XIVAMC2007 Authenticity Page

Authenticity

This page outlines the guidelines for authenticity throughout the event.
Strictly within your own encampment: Dress as you please. After all it's your campsite.
In all communal areas: Minimum Standard = Marginal Quality (See below).
Within a period encampment: Follow the Rules of that Encampment. Each period encampment will probably have its own standards in excess of the Minimum Standards for the event. When in a period encampment, dress in accordance with the rules of that encampment. Otherwise, don't go in and spoil their effort and ambience.
DEGREES OF AUTHENTICITY (Adapted from the original by the 14th Brooklyn NYSM, as it appears in UNIO: Quarterly Paper of the Queensland Living History Federation (Inc) Vol. 1 No. 1, March 1999-10-21) (Sourced from http://www.abbeytournament.com/index.htm)
- Museum quality: Design, materials and methods are identical to those of the time and place one is attempting to represent. As an example this would involve copying an original garment down to the last stitch.
- Acceptable quality: Having one or more variation from museum quality, which does not significantly detract from its use in historic representation. This might allow garments with a modern material lining or synthetic thread, but which has the exact look of the original.
- Marginal quality: Having one or more variations from museum quality or subject to questionable interpretations of historic fact, which significantly detracts from its use. The use of incorrect weight material, change in design or fit which are noticeable on close inspection or incorrect materials for buttons, falls into this category.
- Unacceptable: Anything which is clearly unquestionably wrong, ie polyester materials, modern shirts, wrist watches, chromed metals, mobile phones, stay-brite buttons.
We propose to set the minimum standard for acceptable costuming for the XIVAMC2007 at Marginal Quality. Modern items are unacceptable in communal areas once the event has officially started. The minimum standard excludes that which is 'unquestionably' wrong. Groups that wish to raise the standards of their costume are encouraged to do so.
We don't want to get into the Eyeglasses, Ventolin and Insulin issue. Be respectful of the why others are at the event.
We would like to see the authenticity standard raised but have concerns that for a multi-period national convention, it may be too much too ask of participants to have 4 sets of gear from different periods at Acceptable Quality. Please let us know what you think by clicking here.