30 Day Costuming/Cosplay Meme - Day 7

7. The character you have cosplayed that is most similar to you (if none that you have cosplayed, then one that you will cosplay)

Again with the not-so-much cosplaying as costuming... I don't know if most similar, but certainly my favorite character I've done costumes for is Princess Leia.  What a great character. Sarcastic, sassy, strong... (that's very alliterative) Definitely one of my fav characters of all time. I've really only done the Bespin costume for her (an early fav from long before I ever costumed though) - and I did do her classic white gown but somehow never really wore it. I'll have to remedy that next costume appropriate opportunity. I don't even have pictures of it on!

New earrings!

Thanks to Kat for pointing out these gorgeous 18th century style earrings. I bought a pair for the Francaise dinner. They arrived and I love them - they seem  like really nice quality and they're not clownishly big. 

Here's where you can buy them:
http://www.jtv.com/titanic-jewelry-collection--tm-margaret-graham-fts-baroque-chandelier-earrings/1555621.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CIW65Ortp8MCFSdn7AodDDUAQQ&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=500002190000304479&catargetid=500002190000274212&src=Q2SRCH&cadevice=c&mcid=XSMPLA

30 Day Cosplay/Costuming Meme - Day 6

6. Your favorite costume (that you have done)

Ooh, tough one! Maybe my Leia Bespin costume? I'm just so happy with how it turned out and so much work went into it (9 months of embroidery).

Outlander painting

Here's my mom's little painting of Doug and I from the Outlander tea from earlier this month. Keep in mind this is done in a book that isn't made of watercolor paper and it's really small!

30 Day Cosplay/Costuming Meme - Day 5

5. Blatant self plug! Link us to your cosplay page, be it dA, ACP, Coscom, whatever!

Star Wars: http://www.padawansguide.com
Movie costumes: http://costumersguide.com
Ever After: http://everaftercostumes.com
My costume site: http://costumersguide.com/maggie_costumes
Public costume blog: http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/

Riversdale House Regency Ball

While we've been to a bunch of balls at Gadsby's Tavern, we'd never been to one at Riversdale House before. We did take a tour there and had a picnic this summer - but this was our first chance to see what their balls were like. This one was a slightly belated Twelfth Night ball and it was so beautiful! Getting to see the house all lit up at night and decorated for Christmas was so cool. There was a light supper, which was delicious and used period recipes - and two sets of dancing. So many people had really great costumes too. Overall, the event was really cool and I would definitely go to one there again.

Doug came along. I actually bought most of his outfit because I didn't have the time or expertise for men's wear.

Gloria helped me out with a pattern she had for a late 18th century waistcoat (straight lower edge) that works for 1780s/90s. I made it out of green dupioni (not super period) from the stash. I used it because the coat I had bought him on etsy had a green lining so it matched perfectly! Thanks, Gloria, for the tutorial and all the help!



I bought drop-front breeches from this seller. Gloria has bought from them too for her husband and this seller is reliable and makes really nice breeches. Quality is good, fit as expected.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/colonialclothing

I bought the coat from this seller. I'm really happy with it. https://www.etsy.com/shop/Verdanta

Gloria gave me an extra shirt she had that didn't fit her husband, though I really need to make a cravat for it. Oh well, next time.

I wore my black sari gown - it was sorta new since I wore something over it for the pumpkin tea.


Since I had the time (I spent the day finishing the waistcoat), I spent the day in curlers, with this result:


I pinned the hair up in the back and wore my deco tiara.






Fan by Gloria. It has my girl Mrs. Russell on it. https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthelongrun


Here's Riversdale House all lit up with lanterns! So pretty!









 

Outlander Holiday Tea

So our holiday tea ended up being Outlander themed - we thought it would be fun to have a time-travel theme and have everyone come in either 1740s or 1940s because those are the two period in the show. We opened it up to 1840s too - and we had a lot of really fun costumes. We ended up at an Irish pub (not quite Scottish) for late lunch/early dinner and they restaurant was nice and empty and we had the place to ourselves. It was a really fun afternoon!

(I posted about my outfit here: http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2015/01/outlander-inspired-outfit.html)













Gloria and I were twinsies! Even our shoes!






























Kat's pic:


Gloria's pics:

2014 Year in Review

Better late than never, right?

Here's what I said I wanted to do last year. How did I do?

1) I'm going to finish that Sleepy Hollow Windmill gown

No, BUT thanks to Gloria, I now have a pattern for the jacket. I just have to find time to make it. And this is going to be one of my next projects, high priority!

2) A 1790s gown for the Birthnight Ball

Yes! I did do this! And I used stash fabrics! A striped semi-sheer for the underdress and a dark red/blue striped silk taffeta I've had in the stash for ages - that I know Amanda and Leia have also used. I think we all got it via the same sale!





3) Maybe a new francaise if I have time, if not I'll rewear an old one to the Francaise dinner.

I didn't have time and rewore one, but that's ok - this gown only got one wearing at Costume Con and not for long. I did add new accessories and styling.



4) A regency ball gown out of the pale blue striped silk I got from Taylor for March

Nope!

5) An orange drawstring (I DO WHAT I WANT!) gown out of the orange sari for March

Yes!



6) The green anglaise worn by Mrs. Russell.

Nope, but high up on the list for 2015.

7) I want to make some 20s gowns.

I made one! Plans for another.



8) Maybe I'll make an Edwardian gown.

Nope, but I altered one that I bought from a friend - so half credit?



9) Some 18th century jackets

Yes! One complete, and 3 or so others cut out! Assembly line style (all slightly different pattern variations). I also made the petticoat and stomacher. Knits by Gloria.



Finish refitting some of my 18th century gowns, and generally improving my current wardrobe so it fits better.

I did a little of this but have gone back and forth at how much effort to put into this.

So.. I didn't do badly for 2014 plans!

What else did I make?

This black regency drawstring dress. It's simple but I love this sari fabric.



And I made this A League of Their Own uniform:

Now - what do I want to do next year.

1) Sleepy Hollow Windmill costume
2) Finish the jackets I cut out.
3) If I have time (big if on this one) - maybe like this one.

4) A new saque for the francaise dinner
5) A 20s dress
6) Mrs. Rusell's green dress
7) Clare's plaid dress from Outlander
8) A drawstring dress out of this sheer white with silver fabric I have.
9) Pelisse
10) silk 18th century mantle
11) An Elsa jacket: https://blog.fabric.com/2014/12/pattern_hack_snow_queen_jacket.html

And I'll leave it at that!

30 Day "Cosplay" Costuming meme - Day 4

4. Your costuming communities, where do you go to talk about costuming?

This would have been a much longer list in the old days - so many great forums from Yahoo Groups (LotR especially) to the TFN Jedi Council Forums Costume & Props group, not to mention LJ. These days, just LJ.  I know there are public FB groups, but I just lurk because they are so public.

30 Day "Cosplay" Costuming meme - Day 3

3. Your most recent costume.

For myself, the Outlander inspired outfit:

But I just finished a waistcoat for Doug for the ball at Riverdale House.

I didn't make his full costume and we're still missing pieces of it but here it is: