect what we find in most of the items discovered in archeological context. Even the seams of shirts and tunics often had fancy stitches holding the pieces together (not just straight stitch). So you can make purchased shirts and tunics look handmade by elaborating on them; use same-color thread if you want to be subtle. When something tears, patch it. The purpose of a gambeson is to either (a) be armor (ie you cannot afford better) or (b) to go under armor and keep the armor from biting you; a high collar on a gambeson keeps your gorget from chaffing your neck. If you are not wearing a gambeson for one of those purposes, don't wear it. Gambesons will also keep you warm under your armor when it is very cold (experience!) but they will trap heat if you are fighting in 100F weather (more experience!) and you may fall over from heat exhaustion (observation). White is very visible (a scout would avoid it); off-white is probably more common (linen); black dye was very expensive, so unless you had black sheep in your area, black says that you are rich. While there are examples of knitting and njalbinding in ancient fabrics, the general use of knitted clothes is modern. Use woven fabric instead.
Good points. Also re black -- I've spun wool from black sheep, and there's often a subtle undertone to it -- very visible in direct sunlight -- which isn't present in the uniformly-flat-black of modern dyes. I know some people can use highly-diluted bleach to bring out more of a natural look to modern black, and some have even used commercial hair dye that comes with its own undertones; but dyeing isn't my skill set, so I stick with natural fibers, that's just easier.
@@zxyatiywariii8 Small world: I am a spinster too. While I enjoy spinning naturally colored wool, I also like to tear up perfectly innocent plants and see if I can coax some dye out of them. Do you use a spinning wheel or a drop spindle? Do you also weave?
I remember when making saxon costume, several people said i need to hand sew not machine sew to make it look authentic, i said the saxons didnt have clothing loking like it was sewn by a stoned orangutan, lots of hand stitching by people that know what theyre doing look machine stitched. BIG TIP however is not to use syntheic thread on natural fibres, they cut through like cheesewire.....
@@LivingAnachronism i remember my first pure wool tunic, constantly getting seems ripped, varies on the material, but you see it in modern clothes too,
Not to promote another channel to take away from this but Townsends is a really good show that does a lot of historical reenactments from the 1700s including cooking, crafting clothing and tools etc. He even reads the diaries from people that were alive from that era. It would be cool if you guys had a podcast discussion or something.
The gloves were a fantastic addition! Aragorn's got only one glove on most of the time, and often his opposite shirt sleeve comes down over his wrist past his bracer/vanguard. Doing something like that would also add to that Middle Earth ranger look. The look with the gambeson added at the end looks great as well, although it leans a just little into a more Boromir-style silhouette.
Trinkets of sentimental value can work if you have a properly sentimental character. But regardless; most people dress for practicality, and hence, you have to think about what would be practical for them/you to wear. Which is why I like these videos.
Always love your stuff, and great note on how the neckline can impact the feel of the outfit. I’ve been trying to get the middle earth look recently and it never felt right, but I’ve been doing the same thing of over structuring the top half
In D&D Forgotten Realms, the dwarves that live in the southern half of the continent, the gold dwarves, have lived a long life of success and prosperity. This shows in their garb, with FANCY everything, from gold-plated jewel-encrusted armor down to mega-embroidered fine fabrics underneath and elaborately braided beards with gem accoutrements above. But northern or shield dwarves have had a history of struggle, fighting for every inch of new land and every new mine. They have stretched themselves too far, and then had to conserve what they had. And this shows in their outfits too. Shield dwarf armor is supposed to look blackened and hammered like cast iron, and their clothes just shades of brown and gray. They're dreary attitudes have tended to match their attire. There are occasional micro-details here and there, but northern dwarves have mostly been dark and morose. That is, until the last century or so of Realm history. Greater cooperation with outside races has resulted in new blood and ideas being introduced to the clans, and that has cheered the stout folk up a bit. Some dwarves opt for more color now, and maybe even a little filigree on their armor. More importantly, you can see a smile on their faces even when they don't have a beer in hand. The garb should match the persona, and there should be a reason for both. A grumpy 'tude perfectly complements a depressing outfit, and a loud one goes hand in hand with a proud and accomplished warrior.
May I propose a detail for archers. As a OT archer that is used to do archery in a forest an Arrow brush ( basically a large tassel made from wool) is invaluable for me cause it makes cleaning Arrows on the go super easy. + It looks really cool dangling from your quiver. I think if a saw someone LARPing as an archer with such a tassel I'd immediately believe that they actually know what they are doing ( and subsequently have a lot of blood that needs to be cleaned off their arrows)
Kramer, you may not look like Aragorn, but you certainly have a Numenorean look about you. I think you belong among the Rangers, and would certainly be glad of your guidance through Middle-Earth if I were to venture outside of the Shire. Also - nicely done video with good information! I appreciate all the work you put in here, and I think my own cosplay will improve thanks to you!
I have a few pieces of costumes that I have put together that go to several different costumes. My medieval linen shirt that was sewn by hand I have worn several times. Your statement of living in the costume and seeing how it works goes for this. It's been washed several times, has some stains from just sweat or from the gambeson I wear from time to time. It's an old useful shirt that I couldn't replace because it was sewn by a friend's mother and convincing her to do it again would be impossible. (I traded cookies for the work, and she can't have them anymore. -_-) Informative, love these kinds of videos.
Yo, the inclusion of the gambeson makes you look like a total boss! I love all the variations but the last outfit, with the gambeson, was super cool. I could definitely imagine someone character wearing it in a LotR movie!
Black was extremely difficult/expensive to dye in the past. It was also kinda the church's domain for a very long time. Be sure to have a damn good reason for wearing it, like playing a wealthy bishop.
I think you really nailed the look. I could easily see you wandering the wilds of Middle-earth. And I thought that the gambeson's short sleeves looked very reminiscent of Faramir's outfit. If I may, I would really like your opinion on something. I'm writing a fantasy book, and one thing I like to do is create the outfits and armors of different characters and factions in real life, to see what works and what doesn't. Currently I'm working on the outfit of one of the main characters, a Dark Elf with a sort-of-Rogue-ish style. I won't bore you with all the details, but he used to be a monster hunter, then-turned into fugitive to save his friend from certain death. He's also fascinated with alchemy, and often carries vials and bottles, and frequently finds himself picking herbs and flowers for potions. I've made a very short video on said outfit, anf I would be so grateful if you could take a look at it, maybe give me some advice if you have any. It's my latest uploaded video. Sorry for writing so much, I just really enjoy costuming, and I really enjoyed this video!
I'll give it a watch. (Edit: Just watched) Looks good! I like the arm armor especially, and that it goes beyond a simple vambrace and will protect the elbow and hands. I understand it might have been a template that you were working from, or other consideration, but the pauldron design with the straps always strikes me as a bit of a weak point. Those straps get cut, you loose a pauldron. In fact, I am thinking it might make sense to try having the hood go on top of the armor, instead. The straps may hold down the hood and limit mobility when the hood is up. This is a great approach to creating characters for a book, I love it. I wonder if it would be possible to create vials or bottles of the right size out of something like horn, instead of glass or ceramic, as those would break very easily. Especially if he is working with caustic substances, a vile breaks, and that's a bad day. Keep in touch with this, it's really cool. Cheers, Linus!
@@LivingAnachronism Sorry for taking so long to answer: different timezones and all. Let me first just say thank you so much for checking it out and taking the time to give me some advice, I really appreciate it! I actually tried having the hood over the pauldrons, but it was very uncomfortable and bulky. It doesn't actually restrict my movement at all havig the hood underneath, as as matter of fact, the hood prevents a lot of chafing from the rough edges of the pauldrons. Bottles made out of horn? That's ingenious. Though I doubt I could create them myself, and they would probaly be expensive to buy ready-made. I think the outfit itself will have to have glass bottles, but I'll definitely find a use for horn bottles. It's a great idea, one that I would never have thought of myself. Thank you so much!
This is actually fantastic advice fir modern wardrobe as well. I have had some pieces for years and new items get as much thought and care as old ones. Using the variety I never look like I've worn the same outfit twice and can accommodate for any situation or occasion.
Since you mentioned you looked like a pirate, I'd love some content related to that kind of look!, I always try to achieve kind of a fantasy pirate-y look on medieval fairs where I live, and its clearly an Anachronism, but I enjoy that look more.
I wish I had someone to larp with. I live in a rural region of Germany and the old buildings of the town I work in and the mountains behind always put me right into the mood of feeling like a fantasy character.
Well, being german makes it quite easy to larp, we have the 2 biggest Larp events worldwide (Drachenfest and Conquest of Mythodea) in central germany, both very noob friendly, even of you come all alone. They have some cool trailers here on youtube, too.
@@mirabellegoldapfel6256 yeah I know, there are some smaller ones near me every year as well but I think I’m too shy to go to these events alone. Maybe I should just do it once and see how it goes.
Clothes should look like were lived in especially for wondering characters like rangers, witchers, druids. This characters are not princess in the castle that should look pristine or Cleric with his holly mission that should look clean and monastic. Clothes should tell story of character, convey way of living also give clues to emotional state and traits of character. Like Druidess character: ankle length skirt or dress, layered look for all weather conditions, staff for walking and self defence and bag on one side and poutches on other that can contain small needed items and sturdy knife. Druidess can also have travel companion ponny or donkey that can carry her heavier stuff needed for long journeys.
Things that I found help you go from costume to garb include the following: A knife hanging from the belt. You show it very well with the knife you wear. A simple tool that has a lot of practical, every day uses. The design of the knife also says a lot about who you are and what you value, with a fancy and decorated knife in a jewelled scabbard inferring a completely different style than a simple wooden handled knife in a leather holder. Also, try mixing it up to tell a story, add a knife that doesn't match the rest of the costume to show a hidden quality. A pouch on the belt. Again, you show it well that a simple pouch adds practical detail. The type and size of pouch can again tell a large part of the story, showing the same as the knife can. Something to pass the time. Fidget spinners might not look completely logical in a medieval fantasy setting, but throughout time people have carried simple objects to pass the time. A knife with which you wittle wood is a good example, but carry some nice pieces of wood to whittle to tell that story. Or perhaps a string of simple wooden/bone/glass beads that you run through your hands to occupy them. Wear them on your wrist to add a personal touch, saying you want them close at hand and not stowed in a pouch where you need to dig them out to play with them. Whetstone as Viggo added, flint and steel in a small tinder pouch. Practical items that allow you to be you while you're not actively telling and showing your story.
Nothing boils my blood more than people answering noobs asking for critiques with “oh just add pouches!”. Like, great. Those pouches sure defined this character!
I like the note about having a *reason* for each piece in your outfit and kit. When I build a costume (or set of garb), I consider things like culture, whether the person spends much time outdoors, if they travel (beyond the local areas), and what they're doing while there. So all of my stuff gets weathered and distressed from the beginning before I even wear it to an event, to give that authentic feel and look. I also like to live in my garb, too (partially 'cuz I just like the clothes and sometimes wear them with my regular street stuff), so some of it looks well-loved, dirt, rub-spots, frays and sweat and all... No one likes to wear a stiff linen shirt, and when the character has been living in it for a year, it shouldn't look brand new. That shirt should be soft as butter, stained at the right points, beat up in the right places (I'm fond of trashing the elbows and wrists of a shirt, and sometimes, if a seam 'pops'--say, at the armpit, I don't always repair it right away) and hanging like silk off one's body. I also don't worry much over stains, 'cuz they're part of the garment's life. I wash things, of course, but we all know some stains just refuse to come out. LOL I also like adding in patches, spot repairs, little things like a simple trim on various exposed edges, like cuffs and neckline, 'cuz trim was not just decoration--it was *protection* of those places on a garment to keep them from raveling. Anything leather gets the stain and scratch treatment with fine sandpaper and oil to polish up heavy wear spots where a piece might be rubbed a lot from movement, rough things like a rasp to simulate a knife or sword strike, or I'll even have someone drive over my clothes and leathers to beat the snot out of them (though I do take off any metal pieces I can so they don't get damaged to non-functionality), that sort of thing. I like using a dryer, too, to soften things up. Just lightly dampen the items, first, so they have some weight to them. Tossing in a couple of dryer balls or a pair of clean sneakers helps to beat things up nicely, too. Just use medium, low or no heat, depending on what you've put in there--*never* high heat for anything. Leather needs to be no heat, for example, unless you want stiff, cracking, dried out, burnt-looking leathers. Linen can be medium heat, and wool needs to be low to no heat, just tumble dry so it doesn't felt or shrink, though I prefer to roll my wool in a towel to absorb water, then lay it flat to dry (hanging it distorts the garment).
I only just discovered your channel today, and I've been binging for the past few hours. Dude you remind me so much of a younger me, it's almost uncanny. Except you actually went adventuring out there, while I drowned my wanderlust at the bottom of a bottle. Stay strong and keep doing what you are doing, brother, you are a shining example to your generation! *Subscribed*
Dude your videos keep getting better and better. This is something I needed to hear; often I'll spend too long trying to "patch" over garb that isn't working without realizing why adding stuff just gets things more confused. Inevitably I end up changing the outfit from the ground up before getting something good, and now I know why and what to look for. That part about wrists, elbows, and shoulders really got me right in the feels. I have a linen undertunic that needs a new patch on the sleeves every time I wear it these days, but it's my favorite piece of garb and I can't let it go...
Anyone else getting the stereotypical "I have nothing to wear" while watching the different outfit combinations? I add and subtract items from my outfits and costumes as my mood changes and when things wear or need size adjustment. "Just live in it" is the best advice I have for neophytes. Pick one or two items as starters and wear them around the house one day when you don't have anywhere else to be.
Just a thought, you mention a couple times how your hair effects the look, perhaps your hair IS a detail you could work with. A ranger might pull his hair back into a bun on the back, or perhaps braid it to get it out of the way, or might add sentimental decorations in it to remember loved ones. Likely someone who spent time in the wild would likely keep their hair short to prevent lice and fleas, but then again in the winter long hair would be useful for warmth. There is a lot of options you could play with there IMO.
OK 1- start with these 3 questions - Who am I , where am I and what am I doing ? 1A- who am I includes what technology level do I have and how much storage and transport do I have at my disposal and how wealthy am I 1B- what am I doing is the big one ie - if you have armour why are you wearing armour, what is it defending you from and how would that particular armour do that ? it will not look authentic to have things that do not help you do what you are intended to be doing ! You will look more authentic if you have things that will help you do the thing your story has you doing . ie If you are a travelling merchant in middle earth- You will need something to trade and if you do not have a horse and wagon it will have to be something small and light .What is small and light but worth enough to bother travelling to trade it ? ( spice , pipe weed , pigments, gold , silver , mithril , medicine , precious gems ......) . If you are carrying a lot of expensive stuff this will make you attractive to thieves so you might want a way to conceal it and also arm + armour yourself but not appear to have arms and armour also. You will want soft armour and a dagger or short sword that can be hidden under clothing along with a bag to carry your trade goods in that can look like a bag carrying extra clothing or camp equipment . 1C- where am I answers a lot of questions about your clothing if you are in a frozen tundra you are going to look different the on a ship near the equator , it will also answer a lot of questions about the kind of damage your clothing and equipment might have experienced. 2- what happened up till now and how would that effect my stuff and me ? 2A- if you are the merchant from before, you have probably been a merchant for a while and likely do not get a new bag for each trip so carry your bag around with heavy stuff in it and see where it starts to break then reinforce those areas , put it down in the mud and the dust and near a fire .If you have been walking for a long time with a heavy pack you might have soar feet or walk stuped over or you might complain about the pain in your back or joints . To make walking with your heavy pack you might want a walking stick ,to fix your pack when it gets damaged you might want a sewing kit you can keep handy in a pouch on your belt and a water bottle for your thirst , a pouch with flint and steel and tinder , a bag with dry fruit and nuts to eat while you walk , you might have a map in a leather case to guide you ,a hidden bag to hold you coins , a pipe to smoke , a picture of your spouse if you have one , . You might want a mark on your clothing so when you can give clothing to a washer woman and then tell what peaces were yours when you come to pick it up like Ψ and so it would be on all your clothing and maybe even other non clothing items . 2B- were there big events in your past that might have effected you or your stuff like were you just robed ? do you have old injures that effect how you use things or might some of your stuff have been damaged in a flood, fie , attack ? Did you used to be more wealthy and you have say things make expensive leather that has now had to be paced with fabric because you can no longer afford leather ? Were you recently injured and there are still blood stains ?
Wonderfull video! Once again you articulate something that has been gnawing at the back of my mind as I watch how TV-shows, cosplayers or LARP enthusiasts design their costumes. I think you struck the nail on the head by switching the thought process around and not seeing "details" as final additions or finishing touches, but rather authentic nuances built on the foundations of the character. I really enjoyed the appendix to the Hobbit and seeing how John Howe and Alan Lee built the look of the dwarfs from basic geometric shapes that correlated with the characteristics they were trying to emphasise. It has really influenced how I think about costumes and character design. With this in mind, I think you are really onto something where you talk about the open neckline and also keeping the upper torso more soft and slender. It both mimics the debictions in the movies better but also plays into the long, slender and refined siluette of the elves combined with the functional ruggedness of men that are what the Númenóreans are all about in my oppinion.
one important detail of a costume that people tend to overlook is colours and what these colours mean. think about the kind of work that would go into making the actual dyes in the context of your setting and then compare those to your characters wealth and social standing. for example if your setting is inspired by medieval Europe, blue, red, yellow, green or plain undyed cloth would be available to pretty much everyone, while more vibrant yellow, bleached white, crimson, scarlet and indigo would signify greater wealth and purple would only be worn by high nobility. considering stuff like this when you start designing your first costume is not all, as you can also start adding the more valuable colours as your character gains fame and fortune.
A time-tested tip concerning footwear for rangers: no suede. Smooth leather, boot-design without any zipper, laces or anything that breaks the leather surface (apart from seams, obviously. Wax heavily and regularly and enjoy the fun when the ranger just walks through the brook while everyone else is supposed to look for stepping stones ^^
For me it is all about who I am supposed to be. What is the backstory? The backstory provide a great tool to use to inform your choice. Also if you are character is from a specific time, then that period is also going to have to inform you about what you can get away with as far as details. Think about what you wear everyday as YOU. Look at your dress, wallet, purse, pants, glasses, socks from the perspective of a costume designer. We all wear a costume, each day and that can change depending on where we are going. Our beach costume is different than our ski costume.
Stumbled across your channel, and I’ve been loving these videos on costume. I’ve loved costumes ever since I was a kid, and now that I’m an adult who has learned some basic sewing skills, I am slowly working towards creating some fantasy outfits. These tips were very helpful!
I do a fair bit of hiking and was in the army for a short time, the reason I start with that is because I have a 'costume' or particular set of clothes that I've been wearing for nearly 10 years for hiking (side tip, research your kit and buy the highest quality you can afford and then mind it carefully because then it'll mind you too.) so I think I might have some insight on how to make clothes feel worn. For one thing people don't carry anything more than they need if you're walking for a long period of time, 100g can feel like 1000g after a long day on your feet. Add in some repairs/patches, vary the colour of the cloth if you can distress it. My main pair of hiking pants started out deep green but now years later they're a kind of sandy brown except around the front of the belt where they're more green still for some reason. I have a wooden walking stick to help me walk because I've a bad back injury, it is very worn in a specific pattern because I use it in a specific way, also the wood develops a beautiful patina with use so if you're using a wooden staff just try your best to handle it a lot after it is seasoned. The main thing that jumps out to me is people wearing very dirty clothes in films, why? It isn't hard to give clothes a bit of a scrub, if you're out on the ground for 3 days you'll want to clean up a little bit even if it's just getting into a river or something. I used to think I was so cool staying in dirty clothes til I joined the army and got shit for being a manky bastard.
You touched on something which I always stress to the “newbies” going with me to Faire, that is that the clothes will tell you how to move, just listen to them.
Another thing that adds to character is hairstyle. Long, loose hair-while a fantasy staple-is nearly as fantastical an element as dragons. It gets dirty so quickly, gets in your way, and is vulnerable to being seized during a fight. (The last obviously being more of an occupational hazard for some than others.) I think flowing tresses are as fun to see in costume as the next person, so I don’t think it’s bad at all. Just pointing out that when you recognize that things like that are part of the fantasy, it can help you decide how to approach the level of realism/whimsy and thus flesh out the character more. For example, having about half the hair pulled or tied back is the “traditional” compromise for a reason: it lets you put in cool braids and accessories (jewelry, leather cords, twine, etc), but you also appreciate that the characters live in a world where things usually move slower, represented by having years’ worth of hair already grown out. And it flatters most people’s faces, especially if you have some level of fringe or tendril pieces lol
Absolutely second the living in your costume thing. I have learned so many little nuances from wearing medieval clothes and gear. I highly recommend hiking and camping in it, for any who can.
I don’t know about everybody else but I love these videos just from an author and novelist standpoint. Lots of things to think about when developing a character and how you want your reader to perceive that character.
Loved this video! I think the final costume looks great, and I really enjoyed how you tested and analyzed the different pieces of clothing. This kind of thought process is exactly why I also love the extra features on the LotR films. Details were purposeful, and constantly filtered through the lens of character, story, and history. The feeling of believability and immersion this approach can give a fantasy setting is huge! Ok, feeling super inspired now to get to sketching. 😁
Some very good tips! I have a larp character who is an ex-knight from a religious order who got disillusioned and ran away in the night, so part of my outfit includes things like an arming belt and attachment points for plate armor but without the actual plate armour she had to leave behind... I am realizing now that I should have decorated the arming belt with imagery relating to that religious order. alas! things to think about for the next costume piece I make.
The dark gambesons gives more a spy/rogue look, maybe for the color. The cloak and gloves make a lot of different and gives the ranger look that you were looking for.
That's a good thing to know about cotton. I was just about to make a Samurai/brigandine hybrid armor out of cotton. Maybe I should look into other fabrics that won't wick up or maybe waterproofing... We'll see. Lol
Cotton makes sense historically for something Japanese-styled. That is what they had to work with. What may be helpful is to look at where cotton fabric was used historically, and what kind of cotton fabric. Yeah, for a European medieval regular person, cotton would be odd.
@@j.nereim9055 thank you, that's really good to know, I'm pulling inspiration from a few places they would have lived and using some anachronisms as needed for budget. Lol But I think this character mostly was raised in Japan so it would make sense to use what they used, so I'll look into that a bit.
Short version: details are best when they ensue, not are pursued. Details in themselves are not meaningful; detail for detail's sake is empty spectacle. Details are meaningful insofar as they expand and elaborate upon the meaning already present, and the verisimilitude is proportional to how much it fits into the context of the character and outfit. As for the hood problems, people with long hair in that period often bound their hair quite close to their head (eg, suebian knot); something of the sort will probably help.
Or, for very long hair, it can be braided into one braid and then the bottom can be tucked under one's belt in the back, not so tightly that it hinders movement, but just enough to keep it from swinging forward, so it's very convenient.
@@LivingAnachronism Not necessarily 'better'; repetition and expressing things in multiple ways helps some people to understand better. I find refined brevity is often really good for a final summary (and easy-to-remember principles) that often performs better as a conclusion than stand-alone. How you said it had merit for a lot of people. That said, you are welcome!
@@zxyatiywariii8 Certainly. Suebian is but one example; my point was that braids, buns, knots, and similar volume-reducing styles of wearing hair are something to consider if hair is being an obstacle for headwear. Come to think of it, that falls under exactly the sort of character-appropriate details this video was about. For example, a Tolkien elf wearing uncharacteristic braids specifically as part of the character due to wearing headwear for their lifestyle (eg, hoods for a ranger) that differs from mainstream elven culture.
5:30 - and here, Mr. Living Anachronism intends to describe bad storytelling and accidentally describes my whole approach to ren faire costuming. Pfft! It’s funny, because including interesting trinkets for other people to ask you about is one of the quickest and easiest ways to start conversations at ren faires (where I tend to go in costume). As a dedicated RP approach it’s bad advice, but for purely social events, that advice can be fun and a good icebreaker. All in its own place, I suppose! A very fun video, with an interesting perspective on parts of the broader costuming community that I don’t see much of myself. You all are quite dedicated, aren’t you? Very cool!
This was so helpful!!! I’ve been trying to do research into building an authentic kit, and this video is a wonderful guide! I have heard about weathering clothing a bit via powders and dyes, but living in the clothing is a great way to add authenticity, plus it’s fun to wear garb in general! I love that you focused on authenticity instead of detail! Thank you for making this video! Also, I love your outfit combos, especially the final one without the gambeson! It definitely has the forest ranger vibe!
I’ve talked to artists before, “add details” to then means that they’re concerned with visual balance and appeal. I prefer your definition but trust me when I say that there are plenty of people who add details for the sake of details.
My favorite realistic character design is Joel from TLOU He doesn’t have many details but those he has (like the gas mask on his side, the light on his shoulder and the broken watch his daughter gave him and the only thing that doesn’t have an in-game utility) are memorable Anything else would have been too much, I dislike overdesigned characters and I am glad when I see more simple outfits
Excellent video, I enjoyed the "process of elimination" that you went through; just as informative as the "final version" which other channels might have simply cut to without the trial and error learning.
A thought provoking video. I will need to rethink how I give advice on costuming. I have perhaps assumed too much regarding what people take away from add my layers or add my details. I try to tell people their costume should tell a story about the character without a word being spoken but not necessarily how each bit tells its own part of the tale. Thanks for getting me to rethink things.
I didn't click on this video to make my garb more authentic, I clicked because it's Living Anachronism and I'd watch even if it was about the intricacies of watching horse manure dry because Kramer would make it fascinating! I loved the topic and absolutely agree. As you said, you're becoming a different person, not playing a character. In my everyday life I don't walk around with trinkets of sentimental value ( or at least not ones that I would discuss with any passerby) and most of what I am using is for purely practical uses.
Huzzah! I found the Atomic Snail of Middle Earth! Loved how you brought us to understand the design principles of a costume through a direct case study. Well done! Subbed!
All of it is great and I'll take that gambeson. No such thing as too much black but you're right about one thing, it doesn't photograph well. Your hair and beard are perfection.
god i never thought of the low neckline before maybe it would work better if you have short hair to have a higher collar, just for that shape and colour distribution, but longer hair for the lotr look needs to be flowing straight down like you show here - theres definitely something that works doing that also 18:11 hit me personally! i wear a necklace my mother gave me in my day to day life! ive worn it every day for about 3 years now! and frankly. its only come up 3 times with people i know - i think thats definitely proof of, sure, you can have small trinkets and interesting jewlery aspects to your character, but it doesnt really mean anything to the costume/outfit itself, but it just a something for the character personally. putting those sorts of additions onto the costume shouldn't be to make the costume better, but more likely to feel more in-character, and more connected to an actual life your character might've lived
I've notices over time I've sort of taken this approach to detail in nh modern outfits. I've agreed certain things or styles not for aesthetician, but because I found what I liked wuth a friend thrifting. I wear flat caps because I have Irish heritage and I respect a friend greatly that wears them. Even the jewelry i wear has a story. The more I get into costuming, the more I realize it's just another outfit for another person.
Vanbraces with black or cloak. Partial gloves or archer type with white or separate hood. Any look could work so long as you test it out beforehand IMO. I portray a pirate street character with my ferrets as my main accessories.
Love your videos even though I’ve never done any role play. I really liked your elimination strategy. I knew right away that the white shirt didn’t look right, but couldn’t put my finger on why. Following your process of thinking it through, I realized you couldn’t expect to glide unobserved through the forest in anything that light colored. You would definitely need darker earth/camo tones. An inn keeper, on the other hand, would look fine in the white shirt. Thought provoking indeed!
I'm just getting into building my first outfit, so this is really helpful! I think you nailed the ranger look really well. Definitely got that "doing what needs to be done" look without the soldier feel. As for the gamberson at the end, it gives me the impression that your gearing up for a known big fight, (every bit helps) but isn't the normal gear your character wears. Ps, you may not look like Aragorn, but you really do have the "I've got your back" feel that Aragorn has, which is a big plus in my book.
Now this looks like a ranger of middle earth! I love that even with wish attire it literally just takes a little bit of thinking to make a costume amazing. Great video again Kramer!
Thank you Thomas! I am reminded in this way of GoT and how they used Ikea fur rugs for the cloaks. You can cut corners and still have a good look. Or you can spend a billion and have a cheap one ;)
Trying to match to evoke an existing look or environment can be trickier, but I also like to approach situations like this from a perspective of practical consideration. For example, I was considering the best clothes for a ranger the other day and decided that braes and chausses would be better than hose or pants. Why? Because chausses attach at the top and can be unpointed (untied) from the braes and rolled down to the knee. This allows a ranger in a hot environment to get some cooling while retaining lower leg protection from undergrowth. Similarly, I think that ankle height boots make the more sense when balancing weight, support, and protection.
I really liked you demonstrating the process how to put together a believable character design. IMO, the basis really has to be right and it is good to have a concept. If you learn to imagine things in your head, maybe also learn to draw (well, I am not really good at that, but I just printed out a naked human figure and started to sketch and play around with elements for my own character), this might also help to put together a great costume.
I've found that it's best to add things you actually need. For myself I'm getting back into reenacting for the 1700 to the late 1800. I haven't picked a set time period yet. I have some stuff from when I did this 20 +years ago can't find most of my stuff. So I'm mote or less starting over. I have a few shirts and a few other things but I don't look the part. Yet.
I’d say figure out a way to keep the gambeson. To me, it’s a detail which sells the idea that while this character is a wanderer, he is also a warrior. A gambeson is armor, *protection*, and warriors understand protection= survival. Also, DO NOT SHAVE!! 😱
That is an excellent video, in terms of what I think about the different aspects of your kit I will have to write a more detailed comment later when I have time, so for now this comment is for the algorithm :) and I'm glad to see you have a sponsor now
i will try this at a larp i go to! the campain is 2 times a year and each time im there i will try to earn ingame money and in the down time use that amout of money to uppgrade (according to a price list i got from the organisers and in game crafters)with stuff i alredy have or can buy/make, and change how this character looks at the world, just letting my fellow larpers guide the story with the actions they take around me! everything will be a detail amd geaar is only added after a event in the story timeline! starting out next week as a lvl 0 pessant/farmer.. so freaking exited!!
Never thought of larping before, but watched a few of your videos... And man that sounds fun. Been playing ttrpgs for several years now. This seems like a fun step.
I personally don't think the black gambeson looks off color-wise...but I wear a lot of black myself so that's probably me being a little biased. Going with one that's a little shorter without the high collar and perhaps in a grey or green color might get you the look you're going for. For a hood, maybe making one that's looser in the neck and possibly out of lighter-weight wool would help mitigate the issues you have with them being too structured.
If you are going for a ranger (or anyone else who might stalk or hide) you should avoid the shiny stuff. Having patterns that break your lines up will help. I wonder if you take the leather items and wear them inside out, or use a suede style if that would look good
Skillshare is a really great resource, I am very happy to have them as a sponsor. The first 1,000 people to use this link get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/livinganachronism08221
This video is set for the laymen, I'm not a costume designer, but for larp and reenactment, I think we need a simple way to help us design our costumes, without needing a degree.
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Great video, lots of good tips. One aspect I think is worth considering in all this is "The Tiffany Problem". That being that the name Tiffany is a historically-attested name going back hundreds of years, but if you named a D&D character that, it wouldn't seem authentic. What *IS* authentic and what *feels* authentic are two different things. Our mental picture of the Middle Ages is built up by all sorts of media, both accurate and inaccurate. For some folks/games/etc actual authenticity is the goal. For some, it's more about the feeling of authenticity, and knowing which side of the line you want to come down on in your design can really help inform your choices.
That is a really good point. I myself thought that I came down on the "historical" side originally, but as I have considered it more, found myself more drawn to the romanticism and the fantasy. It's still really fun to learn about what is truly accurate, and what is an anachronism, so at least I know what I am doing is intentional and not just a mistake. Great comment Joshua, thank you
@@LivingAnachronism I completely feel the same. As a kid and young adult I started out very fantasy obviously (LOTR, Prince Ironheart, D&D, Conan, last of the mohicans etc)
Then I got interested in history, ventured deeper there and focused on that. But I did take the full turn and prefer fantasy and romantic.
Yet I still love the accurate historic site, first because it's good to know where you took liberties (as you said), second it's great to understand how stuff actually works and third it's very useful to get weird ideas. Fantasy is mostly modern stuff made to look old, but the actual medieval stuff is mostly more strange to us than the highest fantasy.
It's kind of similar with classes I like. I loved rangers. LOTR had a big influence, but also western stuff like last of the mohicans and Karl may (German 19th century wild west fantasy). Later I switched to knights and warriors. And came back full circle to rangers :D I just love the survivalist idea way more than heavy armor and front line battlefield
This is such an excellent point, and why groups need to decide, together, whether they want more historical accuracy, or more fantasy, or some mix. So if (for instance) I was looking forward to a weekend of Middle English immersion, it kinda kills the mood for someone to say, "Forsooth, 'tis a totally gnarly lair!" (yeah, real example, lol) however, people mixing "thou" and "thee" just sounds non-grammatical, so it's not so jarring.
*Btw, for anyone interested in Middle English, there's actually an app where "The Canterbury Tales" is read by a narrator who has brilliant pronunciation, so now everyone can hear how beautiful a language Middle English is, and how Chaucer used regional accents a bit like Mark Twain did, although less frequently. Listening to this -- like listening to period music -- is great background when I'm working on my costume, or even just packing.
it might be a spelling thing, a lot of modern names can be traced back hundreds of years but weren't always spelt exactly the same, so it would feel more authentic to name your character Tiphaine than it would Tiffany.
@@MythicalHex not exactly. The spelling “Tiffany” is recorded in the Domesday book in fact (although spellings like “Tiphaine” and “Typhainie” also existed). However: it was a surname! In the premodern period, surnames were never given as first names. This started among African-Americans and only became a trend in the mid-20th Century. A medieval person would never give a surname as a given name (the two uses of “Lucy” are a convergence: the feminine name is from Latin “lucilla”, the surname is from Latin “lucens”). So, while it would be believable to have a knight named “Thomas Tiffany” it would not be plausible to have a lady named say “Tiffany Villiers” (as those are both surnames).
_"When you identify that an element doesn't work, you shouldn't rely on other elements to fix it."_
Yes this!
I think for me the key takeaway is layering. A character like this travels and lives outdoors in all weather conditions, so he will be prepared for all weather conditions. He has layers that he adds and subtracts depending on what the weather is doing and what he is doing. He has to carry a lot of gear, so he'll have that in various pouches and packs. He isn't concerned about how it looks, he's alone most of the time, so the colors will all have the look of whatever was available when he needed that specific garment. All of his garments will be mended, darned and careworn. Everything has to withstand getting wet and muddy, and has to be cleaned in a natural body of water with whatever tooks and materials he carries with him. He should probably look a bit shabbier than you do in your final look, this version of the ranger must have just spent a longer than usual period in a pastoral or urban setting, and has had access to mending and cleaning services from tradespeople.
"Living in" your garb is an excellent point. (and it's why I wear an apron even when it's over sweat pants and not a long skirt!) So useful! Once you have gone on several 'campaigns' or LARPS, the wear patterns and repairs will start to happen automatically. BTW, be sure to include a "period" appropriate sewing kit with your daily load-out. I can't tell you how much time I've spent repairing other people's kit because I was the only person in camp with a needle and thread!!!!
Period sewing kit (or a container for needle and thread, anyway) is on my list of things to make. Thinking I will use horn.
@@LivingAnachronism a little rectangle of leather or cloth that folds/rolls up is pretty period for a long time - basically Viking clear through to US Civil War - called a 'husif' or 'housewife' in the later periods. Horn would make a nice needlecase. I've seen one turned from the very tip of a horn, leaving the 'pointy' end unpolished 'raw edge'. Very handsome.
I've seen a small kit made from a chicken thigh bone. Cut off both ends, clean out and use wood to cap the ends. It was very simple but looked amazing. He had used a wood burner to add a pattern to the surface too.
How intense do you get about period/historical needles and thread? Most reenactment people I've talked to use artificial sinew because real sinew is a bit of a process to acquire. Tandy sells linen thread, which I suppose is more historical than nylon/poly thread. Can I use any old needle or does it need to be hand forged.
"Just because they have added something, they have accomplished their task". This is the theme of the Rings of Power show.
I think it's really fascinating that you can say things like "Ranger from Lord of the Rings" or "I don't look like Aragorn" and just about every one of us immediately thinks of Peter Jackson's trilogy. It certainly attests to the quality and thoughtfulness of the design in those movies, but I wonder what kinds of images might have popped into our minds back through the decades.
"wear your costume" is really one of the best advices, and sadly it's given by far too little people. Thanks for being one who does!
“there’s two much black”
yes! Aragorn’s costume in the movie isn’t actually black (well, until the end obviously). It’s actually green, gray and gold! Ngila never said this in so many words, but I think she must have taken the colors from the Ring of Barahir: which is spot-on thematically.
I would totally buy your final look as a costume for Aragorn I (grandfather of King Elessar). It’s similar enough to be clearly the same culture, but the duckcloth on the jerkin and things like that suggest another time period. Also a ranger in the LotR era would just be a lot scruffier since they were pretty consistently doing heavy fighting: but Aragorn I’s chieftaincy was much more peaceful. And while you don’t look like Aragorn II Elessar, you could definitely be in his family tree somewhere.
I’m so glad you pointed this out bc it was the secret sauce to making that costume so perfect! The fact that everything is dyed so subtly adds so much depth and texture to the costume
For some of my cosplay clothes, I wore them as much as possible, slept in them, washed them frequently - basically tried to compress months of ownership into as short a time as possible and force them to age and wear in the way they would normally do so.
Spending time in your costume is vital - you learn what problems there are and how you fix them, you learn what effort it takes and the shortcuts you make, and all the choices you make to improve practicality.
Definitely agree!
"Wearing your garments as if they are actually clothes. Which they should be." I very much agree with this, we call our garments garb. As someone who does medieval as well as mountain man re-creations, and who is also involved in theatre, I make a distinction between garb and costumes. In theatre, we have costumes. Many people who are not involved (the audience, if you will), but see us doing these things call them costumes, because all they know is it's probably not everyday clothing.
I'd be interested to see this outfit with a brown gambeson. I have a feeling the gambeson doesn't work mostly because of its color. Solid black tends to stand out in a natural environment and rangers are supposed to blend in.
I don't make physical costumes the way you do (at least not on any sort of regular basis) but I do design characters, and while not everything you bring up in your videos is new to me, they often get me to think of things in a different way. I really enjoyed seeing you building a costume in layers, as that's what I tend to do when drawing character designs. I like to build up from the underclothes to the outermost wear, and that can help me figure out what works and what doesn't one step at a time. It also helps inform how outer layers should be worn, and how they will drape. Surprisingly similar process in a different medium.
I wish I was good at drawing
@@LivingAnachronism Well, like any skill, the most important factor is practice.
You nailed it! That is a LOTR ranger look. The gambeson makes you look like a professional soldier going on a quest and roughing it.
With gambeson is more Faramir look or Rangers go to war with orcs.
Yeah, the gambeson still felt LOTR, just more Gondor than Ranger
I wanna be like Barnabas in real life, having people ask me about my backstory would be wonderful.
Congratulations, this is the first sponsor if I'm not mistaken!
It is! Thank you! I've had several offers, but have been picky
@@LivingAnachronism glad to hear it. Seen too many channels who's entire identity is video game criticism take sponsorships from shitty mobile games like Raid Shadow Legends. Really undermines credibility.
This is awesome!
As a child I binged 'The Making of' dvds after every LoTR film, a good example of detail is the location shoot for Edoras, they flew around looking for something that would work with the description penned by Tolkien. Saw a hill in the middle of a valley and got to sketching (John Howe & Alan Lee are the GOAT) the rest is history.
I love the final look! A young Aragorn…perhaps….but a young Halbarad? Nailed it!
"If you have to explain why something is there in order for it to make sense, then it wasn't specific enough" is the best advice I could ever tell anyone about costume or character design
Soothing to see a man with such knowledge and experience debate with himself about his garment.
Makes me feel better. Thanks to your tips, I can do it even more intensely now
I have been enjoying your videos. Thank you for making them. I have done armored broadsword fighting and reenactment in the SCA for over 40 years, some of that in equestrian context, and I do have some insights I would like to share.
In general, things made in the past had more individuality to them, simple because they were not mass produced. Categorically adding embroidery, fancy stitching, and decoration to everything that is wood or fabric or leather does reflect what we find in most of the items discovered in archeological context. Even the seams of shirts and tunics often had fancy stitches holding the pieces together (not just straight stitch). So you can make purchased shirts and tunics look handmade by elaborating on them; use same-color thread if you want to be subtle. When something tears, patch it.
The purpose of a gambeson is to either (a) be armor (ie you cannot afford better) or (b) to go under armor and keep the armor from biting you; a high collar on a gambeson keeps your gorget from chaffing your neck. If you are not wearing a gambeson for one of those purposes, don't wear it. Gambesons will also keep you warm under your armor when it is very cold (experience!) but they will trap heat if you are fighting in 100F weather (more experience!) and you may fall over from heat exhaustion (observation).
White is very visible (a scout would avoid it); off-white is probably more common (linen); black dye was very expensive, so unless you had black sheep in your area, black says that you are rich. While there are examples of knitting and njalbinding in ancient fabrics, the general use of knitted clothes is modern. Use woven fabric instead.
Good points.
Also re black -- I've spun wool from black sheep, and there's often a subtle undertone to it -- very visible in direct sunlight -- which isn't present in the uniformly-flat-black of modern dyes. I know some people can use highly-diluted bleach to bring out more of a natural look to modern black, and some have even used commercial hair dye that comes with its own undertones; but dyeing isn't my skill set, so I stick with natural fibers, that's just easier.
@@zxyatiywariii8 Small world: I am a spinster too. While I enjoy spinning naturally colored wool, I also like to tear up perfectly innocent plants and see if I can coax some dye out of them. Do you use a spinning wheel or a drop spindle? Do you also weave?
I remember when making saxon costume, several people said i need to hand sew not machine sew to make it look authentic, i said the saxons didnt have clothing loking like it was sewn by a stoned orangutan, lots of hand stitching by people that know what theyre doing look machine stitched. BIG TIP however is not to use syntheic thread on natural fibres, they cut through like cheesewire.....
That is a good tip, I didn't know that!
@@LivingAnachronism i remember my first pure wool tunic, constantly getting seems ripped, varies on the material, but you see it in modern clothes too,
Not to promote another channel to take away from this but Townsends is a really good show that does a lot of historical reenactments from the 1700s including cooking, crafting clothing and tools etc. He even reads the diaries from people that were alive from that era. It would be cool if you guys had a podcast discussion or something.
I would love that, that would be a dream. He's got a great channel, big inspiration for me.
The gloves were a fantastic addition! Aragorn's got only one glove on most of the time, and often his opposite shirt sleeve comes down over his wrist past his bracer/vanguard. Doing something like that would also add to that Middle Earth ranger look. The look with the gambeson added at the end looks great as well, although it leans a just little into a more Boromir-style silhouette.
Trinkets of sentimental value can work if you have a properly sentimental character. But regardless; most people dress for practicality, and hence, you have to think about what would be practical for them/you to wear. Which is why I like these videos.
Always love your stuff, and great note on how the neckline can impact the feel of the outfit. I’ve been trying to get the middle earth look recently and it never felt right, but I’ve been doing the same thing of over structuring the top half
There's so many layers and garments it is SUPER easy to over do it. Especially since so many of those layers drape over the torso.
In D&D Forgotten Realms, the dwarves that live in the southern half of the continent, the gold dwarves, have lived a long life of success and prosperity. This shows in their garb, with FANCY everything, from gold-plated jewel-encrusted armor down to mega-embroidered fine fabrics underneath and elaborately braided beards with gem accoutrements above.
But northern or shield dwarves have had a history of struggle, fighting for every inch of new land and every new mine. They have stretched themselves too far, and then had to conserve what they had. And this shows in their outfits too. Shield dwarf armor is supposed to look blackened and hammered like cast iron, and their clothes just shades of brown and gray. They're dreary attitudes have tended to match their attire. There are occasional micro-details here and there, but northern dwarves have mostly been dark and morose.
That is, until the last century or so of Realm history. Greater cooperation with outside races has resulted in new blood and ideas being introduced to the clans, and that has cheered the stout folk up a bit. Some dwarves opt for more color now, and maybe even a little filigree on their armor. More importantly, you can see a smile on their faces even when they don't have a beer in hand.
The garb should match the persona, and there should be a reason for both. A grumpy 'tude perfectly complements a depressing outfit, and a loud one goes hand in hand with a proud and accomplished warrior.
May I propose a detail for archers. As a OT archer that is used to do archery in a forest an Arrow brush ( basically a large tassel made from wool) is invaluable for me cause it makes cleaning Arrows on the go super easy. + It looks really cool dangling from your quiver. I think if a saw someone LARPing as an archer with such a tassel I'd immediately believe that they actually know what they are doing ( and subsequently have a lot of blood that needs to be cleaned off their arrows)
Kramer, you may not look like Aragorn, but you certainly have a Numenorean look about you. I think you belong among the Rangers, and would certainly be glad of your guidance through Middle-Earth if I were to venture outside of the Shire. Also - nicely done video with good information! I appreciate all the work you put in here, and I think my own cosplay will improve thanks to you!
I have a few pieces of costumes that I have put together that go to several different costumes. My medieval linen shirt that was sewn by hand I have worn several times. Your statement of living in the costume and seeing how it works goes for this. It's been washed several times, has some stains from just sweat or from the gambeson I wear from time to time. It's an old useful shirt that I couldn't replace because it was sewn by a friend's mother and convincing her to do it again would be impossible. (I traded cookies for the work, and she can't have them anymore. -_-)
Informative, love these kinds of videos.
Linen shirts are fantastic, they can serve as the base for so many different looks!
Yo, the inclusion of the gambeson makes you look like a total boss! I love all the variations but the last outfit, with the gambeson, was super cool. I could definitely imagine someone character wearing it in a LotR movie!
I thought the same! The gambeson gives Boromir vibes.
@@RebecaCabreraAbad Yes, it's a broader, stronger look.
Black was extremely difficult/expensive to dye in the past. It was also kinda the church's domain for a very long time. Be sure to have a damn good reason for wearing it, like playing a wealthy bishop.
I think you really nailed the look. I could easily see you wandering the wilds of Middle-earth. And I thought that the gambeson's short sleeves looked very reminiscent of Faramir's outfit.
If I may, I would really like your opinion on something. I'm writing a fantasy book, and one thing I like to do is create the outfits and armors of different characters and factions in real life, to see what works and what doesn't. Currently I'm working on the outfit of one of the main characters, a Dark Elf with a sort-of-Rogue-ish style. I won't bore you with all the details, but he used to be a monster hunter, then-turned into fugitive to save his friend from certain death. He's also fascinated with alchemy, and often carries vials and bottles, and frequently finds himself picking herbs and flowers for potions. I've made a very short video on said outfit, anf I would be so grateful if you could take a look at it, maybe give me some advice if you have any. It's my latest uploaded video.
Sorry for writing so much, I just really enjoy costuming, and I really enjoyed this video!
I'll give it a watch. (Edit: Just watched) Looks good! I like the arm armor especially, and that it goes beyond a simple vambrace and will protect the elbow and hands. I understand it might have been a template that you were working from, or other consideration, but the pauldron design with the straps always strikes me as a bit of a weak point. Those straps get cut, you loose a pauldron. In fact, I am thinking it might make sense to try having the hood go on top of the armor, instead. The straps may hold down the hood and limit mobility when the hood is up. This is a great approach to creating characters for a book, I love it. I wonder if it would be possible to create vials or bottles of the right size out of something like horn, instead of glass or ceramic, as those would break very easily. Especially if he is working with caustic substances, a vile breaks, and that's a bad day. Keep in touch with this, it's really cool. Cheers, Linus!
@@LivingAnachronism Sorry for taking so long to answer: different timezones and all. Let me first just say thank you so much for checking it out and taking the time to give me some advice, I really appreciate it!
I actually tried having the hood over the pauldrons, but it was very uncomfortable and bulky. It doesn't actually restrict my movement at all havig the hood underneath, as as matter of fact, the hood prevents a lot of chafing from the rough edges of the pauldrons.
Bottles made out of horn? That's ingenious. Though I doubt I could create them myself, and they would probaly be expensive to buy ready-made. I think the outfit itself will have to have glass bottles, but I'll definitely find a use for horn bottles. It's a great idea, one that I would never have thought of myself. Thank you so much!
Sponsorship! Yes!
You've been putting out to much high quality content to be doing it without getting anything back!
Keep the beard, IT LOOKS EPIC.
Just in time before my next LARP 😊 Please keep up the good work, I am so glad I found your channel!
Thank you Kamilla! Enjoy your first larp!
Kramer is the Sherlock Holmes of his genre. His attention to detail is astounding!
This is actually fantastic advice fir modern wardrobe as well. I have had some pieces for years and new items get as much thought and care as old ones. Using the variety I never look like I've worn the same outfit twice and can accommodate for any situation or occasion.
Since you mentioned you looked like a pirate, I'd love some content related to that kind of look!, I always try to achieve kind of a fantasy pirate-y look on medieval fairs where I live, and its clearly an Anachronism, but I enjoy that look more.
I wish I had someone to larp with. I live in a rural region of Germany and the old buildings of the town I work in and the mountains behind always put me right into the mood of feeling like a fantasy character.
It sounds like you are practically right there in Middle-Earth!
Jealous! That sounds beautiful!
Well, being german makes it quite easy to larp, we have the 2 biggest Larp events worldwide (Drachenfest and Conquest of Mythodea) in central germany, both very noob friendly, even of you come all alone. They have some cool trailers here on youtube, too.
@@texasbeast239 it surely feels like it sometimes!
@@mirabellegoldapfel6256 yeah I know, there are some smaller ones near me every year as well but I think I’m too shy to go to these events alone. Maybe I should just do it once and see how it goes.
Clothes should look like were lived in especially for wondering characters like rangers, witchers, druids. This characters are not princess in the castle that should look pristine or Cleric with his holly mission that should look clean and monastic. Clothes should tell story of character, convey way of living also give clues to emotional state and traits of character. Like Druidess character: ankle length skirt or dress, layered look for all weather conditions, staff for walking and self defence and bag on one side and poutches on other that can contain small needed items and sturdy knife. Druidess can also have travel companion ponny or donkey that can carry her heavier stuff needed for long journeys.
Things that I found help you go from costume to garb include the following:
A knife hanging from the belt. You show it very well with the knife you wear. A simple tool that has a lot of practical, every day uses. The design of the knife also says a lot about who you are and what you value, with a fancy and decorated knife in a jewelled scabbard inferring a completely different style than a simple wooden handled knife in a leather holder. Also, try mixing it up to tell a story, add a knife that doesn't match the rest of the costume to show a hidden quality.
A pouch on the belt. Again, you show it well that a simple pouch adds practical detail. The type and size of pouch can again tell a large part of the story, showing the same as the knife can.
Something to pass the time. Fidget spinners might not look completely logical in a medieval fantasy setting, but throughout time people have carried simple objects to pass the time.
A knife with which you wittle wood is a good example, but carry some nice pieces of wood to whittle to tell that story.
Or perhaps a string of simple wooden/bone/glass beads that you run through your hands to occupy them. Wear them on your wrist to add a personal touch, saying you want them close at hand and not stowed in a pouch where you need to dig them out to play with them.
Whetstone as Viggo added, flint and steel in a small tinder pouch. Practical items that allow you to be you while you're not actively telling and showing your story.
Nothing boils my blood more than people answering noobs asking for critiques with “oh just add pouches!”.
Like, great. Those pouches sure defined this character!
I like the note about having a *reason* for each piece in your outfit and kit. When I build a costume (or set of garb), I consider things like culture, whether the person spends much time outdoors, if they travel (beyond the local areas), and what they're doing while there. So all of my stuff gets weathered and distressed from the beginning before I even wear it to an event, to give that authentic feel and look. I also like to live in my garb, too (partially 'cuz I just like the clothes and sometimes wear them with my regular street stuff), so some of it looks well-loved, dirt, rub-spots, frays and sweat and all... No one likes to wear a stiff linen shirt, and when the character has been living in it for a year, it shouldn't look brand new. That shirt should be soft as butter, stained at the right points, beat up in the right places (I'm fond of trashing the elbows and wrists of a shirt, and sometimes, if a seam 'pops'--say, at the armpit, I don't always repair it right away) and hanging like silk off one's body. I also don't worry much over stains, 'cuz they're part of the garment's life. I wash things, of course, but we all know some stains just refuse to come out. LOL
I also like adding in patches, spot repairs, little things like a simple trim on various exposed edges, like cuffs and neckline, 'cuz trim was not just decoration--it was *protection* of those places on a garment to keep them from raveling. Anything leather gets the stain and scratch treatment with fine sandpaper and oil to polish up heavy wear spots where a piece might be rubbed a lot from movement, rough things like a rasp to simulate a knife or sword strike, or I'll even have someone drive over my clothes and leathers to beat the snot out of them (though I do take off any metal pieces I can so they don't get damaged to non-functionality), that sort of thing.
I like using a dryer, too, to soften things up. Just lightly dampen the items, first, so they have some weight to them. Tossing in a couple of dryer balls or a pair of clean sneakers helps to beat things up nicely, too. Just use medium, low or no heat, depending on what you've put in there--*never* high heat for anything. Leather needs to be no heat, for example, unless you want stiff, cracking, dried out, burnt-looking leathers. Linen can be medium heat, and wool needs to be low to no heat, just tumble dry so it doesn't felt or shrink, though I prefer to roll my wool in a towel to absorb water, then lay it flat to dry (hanging it distorts the garment).
I only just discovered your channel today, and I've been binging for the past few hours.
Dude you remind me so much of a younger me, it's almost uncanny.
Except you actually went adventuring out there, while I drowned my wanderlust at the bottom of a bottle.
Stay strong and keep doing what you are doing, brother, you are a shining example to your generation!
*Subscribed*
Dude your videos keep getting better and better. This is something I needed to hear; often I'll spend too long trying to "patch" over garb that isn't working without realizing why adding stuff just gets things more confused. Inevitably I end up changing the outfit from the ground up before getting something good, and now I know why and what to look for.
That part about wrists, elbows, and shoulders really got me right in the feels. I have a linen undertunic that needs a new patch on the sleeves every time I wear it these days, but it's my favorite piece of garb and I can't let it go...
Anyone else getting the stereotypical "I have nothing to wear" while watching the different outfit combinations?
I add and subtract items from my outfits and costumes as my mood changes and when things wear or need size adjustment. "Just live in it" is the best advice I have for neophytes. Pick one or two items as starters and wear them around the house one day when you don't have anywhere else to be.
Just a thought, you mention a couple times how your hair effects the look, perhaps your hair IS a detail you could work with. A ranger might pull his hair back into a bun on the back, or perhaps braid it to get it out of the way, or might add sentimental decorations in it to remember loved ones. Likely someone who spent time in the wild would likely keep their hair short to prevent lice and fleas, but then again in the winter long hair would be useful for warmth. There is a lot of options you could play with there IMO.
OK
1- start with these 3 questions - Who am I , where am I and what am I doing ?
1A- who am I includes what technology level do I have and how much storage and transport do I have at my disposal and how wealthy am I
1B- what am I doing is the big one ie - if you have armour why are you wearing armour, what is it defending you from and how would that particular armour do that ?
it will not look authentic to have things that do not help you do what you are intended to be doing ! You will look more authentic if you have things that will help you do the thing your story has you doing .
ie If you are a travelling merchant in middle earth- You will need something to trade and if you do not have a horse and wagon it will have to be something small and light .What is small and light but worth enough to bother travelling to trade it ? ( spice , pipe weed , pigments, gold , silver , mithril , medicine , precious gems ......) . If you are carrying a lot of expensive stuff this will make you attractive to thieves so you might want a way to conceal it and also arm + armour yourself but not appear to have arms and armour also. You will want soft armour and a dagger or short sword that can be hidden under clothing along with a bag to carry your trade goods in that can look like a bag carrying extra clothing or camp equipment .
1C- where am I answers a lot of questions about your clothing if you are in a frozen tundra you are going to look different the on a ship near the equator , it will also answer a lot of questions about the kind of damage your clothing and equipment might have experienced.
2- what happened up till now and how would that effect my stuff and me ?
2A- if you are the merchant from before, you have probably been a merchant for a while and likely do not get a new bag for each trip so carry your bag around with heavy stuff in it and see where it starts to break then reinforce those areas , put it down in the mud and the dust and near a fire .If you have been walking for a long time with a heavy pack you might have soar feet or walk stuped over or you might complain about the pain in your back or joints . To make walking with your heavy pack you might want a walking stick ,to fix your pack when it gets damaged you might want a sewing kit you can keep handy in a pouch on your belt and a water bottle for your thirst , a pouch with flint and steel and tinder , a bag with dry fruit and nuts to eat while you walk , you might have a map in a leather case to guide you ,a hidden bag to hold you coins , a pipe to smoke , a picture of your spouse if you have one , . You might want a mark on your clothing so when you can give clothing to a washer woman and then tell what peaces were yours when you come to pick it up like Ψ and so it would be on all your clothing and maybe even other non clothing items .
2B- were there big events in your past that might have effected you or your stuff like were you just robed ?
do you have old injures that effect how you use things or might some of your stuff have been damaged in a flood, fie , attack ? Did you used to be more wealthy and you have say things make expensive leather that has now had to be paced with fabric because you can no longer afford leather ? Were you recently injured and there are still blood stains ?
Wonderfull video! Once again you articulate something that has been gnawing at the back of my mind as I watch how TV-shows, cosplayers or LARP enthusiasts design their costumes. I think you struck the nail on the head by switching the thought process around and not seeing "details" as final additions or finishing touches, but rather authentic nuances built on the foundations of the character.
I really enjoyed the appendix to the Hobbit and seeing how John Howe and Alan Lee built the look of the dwarfs from basic geometric shapes that correlated with the characteristics they were trying to emphasise. It has really influenced how I think about costumes and character design. With this in mind, I think you are really onto something where you talk about the open neckline and also keeping the upper torso more soft and slender. It both mimics the debictions in the movies better but also plays into the long, slender and refined siluette of the elves combined with the functional ruggedness of men that are what the Númenóreans are all about in my oppinion.
one important detail of a costume that people tend to overlook is colours and what these colours mean.
think about the kind of work that would go into making the actual dyes in the context of your setting and then compare those to your characters wealth and social standing.
for example if your setting is inspired by medieval Europe, blue, red, yellow, green or plain undyed cloth would be available to pretty much everyone, while more vibrant yellow, bleached white, crimson, scarlet and indigo would signify greater wealth and purple would only be worn by high nobility.
considering stuff like this when you start designing your first costume is not all, as you can also start adding the more valuable colours as your character gains fame and fortune.
A time-tested tip concerning footwear for rangers: no suede. Smooth leather, boot-design without any zipper, laces or anything that breaks the leather surface (apart from seams, obviously. Wax heavily and regularly and enjoy the fun when the ranger just walks through the brook while everyone else is supposed to look for stepping stones ^^
Bro that thumbnail goes hard 🔥
Merchant Kramer...Ranger Kramer.
For me it is all about who I am supposed to be. What is the backstory? The backstory provide a great tool to use to inform your choice. Also if you are character is from a specific time, then that period is also going to have to inform you about what you can get away with as far as details. Think about what you wear everyday as YOU. Look at your dress, wallet, purse, pants, glasses, socks from the perspective of a costume designer. We all wear a costume, each day and that can change depending on where we are going. Our beach costume is different than our ski costume.
Stumbled across your channel, and I’ve been loving these videos on costume. I’ve loved costumes ever since I was a kid, and now that I’m an adult who has learned some basic sewing skills, I am slowly working towards creating some fantasy outfits. These tips were very helpful!
I think a rough spun knitted shawl would look cool with your look! This was a great video
I do a fair bit of hiking and was in the army for a short time, the reason I start with that is because I have a 'costume' or particular set of clothes that I've been wearing for nearly 10 years for hiking (side tip, research your kit and buy the highest quality you can afford and then mind it carefully because then it'll mind you too.) so I think I might have some insight on how to make clothes feel worn. For one thing people don't carry anything more than they need if you're walking for a long period of time, 100g can feel like 1000g after a long day on your feet. Add in some repairs/patches, vary the colour of the cloth if you can distress it. My main pair of hiking pants started out deep green but now years later they're a kind of sandy brown except around the front of the belt where they're more green still for some reason. I have a wooden walking stick to help me walk because I've a bad back injury, it is very worn in a specific pattern because I use it in a specific way, also the wood develops a beautiful patina with use so if you're using a wooden staff just try your best to handle it a lot after it is seasoned. The main thing that jumps out to me is people wearing very dirty clothes in films, why? It isn't hard to give clothes a bit of a scrub, if you're out on the ground for 3 days you'll want to clean up a little bit even if it's just getting into a river or something. I used to think I was so cool staying in dirty clothes til I joined the army and got shit for being a manky bastard.
You touched on something which I always stress to the “newbies” going with me to Faire, that is that the clothes will tell you how to move, just listen to them.
This is pretty much what my wife and i do the day before the renfaire. It's always fun.
Another thing that adds to character is hairstyle. Long, loose hair-while a fantasy staple-is nearly as fantastical an element as dragons. It gets dirty so quickly, gets in your way, and is vulnerable to being seized during a fight. (The last obviously being more of an occupational hazard for some than others.) I think flowing tresses are as fun to see in costume as the next person, so I don’t think it’s bad at all. Just pointing out that when you recognize that things like that are part of the fantasy, it can help you decide how to approach the level of realism/whimsy and thus flesh out the character more. For example, having about half the hair pulled or tied back is the “traditional” compromise for a reason: it lets you put in cool braids and accessories (jewelry, leather cords, twine, etc), but you also appreciate that the characters live in a world where things usually move slower, represented by having years’ worth of hair already grown out. And it flatters most people’s faces, especially if you have some level of fringe or tendril pieces lol
Absolutely second the living in your costume thing. I have learned so many little nuances from wearing medieval clothes and gear. I highly recommend hiking and camping in it, for any who can.
I don’t know about everybody else but I love these videos just from an author and novelist standpoint. Lots of things to think about when developing a character and how you want your reader to perceive that character.
I'm glad they can be enjoyed that way. I try to structure them for that reason, so writers can get something from them too!
Loved this video! I think the final costume looks great, and I really enjoyed how you tested and analyzed the different pieces of clothing. This kind of thought process is exactly why I also love the extra features on the LotR films. Details were purposeful, and constantly filtered through the lens of character, story, and history. The feeling of believability and immersion this approach can give a fantasy setting is huge! Ok, feeling super inspired now to get to sketching. 😁
4:41 🤣👍 Oh I love this... good stuff.
(this video is worth a subscription)
Some very good tips! I have a larp character who is an ex-knight from a religious order who got disillusioned and ran away in the night, so part of my outfit includes things like an arming belt and attachment points for plate armor but without the actual plate armour she had to leave behind... I am realizing now that I should have decorated the arming belt with imagery relating to that religious order. alas! things to think about for the next costume piece I make.
The dark gambesons gives more a spy/rogue look, maybe for the color. The cloak and gloves make a lot of different and gives the ranger look that you were looking for.
That's a good thing to know about cotton. I was just about to make a Samurai/brigandine hybrid armor out of cotton. Maybe I should look into other fabrics that won't wick up or maybe waterproofing... We'll see. Lol
Cotton makes sense historically for something Japanese-styled. That is what they had to work with. What may be helpful is to look at where cotton fabric was used historically, and what kind of cotton fabric. Yeah, for a European medieval regular person, cotton would be odd.
@@j.nereim9055 thank you, that's really good to know, I'm pulling inspiration from a few places they would have lived and using some anachronisms as needed for budget. Lol
But I think this character mostly was raised in Japan so it would make sense to use what they used, so I'll look into that a bit.
Wow this is video is blowing my mind I’m so inspired to approach my looks from authenticity rather than just accessorizing.
Short version: details are best when they ensue, not are pursued.
Details in themselves are not meaningful; detail for detail's sake is empty spectacle. Details are meaningful insofar as they expand and elaborate upon the meaning already present, and the verisimilitude is proportional to how much it fits into the context of the character and outfit.
As for the hood problems, people with long hair in that period often bound their hair quite close to their head (eg, suebian knot); something of the sort will probably help.
Very well put, you said that better and in less words than I did! Thank you Nevis!
Or, for very long hair, it can be braided into one braid and then the bottom can be tucked under one's belt in the back, not so tightly that it hinders movement, but just enough to keep it from swinging forward, so it's very convenient.
@@LivingAnachronism Not necessarily 'better'; repetition and expressing things in multiple ways helps some people to understand better. I find refined brevity is often really good for a final summary (and easy-to-remember principles) that often performs better as a conclusion than stand-alone. How you said it had merit for a lot of people.
That said, you are welcome!
@@zxyatiywariii8 Certainly. Suebian is but one example; my point was that braids, buns, knots, and similar volume-reducing styles of wearing hair are something to consider if hair is being an obstacle for headwear.
Come to think of it, that falls under exactly the sort of character-appropriate details this video was about. For example, a Tolkien elf wearing uncharacteristic braids specifically as part of the character due to wearing headwear for their lifestyle (eg, hoods for a ranger) that differs from mainstream elven culture.
5:30 - and here, Mr. Living Anachronism intends to describe bad storytelling and accidentally describes my whole approach to ren faire costuming. Pfft! It’s funny, because including interesting trinkets for other people to ask you about is one of the quickest and easiest ways to start conversations at ren faires (where I tend to go in costume). As a dedicated RP approach it’s bad advice, but for purely social events, that advice can be fun and a good icebreaker. All in its own place, I suppose! A very fun video, with an interesting perspective on parts of the broader costuming community that I don’t see much of myself. You all are quite dedicated, aren’t you? Very cool!
Oh for sure! As an ice breaker, a way to make friends, totally deck yourself out!
This was so helpful!!! I’ve been trying to do research into building an authentic kit, and this video is a wonderful guide! I have heard about weathering clothing a bit via powders and dyes, but living in the clothing is a great way to add authenticity, plus it’s fun to wear garb in general! I love that you focused on authenticity instead of detail! Thank you for making this video!
Also, I love your outfit combos, especially the final one without the gambeson! It definitely has the forest ranger vibe!
Thank you faith! Glad you found it to be helpful
I’ve talked to artists before, “add details” to then means that they’re concerned with visual balance and appeal. I prefer your definition but trust me when I say that there are plenty of people who add details for the sake of details.
Something about these vids bring me comfort
I am glad
My favorite realistic character design is Joel from TLOU
He doesn’t have many details but those he has (like the gas mask on his side, the light on his shoulder and the broken watch his daughter gave him and the only thing that doesn’t have an in-game utility) are memorable
Anything else would have been too much, I dislike overdesigned characters and I am glad when I see more simple outfits
Excellent video, I enjoyed the "process of elimination" that you went through; just as informative as the "final version" which other channels might have simply cut to without the trial and error learning.
A thought provoking video. I will need to rethink how I give advice on costuming. I have perhaps assumed too much regarding what people take away from add my layers or add my details. I try to tell people their costume should tell a story about the character without a word being spoken but not necessarily how each bit tells its own part of the tale. Thanks for getting me to rethink things.
I didn't click on this video to make my garb more authentic, I clicked because it's Living Anachronism and I'd watch even if it was about the intricacies of watching horse manure dry because Kramer would make it fascinating!
I loved the topic and absolutely agree. As you said, you're becoming a different person, not playing a character. In my everyday life I don't walk around with trinkets of sentimental value ( or at least not ones that I would discuss with any passerby) and most of what I am using is for purely practical uses.
Haha! Thank you Matt. That point almost made it into the video. Most people don't adorn themselves with trinkets of sentimental value on display
Huzzah! I found the Atomic Snail of Middle Earth! Loved how you brought us to understand the design principles of a costume through a direct case study. Well done! Subbed!
All of it is great and I'll take that gambeson. No such thing as too much black but you're right about one thing, it doesn't photograph well. Your hair and beard are perfection.
god i never thought of the low neckline before
maybe it would work better if you have short hair to have a higher collar, just for that shape and colour distribution, but longer hair for the lotr look needs to be flowing straight down like you show here - theres definitely something that works doing that
also 18:11 hit me personally! i wear a necklace my mother gave me in my day to day life! ive worn it every day for about 3 years now! and frankly. its only come up 3 times with people i know - i think thats definitely proof of, sure, you can have small trinkets and interesting jewlery aspects to your character, but it doesnt really mean anything to the costume/outfit itself, but it just a something for the character personally. putting those sorts of additions onto the costume shouldn't be to make the costume better, but more likely to feel more in-character, and more connected to an actual life your character might've lived
*Great Video* (I agree, this is definitely the way to think about it.) 😁👍
Research *Material Culture* under Anthropology (for some inspiration).
I've notices over time I've sort of taken this approach to detail in nh modern outfits. I've agreed certain things or styles not for aesthetician, but because I found what I liked wuth a friend thrifting. I wear flat caps because I have Irish heritage and I respect a friend greatly that wears them. Even the jewelry i wear has a story. The more I get into costuming, the more I realize it's just another outfit for another person.
Vanbraces with black or cloak. Partial gloves or archer type with white or separate hood. Any look could work so long as you test it out beforehand IMO. I portray a pirate street character with my ferrets as my main accessories.
Love your videos even though I’ve never done any role play. I really liked your elimination strategy. I knew right away that the white shirt didn’t look right, but couldn’t put my finger on why. Following your process of thinking it through, I realized you couldn’t expect to glide unobserved through the forest in anything that light colored. You would definitely need darker earth/camo tones. An inn keeper, on the other hand, would look fine in the white shirt. Thought provoking indeed!
This concept also applies to tabletop gaming such as Warhammer and DnD. Definitely a very helpful video you have made. :)
I'm just getting into building my first outfit, so this is really helpful!
I think you nailed the ranger look really well. Definitely got that "doing what needs to be done" look without the soldier feel.
As for the gamberson at the end, it gives me the impression that your gearing up for a known big fight, (every bit helps) but isn't the normal gear your character wears.
Ps, you may not look like Aragorn, but you really do have the "I've got your back" feel that Aragorn has, which is a big plus in my book.
That neck vulnerability you mention... Reminds me of The Princess Bride. I'm thinking of Montoya specifically.
Now this looks like a ranger of middle earth! I love that even with wish attire it literally just takes a little bit of thinking to make a costume amazing. Great video again Kramer!
Thank you Thomas! I am reminded in this way of GoT and how they used Ikea fur rugs for the cloaks. You can cut corners and still have a good look. Or you can spend a billion and have a cheap one ;)
Trying to match to evoke an existing look or environment can be trickier, but I also like to approach situations like this from a perspective of practical consideration. For example, I was considering the best clothes for a ranger the other day and decided that braes and chausses would be better than hose or pants. Why? Because chausses attach at the top and can be unpointed (untied) from the braes and rolled down to the knee. This allows a ranger in a hot environment to get some cooling while retaining lower leg protection from undergrowth. Similarly, I think that ankle height boots make the more sense when balancing weight, support, and protection.
The green shirt works perfect.
I'm probably going to dye that white linen shirt green, it has embroidery on it that I like
I really liked you demonstrating the process how to put together a believable character design. IMO, the basis really has to be right and it is good to have a concept. If you learn to imagine things in your head, maybe also learn to draw (well, I am not really good at that, but I just printed out a naked human figure and started to sketch and play around with elements for my own character), this might also help to put together a great costume.
I've found that it's best to add things you actually need. For myself I'm getting back into reenacting for the 1700 to the late 1800. I haven't picked a set time period yet. I have some stuff from when I did this 20 +years ago can't find most of my stuff. So I'm mote or less starting over. I have a few shirts and a few other things but I don't look the part. Yet.
I’d say figure out a way to keep the gambeson. To me, it’s a detail which sells the idea that while this character is a wanderer, he is also a warrior. A gambeson is armor, *protection*, and warriors understand protection= survival.
Also, DO NOT SHAVE!! 😱
I might be able to dye it or weather it so the black is less harsh. Or I'll use this as an opportunity to get a new one!
@@LivingAnachronism could possibly bleach them aswell depending on what kind of colour you’re hoping for, great video Kramer
That is an excellent video, in terms of what I think about the different aspects of your kit I will have to write a more detailed comment later when I have time, so for now this comment is for the algorithm :) and I'm glad to see you have a sponsor now
i will try this at a larp i go to! the campain is 2 times a year and each time im there i will try to earn ingame money and in the down time use that amout of money to uppgrade (according to a price list i got from the organisers and in game crafters)with stuff i alredy have or can buy/make, and change how this character looks at the world, just letting my fellow larpers guide the story with the actions they take around me! everything will be a detail amd geaar is only added after a event in the story timeline!
starting out next week as a lvl 0 pessant/farmer.. so freaking exited!!
Never thought of larping before, but watched a few of your videos... And man that sounds fun. Been playing ttrpgs for several years now. This seems like a fun step.
I personally don't think the black gambeson looks off color-wise...but I wear a lot of black myself so that's probably me being a little biased. Going with one that's a little shorter without the high collar and perhaps in a grey or green color might get you the look you're going for. For a hood, maybe making one that's looser in the neck and possibly out of lighter-weight wool would help mitigate the issues you have with them being too structured.
If you are going for a ranger (or anyone else who might stalk or hide) you should avoid the shiny stuff. Having patterns that break your lines up will help. I wonder if you take the leather items and wear them inside out, or use a suede style if that would look good
I think you got pretty damn close to that Aragorn feel you were going for. Nice video!
You might find that pulling your hair back, and doing a braid or ponytail would provide some options when working with hoods.
Nailed it in the end