Have you hugged a nun lately?

Rowan · Post by **Rowan** » Wed March 16th, 2011, 7:58 pm

LOL Thanks LH. It's so funny now that 12 women who are normally quite diverse looking all look the same when we're in costume. It's forcing the director and others to really look at our faces if they need to talk to one of us to figure out who we are.

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Wed March 16th, 2011, 8:10 pm

OMG your hair is showing. Sin!

Rowan · Post by **Rowan** » Wed March 16th, 2011, 8:12 pm

Yes, yes. I'd just put on the costume and had one of the other ladies snap my photo. Then I proceeded to pull my hair back. So

to you Divia. LOL

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Wed March 16th, 2011, 8:30 pm

[quote=""Rowan""]Lil Ol' me. Don't laugh too loud.[/quote]

Thanks for sharing. Yeah, I'll bet that's hot and you're glad it isn't a summer show.

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Wed March 16th, 2011, 11:18 pm

One of my SCA personae is a Benedictine nun, and being that I'm nitpicky and a perfectionist, I made a habit from the skin out, with all of the layers. The one concession that I made for living in the Southwest was that most of it was made of cotton, and hoo-boy, was it warm at Estrella war that year! OTOH, people did think that I was the real deal in it, which was a hoot and a half. Suddenly it was very funny to see just who had gone to parochial school...

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Thu March 17th, 2011, 12:54 am

[quote=""Telynor""]One of my SCA personae is a Benedictine nun, and being that I'm nitpicky and a perfectionist, I made a habit from the skin out, with all of the layers. The one concession that I made for living in the Southwest was that most of it was made of cotton, and hoo-boy, was it warm at Estrella war that year! OTOH, people did think that I was the real deal in it, which was a hoot and a half. Suddenly it was very funny to see just who had gone to parochial school...[/quote]

I will say taht I've always wanted to go out and walk around as a nun. Just to see the looks I would get and see how people would act around me.

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Thu March 17th, 2011, 2:30 am

[quote=""Telynor""]One of my SCA personae is a Benedictine nun, and being that I'm nitpicky and a perfectionist, I made a habit from the skin out, with all of the layers. The one concession that I made for living in the Southwest was that most of it was made of cotton, and hoo-boy, was it warm at Estrella war that year! OTOH, people did think that I was the real deal in it, which was a hoot and a half. Suddenly it was very funny to see just who had gone to parochial school...[/quote]

I can imagine.

One of my best SCA buddies has as his persona a "worldly, decadent monk."

Rowan · Post by **Rowan** » Thu March 17th, 2011, 12:41 pm

Now you have me curious, Telynor, what exactly makes up a full Benedictine habit? I'd like to know how close our costumes are to the real thing.

wendy · Post by **wendy** » Thu March 17th, 2011, 12:46 pm

[quote=""Rowan""]Lil Ol' me. Don't laugh too loud.[/quote]

Wonderful! This takes me back to my high school production where I played Sister Bertha (and was the only nun who couldn't sing a note - they gave me the part because I was LOUD!!!) You look fabulous. It's a great show to be in. Enjoy!

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Thu March 17th, 2011, 12:53 pm

[quote=""Rowan""]Now you have me curious, Telynor, what exactly makes up a full Benedictine habit? I'd like to know how close our costumes are to the real thing.[/quote]

Mind you, this is the medieval version, so...

1. Shift, and white, usually linen. Only the truly pious would wear wool next to their skin.
2. Long tunic, close fitting sleeves, all the way to the floor, black, and high neck.
3. Robe, with wide, open sleeve, the sleeve long enough to hang to the knees when the arms are at the sides, and then turned up when being worn. Also black.
4. Scapular, long sideless tabard, hanging to halfway between the knees and the floor.
5. Black low boots and stockings, black leather belt.
6. The headgear -- first, a cap tied in place under the chin, then the wimple, a long rectangle of cloth wrapped under the chin and then pinned in place on the cap. Then a white strip that is folded around and over the cap/wimple and pinned and tied in the back to hide the rest of the hair and help keep everything in place. Finally the veil, long and rectangular which gets pinned in place, with a finer black one over for the nun who has moved onto quire status, and has taken more permanent vows. A final touch -- a wedding ring on the left hand.

Yes, sounds very complicated, but once it all goes together, it looks rather splendid and pulled together. The only bare skin you'd see on a nun is her face and hands, nothing else.