I ironed a bunch of pre-washed fabric for my loose gown. And I had a little epiphany … this gown will make me look matronly. But in the 1580s, I *would* be a matron! I’m 41 years old, my SCA persona is married, manages her estates in her husband’s many absences, and has grown children (one married and angling to take over the estate soon). If I want to be historically accurate, I’m the very definition of a matron. So there’s no point pretending I’m not.
Of course, I can be a very elegant and wealthy matron, wearing the very latest fashions from France, where I have connections. There’s always that.