A character's costume has a great deal of leeway in just how simple or intricate you want to make it. The right costumes give your character that added touch of character that just can't be achieved with good role playing alone. If everyone is in costume the event is far more immersive, is more believable, and its a lot easier for everyone to avoid falling out of character. At the very least all players are expected to make some attempt at a simple costume even if its only the simplest of tunics and avoiding wearing such anachronistic things as jeans and watches. We aren't so elitist that we're going to mock you for using the wrong stitch or button type or anything but articles of clothing like jeans and watches are patently out of place and easy to replace. We're also not going to ostracize you for showing up your first couple games if all you have are tennis-shoes, jeans and a t-shirt to wear. It takes time to get together a costume but we do ask that you do make an effort to improve your look for everyone's sake.

While costume is important to a well-rounded character its always important to remember to place safety above looks. Most players wear rugged hiking boots to events as trail patrols on many sites involve at least a few hills and the potential for some pretty swift running on unpaved trails. Some players, particularly some of our warrior types, build knee-pads, wrist support wraps and the occasional knee or ankle wrap into their costumes concealing them beneath other armor or clothing. The best costume in the world isn't worth much if you're just going to fall and get hurt but most safety concerns can readily be concealed in one way or another by appropriate costuming.

After safety concerns the most common concern for players is cost. It's easy to have the fantastic costume if you can afford to throw lots of money into the process. The simple truth is most people don't have a lot of money to put into good costuming and even when you do you have to balance that against the fact that you'll be running through the woods where branches, brambles, and general activity will constantly be causing wear and tear on your costume. Do you really want to put that much money down on a nice costume that may get ripped and stained? For most players its a bit of a balancing act. How to look good and not go broke doing so.

The simplest costumes typically start as follows. A good set of hiking boots, a pair of sweat pants without logos, and a simple tunic. Fortunately all characters start at pretty much the same point in life at rank 2 with very few skills. New to the world its unlikely they'd have a lot of costume to worry about so a simple costume is not only a good starting point but a very sensible one for the character. The sweat pants can readily be replaced with home-made pants or tie-wrap pants. Sweat pants themselves shouldn't have any logos on them and if you can avoid pockets you're already that much closer to simple homespun breeches that would be typical of the style of pants we're looking for. A simple tunic is little more than a two T-shaped pieces of cloth sewn together with openings in all the same places a typical T-shirt would have them. There are plenty of players who know how to make both simple tie-wrap pants and simple tunics who can either help you learn how or may even be willing to make you a pair at a very reasonable cost. Ask around and you'll get pointed in the right direction.

So its time to spruce up the costume a bit? Jewelry is often a very good and easy touch as well. Check out the local second-hand stores and yard sales for cheap costume jewelry. You don't want to spend a lot of money on something that could get lost or broken eventually anyhow. Jewelry also tends to take up only a small amount of storage space so its easy to store separate jewelry for multiple characters you might have. Other ways to spruce up the character are to look at enhanced tunics and pants. Maybe some trim or fancy toggle buttons or if you're really lucky maybe some embroidery. Then look at layering. Some nicely fancy medieval and fantasy garb can be emulated at a reasonable cost and really consists of multiple layers. A vest or hooded bishop's mantle can go well over a tunic without completely covering it. All characters can wear leather and leather bracers are relatively easy to come by once you know where to look and add a nicely medieval look for your typical trail-wandering traveler. Decorative use of scarves, sashes and surcoats is also a popular add on. Where can you get all these things? Once again its a good idea to ask our established players. Most live action role players know someone who can sew costumes or will be willing to explain how to sew the costume you want to make. Most will also know of shops either at faires or online where you can order things.

What to avoid...

• Don't wear exposed watches, they don't fit into the game. Sure, bring one along but put it in a pouch or conceal it under some bracers.
• If you wear earrings don't wear ones that dangle. They can get snagged on branches or could even accidentally get caught on a weapon in combat that is accidentally swung near your head.
• Don't wear jeans or t-shirts with logos unless you're planning on layering a costume over them that will conceal the out of place logos or alien nature of the fabric.
• Avoid any logos. Corporate logos and art designs on clothes are typically modern and out of place. If you get lucky enough to find something with a nice Celtic knotwork trim or similar design it'll fit right in but not if its a bit Celtic pattern printed on a t-shirt as the t-shirt itself wouldn't quite look medieval.
• Bare feet, sandals, and tennis shoes. Most players start out with tennis shoes but if you have the option hiking boots are a better choice. If you actually come out in bare feet or sandals we feel are a safety concern you will be prohibited from playing.

What to always bring...

• A waterskin. Waterskins can come in a variety of forms and keeping them from bouncing around during a fight can be a challenge but after a long fight on a hot day what you'll really need is water. On a particularly hot day you'll need plenty of it too. There are a lot of decent modern waterskins that are made in the medieval style that hold up fairly well. There are even backpacks that do nothing but hold water and those are a consideration too for long hikes. In many cases the waterskin along will suffice but if it looks particularly out of place there are always ways to conceal it so it doesn't look so out of place during the event. Even if you can only bring some bottles of water a good pouch to hold them keeps them out of sight but well at hand when needed.
• Safe footwear. Yes, I've commented on this repeatedly and with good reason. In over a decade of game play in spite of safety restrictions we've had a few injuries. Mostly we have the odd scrape or cut from someone running headlong into a tree for one reason or another but most of the more serious injuries have all occurred from someone slipping while running or fighting. Granted good footwear can only go so far in preventing you from stepping in a hole and twisting your ankle but there's no cause for injuries that can occur if an open-toed shoe snags on a root or low ground brush or if a show has a lack of traction and you slip on the ground. Shoes with good traction and preferably some support in the ankles are one of the best investments you can make for safety where costume is concerned.
• While its not a safety requirement I'll add having at least once tunic for your character to this list. If you have decent shoes and sweats or other pants that fit having at least a tunic as well will let you fit in with everyone else.