(no subject)

[drydem]

one of the weird things about time travel movie things is the ease with which people obtain clothes in medieval periods, generally peasant clothes. This ease is problematic given the history of clothing in Europe. In Europe, especially pre-Renaissance, there was not an extensive clothing market, especially for peasants. Clothing was either produced on demand by tailors for the rich or at home by peasants for themselves/their families. Your average peasant was likely to own maybe two sets of clothes, wearing the same thing every day, with maybe a cloak(aka a thick piece of cloth) for colder weather. So, where are these fictional time travelers getting their clothing? They can't get it at a store, because there are no clothing stores. Stealing it from a peasant involves catching them naked at some point, which is rare, or beating them up and taking their clothes. It may be a minor thing to nitpick, but it's an anachronism.

Comments

[drake-rocket.livejournal.com]

Well really, it's fairly odd how well clothed everyone is in a given movie having to do with medieval times. There really should be a lot less color and a lot more burlap sacks =D

[erdedrache.livejournal.com]

And a lot more tooth decay.

[notmikey.livejournal.com]

I suppose people could trade peasants for clothing... after all, we wear on our fingers and in our ears/nose/wherever little bits of steel, silver, and gold, as well as small jewels. Any or all of those things could have a great deal of bartering power. Who knows, maybe a tailor sufficiently intrigued by the strange-clothed visitors would be willing to do some cheap custom work or be willing to trade out clothing outgrown/unwanted by their particular patrons.

And there's always the Church...?

[solestria.livejournal.com]

I suppose people could trade peasants for clothing...

Okay, I totally read that wrong at first. ("But don't they have enough peasants as it is? Why would they need more? Sure, it's more cheap labor, but it's also another mouth to feed. . . ")

[fallen-scholar.livejournal.com]

Are you familiar with the whole show around the "Who's on First?" routine? Here's one of the great consideribly earlier parts, done from memory so I might be wrong on something:

"Oh, so you know how to manage a baseball team, eh?"
"Yep."
"Okay, so what if I put in a Right handed pitcher."
"I put in a left handed batter."
"So then, I put in a left handed pitcher."
"And then I put in a right handed batter."
"Ah, but now I trick you. I pull out my left handed pitcher, and put in my right handed pitcher."
"Ah, but I double cross you. I pull out my right handed batter, and put in my left handed batter."
"Where are you gettting all these left handed batters?"
"The same place where you're getting all these right handed pitchers."

So, where am I getting all this clothing when I'm time traveling? Where did I get my time machine? In fact, with the time machine, I can move to just that one point where the peasant is changing, shout "yoink" and be done with it.

[gollumgollum.livejournal.com]

yes.

but only if you shout 'yoink!1'

[selenya.livejournal.com]

That's why, if I ever go back to the past, I'll make sure to kill some poor peasant and take the clothes off of her back.

Lice and all.

Yuck.

lice-B-gone

[songquake.livejournal.com]

that's why ya boil 'em!

Re: lice-B-gone

[spooksix.livejournal.com]

is that where we learned to boil rice?