Hi All,

What do you wear when doing demos / craft fairs? What era do you like to replicate (middle ages, victorian...)? Do you always wear the same outfit or do you dress to suit the event?

I'm planning on starting working a few craft fairs and I'd like to look the part!

Looking forward to your replies as always!

Richard

The trend seems to be that a smith/craftsman will pick a period of history and pretty much specialize in that period. After all, how many people can afford a complete set of cloths, camping equipment, and blacksmith setup for more than one time-period.

The blacksmith guilds around here support the various museum shops, and most of those shops are mid-1800s. As the result, the tendency near where I live is to stick to clothing and equipment of the mid-1800s and in some cases also the colonial period.

Personally, I have been building a reproduction Civil War government-specified blacksmith's "Traveling Forge" (as seen in the left side of this missive) since August 2006. There are traveling forge wagons for various time periods, but I have yet to hear of anyone who has built a forge wagon for more than one time period.

By using the search feature at the top of this screen, I found some discussions on period equipment and clothing for you:
- http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f8/early-1800s-attire-10481/
- http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/what-period-oregon-150-years-ago-9532/
- http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f8/dress-code-69/

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Also, we could better tailor our answers to your questions if you would indicate in your "profile" the state, country, and general area of the state that you live in. :D

Edited August 30, 200916 yr by UnicornForge

Here is a picture of a demo I did at the West Jordan Historical Museum in July 2009. I have on my Mountain Man clothes. I do some of the Rendezvous around Utah with my friend Hyrum ( also a blacksmith)
Gaylan

if your looking for the ren time period it will be peasant clothing like sweat pants without elastic as i describe it. I'll try to put in pics of common examples but most fairs have artisans selling the cloths you need just tell them 100% cotton peasant clothes and you'll fit right in.

I get a lot of my things here: Jas. Townsend and Son, Inc. -

I also have shots of historical clothes here: http::Celticforge .

Thanks All,

I've updated my profile. I live in the UK, South-west Wales to be precise.

I've been to many events that are based around the industrial revolution period but we have had a few here based around the mediaeval period.

Thanks for the information. Any Uk suppliers of clothing would be great!

Thanks,

Richard

i guess ime a clothes horse cause ive got colonial (1770s) mountian man (1820s) renasance (1600s) clothes ..also wear bib overalls for general demos kinda generic farmer... remember dress for the event people appreciate it!

!0th Century clothes here. I portray a 10th cent. Dublin Norseman.

Finnr

Pics Finnr, we must have pics!!