Saturday, March 22, 2014

Journey In Time


I am sure that at least once in our lives, many of us have wondered how we would look had we been born in other eras. Even our adoration of vintage clothing, jewelry and furniture speaks about it. But have you ever imagined what you would look like if you lived 300 years ago? And 600 years ago?.. 



I have visited fantasy medieval fairs many times over the years, and at first they didn't seem like my kind of game at all. But their atmosphere is so charming and easy, I couldn't help but fall in love. I did not have any interest in purchasing this sort of costumes, but in order to participate as the owner of a little shop at a festival like this, I had to look somewhat Renaissance-ish, and eventually I ended up loving this dress-up game and still have quite a few dresses somewhere in our musty basement. These photos were taken in quite a different setting though. The Camlann Medieval Village aims itself not just toward being a fun pastime, but towards educational purposes, thus historical accuracy is one of its strong points. It touches everything in the village - the buildings, the activities, both traditional crafts and games, costumes of the villagers ... even the food they serve in their restaurant is made following old recipes. 

There is nothing historically accurate about my outfit though. I just put together a few pieces I found at another festival in a way that pleased me, and I was ready to go for a fun day at the May Festival. I invite you to take a stroll in this unique (for the US) village to see what fun and unusual things we can find there along the way. Photos were taken in early May, 2009 in Camlann Medieval Village near Carnation, Washington.




We enjoyed interacting with these cute creatures, and later that day watched their winter coats taken off with rather a scary looking pairs of scissors. (No sheep were hurt during this scene, which can be a bit unsettling for city folks.)


The girl with wings made an old-fashioned bees wax candle with her own little hands (we still keep it as a souvenir).





Justin and Anya were taught to use a bow and arrows. We also watched a variety of craftsmen at work, like this couple of blacksmiths below. Justin was taking pictures of surroundings, and sometimes as a photographer you just catch the prettiest light, in which anything becomes an art object, like these couple of apples below.






I recall that in a cozy restaurant (which, if I remember right, is open year-round), pretty girls served us food which was the most delicious, but they didn't give us any forks. I think there was a serving spoon, and that was about it. We had to eat our meal holding it on bread. Apparently, that's the way the English ancestors used to do it. Justin had mead (he loves sweet wine, and mead is his favorite), and I probably had my red, or maybe they did not have red wine back then. Was it grape juice? I can't remember.






After Anya received a pretty wreath made of real roses, we headed to the main event that day - dancing around the May pole. As we "danced", we were weaving a more-or-less harmonious pattern around the pole, and the whole experience felt not only fun, but also very symbolic and had a true community spirit.




Then Anya and Justin played some more "vintage" games, some of which people still enjoy playing, almost 700 years later. Then we took a ride back home. It was a wonderful, rather quiet Spring day, nothing like the typical medieval fantasy festivals from my experience. It really felt like coming back from a journey in time. We rather liked it.





Speaking of journeys in time, Anne The Spy Girl offered to fantasize 1930s outfit this week, and I really wanted to take on this challenge. It is such a lovely, feminine, elegant epoque in fashion. Anne's tip was to look for something bias cut, and I intuitively was already searching madly for one pretty skirt of mine which I bought a few years ago at a boutique in the lovely village of Gig Harbor. It would be perfect for the challenge, and I imagined restyling the skirt, combining it with the shoes from this post (probably the closest shoes I have which are at least vaguely reminiscent of 1930s). But despite my mad search, I couldn't find the skirt. It seems I donated it already. So this outfit did not happen, and instead, I found this old picture (February 2010) where you can see the skirt combined with clogs (seen here), a whimsical top from the same boutique and a pashmina (seen here). The whole outfit is pretty monochromatic, in olive green/mink hues. I am such a greenie. And you can see me with yet another hairstyle here. I still hold on to this top which is quite whimsical as well, though I don't wear it much.


Medieval inspired outfit:
Dress, underskirt, vest/coat, head piece, hand made leather shoes and malachite jewelry - from Renaissance festival shops. Birch bark bracelet - from Russia.

1930s inspired outfit:
Skirt, top and pashmina - via two different boutiques in Gig Harbor, WA. Clogs - Sofft.


19 comments:

  1. What gorgeous photos! The medieval fair looks fun and I would love to be dressed appropriately for it. I have been to colonial Louisburg in Nova Scotia, which is similar though guests don't dress up. It's just a living museum and the actors will talk to you and tell you what they are doing as you tour the replica they have created of living in those times. Because it's a French fort, the guards at the gate will stop you and address you as 'maudits anglais'- which roughly translates to damned English!
    You look so pretty in your costume and I love your olive green outfit too!

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    1. Thank you very much, Shawna! I wish I didn't give that skirt away. :))) Oh well, I hope she is happy where she is now! :)
      I know what kind of living museum you are talking about here. We visited Colonial Williamsburg, and I adore it! Very similar experience to what you has described. Though, nobody called us damned English :) - but I am sure that being French, they meant it in the most charming and maybe a bit seducing sort of way! :) They did asked us what Ohio was though. They haven't heard of Ohio in Colonial times. :) They did hear about Siberia though. :)

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  2. What an interesting place, I love that as well as the people working there, visitors dress up for the fair too. You and Justin look wonderful! So much to look at and enjoy, my kids would have loved it as much as Anya the flower fairy.
    Justin's photos are always a joy, the apples look like a still life painting, and that last close up of you is beautiful.
    Can you believe I did maypole dancing as a kid? I think we learnt some dances when I was in the Brownies; it seems very unlikely now, but I quite enjoyed it at the time!
    You made me chuckle about not being able to find the skirt you wanted. I have done that a few times, been on a mission to find something and after spending ages hunting and swearing because it is nowhere to be seen, I suddenly remember I sold it or gave it away... All shades of green suit you beautifully, Natalia, redheads look fabulous in all colours but especially green! xxxx

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    1. Thank you for your kind compliments, Curtise! I think we should probably keep a chart for our clothes movements, shouldn't we? :) That would be hysterical. :)
      I am sure that Claudia, Owen and Nina would find so many fun things to do in such surroundings! I imagine that they would have great fun with Anya there or anywhere else. :)
      I would loooove to see you maypole dancing! I will have to catch up with my hula teacher, so you could see me hula dancing, and you would then demonstrate a proper maypole dancing in return! :)
      Hugs!

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  3. What beautiful photos. You looked like you had a marvelous time. I often wonder about times in the past and hygiene. Maybe because I am a germaphobe. I always wonder what women used during their monthly. I know that is a strange thing to think about :/

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    1. They generally used cloth rags and had to wash them out. I can imagine that was easier in some climates and environments than others.

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    2. Glenda, I too think of similar things! Life was simpler then. Shawna is correct about that monthly thing. You probably both would be surprised to learn that it is still very common in the world. That is how I grew up, and I am not even 600 years old! :)

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  4. Such an interesting experience. I have wondered about living in another time too. As I work I listen to audio books, many are historical fiction. You look lovely and feel like this period of time resonates with you. This is a great post, very interesting and unique!

    blue hue wonderland

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    1. I am so happy that it you enjoyed the post, Ann! That is a very cool thing that you can listen to audio books while working on your art. I much prefer silence when I work.

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  5. Oh, such events are so much fun! I used to visit a couple when I lived in Belarus. For me the most exciting part was to dress up, always loved it! And I love how you look in your medieval inspired costume, so pretty!

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    1. May I write in my mother language once in a while? :) Представляешь, Ольга, я совсем не помню, чтобы у нас что-то такое было в России. Может быть, в Центральной России и проводили подобные мероприятия (и я уверена, что сейчас их очень много), но когда я жила в Сибири, ничего подобного у нас не было. Для меня это был потрясающий опыт здесь. Я провела несколько лет на подобных фестивалях. Может, когда-нибудь напишу об этом. :) А наряжаться да, очень приятно и забавно! :)

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  6. What a fantastic place to visit and you and the family certainly looked the part! You look absolutely beautiful, captured so perfectly by Justin. Funnily enough a friend was asking what on earth she should do with a mock Elizabethan dress she'd had since university, I told her ho popular Renaissance fairs and re-enactments were in the US and suggested she list it on American Ebay! xxx

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    1. You gave your friend the wisest advice, my dear! I am sure there are plenty of interest to such pieces in the US!

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  7. What spectacular photos! It looks like so much fun. They really look like from another era.

    www.hungrycaramella.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you sooo much, Caramella! Mmmmm, what a tasty name! :)

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  8. I have really enjoyed this post! what a brilliant day out and you all looked so wonderful, little Anya is the sweetest flower fairy, Justin and you look fantastic, I just adore the outfits! I have tried mead, it is super sweet, my hubs has a very sweet tooth too - the apple photograph is beautiful, it does look like art! x x x

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    1. Thank you, Sandra! I guess our boys can hang out together and make themselves silly with mead then! :)))

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  9. Okay. Enough. I'm miserable with homesickness. We did Camlann every spring ... Dan danced the Maypole there (no room for me ... they just needed men in costumes! Boo.) I imagine it's much improved and bigger with more features nowadays. You look lovely in your costume! Very authentic looking.
    Up until about three years ago, we did a Boars Head feast at our restaurant on Sundays during December ( switched to a more profitable Victorian Christmas for a couple of years, but have given up because of staffing issues!) It was served in a very similar way to what you experienced, daggers and goblets and fingers only! Compete with wood and bread trenchers we had baked. So I have a closet full of costumes from the era. We have a similar event over in "The Castle" over in Oklahoma, but it's more thoroughly and deeply high Renaissance, but much less authentically done!
    Fun to see, so thank your for showing it.

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    1. I am so happy that you commented on this! It's a whole new perspective hearing it from you. We got used to a very different kind of festival, less authentic and more commercial compared to Camlann. So it was a very different experience for us, much more quiet and thoughtful. I loved it! Although, both are fun for different moods. :) We haven't been there in years though. Maybe we'll do it this year. I know Justin would love this idea.

      What a fun restaurant you have guys! I'd love to visit! I am sure Justin would really appreciate your Boars Head feast, he is such a Renaissance kind of chap! :)

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