How do I get more people in garb?

Questions and Answers

Moderator: Belegarth: Forum Moderators

How do I get more people in garb?

Postby Matthias - Dun Abhon » Mon Jun 03, 2013 1:05 pm

In addition to the Book of War all but saying "you ought to be wearing garb when you're out Belegarth-ing," our realm has bylaws that explicitly state that one must have minimum garb within a certain amount of time after signing a waiver. Because our numbers were pretty low for a little while, this wasn't very strictly enforced. Our numbers are getting back up to where they used to be now, though, and so I brought up the topic of garb (since quite a few people consistently don't wear garb) and a few people seem to be taking offense to it. A couple of responses include things like "if it's like SCA's requirements, I'm leaving" and "having no garb requirement makes the sport more accessible to people."

I feel like I adequately explained that's it's nowhere near SCA's requirements, but the person who made the latter comment seems to be having trouble understanding that garb is just straight up part and parcel of being in this organization. I don't know if the difficulty understanding that lies with them or with my (and other) explanations, so I'm here to ask for advice on how best to explain this to people who are both new and old and who are mildly to strongly averse to acquiring and wearing garb while on the field.

I'd also like to point out that there are a few of us who wear decent garb (nothing super fantastic, but well above the minimum) to every practice, so it's not like there aren't any good examples around. I also gave everyone a brief rundown of what acceptable minimum garb entails and just how cheap it can be, as well as pointing them to a local member who is an excellent seamstress for advice and/or the garb itself.
Matthias - Dun Abhon
Toadie
Toadie
 
Posts: 144
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Louisville, KY
Started Fighting: 21 May 2006
Realm: Dun Abhon
Favorite Fighting Styles: Sword and medium round punch shield

Re: How do I get more people in garb?

Postby Eternitie » Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:31 pm

Honestly it seems like a lot of what you're already doing is pretty spot on in terms of what you should be doing to promote garb. You're providing examples as well as showing them that the leaders/dedicated members DO wear garb. You're also giving them access to someone who can help them if they don't have the skills quite yet.

If someone comes into a realm and they automatically see that garb rules are lax, this is the comfort zone they will fall into. If garb is pushed a bit more, the newcomers will understand when they START, that eventually it is expected of them.

In my realm we have a few options.
1. We offer loaner garb for a short amount of time (very simple tabards).
2. We offer sewing help/sewing workshops/unlimited advice.
3. If people continue to not wear garb after a time, we have a mostly non-serious way of poking at them until they do, in our case this involves giving them a heavy, scratchy uncomfortable felt tabard that they must wear if they want to fight.

In the end, I understand that you don't want people to leave, but you need to explain to them why you find passion in eventually having garb for the realm. If some people leave, they simply don't have the same expectations/desires for the sport that you do, and that's okay. Maybe another realm will suit them better. To me it almost just seems like you have to tell them "tough cookie" and gently push them to wear some garb. Try to understand where they're coming from in terms of not wanting it (financial issues, lack of time, etc) and offer help in any way you can. Maybe GIVING the person who is giving you the most trouble a loaner tabard will show that you care about their opinion and want them to stay, but you ask that they respect your realm/sport rules.

Best of luck, I hope this helped in any way, and I hope your realm does well!
------------

Death Is The Road To Awe

------------


Into the eternal darkness, into fire and into ice.
User avatar
Eternitie
Underling
Underling
 
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:31 pm
Started Fighting: 18 Oct 2008
Realm: Muxlovia

Re: How do I get more people in garb?

Postby Sir Anastasia » Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:21 pm

This has been an issue for my group or groups around me for all of my 12 years in the sport. We have consistently found garb can be a deterrent when strongly enforced at practices and it has caused me or groups in our area not less than 3 major "die offs" where a realm has lost at least 50% of the persons in it due to enforcement, which is why it is probably a good idea to ask the boards for help with this. Factors that contribute to this issue seem to be: age of participants (high school and college), financial obligation, accessibility, and some sort of social stigma. I have never been able to devise a way to have enforcement without loosing a substantial population of casual fighters. I have long deemed this prospect unacceptable and have instead chosen to emphasize quality events over practice. I recognize the controversy, but have made my choice to actively court this population to give my fighters "someone else" to fight, keep large practices, and to train and gradually convert the casual fighter into die-hard Belgrim. The policy has paid off immensely for me in my region. I consistently field the largest numbers of garbed fighters at my own events, other California events, and also fair numbers at Chaos Wars. What we do, we do for our particulars - each group finds its own balance for its goals and demographics.

But what do we do to get better garb on the field?

We emphasize quality over minimum garb and make sure all participants at events have garb. People seem to be cool with the idea of getting to wear garb at events. Once you can get new people to an event, garb concerns largely go away. They see the atmosphere and they get it. They want to improve their kits. Sadly, not all people will feel this way. It has always been this way. There will always be these people - they are here to swing stick, and that's it. I'm married to one, some are my friends, other realms have them, and dealing with this minority's lack of enthusiasm is not, nor should it be, a priority concern for our organization.

I care passionately about this issue despite my controversial approach, and I work year after year to improve the cultural aspects of our organization, especially garb. Here's what we do:

*Give considerable rewards to grab/armor makers at events (Leather stamp sets, leather, fabric, ect)
*Give good garb to best newcomers at events
*Give great garb (via vendor certificates) as prizes for tournies and service at events
*Entice newcomers to attend events by providing them loaner garb
*Show them how fantastic it is when we all look amazing together at a huge event (Inspiration!!)
*Annually do a "garb give away": armor bits, scrap fabric, donated materials, thrift shop finds
*Give fighters that get their own garb in a timely manner a free sword
*Give fighters that get their own weapons in a timely manner free garb
*Have garb making parties where we teach sewing and help people get basic garb for small fees
*Get vendors or swap-meeters to events so that garb is available for purchase or trade at events
*Represent with Pimptastic kits - My own wardrobe is easily 2k+ of garb, armor, and jewelry
*Give mad respect publicly, privately, and dish out those compliments to awesome garbed individuals
*Recommend that all fighters have a cultural project for our two major events: BftR and Chaos Wars
*Be involved with theater or student film projects that necessitate garb - get it to "be a star!"
*Promote Cosplay or theater to get more garb makers involved with the community
*Promote online local vendors, preferred vendors, etsy, as inspirational pieces (Marketing via FB or MB)

Be patient - Great empires aren't built in a day
Cofounder and Marshal of Andúril
Cofounder Battle for the Ring
Order of the Shining Tower
Order of the Western Flame

See you at Battle for the Ring in January www.battleforthering.com
User avatar
Sir Anastasia
Grizzled Veteran
Grizzled Veteran
 
Posts: 2180
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 3:27 pm
Location: Irvine, CA
Started Fighting: 31 Aug 2001
Realm: Marshal of Anduril
Unit: Wardens
Favorite Fighting Styles: Sword & Board, Extreme Taunting

Re: How do I get more people in garb?

Postby Matthias - Dun Abhon » Tue Jun 04, 2013 4:34 pm

Thanks for your all's advice, I greatly appreciate it! I've considered doing the loaner garb thing, but I'm not sure where we'd get the money for it. I honestly don't know that enough people in the realm would donate (money, materials, labor, etc) to have that available. I'll bring it up with some of the more established members, though, and see if we can give that a go, as well as some of your other suggestions.

Also, more advice is always welcome!
Matthias - Dun Abhon
Toadie
Toadie
 
Posts: 144
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Louisville, KY
Started Fighting: 21 May 2006
Realm: Dun Abhon
Favorite Fighting Styles: Sword and medium round punch shield

Re: How do I get more people in garb?

Postby Bear » Fri Jun 07, 2013 7:23 am

Matthias - Dun Abhon wrote:Thanks for your all's advice, I greatly appreciate it! I've considered doing the loaner garb thing, but I'm not sure where we'd get the money for it. I honestly don't know that enough people in the realm would donate (money, materials, labor, etc) to have that available.


Tabards can be extremely cheap to make. Go to Thrift Stores or Walmart and you can pick up bed sheets for less than 10 bucks which will make a few tabards or tunics.
Psychedelic Saturn
User avatar
Bear
Grunt
Grunt
 
Posts: 218
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 4:46 pm
Started Fighting: 10 Apr 2010
Realm: Pyke the Iron Port
Unit: God Squad
Favorite Fighting Styles: Spear
Red
Sword and Board
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: How do I get more people in garb?

Postby Alom » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:51 pm

Anastasia of Chamonix wrote:This has been an issue for my group or groups around me for all of my 12 years in the sport. We have consistently found garb can be a deterrent when strongly enforced at practices and it has caused me or groups in our area not less than 3 major "die offs" where a realm has lost at least 50% of the persons in it due to enforcement, which is why it is probably a good idea to ask the boards for help with this. Factors that contribute to this issue seem to be: age of participants (high school and college), financial obligation, accessibility, and some sort of social stigma. I have never been able to devise a way to have enforcement without loosing a substantial population of casual fighters. I have long deemed this prospect unacceptable and have instead chosen to emphasize quality events over practice. I recognize the controversy, but have made my choice to actively court this population to give my fighters "someone else" to fight, keep large practices, and to train and gradually convert the casual fighter into die-hard Belgrim. The policy has paid off immensely for me in my region. I consistently field the largest numbers of garbed fighters at my own events, other California events, and also fair numbers at Chaos Wars. What we do, we do for our particulars - each group finds its own balance for its goals and demographics.

But what do we do to get better garb on the field?

We emphasize quality over minimum garb and make sure all participants at events have garb. People seem to be cool with the idea of getting to wear garb at events. Once you can get new people to an event, garb concerns largely go away. They see the atmosphere and they get it. They want to improve their kits. Sadly, not all people will feel this way. It has always been this way. There will always be these people - they are here to swing stick, and that's it. I'm married to one, some are my friends, other realms have them, and dealing with this minority's lack of enthusiasm is not, nor should it be, a priority concern for our organization.

I care passionately about this issue despite my controversial approach, and I work year after year to improve the cultural aspects of our organization, especially garb. Here's what we do:

*Give considerable rewards to grab/armor makers at events (Leather stamp sets, leather, fabric, ect)
*Give good garb to best newcomers at events
*Give great garb (via vendor certificates) as prizes for tournies and service at events
*Entice newcomers to attend events by providing them loaner garb
*Show them how fantastic it is when we all look amazing together at a huge event (Inspiration!!)
*Annually do a "garb give away": armor bits, scrap fabric, donated materials, thrift shop finds
*Give fighters that get their own garb in a timely manner a free sword
*Give fighters that get their own weapons in a timely manner free garb
*Have garb making parties where we teach sewing and help people get basic garb for small fees
*Get vendors or swap-meeters to events so that garb is available for purchase or trade at events
*Represent with Pimptastic kits - My own wardrobe is easily 2k+ of garb, armor, and jewelry
*Give mad respect publicly, privately, and dish out those compliments to awesome garbed individuals
*Recommend that all fighters have a cultural project for our two major events: BftR and Chaos Wars
*Be involved with theater or student film projects that necessitate garb - get it to "be a star!"
*Promote Cosplay or theater to get more garb makers involved with the community
*Promote online local vendors, preferred vendors, etsy, as inspirational pieces (Marketing via FB or MB)

Be patient - Great empires aren't built in a day


That is really solid advice, Anastasia.
beach bum ninja
Knighted by Ser Necronos
Alom the Stalwart
The Bull Moose Knight
User avatar
Alom
Brute
Brute
 
Posts: 552
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 11:53 am
Location: UT>MS<AK
Started Fighting: 01 Jan 2003
Realm: Beyond the Wall


Return to New Members

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests