2019 Costume Year in Review

(I'm behind on updating events for the second half of the year, but you'll get some of that within.)

I… pretty much did nothing this year. Ok, that’s not totally true, but going through year two of motherhood + working full time leaves not enough time for me for sewing. At least, not enough big, contiguous chunks of time. I used to take a whole free weekend (when I had them) and spend all day on a project. I don’t have that anymore. And my evenings are for relaxing and recovering, and they are just enough time to take stuff out before having to go to bed. It’s just not working for me now, but I know that will change. And someday she will want to do her own thing, and I’m going to wonder what to do with my time!

Knowing all this, last year I said, “ Since my sewing time/drive has been so low, I think my main goal for 2019 will be to have as many of my older costumes photographed as possible. At least I’ll have a good record of them that way! So it’s accomplishing something.” and “ So next year, I’d like to finish the mending pile, to include actually assembling that new regency dress. Trimming the francaise would be good. As would doing literally anything else. I clearly need a bustle gown. Other than that, I think I’ll just try to rewear stuff that never was well-photographed, and get as many pics as I can.”

Since I set the bar so very low, I can say that yes! I accomplished this! I rewore stuff, I had photographs taken of old stuff. I did not trim the francaise, though that’s not because I didn’t try. The trim I had envisioned just didn’t look right with the fabric I had, so after trying a couple different ways to pleat the fabric, I put it away for another time. So I did at least try. And I did finish my mending pile!! I did not assemble the regency dress. I took it out a few times and just wasn’t into it. And since the Pumpkin Tea this year was bustle era and not regency, I figured I can do it next time I need a new regency day dress. So I deprioritized it.

I did go to quite a few costume events, which was nice. And I bought two Victorian gowns on FB, so I finally have things to fill in the gaps where I have not had time to sew. One of them still needs hemming, though I hemmed the first one I bought.

So here was my year.

February: Victorian Tea at Dupont Hotel



The lighting was terrible but Mike and Gloria did do some pics. I wore my old 1840s watered silk gown with an antique pelerine over it just to do something new. Here’s their pic of me:



I participated in In the Long Run Designs New Kit-Cat Club photo project. Here was my photo from that project. I wore an older gown, but one of my favs. Red and white striped silk and a take on the famous gown from the KCI collection. I got some nice photos of it from that shoot!



More below the cut!

Celestial Ball

Next up, we are into May! Thanks to Janine and Ron babysitting for us, we were able to attend the Celestial Ball at Gadsbys Tavern. I was just a tad slow to realize that the ball was on… May the 4th. Also known as Star Wars Day. Get it? Celestial Ball? Anyhoo, once I realized, I sprang into action. I was hot off of rewearing my Leia Bespin gown at AwesomeCon, and I thought… maybe I could make a regency Leia Bespin outfit and Star Wars bound. So I dug out the very first regency dress I ever made (which was terrible) and took a look at the available dyes I had, and tossed it in the washer with said dyes. It took a mix of scarlet and tan, and taupe and 3 tries, but I finally got it the shade I wanted. Dry, which was tricky since it looked the right shade wet, but then faded when dried. I wore my actual screen accurate Bespin cape as an over dress, and added Han/Leia profile necklaces, the accurate hairdo (it totally worked!), and a rosette I got as a party favor at the waist. And I wore my Leia Bespin flats. So basically it was almost all screen accurate but the dress. Doug wore his Han Solo jacket over tan pants and a white embroidered vest. I’m not sure how many people attending really got the whole Star Wars thing, but it was *definitely* Gadsbys intent given their traditional cheese hedgehog had Leia buns, and the menu was done in a Star Wars font. Awesome.









Outfit:











And one of the highlights was when the musicians played this little number. Music on for this short video! (You might have to click through because Flickr is sometimes not great with video.)



It was awesome seeing friends, but there is always someone who has to be rude and yank you around if they feel you are going the wrong way. Which sometimes you are not. Don’t be that person. Yanking someone’s arm hurts and it sucks.

November Ball at Gadsby's Tavern

November also brought a ball at Gadsby’s Tavern to which I finally wore the second of two 18th century jackets I made with fabric bought years ago in Germany. I got one meter each of some pretty fabric, and I was able to very carefully turn them each into a jacket. I completed this a while ago but only now wore it. I whipped up a quick petticoat in gold silk taffeta to go with, and grabbed some “dead dino” a.k.a. synthetic fabric for a sash. I believe this is the reverse side of the fabric I used to line my Pirates of the Caribbean gown! The necklace is by my friend Gloria: https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthelongrun, and I wore antique earrings you can’t see very well here.



We had dinner at the Columbia Firehouse. I forget what kind of cocktail this was, but it was good. Also squash soup, and crab cakes. Doug got a pasta he didn’t care as much for. I gave him a crab cake. :-)



At the Gadsby’s giftshop, a chocolate Gadsby’s Tavern!



The traditional cheese hedgehog:













Jess:



Carolyn:

Jane Austen Ball

Ah, the August ball at Gadsbys. It was perhaps the hottest day of the year and despite AC, it was so so so hot. And after the ball, when going outside for air… no relief. 10pm and it was just as hot outside as in. Brutal day. We did our best to enjoy, but it was a tough one. As a result, there are only a few photos and we look terribly sweaty in all of them.

Before the ball!



My new wheat tiara. I couldn’t find an ebay link since they don’t keep much of a history. Sorry. :-(



Georgian rings from CJ Antiques Ltd:









And so it begins.















The traditional hedgehog:

Birthnight Ball

We attended the Birthnight Ball at Gadsby's Tavern last night. Just the ball, not the banquet. We actually had dinner at Warehouse Bar & Grill, and it was delicious.

Here's a group pic:



Gadsby's had food too at the ball, but were were so stuffed from dinner!



The traditional hedgehog:



George Washington's birthday cake:



This guy's wig game was on point:





I made a drop front dress from the Laughing Moon pattern I used for my white and silver striped one: http://www.lafnmoon.com/product_p/p126.htm

I used a silver tissue sari embroidered with bullion that I got at the Great Fabric Giveaway at the Pumpkin tea! My tiara is vintage teens/20s: http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2014/08/vintage-tiara.html

I wore this little late Victorian Star brooch: http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2016/01/star-brooch.html

A couple of Georgian rings:
http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2015/09/georgian-ring.html

http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2016/02/georgian-ring.html

http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2016/02/georgian-ring_14.html

My bargain Georgian earrings:
http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2015/02/georgian-earrings.html

And my lovely necklace was made by Gloria, and In the Long Run Designs: https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthelongrun







George and Martha Washington:



George Washington making a toast/speech:





Here he wishes the King of England "eternal itching!"

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBwO9O1vENR/?taken-by=lovelyrita_mm



Shoe shot!



Group shot:



And the back of my gown: