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Garb question?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 10:26 pm
by Elle_Mcphearson
JRR Tolkien's novels The Lord of the Rings inspired a new-found interest in fantasy with the love of the outdoors, improvisational acting, and high energy events. A group called Dagorhir was formed in 1977 with these very ideals in mind. The theme was to catapult people from the 20th century into the midst of an intense battle during the Dark Ages; a time when the values and problems of the modern world did not exist. Dagorhir grew rapidly over the years into a nationwide organization. In 2001, in efforts to protect their intellectual property, such as the original Dagorhir Handbook, the Dagorhir Board of Directors requested that any group wishing to continue to use the Dagorhir brand name sign a legally binding contract regarding their use. Those that did not agree with this form of governance broke off from Dagorhir in order to form Belegarth.


Okay if this is so and all of this is based off The Lord of the Rings than why do I keep hearing that we can't use buttons? I've watched lord of the rings plenty of times to know that their wardrobe particularly Frodo's has buttons.
I've read the garb part of the Book of War 3 times over and it doesn't say anything about buttons not being allowed. So what gives? Are buttons okay or not?

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:11 am
by Ignatius
Who says you can't use buttons?! I don't think there's anybody I've met in Belegarth that garb anal.

http://h2g2.com/approved_entry/A23623616

From a quick google search I'd say tell whoever says you can't use buttons to **** off. They've been around as far back as the bronze age in some form and have been in use on garments back to the 1300's. More than old enough for Belegarth.

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 4:59 pm
by Sir Anastasia
There are a lot of trolls on the internet. There will always be controversy over nothing in forums and on Facebook. I think that most people who host events or control practices will use the BOW and not make additional rules, but they also have the right to make their own rules via the Belegarth By-laws. Keep in mind, if you see something on the internet...it may have no relevance in reality. So, how can you tell if you need to be mindful of an "additional" house rule?

1) Contact: 1) the realm leader of a practice 2) the event coordinator of an event you are attending. Asking some general forum or group can also be asking for trouble, even though it should not be.

2) If someone is in leadership, I hope they have the good sense to educate or make exemptions for new-comers if they have additional rules not listed in the BOW. Anything less than that is asinine.

3) But no one should have rules on buttons...and if you were wondering, Battle for the Ring has no rules for buttons either. Thanks for the button link above. 5000 years of buttons and counting.

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 8:36 am
by Remdawg Killionaire
Favorite style is double-ended staff? must... not... troll...

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 2:33 pm
by Sir Anastasia
Good job Remy...we are rooting for you. Also, she and her realm are pretty new at this...I think, and will be attending their first event at Battle for the Ring. We'll be sure to show them the ropes with hospitality.

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 6:50 pm
by Ignatius
Anastasia of Chamonix wrote:Good job Remy...we are rooting for you. Also, she and her realm are pretty new at this...I think, and will be attending their first event at Battle for the Ring. We'll be sure to show them the ropes with hospitality.


Don't you worry Remy, I'll be there too. We'll get em learned. And drunk. Which is the same thing in my book.

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 7:31 am
by Arrakis
Elle_Mcphearson wrote:I've watched lord of the rings plenty of times to know that their wardrobe particularly Frodo's has buttons.


The Lord of the Rings was a novel when Dagorhir was formed, and was still a novel when Belegarth split off from Dagorhir. It has only since become a motion picture, as well. The clothing worn in the movies has little basis in Tolkien's novel; it is mostly the invention of Peter Jackson's staff/crew and WETA.

That said, Hobbit garb in LotR (novel) was very very late period indeed; Tolkien, desiring as he put it to write an essentially English myth, put his short protagonists in 18th C. English peasant clothing, in order to make it seem "old" and "past" but still relevant to the audience he intended. By long tradition, though, fantastical later-than-period clothing such as that worn by the Hobbits in the movies (which is a pretty reasonable, I think, construction of the descriptions from the novel) is accepted by most, if not all, fantasy LARPs and fantastical combat groups.



Also, buttons were in common use from the 13th C. on; it is generally accepted that the historical period acceptable for the "Medieval" indication in our name (Belegarth Medieval Combat Society) extends all the way up to 1600.

So, pieces like those shown in this monument of Elisabeth and Ulrich von Erbach, from the 14th C.:

Image

Are totally legit.

Good luck!

PS: effigiesandbrasses.com is an amazing resource for seeing what medieval clothing actually looked like.

Buttons especially became highly fashionable for the closure of tight sleeves in the later portion of the 14th C and on into the 15th C, as you can see here:

Image

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 9:47 pm
by Caleidah
I love you sometimes, Arrakis.

Re: Garb question?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:17 am
by Mefit the Merciless
Arrakis wrote:
Buttons especially became highly fashionable for the closure of tight sleeves in the later portion of the 14th C and on into the 15th C, as you can see here:

Image


As did standing on family pets as seen above....