My scooter

[alysten]

LJ hive mind, I need some help. I have this scooter. It's really neato. It lets me varoooom around the house and chase my cats. But as you can see it is VERY modern, but necessary (at least for the next 6 weeks). I want to dress up my scooter and make it a little less, 21st Century. I still need to be able to move it, so I am limited by what I can do. But I'd like to try and blend in a little for SCA events. Our first event is this weekend for K & Q rapier champions. I am thinking I might start with a bag that I can hang off the handle bars.

Any other thoughts? Thanks in advance!



xposted to sca_garb

Comments

:-D

[bytchearse.livejournal.com]

-A fabric saddle
-slipcover for the body of the scooter (in "horse" colors)
-Hobby horse head (same color as the body)
-some way to make coconut clopping noise

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

It's not all that far off of looking like a potato wagon
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/2407368779_12a3051df7.jpg

Re: :-D

[kragore.livejournal.com]

I was thinking the same damn thing! Ha!

[skaldic.livejournal.com]

You may very well have different feelings about this, but personally, I always cringe when I see something made up to look like something it's clearly not. Trying to make this look like a horse, for instance. To me, that ends up being considerably more jarring than something modern but necessary -- mostly because we see those things in our everyday lives. Something that looked like a small wagon as loosecanon would be great, but since it only resembles one, you still have to do something to it.

Honestly, I'd simply have a slip cover for the areas that you can -- the foot rest (obviously), and the handlebars/stand (or as much as feasible), and perhaps the horizontal struts. I wouldn't go for something bright and foofy -- doing something in colors that remind you of a caparisoned horse will only draw attention to it -- and then remind the viewer that it's a piece of modern equipment. Muted colors, then -- browns or grays, or anything that doesn't stand out.

A lot of people in the SCA like to try and dress things up so that they can pretend that object is something else. But the way I see it, those attempts just highlight the fact that it isn't medieval, without actually making it look period. Your own mileage may vary, of course.

Re: :-D

[unicornpearlz.livejournal.com]

If people ask, say you're sitting side saddle - like a lady

Re: :-D

[spinpsychology.livejournal.com]

I think Lissa would be great with the coconuts! I'm all for doing some kind if barding on it but we have to be sure your safe.

[katnboots.livejournal.com]

You're good -- just tool around shouting, "For pony!"

[greenness.livejournal.com]

I agree with Skaldic - often dressing up modern contractptions draws more attention to the modern artifacts when the goal is to help them blend. Sometimes this is done well and amusingly and sometimes not so much. And rarely it's done well enough that the item actually blends.

So how much fun do you want to have? :)

I think a quick fix would be covering the knee cushion and draping lovely fabric from the handlebars (around the brake cables, gathered and tied at the bottom of the vertical support, safely out of the way of the wheels. Build your bag or bag-attachment-system into the front of the handlebar slipcover and you're good to go.

Personally, I want to run streamers off your handlebars, but that wouldn't blend.

You could wrap the rest of the frame with ribbon, trim or strips of fabric to disguise the metal, but I wouldn't drape it too much. You don't want to get caught up and trip over your scooter's garb!

[lissa510.livejournal.com]

bells, bells will definitely help! I thin i have some i can bring on Sat!
----
I agree with Carla and the others who say don't try to hide, it...because it wont really work...and making it look like a horse would make it stand out more! (though it you want to go for the cutesy effect it works!) Otherwise...Make it look pretty and functional with a bag or some fabric drapes/ribbon...but it will still be modern....And that is ok....this is the SCA...:)

[alysten.livejournal.com]

I've stopped at a bag that has my arms on it for over the handle bars for now. I am not sure how much of the scooter will show with my garb.That will work for this weekend.

[alysten.livejournal.com]

I think for K & Q and coronation I should look proper or at the very least respectable.But for Mudthaw? I could see having some fun. Tasteful fun.

Scooter garb? HAH, that is funny. I never thought of it like that.

[alysten.livejournal.com]

Bells? Like you aren't going to be able to find me? I will be jingling across the whole event.

Re: :-D

[alysten.livejournal.com]

There is a lady at Pennsic that does that. But my scooter is self propelling. I am not sure the coconuts will work...

Re: :-D

[etherial.livejournal.com]

Side saddle is largely post-period anyway.

Re: :-D

[unicornpearlz.livejournal.com]

Really? Because I've seen grecian and celtic art (vases, sculptures, etc) where the woman was riding side saddle. And this is from the Dark Ages, and before.

For example: http://ilaria.veltri.tripod.com/sidesaddle.html

Re: :-D

[etherial.livejournal.com]

Yes, a person could sit on a moving horse with both legs on one side since time immemorial. But you couldn't ride (i.e. command) a horse side-saddle until the 16th century. What we think of as a side saddle has more to do with the Victorian social conventions that were growing seed in the 16th Century than with Medieval and Classical sociology.

Re: :-D

[unicornpearlz.livejournal.com]

ooohhh....
Well... nothing wrong with late period (sayth the person who is researching all the things that go into ECD... you know 48 years out of SCA period. To my credit though... 1) the dances are done, we might as well do them right. and 2) This research may be taught at the Society for Historical Dance Scholars meeting in 2012)

[wingblaze.livejournal.com]

I'm with the others - it is what it is. We're going to be in a school. There's going to be bleachers, and a gym floor and a cafeteria. Exit signs, safety lights, and tile and lockers. The scooter is not jarring. I don't think you should feel like you need to do anything to it. You're not using it for fun - you need it right now to get around. It's a medical thing.

Now if you just want to have fun, that's fine and groovy. But you shouldn't feel like it's a situation you need to address.