Roleplaying, in the strictest sense of the word, is pretending to be someone else. It is the secret to a successful actor or actress, and something that children do naturally when pretending to be a knight or princess. It became popular amongst adults and young adults with the advent of the table-top game, “Dungeons and Dragons”. In that game, and a host of similar games that followed, average people could take on the personas of extraordinary characters. Inspiration in creating these characters was taken from fantasy (in the case of D&D) or many other realms, such as the Wild West, or post-apocalyptic worlds. The setting is chosen by the person hosting the game, and developed by the players. (For excellent examples of  roleplaying games in the New England area, we suggest Legends, Madrigal, Mythical Journeys, or Tales of Valor. For boffer weapon sparring classes, we recommend Guard Up in Burlington, MA.)

Another method of roleplaying is Live Action Roleplaying (aka LARPing). In these games, the players dress the part of their characters and enact their personalities. The settings and dynamics vary widely: the backdrop may be a warehouse in the city, or an off- season summer camp. Some games are card-driven, where the players have their statistics on 3x5 cards and compare their stats when they come into conflict ( ie, my strength statistic is higher than yours so I would have won a wrestling match with you). Some are more realistic, and players carry padded “swords” and actually engage in swordplay with each other. The level of realism in these games varies, but they all involve interactions that could not happen in the players’ everyday lives. They allow for acts of heroism (and cowardice) that the real world does not usually provide.

LARPing in a medieval or fantasy setting calls for clothing that not only makes the wearer feel more like the persona they are trying to portray, but it often must take a great deal of abuse. Inclement weather, dirt, and other hazards of the great outdoors are commonplace in some LARP settings. Therefore, the clothing must be both durable and easily cleaned.

Carey Costuming has taken into account the special needs of LARPers, and offers wool items that are washable. Any wool item can be washed; however, if the pattern pieces are not laid out properly on the wool when the item is being made, there is a good chance that washing will  distort the hood or cloak severely. We have spent a great deal of time studying shrinkage, and are confident that our Semicircle cloak, Raven, and Full Cloak, and our various hoods will not distort when they are washed. (If you bought your Full Cloak at a time when pre-washing was an option and you did not take that option, please do not try to wash it- it will distort!Our technology has improved greatly since then:) Please be aware that washing will shrink the garment, causing about three inches loss over the length of a full-height item, or an inch or so for a hood or shorter item.  Also,  be aware that washed wool has a different look and feel than unwashed wool. Washing wool causes it to lose its shiny “finished” surface and become much softer and thicker. Please see our Garment Construction page for more care instructions.

©2000 Carey Costuming