I’ve been working nonstop for several weeks now - every night taking work home, working on weekends, etc.  So, yesterday IGB and I decided we were going to go antiquing - for nothing in particular.  We had several places on the list to go.

Oh.my.god.  We only got through ONE floor of the Fox Skylight Gallery in 4 hours.  We had to go back Sunday for the Third floor and basement.  We found several very interesting books, a great many frames for our Family wall (when it is closer to done, I will post pics), and …hats. 

I didn’t know I was a collector.  I really didn’t.  I thought I was interested, and I had a few pieces, and I knew I had taste in quality.  But now I own four more hats than I did Friday.   Here are examples of two I picked up:

They were all of great prices and fit pretty well (apparently, I do well with most 22s).  There were many more I really wanted, but managed to control myself…at least a little.   I own these two, along with a magenta and a brown one.  Really, quite reasonable, if I do say so myself.

It shouldn’t have been such a surprise for me that I have something of an addiction collection. The night before, I was caught wearing this 30’s-style hat at a performance (and it stayed on!) 

 

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In visiting Demode today, I ran across a link that took me to another link, and as the journey usually goes, some wild jaunt into another area.  Well, I ended up finding some top notch Victorian costuming sites that I’d not found before.  I thought I’d share because - well - I’m just friendly like that.

First is Vintage Victorian, where I found the reference library.  There, they have images of dresses from various eras, complete with description of what makes them up.  THAT is huge to someone like me who is always looking to create costuming usually from pictures I find.  For example, this Victorian evening dress to the right is described as follows:

Evening Dress.

Figure 1: Evening dress of white and pink; the underskirt is of white satin, kilted in front, and trimmed with Mechlin lace, and a garland of pink roses. The overdress is of pink silk, is made like a polonaise, low neck and short sleeves, and is trimmed to correspond with underskirt with lace and flowers. Low corsage and short sleeves, with bertha of lace and flowers. Flowers on dress to match those on hair.
 

March 1880, Godey’s Lady’s Book.

Invaluable resource for those with costuming interests.  Additionally, the many pictures are good for MacGuyvers like myself who put together costumes in a haphazard and extemporaneous fashion.

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Next, for those who sew (or want to sew, such as myself) I found an interesting site from Wisconsin - State Historical Society’s Patterns of History.  With actual outfits as their base, they created patterns for those who are crafty to create high quality results.  Image from their site - from the page on the History of the 1874 Bustled Dinner Gown.Don’t you just love the intricacy of the detail of those costumes?  Even the hairstyle is easy to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Next is Truly Victorian, which also sells patterns.  However, the handy part of this site is that the majority of the patterns have a sample finished piece to show you the results of the costuming.  Now, this isn’t completely uncommon, but the fabrics used and the decoration added are sometimes questionnable, or give a really modern look to dress that would normally be much different looking.  For example, this tea gown.  And some of the results are shown ON people, which is always nice too.

 

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The last three are put together for a couple of reasons.  First is Your Wardrobe Unlocked, the costume maker’s companion.  I can’t tell you a whole lot about this site because, well, you have to pay to be a member and really read what is on it.  It describes itself as an online magazine for anyone who is passionate about making outstanding historical costuming.  It says it has images, information, classes, tips and more.  However, the cost is $10 per month.  It sounds simply awesome, however, and I am contemplating getting into it right after I learn how to sew in a straight line with a machine.

 

The second is Trystan’s Closet.  I have to give her a shout out because I simply adore this Robe a la Francaise.  It is simply a beautiful creation, and her description of how she made the shoes to go with it was extremely informative.  I love the photos too.  I personally think this is the best costume on the site, and the one that appears the most accurately portrayed, from the costume itself to the presentation.

 

Finally, I am interested - and thought you might be too - in checking out this FrockFlicks podcast, which Trystan appears to be a part of.

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There’s a long list of t-shirt photos, along with some hilarious translations of what they say, in this Livejournal Post.  I know when we watched Firefly, we wondered where we could get those awesome t-shirts.

Be ready for some serious Jayne-love and drooling in the post. 

Additionally, discussion on Jayne’s cowboy hat .

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I thought this simple article about not only how they did the makeup for Elizabeth: The Golden Age, but also the historical methods of doing makeup during that era, was interesting. 

Plus, I love it when they give me the tips and tricks to accomplish a look using current tools that I have! 

(That ruff is drool-worthy, as were most of the ruffs in the movie.  I understand that a lot of the costuming was not spot on accurate, but it was BEAUTIFUL.)

 Link to makeup site gathered through Costumer’s Guide.

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Those of you who know me personally won’t be surprised by this, but I’ve decided to add costuming to one of my categories.  I’ve had DeMode on my Blogroll for a little while, and my recent fascination with watching everything Elizabeth I has got me totally wrapped up in costuming heaven again.

I really tried to avoid it.  Really I did.  I didn’t want to fall into that bellydancer/rennie/pennsic/larper/roleplayer pit of chatting about costumes and movies with costumes, and this or that era.  This blog was going to be beyond that, above that - more “intellectual” and less drool. 

And frankly, I was pretty sure if I came out about all the above things, I might be immediately deemed an eccentric and relegated to ignominy in the blog world.   

But I keep wanting to tell you all things I’m finding about costumes (and movies coming out with great costumes) and etc!  I wanted to show you all the hard work I’ve done over the years with costuming, whether through a difficult purchase *ahem* or whether I actually crafted something myself.

I say crafted because, well…I don’t sew.  Not yet.  Not really, at least.  I have a sewing machine, and it can sew on fabric.  But whether it makes anything for real is another thing.  I can’t read patterns, and I chose to take shop class instead of home economics.  My mother refused to teach me how to sew because she was certain it would end up in one of our deaths (she might have been right on that, but I don’t think she realized it might have been me dying from the stifling superiority she emanates while telling me how to sew.  Love you mom.)  I did crossstitch and needlepoint and even a hook rug and none of them ever had the perfect back structure.  I’m sort of a free spirit when it comes to needle and thread.

This has not, however, stopped me from creating items.   So I call it crafting since the purists would surely not call what I do “sewing”.  Most of the time, I manage to get by with the strategic positioning of safety pins, tucks, and confidence.

There’s also the issue of historical accuracy.  I know enough to be dangerous and delighted, but not enough to really go into depth.  I know enough to understand that I should use wool in that garb (see, I’m even embracing the jargon…coming out is SO HARD!) but I will still buy it in acrylic, because it has a more pleasing pattern.  And no, I don’t (yet) dye all my own fabric or handspin or handstitch or whatever else is inauthentic about my costuming projects or purchases. 

But I love costuming, of almost all eras.  I have lots of Renaissance costumes, a Victorian costume, Bond-girl costumes.  I want more.  I want to make some of it, and I’m content to buy most of it. And I’m extra content to let others do the accuracy and researching of it - and post it here for you. 

In my “costuming”, I include hairstyles, headcovering, makeup, and footwear.  Be ready!

It’s my Blog, I’ll post if I want to! 

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