I really admire how fancy garb is at feasts, but everything that is fancy seems super expensive. How can I upgrade the way I look but not have to spend a lot of money?
Well, you can go to thrift stores, and find things and modify them. This is really about being patient and a little bit about knowing what you're looking for. Funny story, actually recently I bought a couple of purses from a goodwill because I liked the buckles and studs on them and I wanted to take them apart and use them for future armor projects. Studs and buckles make good accents on leather pieces and if you can find an old purse or leather backpack you can get some really neat pieces.
Beyond the thrift store route, you can learn a craft or make friends that are familiar with crafts that you're not great at. Trading your skills with people is a good fun way to upgrade several characters at once. If you need help figuring out how to learn a craft feel free to ask and I'm sure I can direct you to someone with the skill you're trying to learn, easy as pie.
---Keith “Saegan” Cronyn
The key thing to remember about ‘fancy’ is that it is all in the eye of the beholder. If you lack the skill ( and patience) to make your own, a thrift store is a great way to go. You can also ask around, most long time players have extra garb they no longer want and would be willing to part with it for a fraction of the price. Accessories will go a long way to make you look fancier. Consider adding a simple headpiece. Ladies can use an old costume necklace for a pretty circlet, men folk can use some simple copper wire woven together to add a little bit of lordliness to their brow. Fake fur is big right now. There are many tutorials on youtube and Pintrest you can watch to find little ways to add trim or alter a garment with little skill. Slowly, you can build up your wardrobe and skill set. Of course, the Order of the Peacock is always ready to help!
Kelly “Twenaria”
That really is the question. Most people when starting out don’t have a lot of cash to put into clothing. Sometimes you can get lucky: I once stopped by a Yard Sale of someone who worked at King Richard’s Faire and they had a lot of garb at a fraction of the price. I mention this because a lot of it is learning where your resources are (and sometimes, it’s a bit of luck). Thrift shops, newbie bins, friends who can craft are all ways to improve your garb for low money. Also, many modern styles are actually variants on Medieval clothing: you could get away with some designs out of your own closet. So research is also helpful. Being friends with crafters, learning to craft yourself, is a big thing I find. If you are skillful in a craft, you can barter with other crafters possibly for those accents you are looking for. Or at the very least, most crafters know where to get the best materials for the cheapest prices (and WHEN s important: many times, they wait for yearly sales by various merchandise outlets). Also, The Realms does hold basic crafting workshops from time to time. Depending on how old you are and where you are, there may be local groups and clubs that can also have crafting days to help people out.
-Steven “Therian” Matulewicz
I love looking fancy because it makes me feel good when I’m at an event. A lot of my garb I’ve accumulated over time and now I have lots of pieces that I can mix and match to make new fancy outfits. I also really get not wanting to spend a lot of money so I have a couple of tips and tricks that I’ve used in the past that have helped me build my Realms wardrobe. First, you need to have a look in mind that you are going for--trying to blindly sift through tons of clothing options is overwhelming and discouraging. It can be helpful to think about what other people wear that you really like, or to google some medieval outfits. If you can sew in a straight line, you can usually create something fancy looking with just a few simple straight stitches. Some of my personal favorites include a square skirt which can add lots of layers and colors and only really requires some elastic or drawstring and sewing a simple circle (lots of people can show you how to make these!), and making Realms pants seems intimidating, but isn’t so bad if you can find a simple pattern to follow. If you can’t sew, then you have some options, which include scouring bargain stores (second hand stores, consignment shops, and even discount clothing stores have lots of options if you know what you are looking for) or trying to find things being sold at Realms events by vendors. Footwear can also be a great way to dress up a look, and there are often affordable boots, especially this time of year when things are on clearance. If you have a little money to spare, I recommend finding a statement piece that you want to wear all the time and splurging on that. For me, it’s usually a bodice that I can mix and match tons of other simple and affordable pieces with. Finally, doing a clothing swap with a few friends can be a great way to change out your garb for something that is somebody else’s castoff. The moral of the story? When you look good, you feel good, so be patient and build up some outfits that make you feel super fancy when you are at your next feast.
-Lani "Gwen" Jones