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!

2018 Costume Year in Review

Well, I set myself a very short list for 2018 and I accomplished none of it. I’m not sure I’m so much in a slump anymore as much as just not having time. Working full-time and having a baby is time-consuming (I mean, I don’t even have naps to use for sewing since I'm at work). If I made it more of a priority I’d have made more progress, but it just wasn’t. Sleep was a priority (and I don’t do well on low levels of it) as was keeping up with the house (important for my mental state - I can’t do chaos!). But I suspect I’ll have more time as my daughter gets better at playing independently. None of this is a complaint though - she is super delightful and I love every second I get to spend with her. So I'm good with this being the state of things right now.

What I didn’t do in the way of new costumes, I made up for in attending costume events (there were so many I couldn’t attend them all, and I skipped out on the Gadsby’s balls again this year because of time and timing) and in being photographed.

Being photographed is not something I’m 100% comfortable with because of not being model-sized, and with today’s high-res capability, it’s easy to feel like your flaws are out there on display. But on the other-hand, having costumes you’ve worked really hard on photographed is really nice, since so many of mine were made in the pre-digital era.

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 I’ve been working at feeling more comfortable in front of a camera so I feel like there has been some personal growth there this year.

So if I failed at sewing the few things I had suggested for the year what did I wear?

Btw, my list for this year was:

• a new francaise gown
• Rey (The Force Awakens)
• Windmill gown
• regency gown out of the cotton flowered sari

I did not do any of these, though I did pull out the already cut cotton flowered sari fabric pieces and put it on my sewing machine.

No, wait, I did make a new francaise! When I was on maternity leave! This year has felt like an eternity, so I forgot. I did make a new gown, early in the year, though I have been meaning to trim it for the rest of the year and failed at that (ie, went back to work).

Ok, let’s back up. The first costumey thing I did was back in March (when my daughter was 4 months old!) with the DC cosplay group. They rented the Graffiti Warehouse in Baltimore and did a urban/grit shoot there. I wore my Violet Baudelaire, which is as gritty as I get. I think it worked pretty well. Getting hairpieces to blend right is tough with such high quality photography. What was good once for lower res is not quite good enough. Anyway, it was nice getting photos of my costume and even better were some of the arty pics. In particular, I asked Mike of In the Long Run Designs to get a long shot of me in front of the huge windows. He was dubious but totally realized my vision and we're both happy with the shot.







Also in March, was the Francaise dinner. And I made a new gown for it (yay!), but didn’t have time to trim it, make a new stomacher, or petticoat. So I used ones I already had - and some day, the gown will have trim and look different. I have photos of an extant gown with a similar fabric (in red), so I modeled this on that (arm stripe direction included).

Also, unbeknownst to me, I’d had a nasty norovirus the night before, not food poisoning. So I was kind of out of it at this event. Photos by In the Long Run Designs also.





Also in March (I told you it was busy!) was AwesomeCon. We had an Outlander photo shoot and Mike (In the Long Run Designs) photographed us, so I got some nice photos of my plaid Outlander gown (from the episode The Gathering).



April was Fort Fred, and I rewore a gown I made 10 years ago. I didn’t lace my stays quite tight enough (which is what happens when you change in a parking lot) and so I wasn’t happy with the fit. I had fun with everyone though! Pics from In the Long Run Designs:







April was also our Disney trip. I’d snagged this Baby Gap Snow White dress and bow while pregnant and deployed them during this trip.





I went to Carolyn’s Victoria Day party in May and rewore my plaid 1840s (because my Victorian wardrobe is woefully underpopulated) and I didn’t spend a lot of time on hair and make-up because I was in a rush, so no pics. BUT I rewore (I know) the same gown again in December for Carolyn’s Victorian Christmas tea and got some nice photos.

June was the Georgian Picnic (moved indoors) that Gloria and I hosted. I rewore my chemise gown since I hadn’t worn it in a very long time - and accessorized with a blue velvet sash, a necklace made by Gloria, and my QVC Marie Antoinette Smithsonian report earrings. And a lover’s eye pin by Queen and Cavendish.



Pic by In the Long Run Designs:



Then we hop to August, and the Portrait Gallery shoot that Mike & Gloria organized. I just posted extensively about that, so I’ll just post a couple of pics - it was nice getting this gown photographed. The whole show was a cool experience.

By In the Long Run Designs:



By Dan Arango:



By Rich and Strange/Justin Schneider:



In late August we visited England and though I didn’t get to do tons of costumey stuff (like the V&A), I did fulfill a long-time dream of seeing the Grey Lady costume in person. I didn’t get much time with it because they really race you out of the Great Hall. But it was so cool seeing it in person.



BRB, going to Hogwarts.





In October was Chelsea’s Historical Hogwarts party in Williamsburg - Janine, Conley, and I took a quick day trip and it was super fun! I accessorized my white regency Target curtain gown with Gryffindor bows bought at the Kings Cross gift shop in London, a shawl I already had in Gryffindor colors, American Duchess shoes, sashes I already had, and a witch hat I bought at a Con years ago. It’s gorgeous, leather, and heavy and hard to wear. This was a good party for it!



Then came Halloween! It was awesome! I whiffed on sewing anything for Elena, but I did buy this cool Moana set (it’s her favorite movie) off Etsy. And the heart of Tefiti necklace off Amazon. I had to put a shirt under it because we don’t live on a tropical island. But I was super happy with it.



I’d also bought this little astronaut suit for her, but… it was way too small when it came time to actually wear it. I took a few pics anyway. But the pant cuffs were hitting her at the knees! Oh well.





So we changed into Star Trek for daycare.



In November, Stephanie hosted her annual Pumpkin tea, but this year with an Austenland theme. So full face of make-up it was! I also wore my craziest hat, and my hot pink spencer over my white regency gown. I wore a pink and black shawl I made but hadn’t used every. And wore earrings by Gloria and hot pink necklace by Dames a la Mode.



Pic by Stephanie:



Which brings us to Caroline’s Victorian Christmas tea - Mike and Gloria were playing with a new lens and flash and through experimenting, got some cool shots!







Necklace and earrings are Dames a la Mode and star hair comb is antique.



Not bad for my first year with a baby (who is now heading into toddlerhood) and a packed schedule! I also managed to purge a bunch of fabric (which will be dragged out for our next exchange), and pull out some stuff to mend. But that stuff has been sitting there since November and I haven’t even managed to do the buttons on one of the baby’s dresses, so who knows.

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. Mike & Gloria have been so awesome to work with and it’s been nice having really nice photos of the things I’ve made. So big thanks to them!

2017 Costume Year in Review

Yeah, I got literally nothing done this year. In my defense, I was still suffering from my general costuming malaise and then I actually had a successful pregancy, so between changing sizes and being dead tired, I didn’t really do any sewing.

I started a waistcoat for Doug when Gloria and I had a sewing day, but it’s still sitting on my dress form.

I did got to a bunch of events, but I just rewore old stuff to them. Not a big deal since I have a closet full, but I would like to feel like making new things again at some point. We’ll see what 2018 brings!

I went to 12th Night at Riversdale in January. I made the dress in 2016 though. :-) I do love the 12th Night dinner they offer. Sometimes at these events people can be weirdly pushy (about dancing, or correcting one’s dancing) and we were trying to get a few pics, and someone was trying to boss me about going in to dance, and I ended up in tears because things had been really stressful. So that kind of sucked, and after that I felt like I needed a break from the Gadsbys and Riversdale events for a while. It’s going to be harder for us both to go to them in 2018 because we’ll need babysitters, but we’ll be back. I was glad to have a break though - going to events in old houses can be so magical. And I love being there with friends. But I need some of the stronger and weirder personalities need to leave me be!



The Francaise dinner was small this year, but I enjoyed seeing everyone who went. I actually have reworn the francaise gowns I do have many times, so I once again decided to pull something else out of the closet that hasn’t gotten worn much. So I pulled this, the second 18th century gown I ever made, out. I had to take it in, but it fit fine, and I wore it with a green quilted petticoat I’d not worn before. And added sashes and jewelry.







And yep, pregnant here - but not very.

In April I went to Jenny-Rose’s lovely Big Ass Hat tea. I rewore my fav yellow jacket, this time with the petticoat I’d intended to pair with it, though I ended up liking the francaise gown petticoat better with it (wore that to a different party in 2016 accidentally). At least I got a wearing out of this one!



I did go to Fort Fred this year, but it was extremely warm (unseasonably so) and I didn’t wear a costume.

Gloria and I did go twinsies in our League of Their Own costumes to AwesomeCon - and it fit, yay! I’m like 5 months pregnant here.





Carolyn had a Big Bustle Birthday Party at the Arboretum and back at her house. I don’t have a bustle and if I did it wouldn’t have fit since I was a month away from my due date at this point. Nor did I want to make one since I wouldn’t have known how to do it for maternity. Anyway, Carolyn very kindly let me wear a non-bustle and a francaise was something I knew I could get to fit and was sort of floofy. I was glad to be able to make the party, though since Merja came in from Finland and there were so many lovely friends attending.

The francaise worked great - I did wear stays, but I left the laces untightened (they are knotted so the lace won’t come fully out, so I could wear them without tighening them). And they actually gave me some nice support on my stomach. And the francaise is flexible size- wise. It worked out well, even if I was slightly off theme.



For Halloween, I decided to wear an Episode III Padme costume I had made, never quite finished, and never wore anywhere. All I had to do was hem the undergown (I sewed!) and I pinned some fabric in the back since it wouldn’t zip up all the way. Padme is pregnant when she wears this, so it was nice to have the right natural shape for it! And that is all my own hair!



The last costume event of the year for me, was the Candlelight Soiree/Pumpkin tea! I rewore my black sari drawstring gown:



There were actually four of us pregnant this year at the tea, which is a record. This was 10 days from my due date. The hat is from Etsy - I didn’t feel like fussing with wigs.





Last year I said I would attempt the following. Let’s see how I did, ha ha.

Finish Doug’s new jacket nope

Finish Doug’s new vest
nope

Mrs. Russell Green Gown
No, but I did some research on this at least, and determined that, well, it’s not really straighforward what she is wearing, and I’m not really sure where to start with it. http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2017/02/robe-la-levantine.html

Windmill gown
nope!

Rey
nope, but I’ve saved links and photos for a bunch of her costumes. Maybe this year?

20s dress
nope, though I acquired a few vintage ones that fit, so I do have something new I can wear to the next 20s event.

20s coat
nope

A regency gown I have cut out of a cotton flowered sari
nope

A regency gown out of the cotton silk I bought at Fort Fred.
nope

Ok - what shall I attempt in 2018?

- a new francaise gown
- Rey (The Force Awakens)
- Windmill gown
- regency gown out of the cotton flowered sari

Let’s leave it at that and hope for the best!

2016 costume year in review

Better late than never, right?

I had another personally busy year so I focused mostly on small projects, accessorizing things I already had, wearing things I hadn’t yet worn, repairing things I wore once (ie, taking them in), and trying to finish things I started last year. I was largely successful at that.

I wasn’t successful at much else.

Small things:

- I sewed a few more shawls together using Jen’s regency shawl hack: http://www.festiveattyre.com/2013/10/regency-shawl-hacks.html

- I made some locket/pins out of findings and silk I had printed on a fat quarter from Spoonflower.





- I modified the belt on a long sweater I bought to resemble a 20s sweater. (see below)

- I repaired my Titanic Jump dress - the beading is so heavy, it stretch out the netting. I had had it on display for a while before storing flat. It was unwearable as is. I managed to pull the netting on the skirt and ruffle up from the top and it should be wearable now.

I did finish the sleeves of all three jackets I did last year.







New Stuff:

I did make a drop front gown out of this silver sari I got in a fabric swap last fall. (see below)

I finally finished my Outlander plaid gown! And even took nice pics of it! (see below)

I started on a regency jacket for my husband but got side-tracked/intimidated.

I made a green satin sari regency gown, but I wore it in 2017. Sneak peek!



Outfits:

I put together a 20s outfit for a holiday tea because it would be easy to drive and walk in. The hat I got on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/people/Hatandscarf), the dress I made a year or more ago, the sweater was Etsy with the belt modified, the shoes are Miss L Fire bought on sale from Modcloth and I love them. The necklace and pin are Sweet Romance. The watch was my great grandmother’s. The sunglasses were a 20s style from Forever 21.



I finally wore my 18th century mantle, made last year. With mitts knit by Gloria (https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthelongrun).



I rewore my purple elephant sari gown, only worn once, with a replica tiara made by Megan (https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMillineress), and a fan and necklace made by Gloria (https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthelongrun).



This was the new silver sari gown. Tiara and brooch and rings are antique. Necklace by Gloria (https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthelongrun). Purse is Hermione’s bag, Noble Collection! :D



I didn’t wear a Francaise for the Francaise dinner. Believe it or not, I have gotten a ton of wear out of my francaise gowns. I wanted to wear something I hadn’t worn much - and that was this replica gown from the Marie Antoinette movie. I only wore it once for a small time at Dress U. The bracelets were Downton Abbey Colllection, necklace ebay from China, rings are antique, shoes are American Duchess, and hair pin was a gift.


Something else new! My version of Claire’s gown from The Gathering episode of Outlander. The stomacher and petticoat fabric is screen accurate, the plaid very close. Shoes are American Duchess.



I made this last year but didn’t get a chance to wear it much. I wore it twice this year, at AwesomeCon with Gloria, and at Disney for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!



At Casey’s at Disney:



I needed something to wear for a summer (i.e. hot) Victorian/Edwardian seaside themed picnic. I didn’t have much time to sew. I ended up being able to throw together a Titanic Boarding outfit! The suit was bought ages ago from Fan + Friend and never worn. I added a dickey (too hot for a full shirt), used my husband’s dinosaur tie, and finally utilized some Titanic accurate accessories I’d be hoarding for a while (earrings, tie pin, purse). I didn’t have the giant hat, so I used a Titanic comb, American Duchess shoes, and later replaced my make-shift dickey with a much more accurate one, plus a more accurate tie.



Here’s the one picture from Jane Austen ball where I wasn’t sweaty. It was possibly the hottest day of the year! I wore this sari gown, which I’d only before worn with an over dress. Wheat tiara was ebay, earrings antique, necklace Dames a la Mode (https://www.etsy.com/shop/damesalamode), rings antique, shoes Robert Land.



For a fancy dress ball nearish Halloween, I chose this 1790s gown since it was inspired by a fashion plate. I have worn it a few times before, and I do like it! I need to make more overgowns for it. Bracelet and rings antique, shoes American Duchess, buckle and pin vintage. Earrings antique.



I wore this jacket (made out of exactly 1 meter of silk acquired in Germany) only once. I had to take it in to wear it again. I really love it. It has a fluffy little peplum. I combined it with a petticoat from one of my francaise gowns. I meant to wear a different white silk petticoat and grabbed the wrong one. That’s ok, I like how this looks. I added a Dames a la Mode necklace (https://www.etsy.com/shop/damesalamode), antique earrings and bracelet and rings, a sash I’ve used before, a pin of my girl Mary Russell made for me as a gift by Gen (http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/search/label/mary%20russell), and American Duchess shoes.



I wore this to last year’s Pumpkin tea but didn’t like my hair, so I thought I’d rewear and get more pics. I forgot a fichu, d’oh. I accessorized it this year with a bonnet made by Amanda (https://www.etsy.com/shop/ClothFair), a different Dames a la Mode necklace (https://www.etsy.com/shop/damesalamode), antique rings and bracelet, and my gorgeous gorgeous expensive American Duchess Exclusive boots. Worth every penny, I adore them. Also I made sure to scotch guard them and they looked fine even after gently wearing them outside.



Same day as the Pumpkin tea, my friend’s Halloween party. I didn’t have anything new to wear so I decided I was throwing back to like 2006 and wearing my Pirates of the Caribbean costume since I hadn’t worn it in forever, and it was comfortable and didn’t require a corset.



I got the chance to wear the other jacket I made from exactly 1 meter of silk bought in Germany. I threw this outfit together for a Gadsby’s ball. I made a petticoat of gold silk from the stash. I wore the jacket which just needed some front fastenings (I hate using straight pins, sorry!), and a sash from the stash (pure dead dino). With antique earrings and my necklace from Gloria (https://www.etsy.com/shop/inthelongrun).



For this Victorian Christmas tea, I rewore the 1840s gown I wore only briefly a long time ago. I had to take it in also. I’m happy with how it looks though. I wore Dames a la Mode earrings (https://www.etsy.com/shop/damesalamode), an antique necklace and brooch and bracelet and rings. Shoes were my first outing with 1840s side lace booties I bought from American Duchess specifically so I could wear them with my 1840s gowns - and then I haven’t worn them in a while. I was really happy to finally wear them with this outfit, and they were really comfy.





What I said I would do last year:

1) Finish the Outlander dress

done!

2) Make Doug a regency coat

started!

3) Make Doug a regency vest

sadly not in 2016, BUT I have 3/4 of a new one done right now in Jan 2017!

4) Finish the jackets

done!

5) Mrs. Russell green gown

nope

6) Windmill gown (what the heck!)

ugh, still no

7) 20s gown

nope

8) 20s coat

nope

9) Rey costume

nope

Next year?

Um…

Finish Doug’s new jacket

Finish Doug’s new vest

Mrs. Russell Green Gown

Windmill gown

Rey

20s dress

20s coat

A regency gown I have cut out of a cotton flowered sari

A regency gown out of the cotton silk I bought at Fort Fred.