Honestly, the thing that's been the most worrisome so far (aside from applying for a visa, which I don't recommend unless one is attempting a heart attack to provide the family with life insurance a la Death of a Salesman) has been the daunting concept of packing. In general, I require a lot of clothing over the course of the year. I have a few dresses I wear on a regular basis for class or when I don't feel like dealing with picking out an outfit, and a few others I wear pretty regularly on the weekends or for nicer occasions. Then there are sweats for the gym and dance, sweaters for fall-spring, sweatshirts for late nights and bumming around the apartment, outerwear, pajamas, and socks/stockings. All of that is just for normal school. In addition, my activities at home require gowns for various balls in various periods (most commonly 1860s, 1890s, and 19-teens), day outfits for 1860s for work, Edwardian walking whites for picnics and teas, a Regency dress or two for events, and the proper underthings for each period. That's all for my historical hobbies. In addition to that, there's the addition of several mix-in pieces and accessories for steampunk events, general sci-fi/fantasy nerding, a few sparkly things for evening college events such as the annual Rocky Horror Picture Show and several cabarets, and my apron collection for hosting club meetings and teas.
That list is before I get to shoes, hats, and other accessories.
Needless to say, there's no way I'm going to fit all of this into the two suitcases current airline regulations allow for overseas travel. Some of it is easy to cut out (I probably won't need a shot-silk 1860s ballgown and accompanying hoops...probably.), but a lot of it is harder. I'm not planning to come home mid-year, which means warm clothing for winter, the bulkiest stuff, is impossible to leave without. I'm also planning on doing some dance and maybe some performance while I'm there, so proper dance clothes and footwear should come too. I've actually had nightmares about packing.
I often make references to the poem Nothing to Wear a lot, but a friend suggested I use one particular passage to solve my wardrobe travails. I highly recommend reading the poem, which can be found here, but below is the important bit. We find Miss McFlimsey on her way back to the states from shopping abroad, wearing most of her clothing through customs:
Sufficient to fill the largest sized chest,
Which did not appear of the ship's manifest,
But for which the ladies themselves manifested
Such particular interest, that they invested
Their own proper persons in layers and rows
Of muslins, embroideries, worked under-clothes,
Gloves, hankerchiefs, scarfs, and such trifles as those;
Then, wrapped in great shawls, like Circassian beauties,
Gave good-by to the ship, and go-by to the duties.
Her relations at home all marveled no doubt,
Miss Flora had grown so enormously stout
For an actual belle and a possible bride;
But the miracle ceased when she turned inside out,
And the truth came to light, and the dry goods beside,
Which, in spite of Collector and Custom-house sentry,
Had entered the port without any entry.
I think I'll pass, but it's not a bad idea.
If you've made it this far and are still reading, I salute you. As a reward, here is a video of some amazing Welsh sheep. Scotland has many sheep, which I've been told are all over Edinburgh. I love sheep, so I'm pretty excited about this. Hopefully I'll get to see some hearding in action! Although I don't think it could compare to this:
