Fashion Historian & Historical Costume Maker
Good lord, Costume Con is in less than two weeks. I’m taking votes as to what I should wear – I’ll be there for three days, plus there’s the Friday Night Social (the theme is Egyptian or deco, for which I have nothing appropriate) plus the two masquerades. I’m not going to be entering either masquerade, as it turns out, but I do need something fabulous to wear to the historical masquerade for reasons which I can’t yet make public. Which of my completed outfits is the most fabulous? Oh dear, off to examine my suitcase options…
Sorry for the delay – I’ve put up version 1 of my photos from GBACG’s Belmont Stakes event. Version 2 will be forthcoming as soon as the overachiever husband finishes fiddling with our group pictures (moral of the story: don’t ask the artist to merge panoramic photos, especially when he has 50 other important things to do, because even if you say “never mind” he will insist on doing it, but then run out of time).
The event itself was excessively fun. Everyone looked REALLY fabulous — there were lots of stripeys (yay!) plus our very own 1912 Barbie (“betting on horses is hard!”). We were seated right next to the windows, so had a great view, and it was a quick walk down to the paddock and racetrack. I had fun making my $2 bets and even won a few (okay, and lost a few too, but how could I not bet on a horse named Plush Velvet?).
I’ll get the group photos up as soon as I can.
I have been, however, sick as the proverbial dog since Wednesday. I know you all know, but there’s nothing worse to a costumer than taking TWO sick days and not be physically able to sew. Okay, I did a tiny bit on my Wings of the Dove dress (post forthcoming), but really nothing in the scope of having TWO DAYS OFF. So in non-fever, nose blowing news…
I’ve added a review of A Very Long Engagement to my 20th c. costume movies page.
I’ve caved and decided I am going to Costume College, where I shall be teaching a class on bodice draping and another on hairstyles of the bustle era.
And Sunday I dragged myself off of the couch (outside? there’s an outside?) to go Costume Academy, which is the GBACG one-day multi-class costume workshop. Attended Margo Anderson’s class on courtly women’s costume in the Elizabethan Era, then had lunch and looked at pretties (we had a dealer’s room this year!) and bought some vintage buttons — bought four (I know, they were expensive!) white satin with a little embroidered black flower 3/4″ vintage 1870s buttons, and five 1″ sorta brass colored will-work-for-Renaissance vintage buttons (I’m thinking I’ll incorporate these into my jeweled-belt-for-which-I-don’t-know-the-name for my Venetian gown) — and THEN taught my class on bustle gowns/overskirt (apron/poufs) draping. The class seemed to go well, in that some people said so afterwards, but I was so sick and out of it that I feel like I was very scattered and uninformative. It’s also SO annoying to try to teach an overview class without being able to have a bazillion images. I brought 11×17 color photocopies, but because of cost could only have about 20 images, when I would have loved to have shown much more (esp. undies, more construction details, etc.). I skipped the last class to return to my proper place on the couch.
And now I have to go back to work today! Whine!
I am going to be joining Bella Donna Venetian Courtesans, a group that performs at the northern Calif. Heart of the Forest Renaissance Faire. I just found out yesterday, and I am already sitting on my hands to keep them from starting work on an appropriate outfit. (Guess it might be good to figure out my character and what sort of costuming guidelines the group would like me to stick to, eh?) But that’s not stopping my mind from buzzing!