outfits?

[sebastian]

Hello again! Sorry if this has been posted before, but it's late and I haven't searched too far back. As I've said in my thread about light weapons, I am just getting back into the SCA. I'm dropping my doublettes and taking up a bit more..comfortable persona.

My question is, what would make up the everyday wear of a samurai? Particularly what one would wear while in the military, as it were. From what I have in my mind, I'm thinking hakama, a gi top for fighting (I fight rapier, so no laced armor), and a short kimono to be worn with the hakama while not fighting. I'm still uncertain as to how accurate this is, and just what everything is called (mostly the short kimono top, since the sleves are a good bit different than the sleeves on a gi top). Any more advice given would be greatly appreciated as always Thanks!

[AJBryant]

My question is, what would make up the everyday wear of a samurai?

WHEN? Fashions change, y'know.

Have you seen my website?

Effingham

[Saionji Shonagon]

My question is, what would make up the everyday wear of a samurai?

www.rhinohide.cx/tousando/yoriaku/ is a skin outward arming guide.

Go to www.sengokudaimyo.com/katchu/katchu.html and click on "Underneath It All" in the menu at the left for what goes on under armor and links to PDFs on how to make hitatare and hakama. Hitatare have an advantage over gi because the sleeves are big enough to fit over kosode and you can tie them closed for fighting.

www.geocities.com/wodeford/KosodeMadeSimple.htm has my hopefully useful pattern on kosode, including information on the differences between it and its modern counterpart, the kimono. Don't run the other way when you see pictures of "girl clothes" because it's a unisex garment. Your kosode should be long enough that you don't have gaposis around the slits on the sides of your hakama, probably knee or even calf length.

I'll defer to the men folk, though. They can help too.

Saionji

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

Best on-line show-and-tell for costume
www.iz2.or.jp/english/index.htm

For the Christian (fencing) samurai idea, see ...
www.iz2.or.jp/english/fukusyoku/busou/32.htm

[AJBryant]

Of course, it probably isn't PC, but can one point out the ludicrous appearance of trying to shoehorn ANYTHING in terms of Japanese costume or armour into rapier?

Heavies work across the board, as everyone had big swords or some type of heavy weapon and armour to fight in -- but in my opinion, if you want to do rapier, unless you're wearing European togs of the 16th century you just look goofy at best and dumb at median. I'm not going to mention "at the worst."

Effingham

[Please Delete]

I've always thought that you could probably do some nice Chinese or Korean long sword work, where the styles have a lot more play with the point, and stabbing seems to be emphasized more. With Japanese, though, I think that the best one could do is do a 'namban' style of clothing (big ruff and western hat with kosode, etc.) and portray one of the Japanese who were absolutely infatuated with western culture.

-Ii

[Nagamochi]

For some reason my brain has me thinking that a "little armor" style would be fairly appropriate for rapier, for which I believe there is mention of on Effingham-dono's site. One could make the loose sleeve large enough to act as a rapier cape, turn the arm-length archery guard into, essentially, a jake of plates, and put protective bits under the rest where needed.
Or am I wrong and this would look completely ridiculous?

[Kitadatetenno]

Or, Nagamochi-dono, you could just ask Toshikage-dono what he does. Him being a Don and all... (and he has your penchant for all those outmoded kuge styles).

[sebastian]

Thanks again for all the info as i mentioned before I'm not deadset on fully incorporating my fencing into my costuming, but having the garb to fence in (not just pants and a jacket) would be much more comfortable (the hakama would be a great deal more comfortable especially because of the freedom of movement) I plan on doing an early Edo era persona off of the field in ways of costume however. And I might be swayed to get into heavy fighting once I can get armor made

[AJBryant]

I plan on doing an early Edo era persona off of the field in ways of costume however.

Not for the SCA, I hope. The SCA cut-off is Dec. 31, 1600.

Arguably, Edo began anytime between October 1600 and 1603.


Effingham

[sebastian]

curses, lol than my plans are a little..up in the air any suggestions then?

[Saionji Shonagon]

curses, lol than my plans are a little..up in the air any suggestions then?

The Southern Barbarians arrived in 1540-something, bringing firearms, Christianity and funny looking clothes with them. That gives you a goodly chunk of the 16th century to play in - which just happens to be the "warring states" period that a lot of our gentlemen like to re-create. Momoyama stuff can be quite flashy if you're at all into that, or you can be all Zen simplicity.

Have you been over to www.geocities.com/wodeford/samurai.htm yet? Take a gander at some of the kataginu and hitatare outfits our boys are in and see if anything appeals to you.

Or rent "Kagemusha."

Saionji

[Saionji Shonagon]

(and he has your penchant for all those outmoded kuge styles).

!!!!!Outmoded, your Celestial Majesty?!?!?!?!!?

(Swoon, thud)

[sebastian]

On the site suggested, most of the pictures are broken but the few that will show for me are nice. I don't want anything too extravangant, some solid colors, perhaps a nice print on the kosode..just something simple, kosode and hakama, perhaps a happi once the cold season sets in.

[Saionji Shonagon]

If it's mine, try again later - sometimes it has bandwidth issues. I'm probably going to upgrade after this weekend.

S.