Reenactment Help!

[nirejseki.livejournal.com]

I'm doing a reenactment of some scenes from the French Revolution with my friends in a few weeks, and I was wondering - does anyone have an English translation of Camille Desmoulins' Aux Armes speech on July 12? The "jump on a table, pull out a pistol or two, and get everyone to wear green" speech; I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. ^^

Also, I'm looking for Saint-Just's "Report on the Dantonists" (again, in English - alas, I speak no French).

Anything else you can get me in English, I'd be grateful. Preferably by Robespierre, Desmoulins, Danton, Saint-Just, Marat, etc. All is welcome; presume we know nothing. ^_^

We have a pretty willing group, so if there's anything you'd like to see people in costume performing in front of a camera in Central Park or wherever it ends up being - please, either give me a link or email me at riderriddle@yahoo.com

(Also, if anyone knows a lot about costumes of specific people and can link me to something that has really good images, that would be very helpful! It's the little details, like "What did stockings look like" and "What type of shoes?" and "What do the sleeves look like again?" that really get you...and if you can answer any of those questions, that helps. ^^)

Thanks a lot!

Comments

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

Some general costume thoughts... I don't know what you have access to, so here are some fairly low-budget suggestions. I always feel that rolled up socks look kind of blah as stockings, so my advice would be to go out and get some. Maybe you can find some knee-high socks that will work, but generally something thinner than sock material is ideal. As you're guys, this could be kind of difficult to fit you into something. One thought I had was if you could find some white tights that you could fit at least up to the knee. Cut them off just above the kneecap, hold them up with rubber bands or something, and then wear your breeches over them so it covers the rubber bands. (Look at Camille's breeches and stockings (http://www.blastmilk.com/decollete/gallery/guillotine/desmoulins01.jpg))

Breeches are kind of a pain cause while guys shorts could be long enough they need to be at least somewhat fitted! Check thrift stores, see if you can find any large sizes of the knee-length pants for girls that were really in last year, or to find cheap, more fitted pants that someone could cut off and hem at the knee. Appropriate colors are white, black, and beige/tan.

Shirts. Try thrift stores. I find they often have a generous collection of froofy white women's shirts from the 70s or 80s or god knows when. And they might even be large enough for guys to wear them. And some of them even have ready-made cravats attached! Not as important, since you should all be wearing coats over them, but if you can find something.

Waistcoats are an important piece of clothing that make the look, but are often neglected. It's too complicated to get very detailed here, but if you can find some sort of vest that isn't ridiculously colorful to wear over your shirt, it'll make it look better.

Coats are difficult because of course you're dealing with frock coats, not modern coats.
Back view (http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/images/i-rd/rd14.jpeg)
Side view (http://www.manchestergalleries.org/our-other-venues/platt-hall-gallery-of-costume/the-collection/collection-themes/mcgweb/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=2359&size=237x350)
Try to find some knee-length coats. Take the front sides and fold them back and under (and sew it in place, not too hard, you can just baste it or even tack it) to give it the proper shape in the front. There is also a slit up the back, though it's hard to see in the back shot, that goes to about butt-level.

All you need for cravats are strips of foldable white cloth. Some thrift stores have "scarf boxes" where you might be able to find something appropriate. Or go to a fabric store and find a good material for cravats and get as small amount as they'll let you (probably can't get less than a yard) and then cut it into strips. I ran across some website once with ways to tie them... If I'll find it I'll link you, if not... Wind around and copy the portraits!

Boots should be knee high. You'd probably be able to get away with wearing some guys' dress shoes for shoes. Maybe stick buckles on em if you can ;-).

Good luck with wigs. Costume shop?

I am sorry this is so ridiculously long, but I hope it helps you come up with some reasonable clothing that's not too expensive. Thrift stores are nice. You're in NYC, so I'm sure you can find something! And good luck!

[nirejseki.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all the information! (And just as a note - it's a mixed group of guys and girls, with cross-playing. We have more girls than guys, and we need the people more than we need strict gender lines. ^^) But thank you for the advice! We'll certainly be taking a lot of it! ^____^

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/18thlinks.htm#French%20Revolution%20Period%20(1798-1800)

If that link works, it may have the costume patterns etc. It's a superb costumiers' website. These jpegs have patterns on - they're English and 1795 and, though French left-wing middle-class fashion borrowed heavily from sober English fashion, these seem to be going more French with the stripes etc. BUT it has a waistcoat pattern! May be useful, anyway. (Assuming these links work, too).

1795patternM.jpg1795patternF.jpg1795fashionpic.jpg

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Which they don't - I'll try posting them direct to revolution.fr instead.

[nirejseki.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

I managed to upload them onto revolution.fr (god my internet is still slow!) - two patterns which may be useful. I also posted a couple of pics of cocardes, two different types, front and back to show construction, on my livejounal page earlier. I think cocardes were compulsory (or was that just for women for some bizarre reason?), and Convention members wore waist sashes (or shoulder to waist sashes) for formal occasions. Adam Ant in the Prince Charming video suddenly springs to mind (youtube?)...Vivienne Westwood dressed him, and she rips all her stuff off the V and A costume collection!