Don't know if I've posted about this or not, but this is yet another thing I do when it's this time of year. My partner and I, probably about seven or eight years ago, noted that the few people that go in costume to the local Ren Faire do so either as knights or elves or some other obvious protagonist. I casually mentioned we should go as orcs and the next year, we did. The costumes have got more and more elaborate over time and weight between 40 and 60 pounds. This is my 'light' version. The masks are full head silicone and do move when we speak. They are HOT. The chain mail and gauntlets are steel, the rest is leather of some sort, the boots, on my costume (I'm on the right) are actually work boots from Japan. 

In this close-up, you can just make out the contacts I'm wearing and get a hint of the black makeup underneath. If things go well, it takes only about half an hour to get into this, much of the armor being put on in the parking lot at the last minute. We managed 2.5 hours and about as many miles this saturday. As is always the case, when we take the stuff off, we only then realize how damned hot we were. We give out little trinkets to kids and tell them they're brave, parents like to get photos with us and the kids. A lot of adults like to do so, too. It's all good fun and I get to be out and about pretending to be someone I'm not. There's actually a lot of relaxation in being anonymous like this. The only real downside is that we often get accosted by drunk, older women who want us to 'drag them off to our lair,' or some such. Last year, as we were posing for pictures with one, she slurred, "Watch out; I grope." Yah, watch out for drunk older women. They seem to like orcs. Still, all good fun and we look forward to it every year. I will continue to go as long as I'm able, but at 59, it takes a LOT out of me.