Author: kendra

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Help Me Focus

AAAAA! Okay. Costume ADD here. So I’ve finished all of the things that I HAD to get done. I’ve got a few things I WANT to get done. But mostly, I’m kind of at loose ends right now. Here’s my thoughts — any opinions?

I definitely want to make the evening bodice to my 1875 candy cane dress to wear to the Dec. Gaskell ball — that’s about 2.5 months away.

In the meantime, do I:
A) Enjoy putting my feet up, watch a lot of costume movies, and leave myself free to start on 2006 projects early?
B) Make the Truly Victorian Talma Wrap to wear to Dickens Fair (will it ever be cold enough? Yes, I’m in California) because it’s smart and I never seem to get beyond dresses to things like outerwear. It would be nice to start building wardrobes, but annoying to make it only to sweat to death. Of course, then I could wear it to the Gaskell ball (for all of 5 min. coming and going).
C) Break out the cream and green striped poplin that’s been staring at me with it’s evil unblinking eye for the past week, asking to become a late 1830s/early 1840s day dress for Dickens? Although I already have at least three options that can be worn to Dickens — the candy cane nightmare, the print 1830s day dress, and the green plaid/fringed 1850s day dress.

Note: the 1780s jacket will still be happening — that’s my public transit only project.

Crikey. Let’s not even get into next year’s projects — there are a bunch of GBACG events coming next year for which I don’t have outfits, but for which I’m not at all excited about sewing.

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Costume Movie Happiness

From the Masterpiece Theatre newsletter: Coming in November! THE VIRGIN QUEEN

Sundays, November 13 + 20, 2005. Anne-Marie Duff stars as The Virgin Queen in a lavish new two-part drama based on the improbable rise and tumultuous reign of one of England’s greatest monarchs: Elizabeth I. The series explores the full sweep of Elizabeth’s life: from her days of fear as a potential victim of her sister, “Bloody” Mary ); through her great love affair with Robert Dudley; into her years of triumph over the Spanish Armada; and finally her old age and her last, enigmatic relationship with her young protege, the Earl of Essex.

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Oh My

I’d only heard offhand, unclear references to Moda a Firenze 1540-1580: Lo stile di Eleonora di Toledo e la sua influenza (Fashion in Florence 1540-1580: The style of Eleanora of Toledo and her influence), but my recent interest in Italian fashions of the 16th c. made me decide to hunt it down. And WOW, am I glad that I did! The book (in Italian and English) is simply gorgeous, with tons of portraits I’ve never seen before. But most importantly… want to see what Eleanora of Toledo’s burial dress really looks like? Want a research update on the dress (ie it never had sleeves)? Want to see a beautiful, full-length AND detail shot of this dress? Then get thee this book! Unfortunately it’s a bit hard to track down (and expensive — it seems to run in the $60 range, plus shipping from Italy) ) — try searching for books in Italian on Bookfinder.