Author: kendra

So I’ve found out (thanks to Trystan) that I don’t have to put my 18th century corset on my dress form at the Costume Con exhibit, which means I can wear 18th century – yay! Of course, I’m suddenly fantasizing about quickly finishing my jacket just so I have something new to wear – and am contemplating maybe pushing it back to a 1740s-50s jacket, with a laced-over-stomacher and cuffs. Wouldn’t that be cute? And I finally found an inspirational image for my new Venetian dress, which under no account can I start until after Costume Con, but I am busy fantasizing about it nonetheless! Okay. Deep breaths. IF I get the masquerade and exhibit dresses done, I can finish the jacket and fulfill my need to wear something new. I shall NOT think Venetian! No way!

So I’ve realized that while I am sewing madly, on two projects, for Costume Con 26, I’m not actually going to get to WEAR any of it (except for the secret masquerade project, but that’ll just be Sunday night). So I am grumpy about having nothing new and fabulous to wear, and have been joking with Sarah about things like “wear your most boring costume!” gatherings (which for me would be the Bet costume — if you see a gin-soaked pickpocket roaming around CC26, you’ll know why!).

I might wear my Florentine, if I can tweak the bodice fit in time, but even that feels like a “this old thing” to me as I’ve worn it a few times in the past year. Otherwise, I don’t know! Rewear something recent and fabulous like my purple striped 1871 dress? Something new-ish, relatively unworn, but boring like my Meg dress? Something I haven’t worn in forever like the 1909 afternoon dress? The MOST annoying thing is I won’t be able to wear anything 18th century, my current passion, because my stays will be on my dress form in the exhibit. Grump.

In other news, the CC26 people have added a Suggest a Program Item form (direct link doesn’t seem to be working, so go their homepage and click on Program & Exhibits > Suggest a Program Item) to their website, and I want to highly encourage attendees to both suggest programming (panels, lectures, workshops) they’d like to see, and especially to volunteer themselves to be on programming. The only way we’re going to get programming we like is if we all pitch in and do it ourselves! Costume Con seems very DIY to me, so get over your shyness and think about what you could share with others. I know I’d love to hear from so many of my online friends (I’m especially hoping someone could put something together on 16th century construction, as that’s something I know little about and would love to know more – hint hint!). So suggest and volunteer!