Basic larp costume - the benefit of trift stores and flea markets

After the doctor diagnosed me with periathritis of the shoulder yesterday, I did the only logical thing a larper can do in the circumstances. I went shopping. Unfortunately shopping for me doesn't mean going to the mall  squeaking and buying $100 t-shirts. First I went to a local hunting shop and bought myself a $200 hungarian recurve bow just to show my periathritis I mean business. The bow is by the way Awesome with a well deserved capital letter and you will likely see additional blog posts on archery tips, a review as well as a quiver guide in the mostly foreseeable future, depending on how fast my shoulder heals. 

Anyway after that well deserved treat I went to the flea market. Did I ever mention flea markets are a gold mine? No? OK let me say so now, flea markets, trift stores, second hand shops are all gold mines. Old leather jackets are the cheapest source of real leather you will find but they are only the tip of the iceberg.
The next very useful thing you can find cheap is tough leather belts. And god is my witness you will need belts all the time.

Well maybe not THAT many belts, but for example - I have four - one for my hauberk, one for my coat of plates, one weapons belt and another for the waterskin and purse. Can't cut that number any lower, so I was naturally happy to get a pair of real leather heavy duty belts. You know there is strong, then there is Army strong and then there is Soviet army will work all day every day just add bullets strong. That was ten bucks well spent, the big one can probably support my full weight.

But the real gem and I should really have bought the two of them not just one, is an old rifleman's ammunition pouch for bolt-action rifle clips.  To put it simple - best 5 bucks I've spent in a while. They are for the lack of a better word - perfect for the task. Tough as a pair of old boots(and made from the same material), easy to hang from your belt and great addition to any character. The bonus point(questionable some might find it a minus) is that its old and well worn, it lacks the fake plastic look that comes with most items in online stores.

 

As for the possible uses, well there are two(3 really if you decided to do both)

One is to use it for purely RP safekeeping - trinkets, valuables, your coin, a potion or two(and yes I made another potion from a mini bottle) can be kept fairly safely inside and will certainly be less intriguing to some people than a jiggling coin purse on your waist. 

 Another possibility is to use it for keeping off game items - in my case keys, some aspirine, perhaps a couple of bandaids and a swiss army knife. Alas my magical talking stone (i.e. the phone) is just a bit too big to fit in. Perhaps if I oil the leather to soften it a bit, it will work. Normally people should not carry their phones as well - there is nothing more irritating that a call coming in the middle of a fight. Still having one or two around for emergencies is a wise idea and the tough leather pouch can keep it safe during the game.

Of course you can always do both and keep ingame items in one and offgame items in the other pouch.
Once I get another some free time I'll go search for new finds.