Reenactor Critique

[LoriAnn]

What do you think is the proper, most helpful, and hopefully most gracious way to offer advice to another reenactor about his/her impression?

I had to remove one photo from my little WW1 album because two fellow reenactors thought it was appropriate to publicly hassle the poor photo subject about his impression. For his own good, of course. In between obnoxious comments about him, they felt the need to remind him (and anyone else who read the exchange) that they were doing him a favor of sorts.

If that was a "favor", I'd say spare me "friends" like these.

 

[CMWinkler]

I only offer opinions on other's impressions if asked. I hate stitch counters and their like. The nice thing about reenacting is that Americans are , by nature, individualists and have often reflected that individualism in their accessories and dress.

 

[amweiner]

I agree with @CMWinkler...hopefully someone in the person's unit will offer correction if something is way out of bounds or not in keeping with the unit standards. I also struggle with the purists - it was a shock to find that my crew was considered "hardcore" because we didn't sleep in tents, drilled, and the like. If reenacting becomes an accuracy test or matter of "purity", there won't be many people left.

 

[LoriAnn]

If reenacting becomes an accuracy test or matter of "purity", there won't be many people left.

This individual said something very similar.

What I don't get is why they couldn't let his nice photo stand without insult, and instead they chose to publicly humiliate him. Private messages would have been classier, less childish.

I had a "let me at 'em" moment *picture wild swinging of arms* ~ I wanted to remove their comments and send them my own thoughts via private message ~ but then was afraid I'd buy this guy more aggravation.

I hate stitch counters and their like.

I like the term "stitch counters".

 

[CMWinkler]

Recently I was at a historic home that was having a living history with a small company of reenactors doing a camp and drill. I was there to help them with drill. One of the home's Board Members was there and introduced her husband in "period dress." He was wearing a costumer's idea of a Confederate Captain's uniform complete with boots and spurs with rowels and a golden sash. He was very nice and thought he was accurately dressed.

 

[CMWinkler]

This individual said something very similar.

What I don't get is why they couldn't let his nice photo stand without insult, and instead they chose to publicly humiliate him. Private messages would have been classier, less childish.

I had a "let me at 'em" moment *picture wild swinging of arms* ~ I wanted to remove their comments and send them my own thoughts via private message ~ but then was afraid I'd buy this guy more aggravation.


I like the term "stitch counters".

That's real. I was at an event and was approached and told the hand stitching on my shell jacket did not have the right number of stitches per inch. I said it must have been purchased from a shoddy contractor. He was not amused.

 

[captaindrew]

I think some people need to chill out and remember they were new to the hobby at one time. In our company we have a few new kids right out of high school with very limited funds who are doing their best with loaned gear and what they can afford and are having a great time and it`s great to see.A guy not even with our group fell in with us and proceeded to rip these kids up and down over things that weren`t right. I wanted to make a real casualty out of this guy. At the same event some guy dressed as a cavalry officer covered in yellow trim and braids everywhere that nobody had ever seen before ripped a couple of our guys because they had brass chinstrap buckles on their Confederate kepis. While he was pointing this out his giant wristwatch was falling of his arm. Just ridiculous, this is a hobby and should be fun. That said we should all strive to do the best impression we can and if asked for help or advice do the best we can to help and remember we all started somewhere and nobody is perfect and could always improve something in our own impression.

 

[Burning Billy]

That's real. I was at an event and was approached and told the hand stitching on my shell jacket did not have the right number of stitches per inch. I said it must have been purchased from a shoddy contractor. He was not amused.

As someone who has never been involved with reenacting in any way, shape, or form (other than seeing reenactors as a tourist), my immediate thought when reading stuff like this is, "Who cares?"

No one is going to notice details like that except for obsessive fellow reenactors. The public isn't going to be any better educated by some guy wearing a shell jacket with the correct number of stitches per inch than they are by some guy wearing something that may not be exact to 1860s standards, but is close enough.

Out of curiosity how many of these stitch-counters are significantly more rotund than the real men they're portraying?

 

[Tin cup]

This photo was posted a while back on Face Book. Well known Living Historian Robert Lee Hodge is on the far right.
WHO here exemplifies a Confederate soldier the most? Who here would you want to find out on the battle field, that you think could tell you the most history of the common Confederate Soldier?

I find that too many who bash those who go thru a lot of study, research, and go the extra length to get the best impression, usually don't want to improve, or LEARN how they can improve themselves.
A typical cop-out.

I don't know who the other guys are in the picture, am pretty sure Robert isn't too worried how they are dressed, he's there to participate in what ever the occasion is. But this is a great example of what a big difference there is in uniforms.

Caring does count.

Kevin Dally

 

[zburkett]

For what its worth, I don't reenact but on foggy mornings I will sometimes put my McClellan on my horse, worn black riding boots and usually something gray. The McClellan is a 1917, the boots are German, and when it is cold enough for a jacket the buttons are I not C. Long way from making the stich counters happy but the ghosts I've ridden out to listen too don't seem to care.

 

[LoriAnn]

Caring does count.

I agree that anything worth doing is worth doing well. It's the definition of "well" that I question.

My photo subject in question is an experienced reenactor who didn't have a close enough shave and had one, very small button unbuttoned. I snapped the photo at the end of a weekend event. If a guy can't unbutton a single button after an entire weekend of camping out/reenacting, something is wrong.

 

[Tin cup]

I agree that anything worth doing is worth doing well. It's the definition of "well" that I question.

My photo subject in question is an experienced reenactor who didn't have a close enough shave and had one, very small button unbuttoned. I snapped the photo at the end of a weekend event. If a guy can't unbutton a single button after an entire weekend of camping out/reenacting, something is wrong.

I'm not understanding your reply here? I don't know what photo you took of whom, the button situation I don't quite understand either?
Been up since 3:45 AM today!

Kevin Dally

 

[captaindrew]

Those that don`t reenact don`t get the wrong idea. Most of the people in the hobby are wonderful and support each other. But there`s always that one in the crowd that has to be a critic. You just have to bite your tongue and forget it. Usually the critics need to look in the mirror before they start picking at someone else.

 

[D.H. Hill]

Well... was it his pants button?

 

[CMWinkler]

Robert Hodge lives in Franklin or Brentwood so is an acquaintance. He's also a member of the Nashville CWRT with me. He's always, when I've seen him authentic but he's no stitch counter.

 

[WJC]

This individual said something very similar.

What I don't get is why they couldn't let his nice photo stand without insult, and instead they chose to publicly humiliate him. Private messages would have been classier, less childish.

I had a "let me at 'em" moment *picture wild swinging of arms* ~ I wanted to remove their comments and send them my own thoughts via private message ~ but then was afraid I'd buy this guy more aggravation.


I like the term "stitch counters".

A sign of the times. Nowadays it is not enough to disagree with someone, he/she must be humiliated.
Sad.

 

[WJC]

View attachment 131717
This photo was posted a while back on Face Book. Well known Living Historian Robert Lee Hodge is on the far right.
WHO here exemplifies a Confederate soldier the most? Who here would you want to find out on the battle field, that you think could tell you the most history of the common Confederate Soldier?

I find that too many who bash those who go thru a lot of study, research, and go the extra length to get the best impression, usually don't want to improve, or LEARN how they can improve themselves.
A typical cop-out.

I don't know who the other guys are in the picture, am pretty sure Robert isn't too worried how they are dressed, he's there to participate in what ever the occasion is. But this is a great example of what a big difference there is in uniforms.

Caring does count.

Kevin Dally

I'm with Mr. Hodge....

 

[WJC]

For what its worth, I don't reenact but on foggy mornings I will sometimes put my McClellan on my horse, worn black riding boots and usually something gray. The McClellan is a 1917, the boots are German, and when it is cold enough for a jacket the buttons are I not C. Long way from making the stich counters happy but the ghosts I've ridden out to listen too don't seem to care.

If a Civil War trooper lost a button, I'm not sure he'd refuse to sew on an infantry button. Any button on a frosty morning....

 

[WJC]

If a Civil War trooper lost a button, I'm not sure he'd refuse to sew on an infantry button. Any button on a frosty morning....

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

A while ago, there was a thread about how "accurate" should reenactors be. It devolved to the point that, to be authentic, reenactors should starve, etc....It got ridiculous......I won't go there, nor is it my intent to go there on this thread.....

I will say that a guy new to the hobby is learning, so he makes mistakes.....New guys and Veterans alike "relax" a bit, too, and get caught by the camera.

Some guys are still saving money in order that they may become more authentic, and the get caught by the camera.
Yes, I love authenticity, BUT, I would rather have a guy with me who is making the effort, than to have no one with me because I rudely criticized him without helping him.