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Entrepreneurship:  Re enactment business  |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 02 2009 : 08:41:39 AM
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Farmgirls, I need some imput from you. I know we have some farmgirls out there that are involved with different re enactment groups.
I have been thinking of starting a business that makes historically correct re enactment clothing, but taking it a step farther and working with the client to actually develop a "persona" customized to that particular persons tastes, likes, etc. It is one business that I could combine my love of history with my penchant for detail. What do y'all think? Oh, do you think the recession would make this a frivlous business?
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 4
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2009 : 06:15:35 AM
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I do alot of costumes for Ren. Fest. It is a difficult thing to do to make period costumes. Sometimes fabrics are hard to find and sometimes people are very hard to fit. It is alot of fun but it is also alot of work. The sewing techniques are often different than what we are use to and those corsets and petticoats take alot of time if they are historically correct. You would need to decide how much you would need to make and often people are not willing to pay for your time. But once again it is way fun.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2009 : 06:19:01 AM
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Thanks Beth, I appreciate your advice. I would probably lean toward the civil war/revolution/mountain man re enactments, but It's just an idea at this point.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 4
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Corinnelouise
True Blue Farmgirl
957 Posts
Corinne
France
957 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2009 : 08:16:38 AM
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Teresa sue, try the waters. Maybe deciding on one project would give you enough backbone about it, if you want to do it for good. And you would know for sure how much of your time, money, skills it involves. Then you can truly decide what you want to do. Go and follow your dreams, it is so important to be happy doing what we like.
Hugs,
Corinne
Sister # 101
'Heaven on Earth' is a choice you must make, not a place you must find.
Dr. Wayne Dyer |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2009 : 05:45:22 AM
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Teresa Sue, Maybe if you attend a few of the fairs and "see" what is selling, talk to the folks that do the re-enacting to see where they purchase their items etc. Then maybe, you could make up a few items available for sale at one of the scheduled events and start a mailing list for folks that my be interested in ordering from you. ( sometimes having a ready made item and then offering a service for a custom fitted outfit could get your foot in the door. . . so to speak )
Whatever you do, please keep your dream alive and remember this: " You need to have a dream for a dream to come true! " Wishing you all the success in your new venture!!
Joanna #566
JojoNH
http://www.CountryCents.com
http://CountryCents.Blogspot.com
http://Twitter.com/Eastwooddesigns |
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gateway girl
True Blue Farmgirl
135 Posts
Shari
Missouri
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2009 : 8:52:34 PM
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Theresa Sue, I think it is a wonderful idea! My husband and I do French and Indian War re-enactments. When we were first starting out, I would have loved to find someone that could help me get my persona outfitted. Instead I had to rely on alot of different people and web forums to get the correct clothing and spent a small fortune on things I really didn't need or weren't period correct before I finally got several correct outfits to wear for events. I say "go for it!" Follow your idea and good luck!
Shari
Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment, it's not just about survival. Live every second to it's fullest!
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2009 : 06:08:41 AM
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Thank you for all your encouragement girls, I really appreciate it. I still don't know if I'm going to do this, but I appreciate your input.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 4
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2009 : 06:20:24 AM
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Teresa Sue, if the reenactors on your coast are anything like the ones around these parts, they'll buy just about anything to keep them "original"...it's BIG business around here, and some of the fellas we know (executives, professionals, etc..) spend buku bucks on their gear and love doing it. The last reenactment we attended (merely as spectators, though my husband caught the bug and for about 2 months that's all I heard about) was Perryville, Kentucky (near Harrodsburg and Bardstown) and there were like, 2-3 outfitters who sold clothing and gear, but it seemed a bit campy to me--they had nice things, but it seemed mass manufactured. If you can market it just right, and play it to the hilt (dress up yourself, and become your own character to draw them in to see your fine product), I think you'd be in business.
Even in this recession, people's hobby's and entertainment is going strong...folks have to have an outlet.
We talked to one guy, who was a lawyer in "real life" but played the surgeon, and also made these GLORIOUS wood field boxes to sell, and he said he spent initially, just to get gear and everything to be historically accurate about $15,000.00, and goes to about 5-10 large reenactments a year and buys new things each time.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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JessieMae
True Blue Farmgirl
702 Posts
Jessie
Raleigh
North Carolina
USA
702 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2009 : 11:28:37 AM
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I just did a search for "historical re-enactment societies" on Google and got pages and pages of results. Maybe you can start there...finding out costs, events, etc.?
If you can make a WWII officer's uniform to fit my giant of a father, I might know where you can get your first client! He's already had to alter the steering wheel on his Jeep so he could fit behind it, and he has had no luck finding a good-quality replica. Apparently, they make fellas bigger than they used to!
Jessie Mae
Farmgirl Sisterhood #134 |
Edited by - JessieMae on Jun 09 2009 11:32:10 AM |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2009 : 1:39:41 PM
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I live smack-dab in the middle of Civil War country, and we have lots of re-enactors here. I'm a professional graphics person and do a lot of design work for two museums. Point is, I'm pretty familiar with the whole community of "Civil War nuts" (they call themselves that) and from what I've seen, they're either pretty well-off, or find a way to buy the very best clothing and accessories for their avocation -- it's much more than just a hobby. They really appreciate authentic materials and workmanship and will pay for it -- they take good care of their outfits and will use them for many years, so I guess they consider it an investment.
I'm pretty sure you could make a "go" of this if you market your historical integrity to the hilt, and cut no corners on being as authentic as it's humanly possible to be in 2009. I love Jonni's idea of creating your own persona (tailor, seamstress, dry goods retailer, whatever works for you!) and using the way you dress yourself to show off the quality of your work. It would be fun if you could have, as part of your ensemble, a pinned-together work in progress using some sort of vintage-looking pins, antique pincushion or scissors, and so on. I'll bet anything there's somebody out there producing good reproductions if you can't acquire usable antiques!
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2009 : 3:21:44 PM
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WOW! I have to tell you Farmgirls, you are getting me rather excited about pursuing this, thankyou, thankyou for your input!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 4
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Caron
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
Caron
Orange
Texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2009 : 2:01:19 PM
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I love your idea! I'm a civil war reenactor and we are always searching for period-correct items. Let me know when you start, I'll be a customer!
Caron
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation".
Farmgirl Sister #254
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nampafarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
494 Posts
Kim
Nampa
ID
USA
494 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2009 : 2:17:38 PM
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Teresa, I used to go to alot of fairs, the scottish games, old time reinactments, etc, the booth's that sold the clothes had a lot of business. Make sure you have lots of business cards phot books with some of your past work to give people ides anyway, lots of stuff to sell if you do them!
Kim
Farmgirl Sister # 302 |
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Pinkyatmoosehollowfarm
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Josephine
Albany
New Hampshire
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 07:19:47 AM
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Theresa, I've also considered this as a business. I so sewing for people and their homes. I've thought about join SCA who do Medieval Fairs and gatherings. A friend of mine says the menfolk are especially happy to find someone to sew for them. I think it would be a great way to mix my love of history, genealogy, and costume design. I have a degree in Fashion design. I have my family tree documented and published back to Charlemagne (AD 810)
I say go for it girlfriend!
Josephine/Pinky
The Sewing Room at Moose Hollow Farm
Pink is not just a color...it's an attitude! |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 08:32:02 AM
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Theresa, I wouldn't worry too much about the business being frivolous. If you start doing it now, you know it can only pick up as the economy improves. And of course, you wouldn't start relying on it too much for income until it was well established anyway.
I like the idea personally. People are not any less busy than they used to be, and I think they would pay a reasonable fee for research and consultation. |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2009 : 1:11:59 PM
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I want to thank all of you for your responses. I feel a lot of gratitude for all your ideas and your support, you'all ROCK!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 4
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Entrepreneurship: Re enactment business |
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Re enactment business
