Costuming

[Fast Harley,SASS#34953]

A thread is running locally on this subject. My opinion is as follows.

Costuming is easy. Despite fashion trends that change like the wind,some basics stay the same

for decades or even ten or eleven decades. Modern work shirts,or even flannel shirts,are very near

what miners,farmers,blacksmiths,etc. would have had in period.

Many modern work boots (Except for lugged soles,)are externally close to the 19th century ones.

Henley pull over shirts are acceptable. You can find them anywhere.

I have a lot of "high-dollar" cowboy clothes,but I have just as many that were bought at yard sales,

and flea markets. Some of these are favorites.

Goodwill is an excellent choice. I have a finely made stand-up collar shirt that I most often will wear

at fancy banquets that came from Goodwill. I gave either $2.99,or $3.99 for it. You can go there,

find a shirt,find a pair of trousers,(remove the belt loops,) put on suspender buttons,and voila,you

have an outfit for less than 20 bucks. They also have scarfs that can turn into wild rags.

Use your imagination. So many period characters are waiting to be portrayed. Mountain men,indians,

prisoners,parsons,schoolmarms,dance hall girls,lawmen,liverymen,bankers,lawyers,gamblers,derelicts,

outlaws,train men, soldiers,and so on.

The whole experience is much better if everyone plays a part.

The only reason to not dress the part is the decision made ,not to.

IMO.

Harley.

[Tom Bullweed]

I have come to believe that costuming tells me alot about another shooter: how much they enjoy the entire experience, how close they are willing to cut to the rules/intent and how much I will enjoy their company. I am amazed at how close some shooters get to looking like they just walked out of a 1875 photo but I enjoy the attire of the early 1890's (Think of Monte Walsh versus Paul Newman's Butch Cassidy). The rules are written wide enough to allow everyone from mountain men to Roy Rogers and mustered out Confederates to Bret Maverick. Thank you to all who have written the rules.

 

I am not happy to see a shooter three years after starting still not trying to dress the game. My real issue is with very competitive shooters who get so relaxed on the dress code that jeans, brogans, thermal shirt and a $30 hat suffice. These shooters have a real chance at positively affecting our sport and being ambassadors to new shooters or people intereted in getting into our sport. I would much rather see a whole posse of average shooters who make a real effort at this part of the show.

 

Just my $.02 worth. If you ahve not read Tex's article in this month's CC, please do so.

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

I'm sorry Mr. Creeker, but I believe that you are out of line

 

wallaby jack #44062

[Marshal Dan Troop 70448]

So this is how it comes down to, instead of addressing the issue, address and attack the poster. Not very cowboy like nor spirited. My apology to Fast Harley, Mr Creeker is wrong. MT

[Utah Bob #35998]

Dang! :blink:

[Grizzly Adams 3674]

I just wish folks could participate in a discussion without being rude!

[Smithy]

Shoot, a scuffle on the Wire and I wasn't even invited! I'm not sure if this relates but, I started shooting skeet when I was 19 years old. I became a Life Member of the NSSA at that same age. I was hooked! My first round was with a 28" mod. Remington 1100 (not the best choice) and I only broke 4 of 25. My second round was with a loaned $10,000.00 Perazzi and I broke 16 of 25. Third and subsequent rounds for the first year or two was with that same Remington 1100 sawed off to 21" (even rib) leaving no choke. Everyone was shooting an over and under and I finally found a 30" one (Italian no name) for $100.00 bucks. I sawed that one off at 19" and that was my skeet gun until I stopped shooting skeet some 25 years later.

 

When I started I could not afford a "skeet" gun period let alone an expensive skeet gun. Three years into it the same story was true. In fact a decade into it and I could not afford a "skeet" gun. When I could, I saw no point since that sawed off trap cheappie had served me so well. All the way through I received snears and rude comments about my equipment. "He doesn't take this game seriously!" or "Look at that piece of crap he's using".

 

There was no rule requirement to have a $300.00, $500.00, %1,000.00, or $10,000.00 dollar shotgun from which to play the game of registered skeet so I was definitely within the rules doing exactly what I was doing. Some no, a lot of fellow shooters did not like it and made it known through behind my back comments. But I kept shooting and winning an occasional match division in my classification. The biggest thing though was I was having a load of fun and so were a couple of my buddies (equally as poor) that I had talked into this fun new sport I had discovered.

 

So I know there's the argument that if costuming is not hammered down throats and policed vigilantly, the game will simply become a shooting exercise. But on the other side of the coin, you wouldn't want to price and age (old farts) yourself out of existence either. Being a life member of NSSA I still get the Skeet Shooting Review (their monthly publication) and it's funny to read articles on "What's happening to our numbers?" It's easy, a bunch of old farts (dying off by the way) with Very Expensive gear playing a stodgy old game (unchanged for decades) and turning up their collective noses at every newcomer that crosses their path.

 

Look at the median age of SASS shooters and ask yourselves if the same thing might be happening? Smithy.

[Bodine]

This is the stuff I despise about the re-enacting community. Harley has a right to his views, I hear the same complaints from all era's of re-enacting/living history participants. Mr. Creeker represents the far end of the spectrum on the other side. have warned ya'll since my first week here what will happen if this keeps up. I have watched some really good hobbies turn into viper pits of venomous rhetoric since 1988. This is destructive. If allowed to progress, or rather regress, it will fester into a boil and turn to infection. Just about the time I am ready to jump into this game I see the writing on the wall that tells me I don't need this again in another costume.

 

THIS IS A GAME.

 

THIS IS A HOBBY.

 

Do your thing and allow your neighbor to his/her thing and all will be well. Start pointing fingers and dictating to others and watch it fall apart, guaranteed.

 

Bodine

[Henry McKenna #700L]

There is a fork in the proverbial trail of CAS: one trail is the way of the shooting competitor and the other is the way of costuming. They are clearly seperate and different directions one must choose.

 

It has not always been this way. I watched the lone trail begin to split years ago.

 

It DOES work well enough as is, however. Sprit of the Game must remain important to our world.

 

If one decides to take the trail marked "shooter", at least have the common decency to put together and wear a decent costume. MANY of our best do this, BTW, and there are several options if one applies a little imagination and perhaps a bit of research. Unfortunately, some historically inaccurate approaches are now pretty much mandatory to achieve a high level of competitiveness. Red plastic shotshells arranged in two-sies all along the front of the belt is just one glaring example that comes to mind.

 

As for those who take the time to do research and work at good impressions on the "Costuming" path, there are plaques and belt buckles for you too. Shoot historically correct guns and educate others about them when you can. Your passion for history makes the sport more fun for others. Frontier cartridge and BP categories are a natural choices to work toward and there is a great deal of respect one achieves when one masters these arms.

 

I personally went the history route and have never looked back. My personal approach is that when I must choose between speed and history, then history wins. Has it kept me out of the winner's circle? Well, not exactly. If anybody want to see my EOT Championship buckle for "Men's Shooting Costume", its in a drawer upstairs somewhere. It's all just fun.

[Matthew Duncan]

My boot knife a got for $6.

 

Spurs cost $25 (leather straps included).

 

No expense spare for my $50 hat.

 

I fudged a bit. When the leather soles on my boots wore thru I had leather soles replaced with rubber soles.

[Utah Bob #35998]

This is the stuff I despise about the re-enacting community. Harley has a right to his views, I hear the same complaints from all era's of re-enacting/living history participants. Mr. Creeker represents the far end of the spectrum on the other side. have warned ya'll since my first week here what will happen if this keeps up. I have watched some really good hobbies turn into viper pits of venomous rhetoric since 1988. This is destructive. If allowed to progress, or rather regress, it will fester into a boil and turn to infection. Just about the time I am ready to jump into this game I see the writing on the wall that tells me I don't need this again in another costume.

 

THIS IS A GAME.

 

THIS IS A HOBBY.

 

Do your thing and allow your neighbor to his/her thing and all will be well. Start pointing fingers and dictating to others and watch it fall apart, guaranteed.

 

Bodine

 

Amigo, this ain't re-enacting. I was involved in that for years. I am a veteran of the many bloody fights over historical accuracy. Believe me, there is a whole different mindset in SASS. Don't take this stuff you see on the wire too seriously. There is no writing on the wall here. YOu won't see many arguments on costuming at shoots. The discussions are usually "Hey Jeb. Where'd you get that new shirt? I want one like it!"

Folks have their own opinions of what's important.

I like to dress up. Some don't. It doesn't bother me if some people do the bare minimum. We won't be lining up for inspection any time soon.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

I'm sorry Mr. Creeker, but I believe that you are out of line

wallaby jack #44062

 

 

My apology to Fast Harley, Mr Creeker is wrong. MT

 

 

I just wish folks could participate in a discussion without being rude!

 

Since my post has "disappeared" into the ether.

I will address a couple of points.

First and foremost, my comments were in NO WAY addressed to Fast Harley. And if Fast Harley was offended by my words, then I apologize to him.

I support ANYONE choosing to play this game in ANY manner they wish, as long as they do so under the umbrella of the current rules.

 

I will not apologize for my comments addressed to Tom Bullweed and his insulting insinuation that minimal dressers are somehow bending the rules and if a shooter isn't dressed to his standards, (even if they are following the current rules), he already knows he would not enjoy their company.

His further comments like:

Three year (not sure where that number was pulled from, but regardless) shooters in attire that is fully legal, make him unhappy because in his words "They are not trying to dress the game"

That he has a "Real Issue" with competitive shooters dressing minimally.

Doesn't matter if what they are wearing is within the rules, they should wear more, so they could be ambassadors for the game.

 

As long as a persons, equipment, behavior and attire are within the current rules - they are LEGAL.

If you want to dress beyond the minimums, more power to you.

If you think the costuming requirements need to be increased, then lobby for it.

See if your TG can get it on the agenda.

But don't insult me, my friends or anyone else by calling us cheats or implying that we are less supportive of this game than you, because we choose to play the game differently than you.

[Korupt Karl]

I enjoy dressing up with chaps, vest, spurs, watch, etc. and sometimes I feel like wearing jeans and a henley.....my choice. I don't look at others and judge them on how they are dressed....it's a personal choice. I also understand that there are some that might be strapped to put together the minimum gun and leather requirements so they can compete. I also know that the cost of entry fees, ammo and reloading is a constant.....so just because someone is in the sport for few years doesn't mean they suddenly have acquired the extra money to throw down for some of the extras.

 

If you want to set your own standard or example....do so. If you want to dress another way....do so. Enjoy, it's just a game.

 

KK

 

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

My real issue is with very competitive shooters who get so relaxed on the dress code that jeans, brogans, thermal shirt and a $30 hat suffice. These shooters have a real chance at positively affecting our sport and being ambassadors to new shooters or people intereted in getting into our sport.

Hmmm What's wrong with jeans, brogans, thermal shirt and a $30 hat You'd look just like you walked out of the bunk house of a Roy Rogers or John Wayne movie, or a historically accurate picture of the 1800's. We have one top shooter that wears nothing but bibs, that's it just bibs...no shirt, no shoes, sometimes a top hat. These folks have been a very positive influence to myself and others. I like dressing the part of a townie, but as long as others have meet the minimum they are 100% legal, and usually alota fun to shoot with. Good Luck

 

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[Snake River Clay SASS #34984]

Hmmm What's wrong with jeans, brogans, thermal shirt and a $30 hat You'd look just like you walked out of the bunk house of a Roy Rogers or John Wayne movie, or a historically accurate picture of the 1800's. We have one top shooter that wears nothing but bibs, that's it just bibs...no shirt, no shoes, sometimes a top hat. These folks have been a very positive influence to myself and others. I like dressing the part of a townie, but as long as others have meet the minimum they 100% legal, and usually alota fun to shoot with. Good Luck

 

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

 

You're kidding. No one dresses like that.

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

You're kidding. No one dresses like that.

Yea!! no one I know

 

 

Jefro

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

Looks like a few folks do not like it when others wearing perfectly legal attire are upset that they do no meet their expectations. Well guess what, it doesn't matter how you or Tex feels about it, until the rules are changed there isn't anything you can do about it, except bitch on the SASS wire. Folks wearing lugged soles, a flannel shirt and jeans are legal in all except 2 categories. Deal with it. Doesn't matter if they are a new shooter or a shooter and SASS member for 15 years. If Tex wants to change the rules, he can and accept the membership fallout whatever that is.

[royal barnes sass #5792]

I'm one of the ones who usually dresses to the nines and I always appreciate seeing others do the same. At Winter Range 2010 everyone on our posse was dressed like a "fantasy" cowboy except one. He was wearing minimal cowboy clothing and a hat that looked like death warmed over. Turns out he was the only real cowboy in the bunch. He said everytime he gets ready to buy a new hat his old one is auctioned off at his CAS club for those who want the look without the work. I'd posse with him anytime. As long as you meet the guidelines I don't really care how you dress. Let's go shoot!

[Poverty Bill, SASS# 45790]

[quote name='Bodine' timestamp='1318693082' post='2290637

 

THIS IS A GAME.

 

THIS IS A HOBBY.

 

Bodine

 

 

There's a fine line between hobby & insanity.

[el Gato Gordo - SASS #15162]

There's a fine line between hobby & insanity.

 

 

There's a line? Not in my experience!

 

 

Salud, amigos

eGG

[Arizona Lefty]

If it falls within the rules then what is the problem?

 

I still remember my first "big "match. Old Wranglers with the loops removed and suspender buttons attached, Salvation army suspenders (women's I believe) A Henley w, a beat to snot pair of lacer ropers and a Felt cowboy hat that had lost it's shape a long time ago. along with cheap Mexican leather.

 

What I remember the most is the costume "purist" -Nope I won't Godwin the thread- getting into my face about how My costume was not up to his idea of "spirit of the Game!" The thin that made it memorable was the Old fellow with a triple digit badge number telling them that this wasn't a fashion show and that I probably put in more time in making sure the clothes I had at least looked cowboy, than they did ordering their fancy duds!

 

If you want to dress Fancy go for it, but remember we play an expensive game and some have to choose between things like ammo, entry fees and match costs or Costume.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

I'm sorry Mr. Creeker, but I believe that you are out of line

 

wallaby jack #44062

Guess the moderators agree with you as I do not see his post.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Hi Folks,

 

The minimalists don't bother me, nor do overalls. As long as they don't wear OUTLAWED ITEMS, which is a SDQ for the first stage and a MDQ the second. Enforce our current rules and don't worry about the nuances of costuming beyond that.

 

Regards,

 

Allie Mo

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

Guess the moderators agree with you as I do not see his post.

 

 

I expressed my opposing opinion to Mr. Bullweed.

I did so in a defensive fashion as one is wont to do when they feel an individual is insulting an entire faction of a game that one deeply enjoys.

I also stated my opinion about the wrongness of Texs current article which Mr. Bullweed seems to support.

 

I did so in such a manner that the Moderators (perhaps rightfully) pulled my post.

 

I stand by my intentions, but my delivery was poor.

I will attempt to learn from my errors and present my counter arguments in a more reasonable fashion going forward..

[Anvil Al #59168]

If it is legal. Then it is legal. End of story.

 

If you don't like it. Work to change it. Otherwise. Well. You get the point.

[Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884]

 

I stand by my intentions, but my delivery was poor.

I will attempt to learn from my errors and present my counter arguments in a more reasonable fashion going forward..

Well, there ya go.

 

Fillmore

[Henry McKenna #700L]

If it is legal. Then it is legal. End of story.

 

 

I do not mean to be critical of YOU, Anvil Al, but you opnion here is similar to those of many others, so please do not interpret my disagreement as any sort of personal attack... My response is that when one is approaching our game from merely a technical "rules is rules" standpoint then the Spirit of The Game suffers. Play well. Play fair. Have fun and look after the other pards. Its the Cowboy Way. Go ahead and exceed the minimum when one can.

 

A wise man once said that it is the willing obedience to the unenforceable that defines a civilized society. SASS is, and must remain, a civilized society.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

I do not mean to be critical of YOU, Anvil Al, but you opnion here is similar to those of many others, so please do not interpret my disagreement as any sort of personal attack... My response is that when one is approaching our game from merely a technical "rules is rules" standpoint then the Spirit of The Game suffers. Play well. Play fair. Have fun and look after the other pards. Its the Cowboy Way. Go ahead and exceed the minimum when one can.

 

A wise man once said that it is the willing obedience to the unenforceable that defines a civilized society. SASS is, and must remain, a civilized society.

I do not understand how the spirit of the game suffers when shooters dress in accordance with the rules. If shooters do not dress in accord with the rules, then penalize them. Are you saying if a shooter does not meet your attire expectations they violate your spirit of the game? Trying to understand.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Dang...now we'z gotz un-written rules we'z gotz to play by...I'm screwed!

 

[Shooting Bull]

I wear a cowboy hat. In the heat of the summer it's a palm hat, in the cooler months it's felt. I wear cowboy pants with suspenders. I wear a long sleeve henley shirt and cowboy boots. I wear these things because they're well within the rules and they're COMFORTABLE. If what I've described doesn't meet someone else's idea of "dressed up enough" well, too bad. That's their problem, not mine. And if anyone thinks they can judge me as a person based on the clothing I've just described I'm not really sure what I can say that won't get pulled like Creeker's post. Suffice it to say, you're clueless......................................................about me.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

Dang...now we'z gotz un-written rules we'z gotz to play by...I'm screwed!

 

 

Now we have to throw a period correct blanket over certain shooters and modern wheel chairs so we don't offend our attire "cultests" and ruin their "game spirit", I guess.

[Anvil Al #59168]

I do not understand how the spirit of the game suffers when shooters dress in accordance with the rules. If shooters do not dress in accord with the rules, then penalize them. Are you saying if a shooter does not meet your attire expectations they violate your spirit of the game? Trying to understand.

 

 

Thanks GCK. You said that better than I could/would have.

 

Henry Mckenna.

I will repeat the main part in GCK's post that I would bring up.

 

"Are you saying if a shooter does not meet YOUR attire expectations they violate YOUR spirit of the game."

 

If they are well within the rules. Please tell me HOW they are not in the spirit of the game????

 

Or are they just not in the spirit of YOUR game???

And how is wearing what is legal. NOT playing fair??? HOW???

 

The game can, and should be different for many people. Other wise it would be a VERY small game.

 

Ok. So today my HAT is not good enough for YOU. Next week my SHIRT is not good enough for YOU. If you don't like the rules. Change them.

UP the requirements. I will meet them. But then when you do. And shooters show up with just what is THEN required.

Are you going to want to UP it again???? If legal is NOT good eough for YOU. What is???

 

Again. If someone is legal. Then they are legal. Period. If ya don't like it. Work to change it.

But remember. You could also lose shooters because of it.

As I really don't think we have lost shooters because of some dressing the minimum.

 

Just HOW MUCH is enough for YOU????

[Anvil Al #59168]

Play well. Play fair. Have fun and look after the other pards. Its the Cowboy Way.

 

 

That's what I am doing. Looking after those that Play within the rules.

But still don't seem to be good enough for YOU.

 

Just how much above minimum would make YOU happy????

And when/if that was to change. Then again. How much above THAT would

one need to go, to make YOU happy??

 

Would really like to know. How is playing well within the rules. Not playing well or fair????

 

What I find sad is people who play withing the rules. But still are not good enough for some.

 

And don't even get me started on the Cowboy Way. That gets trown out there WAY to much for me.

[Smithy]

I had a very short run in SASS sad to say. By the time I got all geared up and shooting, my health (diabetes and its complications) started to get the better of me. Although still a member and love to hear the goings on with you gals and fellers, my health conditions prevented me from participating in shoots.

 

When I was gearing up, I had been misinformed by a couple of well meaning pards as to what was required in the clothing department. That easily added several months and a few hundred dollars to the equation. Just so I'd pass muster with my period pants, braces, shirt, vest, duster, boots, etc. Had I known then what I know now, I could have gathered an appropriate "cowboy outfit" and been shooting matches a whole lot longer than my short stay in SASS turned out to be. I'm with the other guys/gals, go according to the rules and if that isn't good enough then go through the effort to change the rules. Smithy.

[Black Hills Barb]

I can vividly remember our first look at CAS. I used up a few rolls of film snapping pictures of cowboys and cowgirls in all kinds of attire. We saw folks resembling the likes Jim West, the Lone Ranger, John Wayne, Tonto, Civil War soldiers, Lucas McCain and many more. This was at a large regional match. A few months later we visited a club near our home. The first person we saw as we drove in looked like he walked off the set of Tombstone - dressed all in black with his frock coat, high boots and wide brimmed hat. Those images certainly enhanced our overall perception of CAS/SASS. When recalling those days, I have to agree with Tom Bullweed. In many cases, their costuming reflects a lot about them.

 

We've seen the minimalists. Those that are still within the SASS guidelines simply resemble characters from TV shows like The Rifleman or Bonanza. Their costuming is perfectly fine as it all falls within the rules. Some dress like this due to budget constraints or simply because it's their preference. It's all good it it's all SASS legal.

 

However, when the rules say, no short sleeved shirts, ball caps, sneakers.....up to when the shooter is in the B-Western or Classic categories, the rules are the rules. New shooters certainly do need sometime to pull it all together but most eventually do. Just as there are rules of the game which penalize us for a miss, procedural, etc. These costuming requirements are rules of the game as well. We must remind folks of such when they are not within them. There is not a 5 second penalty for a miss. However, it is up to a MD to go so far as to deny participation if necessary.

 

I've often told people that when it comes to the penalties we need to look at this as any game with rules. The participant that executes the course of fire the fastest, with the least amount of mistakes, while playing within the rules of the game is the winner. Compare the RO to the banker in Monopoly. You can't let one player out of jail without posting the full $200 and then stand firm while charging it to all the others. You can't mispell words in Scrabble. There are rules, bonuses and penalties in all games. It's not personal. It's the game in it's entirety. There's no need for harsh words or to make folks feel inadequate.