[lapetitejort]

If I wanted to gain access to places in 2023 without too much trouble, I'd don a hard-hat, reflective vest, and a clipboard. However, what is the equivalent attire for 1880's London? 500's Mesoamerica? 300's Rome? Please answer fast as my rift is opening.

[bryanrasmussen]

In most of human history there has been wider differentiation between the classes than there has been in the past 30 years or so, and as such there is unlikely to be just one uniform that allows authoritative access to every where, in most cases you will want a number of costumes suited to what you are attempting to do.

In 1880s London prepare an upper class costume as already suggested, a copper's outfit - this will also allow you to bear a formidable truncheon, it is nice to have access to weaponry when getting access to places when someone discovers you have gained access to said places.

[bryanrasmussen]

In most civilizations before reformation era Europe you would be best off dressing as some sort of priest or scribe.

[TeMPOraL]

Not sure about 1800's London, but for those earlier dates, the typical community you'd be visiting was small enough that everyone knows of most members, so you'd be discovered no matter the outfit, if enough people saw your face.

The tip from 'bryanrasmussen is good - dressing as a priest is probably the safest bet; alternatively, as a soldier (in Rome) - the few people who had recognizable uniforms and were commonly traveling outsiders.

[KineticLensman]

> the equivalent attire for 1880's London?

Either a top-hat and a suitably wealthy attitude, or dress like a washerwoman who has come to scrub the floors.

[amenhotep]

As long as you use the servants' entrance, anyway!

[golergka]

I recently watched this hour-long instructional video for time travellers into medieval Europe and found it very useful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aSdFrPnlRg

[AnimalMuppet]

Use your rift to check back for late answers...

[lapetitejort]

A real time traveler would know that opening a rift just to get the latest Hacker News was banned in 2052

[rollcat]

Sorry for nitpicking on your grammar, but you are supposed to use the prophetic perfect for stating future events as if they were past.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophetic_perfect_tense

[sprobertson]

I think "was banned" is correct according to that link -

> future events ... are referred to in the past tense as if they had already happened

Lots of wordy theologist writing elsewhere in the article but it sounds like in practice it's just using the past tense.

[Tao3300]

By Imperial Edict of Dang I