Hey guys, guys!

[elingregory]

Guess what I've been doing today!

Making wig curlers out of air drying clay, that's what! Herself has decided she needs 50 of them so she can - well, to be honest I'm not entirely sure what she wants them for. I merely follow orders, right? Right.
Proper wig curlers are made from pipe clay and are smooth and white and look like little bones. Mine are made from terracotta and look like little lumpy double-ended willies. Probably nobody will notice. This makes me happy.

Another happiness is that I've got a guest on my Comfy Chair blog. Kiran Hunter, author of Bedevil, is answering questions about ghosts, inspiration and sequels and there's a very nice excerpt of Bedevil too. Bedevil is a terrific and quirky short story about a gay couple, one of whom inherits an old house with a very unusual sitting tenant. Come and show Bedevil and Kiran some love. :)

And finally please excuse me for squeeing a tiny bit - my pirate novel On A Lee Shore has been accepted for publication! :) I'm apologising in advance because I'll probably natter on about it a bit.

Comments

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Huge congrats on getting your pirates accepted for publication! All that hanging around in the bath was clearly worth it :)

[elin-gregory.livejournal.com]

And the eye patch! I think I can probably take it off now. :) thanks hunny. It's very exciting.

Alex checked the boaty bits and said there was only one place that made her go 'bwuh?' - easily put right. The big problem is naval uniform. Everyone knows that naval uniform is navy blue - but in 1718 it wasn't, not formally. The admirals and well off captains wore pretty much what they liked so Cloudsley Shovell is depicted in bright blue and Hopson and - erm - name escapes me are all in red. I found a source that said that less wealthy officers bought army uniform and added naval insignia, so a red coat would be right for Kit but AoS aficionados will assume he was a lieutenant of Marines. What to do? I reckon I'll get poked about it whichever way I go.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't worry too much about the uniform issue. As you rightly said, there weren't any naval uniform regulations at that stage, and even when they were introduced they were rarely enforced consistently until much later.

For what it's worth though, I checked my copy of Jarrett's British Naval Dress and he has this to say "At the beginning of the eighteenth century flag-officers were recommending the inclusion of striped clothing among the articles available from contractors." He also provides details of some of the contracts and red and grey seem to be the predominant colours for coats, jackets and breeches, along with the ubiquitous strip'd ticken.

[elin-gregory.livejournal.com]

LJ ate my response :(

I said something like a sensible sort like Kit would probably be in grey but I think, with his colouring, he could carry off a red waistcoat.

Actually since it's Kit's POV all the time, I rarely mention his clothes, other than that they are present, but the times that I do I wanted them to be right. This gives me a lot of reassurance. Many thanks.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Kit would probably be in grey but I think, with his colouring, he could carry off a red waistcoat.
I'm sure Kit would look very fetching in red and grey!

I rarely mention his clothes, other than that they are present
Are you sure they're always present? :P

times that I do I wanted them to be right. This gives me a lot of reassurance. Many thanks.
You're welcome. Any excuse to poke around in naval officers uniforms! I've posted a couple more bits and pieces in reply to your comment over at my LJ.