Costume Guide

One of the great advantages of Western LRP is how accessible and affordable costuming can be! With a little creativity, you can put together a fantastic outfit without breaking the bank.

Getting Your Outfit Together

Charity Shops & High Street Finds – Many modern garments can work well with a Western aesthetic. With a keen eye, you can find waistcoats, shirts, skirts, and jackets in charity shops or high street stores that fit right into the era.

Western Costumers – If you're looking for something more authentic, there are excellent Western costumers who offer bespoke period outfits at reasonable prices. Whether you want a rugged cowboy look, a dapper townsperson, or a saloon performer'’'s flair, there are options available to suit your vision. Take a look at the following stores for ideas Doves And Dandies Western Wear, FLB Western Wear, Civil War Sutlers.

Facebook groups - There are a number of facebook groups that specialise in re-sale of old western costume. The age demographic of westerners means there's plenty of people hanging up their spurs and selling up.

Onsite shopping

There are a couple of shops on site that sell costume and accessories (for real money) - a clothing store, a general goods store and a leatherworkers. Stock and quality varies but the prices are always good.

We're also talking to a couple of western traders who hopefully will be able to set up stall for the weekend.

Footwear: Comfort First!

Western boots can look great, but period footwear is not a requirement. The most important thing is to wear comfortable, sturdy shoes that will keep you on your feet all day. You'll be walking on rough terrain, wooden boardwalks, and muddy roads, so good grip and support matter far more than absolute historical accuracy. Hopefully as we're running in July, dust will be the only issue, but the site and especially the main street can get muddy after continued rain. If you already own walking boots, riding boots, or durable work shoes in neutral tones, they'll serve you well.

Final Touches

Accessories can make all the difference! A hat, belt, scarf, or pocket watch can elevate even a simple outfit, helping you step fully into character without needing a head-to-toe custom ensemble.

Ultimately, practicality and immersion go hand in hand — dress for adventure, dress for comfort, and most importantly, dress to have fun!

Things to avoid

We're a roleplay game not a re-enactment so our rules on costume aren't strict as long as a suitable ascetic is presented. Having said that there are a few common items we suggest you avoid. While denim existed in the period, modern cuts of blue jeans often stand out in a way that clashes with the setting due to their ubiquitousness in the modern world. We kindly ask if you can, you to opt for alternatives such as canvas trousers, wool trousers, or period-style work pants that better suit the era. Americana saw a big upturn in the 50's and 60's and lots of 'western' costuming came from this period. avoid embroidered mens western shirts, bolo ties etc. If it looks like Marty McFlys 1950s cowboy costume its best to avoid. Finally don't wear spurs. They look and sound cool but you're not riding horses and they will catch in every bush and branch, as well as each other. They also aren't safe in a LRP combat situation. You can buy something called 'jingle-bobs' for your boots if you want to go clink as you walk.

Firearms in Deadwood LRP

When it comes to weaponry, most LRPers will already have a good idea of where to source melee weapons such as knives and tomahawks. This guide focuses primarily on firearms, outlining the options available within the system.

Blank Firers are Not Permitted

Deadwood LRP strictly prohibits blank-firing weapons, regardless of caliber or noise level. This is a non-negotiable rule for both safety reasons and to meet the requirements of our insurance. By buying a ticket to our game you consent that we are permitted to confiscate any blank firers brought to site for the duration of the event. Instead, players must choose from one of the following:

Cap Guns

There are two main manufacturers of adult-sized cap guns suitable for LRP: Denix and Kolser

Denix

• Offers a wide variety of Western-style firearms, making it easier to find a model that fits your character.
• Primarily designed as decorative "wall hangers, so while most do fire caps, they are not built for heavy use.
• Constructed with zinc alloy, which **wears down over time**, making them less reliable with extended use.

Kolser

• Produces a smaller range of Western-style guns but offers a variety of finishes and barrel lengths.
• Through extensive testing Kolser models have proven to be more durable and reliable for active LRP use.
• Generally a better long-term investment compared to Denix models.

PFC (Plug Fire Cap) Guns

PFC guns are more expensive than standard cap guns but offer significant advantages:

• More realistic operation – often used in film productions due to their authentic look and functionality.
• Louder sound effects – providing a more immersive experience.
• Produces more smoke and flash, adding to the cinematic feel of gunfights.
• Greater reliability – built to last longer under regular use.

While the cost is higher, a PFC gun is a superior option for those looking for enhanced realism, maintainability and durability.

Where to Buy

Battle Orders

We would reccomend Battle Orders for purchase of your firearms. They have a good range of Denix and Kolser models and are very helpful. We are hoping the will be able to attend the event and sell on site.

MG Props

For PFC guns we'd reccomend MG Props who are pretty much the last supplier in the UK still selling. They have a great range.

Other Options

If neither of these options are much to your liking or you don't want to spend too much, you could use the childrens cap guns that take rings of caps. They are usually a bit small in the adult hand but will do in a pinch. If you do choose a ring cap gun we would ask you to cut the rings down to 6 shots and count to 30 between reloading to give more of level playing field to those who have to reload their guns round by round.

Camping

We will be seperating the camping areas into IC and OOC. The IC camping area will be closest to the town itself as an extention of the IC area and the OOC camping closer to the carparking field.

IC Camping

IC camping is available for people who have authentic tents. We're not strict on period authenticity (canvas bell tents are fine) but please, no plastic or nylon tents in IC camping.

The inside of player tents is considered OOC and private. We have zero tolerance for people breaking this rule and be prepared to be asked to leave if you are caught where you shouldn't be. A tent being on in IC camping does not make it fair game for the light fingered. Please be sensible.

There is one exception to the rule, group tents. If an IC tent prominently displays a flag outside and the tent doors are open the inside of the tent can be considered an IC area.

Toilets and facilites

We will have a number of portaloos in the camping area and there is a toilet block in the town itself with disabled facilites. Unfotunately there are no shower facilites onsite. There are a number of water points across the site for drinking water.

Fires

Fires are only allowed on the camping field if raised off the floor in a log burner or fire box. Use a fireproof mat if you have one. Please also ensure you have a water bucket or means of quickly extinguishing the fire and do not leave it unattended.

Please do not bring paraffin lanterns or other real flame lighting. Very good LED lanterns are now widely available and they are what we will be using. Paraffin lanterns may be used to light the main street but should not be removed from their brackets.

The Town - OOC

Please show respect to the site. We are hiring it for the weekend and we want to be able to come back. The buildings are fully authenically dressed and we ask that you do not remove anything from them unless it is clearly marked as being part of the game or an obvious LRP prop. If a building is locked please do not try to break in. Smoking is not allowed in the buildings but you can use authentic looking vapes.