The first time I was invited to go to the Renaissance Faire, it was by my college roommate, Penni L. Smith, whom I'd love to find again, if only to show her what a monster she's created. The costume I wore on that first trip was awful, though at least it was an attempt at a costume. No pictures survive, ant that's probably a good thing. My second attempt, several years later, was an improvement. I'd learned that the skirt ought to have much more fabric, and that the bodice really ought to fit tightly, and be cut lower in the neck. I'd also learned that things ought to be tied to the belt, and that no one else at the faire would really be wearing an apron, as I had the first year. 
This wasn't terrible for a patron's costume, but I was sure I could do better. And so the next year, I dressed the whole family. My husband wanted to wear all black, so he did. My skirt was black to match, and had the same trim. We went the one week that he had off from his new police job, and then the children and I went without him on Memorial Day. A friend took this picture. 
After that came the divorce, with the inevitable lack of all money. I didn't get to go to the Faire for a long time, until I ran into an old friend at church, and she mentioned that she needed to find someone to make her a costume for the Faire because she was going to be a participant. I told her I could manage the chemise and skirt, but the bodice would be difficult. She said she'd taken a class on making a bodice pattern. We were set. She said she could get me into the Faire on a Gate List, as long as I was willing to work, for two weekends. Of course I was willing to work! I would have asked to audition if I wasn't having gall bladder surgery towards the beginning of the Faire. I made her costume, and I made myself a new one, too, as the colors of my old one weren't approvable. I had my surgery, and was recovering, and then I had bile peritonitis and spent a week in the hospital, and they wouldn't let me eat! I finally got to spend something like two days at the Faire, but I was hooked, even if I did look like a human scarecrow because I'd lost nearly twenty pounds while in the hospital! 
After that came the divorce, with the inevitable lack of all money. I didn't get to go to the Faire for a long time, until I ran into an old friend at church, and she mentioned that she needed to find someone to make her a costume for the Faire because she was going to be a participant. I told her I could manage the chemise and skirt, but the bodice would be difficult. She said she'd taken a class on making a bodice pattern. We were set. She said she could get me into the Faire on a Gate List, as long as I was willing to work, for two weekends. Of course I was willing to work! I would have asked to audition if I wasn't having gall bladder surgery towards the beginning of the Faire. I made her costume, and I made myself a new one, too, as the colors of my old one weren't approvable. I had my surgery, and was recovering, and then I had bile peritonitis and spent a week in the hospital, and they wouldn't let me eat! I finally got to spend something like two days at the Faire, but I was hooked, even if I did look like a human scarecrow because I'd lost nearly twenty pounds while in the hospital! In those two days at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, that year, I met people who were planning to go and work at another Renaissance Faire as Gypsies. I thought that sounded like fun, and especially when I found out that my children could come and be Gypsies, too.
Over the years, our original eastern European peasant costuming began to change, as our Guild Master decided that no one knew we were Gypsies because we didn't look like the typical belly dancer Gypsies at Faires. We weren't belly dancers---we were Gypsy Traders, as our name, The Four Winds Gypsy Traders, clearly indicated. Rather than posting a sign or a banner, our Guild Master decided that we should conform to those in Middle Eastern dress. 
The three women who were oldest, and who happened to be running the booth that did all of the trading, saw no reason to change their style of dress. We had already decided we were a matriarchal clan. The Guild Master knew when he was outnumbered. It was decided that Matriarchs could wear whatever they wanted. Everyone else would look more like belly dancers.
And all of this led to an interest in costuming that sort of spread, as you'll be able to see on the following pages
with a play,
further involvement in the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, 
and of course, everyone's favorite costumed holiday.
Returning to the home page is also an option, as always. 