Author: kendra

Posted on

I’ve been AWOL because I care?

Actually, because of performing at the Dickens Fair! I’ve been having a blast this year, having really hit my stride with my character. I did make a new skirt, and I posed in one Dark Garden (corset shop) window last weekend, and am doing another tomorrow morning – so I will have pictures soon! This weekend is the last, and then it’s Christmas break. While I plan to catch up on sleep and other useful things, I’m also going to get a bit of sewing done too!

I’m excited because I’m going to be going to the SCA West Kingdom 12th Night, especially because I get to hang with my costume peeps who I haven’t seen in a while. I’ll be wearing my new Venetian, and I need to let down the skirt in front as it ended up a bit too short (which means re-cartridge pleating the sucker). MAYBE I could make the partlet and girdle that I’ve planned for that outfit in time? We’ll see. Then in late February is GBACG’s Tudor Feast — I’ve decided instead of killing myself to make a Tudor dress in time, or just not going, I’m going to use this as a perfect opportunity to unpick all the trim on my Florentine so I can fix the evil bodice wrinkles. Hey, it’s 1540s! I’m hoping I can get both things done over break so I can start the new year with a fresh slate of brand new projects!

Posted on

2009 Plans

Even though Dickens Fair is about to suck my life’s blood until Christmas, I’m starting to think about 2009 sewing — and I’m strangely unsure what I’m going to do! Do I want to rush to make a Tudor dress for the GBACG Tudor Family Reunion in late February? (Well, yes, I want a Tudor dress, but do I want to commit to a huge project in two months? Not sure). I know I want to make my 1660s Nell Gwyn dress (but the cost of the fabric is making me drag my feet), and a soon-to-be-unveiled plan for a really rocking late 18th c. dress — both of those for Costume College.

Really, if I’m going to noodle on something, I should pick back up one of my in-progress costumes (particularly my Edwardian suit), but it’s hard to want to work on those with no specific place to wear them coming up. I could be ridiculously practical and work on my Gatsby dress, so I’m ready with months to go and actually GO to the event this year… Hmmm! It’s not like I don’t have a huge list of plans for costumes I want to make. Really, I should go look at the stash and see what I can make without buying more fabric.

Posted on

Costume in Cinema

Updates & links! I reviewed the new BBC Oliver Twist (starring Timothy Spall as Fagin). I’ve updated the upcoming films page with a lot of new listings, and found that PBS (what used to be Masterpiece Theatre and is now) Masterpiece Classics has announced their 2009 lineup; they’ll be showing some repeats, along with the new Tess of the d’Urbervilles (BBC), Wuthering Heights (ITV? does anyone know which production this is?), Oliver Twist (BBC; the one I just reviewed, Little Dorrit (BBC; I’ve seen two episodes and so far I like it), and the Old Curiosity Shop (ITV).

Also, in fixing a few links I reread my review of Dangerous Liaisons and realized that I really needed to update it with this note: Okay, it had to be said. This movie hasn’t aged too well. It’s still really really good, but comparing the costumes to those in more recent/accurate films makes these appear a bit shabby and theatrical. In particular, some of the color choices are off in the women’s gowns (most French gowns of this era were one color in dress, petticoat, stomacher, and trimmings), and the hairstyles are very 1750s (with costumes being 1770s). Which makes me wonder — which costume movies did you used to think were just the be all/end all, and now have been replaced with more interesting/accurate/well done costume movies? While Dangerous Laision used to be mine for 18th century, now I’d say it’s Marie Antoinette and The Duchess.

Posted on

Real Women’s Clothing Directory – now 1600-1919!

I’ve actually had enough time to do the major housekeeping required on the Real Women’s Clothing directory. All broken links have been fixed or removed – thanks to those who emailed to point things out! Unfortunately it’s a huge task to go through and correct links — I have to systematically go through the whole thing, or I forget which parts have been checked and which haven’t and have to start all over again. Also, I was asked by the Museo del Traje to list their name next to all of their listings; this is something I’ve thought about doing for a while, but their request made me get off my butt and do it. So now each listing has the museum indicated, which took a few weeks to complete.

In far more exciting news… the directory has always reflected my research interests. It started as just Victorian, then grew to include the second half of the 18th century. Now that I’ve been seriously studying the 17th and first half of the 18th century, I’ve included listings for 1600-1699 and 1700-1749! There aren’t a ton of listings, as the earlier you go, the less has been preserved, but there’s enough interesting stuff in there to warrant doing it. I’ve thought about including the 1500s too, but there are enough sites out there (the Elizabethan Costuming Page, the Realm of Venus) who are doing these harder-to-find eras, and I think doing it better than I could.

There are a VERY few new listings in the other eras (1750-1919), but soon (give me a month or so) I’ll have a ha-uge whopper of an update to those eras. I’ve found some really great resources lately!

Happy browsing!