When I explain to the lay public that I make conservation-grade mannequins for museums to display their costume collections, I usually say "historic clothing collections" because "costume" really does bring theater and Halloween to mind for most people and I find I have more explaining to do....
Astrida > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Carol Kocian > Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 1:40 PM > To: Historical Costume > Subject: Re: [h-cost] Words for clothes > > > It's a funny thing, since the Costume Society of America says it's > all costume, even what I'm wearing right now. :-) > > For many people, "costume" is for Halloween and theater, so most > groups who have specialized clothing for other purposes will pick > another term. Any word we choose can still be said with some disdain > and eye-rolling. When it's asked respectfully (and I think most times > it is), then I agree we can explain the differences without taking an > offended posture. > > -Carol > > > On Oct 12, 2010, at 11:35 AM, Chris Laning wrote: > > > On Oct 12, 2010, at 6:02 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > > >> Now here is another interesting use of a word for one's clothing > >> and accouterments. Had to look up exactly what "regalia" means--I > >> have of course seen it to mean one's trappings, outfit, etc. Its > >> origin, though, which makes sense if one thinks about it, is the > >> rights and privileges belong to a monarch or ruler. > >> > >> I referred to myself as a costume historian to a War of 1812 > >> reenactor, and he insisted his outfit is clothing, not costume. > >> Yet, among square dancers, the preferred term for the matching > >> outfits worn by everyone on the committee of a national square > >> dance convention is "costume." > >> > >> Clothing, apparel, attire, costume, regalia--I guess it is like > >> one's own personal name--one should use the term the individual > >> (or group) prefers. However, one shouldn't be offended if a poor > >> soul uses the wrong term because one doesn't know what that group > >> prefers! > > > > > > And in the Society for Creative Anachronism it's "garb." > > > > When people are talking about their medieval clothes, they are > > sometimes garb, sometimes simply clothes -- very few people call > > them a "costume" (at least in my hearing), although someone who > > makes such medieval clothes is usually a "costumer." > > > > I prefer "clothes," as do many of the people I hang out with, but > > "garb" is handy as a one-word term for "the clothes I wear to SCA > > events, as opposed to the clothes I wear on other days." > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
