What you're about to read is a very opinion-based post. It's a combination of my written word, which is, naturally, my own opinion, and images generated by another Ranger reenactor, which are, naturally, that reenactor's opinion. I won't put any words in his mouth, but I refuse to use myself as an example of what to do. My kit is constantly undergoing changes and improvements; I would think it haughty and annoying to read someone's post talking about their own kit as a prime example of Dunedain culture, so I won't put you through that either. I'll also use some images from a pair of popular independent films (which I happen to enjoy thoroughly.) No one is required to take what I say as fact or law. It's just my opinion, and it could be seen as advice should you choose to agree with it.
Alright, here we go.
A lot of recent talk has been out and about regarding quality control, this board's history, and reenactment vs. LARP and comparisons of all similar things thereof. I am of the OPINION that the wisest line ever written on this forum in regards to kit building and development was written by Mirimaran on a topic a year or more ago regarding R.D.'s handmade Birka Riding Coat:
Custom work, in this case, can mean anything from handmade to homemade. There CAN be quality items obtained "off-the-shelf", but to reach the look that, IN MY OPINION, personifies what a Ranger should be, nothing can be bought "off-the-shelf".Mirimaran wrote:And that is the difference between custom work and off the rack!
Let's look at pouches. A pouch bought in a store will work. Of course it will. But it will have a very even coloration, typically, and will, by nature of the beast, have perfectly cut edges, be totally symmetrical, and perhaps even be shiny. After wearing it in the woods, getting it dirty may actually be difficult due to the sealant used on it, so it will take a LOT to show use. This is great for a wallet or a purse in this society. In my opinion, this makes for a poorly-executed Ranger persona. A pouch alone can make you look off-the-shelf.
Clothing. Clothing is the BIGGEST place where the difference between looking legitimate and looking like a cartoon. I will not retract that statement. There are hundreds of Ren Faire goers that looks cartoonish in appearance. Errol Flynn as Robin Hood comes to mind. Solid colors, modern dyes...the list of problems goes on. If you buy it from Museum Replicas Limited, it will look fake. It CAN be modified to look legitimate, but it takes work, and it won't be as durable as if you'd just made it yourself with a pattern using the right materials. You'll save yourself the money if you do it right the first time. Let's look at some examples.
Take a look at the clothing here:
This is an extreme example, but bear with me. All modern Joann's Fabric store materials, all bold, unnatural colors. All would, if used enough to gain a weathered appearance, fall apart because they're not made for heavy use. But they just look plain cartoonish anyway, and this look does not fit into Tolkien's vision of Middle Earth. He wanted Middle Earto to be REAL, and these colors; these fabrics; these styles do not fit into Middle Earth.
So what does? Imperfect pouches. Stained pieces of misshapen leather. Dirt. Coal marks. Sweatstains on bracers. Irregular fabric textures. All of these can be found on historical fabrics. All of these that require wearing and time to develop can happen on historical fabrics without falling apart. None of this can happen with off-the-shelf. Let's see some examples.
:Cue the photo barrage:
Everything in the pictures I just posted was made with historical materials, has dirt on it, is frayed, or otherwise shows wear. Now again, I know that wear comes with time. But you won't see rivets anywhere in there either. Everything is hand-stitched. Rivets and shiny dye are not period, and they stick out obviously. A Great Ranger kit is not shiny. A great Ranger kit is not covered in studs. A great Ranger kit does not look like the armor worn by Drizzt on R.A. Salvatore's Novel Covers. Tolkien wrote about a real world, in a sense, and it needs to look real. It needs to be rugged. It needs to have a purppose; not just looks.
Even I fall prey to making kit items for looks, but I try to ensure that there is an underlying function behind everything. Every day spent in the woods, it seems, I remove something shiny from my kit and replace it with something dull, leather, and/or handmade. And I still get a LOT of things wrong.
Andy didn't. Andy got it right, and I wish we could all live up to his example. For the time being, I just hope it'll help everyone see how easy (and INEXPENSIVE!) legitimacy can be.
Forget the concept of historical accuracy for a moment. I'm all for it, but just forget about it for a second, and replace it with "Middle-Earth Legitimacy". Middle Earth wasn't clothed in "lightweight cotton print solids." Middle Earth was clothed in off-colored linens, wool, and steel. They donned greasy leather and furs. Rusty iron and bronze hardware. If you can't make it historically accurate, make it what he wrote about.
That's not Errol Flynn Lincoln Green, mind you. That's sun-faded greasy leather wrapped around worn, patchy linen and wool showing travel stains, bound with whatever was available, fixed on the road, and functional. Something that blends into your surroundings and actually WORKS as camouflage (a problem I still struggle with.)The Fellowship of the Ring wrote:Aragorn had Andúril but no other weapon, and he went forth clad only in rusty green and brown.
I apologize if I sound frustrated. I'm really not. But the man who started this all left a great example behind for us to follow while he's unavailable, and I wanted to make sure that was brought to everyone's attention.