After hours and hours of research

If I added up all the damn hours of research I wast-er-spent on finding specialty items and such for our costumes, it'd probably add up to a few solid days. I finally found some cheaper items that I have been looking for, specifically hose and shoes, that I think I'm ready to list each item and figure out how much we might be looking at spending. After going to the TRF site, I don't feel so bad about spending some money on ours, since I'm making most and trying to find the best deal possible, and also because some of the costumes there are waaaaaay more elaborate than mine. (Damn those Elizabethans....that's precisely why I refused to pick that time-frame, even though the faire is set in King Henry VIII's time.)

So here's the line-up, and the links to them, since I have to go to them anyway. Also they are some absolutely wonderful websites, as I am a very picky person about historical accuracy, but I also have to weigh that against money. So I think we'll spend a bit on his shoes but be cheap on mine, since they are hidden anyway. Also going to go for the cheaper 90% cotton/10% spandex hose since he's shy about the whole codpiece thing and it'll just be both cheaper and a modern convenience that no one will really know about since no one will see the elastic waist.

Christian
fabric (probably just calico cotton, a nicer solid cotton than broadcloth) for his doublet, always 25-30% off at HL....... $10 (est.)
lacing for the doublet.......$5 (est.)
split hose (linen?) from Historic Enterprises.......$97.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=279&c=6

or....

woven wool split hose, also from Historic Enterprises.......104.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=100&c=6

or....

boiled wool split hose, again from HE.......134.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=99&c=6

compared to....

cotton/spandex mix (solid) from Moresca, a TRF artisan.......25.00 http://www.moresca.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=137

particolored, same as above.......15.00 (liquidation!) http://www.moresca.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=139

(Gee I wonder what we're gonna get...134.95 vs. $15.00 - and it's got 2 colors!)

houppelande, need 8 1/2 yards (!!!) probably a cotton velvet or a brocade tapestry like mine, probably either online or from the High Fashion Fabric Center in Houston.......$100+ (est.)

poulaines from Armlann.......$75 http://www.armlann.com/extendedtoe.htm

and....

hinged pattens (to protect shoes in mud, a common problem at ren faires).......$45 http://www.armlann.com/wpattens.htm

or....

custom-made poulaines and pattens from HE.......$149.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=83&c=114

or....

really cool medieval gothic leather shoes (poulaines without pattens) from Medieval Weapon Art (same ones can be found on eBay from Europe - about same price).......$140 http://www.mwart.com/xq/ASP.product/pid.7289/qx/medieval-gothic-leather-shoes.htm

(I think I'm going with Armlann with a mere $75 for the shoes, maybe the pattens, making them cost $120 plus s & h. (Also I don't think he takes 8-12 weeks to make them because there is no disclaimer.)

acorn hat from HE.......$24 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=118&c=7

or....

a roundlet from Tall Toad.......$30-$40 http://www.talltoad.net/round.html

15th century braies (I can't find a pattern and the linen would probably cost as much) from HE.......$22.95 http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=186

belt from any department store.......$20 (est.)

leather illumination pouch from Bohemond.......$20 http://www.nmia.com/~bohemond/Bootshop/pouch-page/illumination-pouch.htm

My God, I think that's it. He can buy any other accessories later, like jewellery.

So, adding up the cheapest out of all of them, the grand total is about $298. Add in the pattens from Armlann and you might as well break the $300 mark, with the absolute grand total of $343, not including s & h. I sure hope he'll be as devoted to this costume as he is to his Sea Doo, because this is gonna hurt. It's worth it and he'll look devine. But it'll hurt.

But then, I probably spent about as much on my Dickens costume over the last 2 years. Hehe.

I bet he's gonna make my ren garb look cheap.

We'll see in the next posting, since this is a lot to post at once, and I'll cry if I lose all of this because of some blackout or I use the back button on this window. Blogger does save in that situation, but I still don't trust it or myself.