Costumes, Project Pro, and the Year of the Dude

I'm baaaack.  (I've always wanted to say that.)

Recently I have been working on all kinds of costuming for myself.  I hadn't spent much time on making costumes for me last year that I wanted to keep, so I decided that 2010 was going to be about that.

2010 is also apparently the Year of the Dude.  The men are coming out of the woodwork wanting costumes this year.  Which is a refreshing change.  Most men know what they want and just want you to execute it.  Some want you to come up with the design.  The ones that change their mind and want things that don't exist are few and far between.  It is just so relaxing.  And the female clients I have right now are great.  So that is going well, luckily.

This has also been a year of change for The Wench Posse.  We have undergone some change in membership, are planning on filing for International Wench Hostel status (a hostel for hostile wenches!) and have many fun outings planned for the year.  Bring on the pretty is the motto this year.  It is also the Year of the Courtesan, or "Project Pro" as defined by the chick.  We will be going out en masse to MNRF in our Italian outfits, and everyone has a specialty.  It should be a hoot.  I get to be Boss Wench, which should be fun.  I'd much rather be a retiree and in the background - I have more fun being the "straight man" so to speak.

So far this year I have made a lovely German gown based off of the paintings done by Cranach.  I have finished hand-beading the coif, but the coif and the huge starfish hat with feathers still has to be done as well.  Here is the best picture I have so far:

Issues I have with this: 

1.  The jeweled necklace is drooping.  This is because it is the beaded mock-t-neck from a 1980's sleeveless mock-t.   People kept wanting to know where I had purchased it as it was really pretty. No one guessed I cut it off of a t-shirt.  However, due to the nature of knit, the things I sewed on started to weigh it down and it drooped.  I need to tighten it in back.

2.  My heavy gold necklace needs to be attached to the dress to keep it in place.

3.  I need to press the rolls into the skirt more. 

4.  I need to take pictures of the gown against something lighter than a black curtain.

The dress was made using the mock-up I got as a model in Diana Habra's German Cranach Gown class at Costume College in 2009 (hooray for being the model!). I followed her design in terms of the boned underbust piece, the attached skirt to the bodice, and the rolled skirt.  I did not stitch mine on by hand, as I prefer the solidness of knowing the skirt is attached by machine.  The sleeves were based off of a portrait she had on a hand-out from her class of a portrait of Judith/Salome as painted by Cranach the Elder. 

They were modified versions of the spanish sleeve from Margo Anderson's Elizabethan Woman's pattern.  I got a lot of compliments that night (at the Midwinter Feast) as very few people wear/make German costumes out at MNRF. 

I also made a square necked chemise using the same pattern I modified for Project Tudor, except I turned the facing into a kind of modified jog-bra - I added a casing to the bottom, which held everything in place.  With the underbust-corsetting in the gown, the canvas lining for the back, Ye Olde Jog Bra Chemise and the tightness of the brustfleck and lacing, I did not need a corset.  I was pretty amazed.

Since I did not have time to finish the hat and coif for that night, I wore my hair back with a fake bun of hair on the back.  The bangs may not be period, but they keep me from looking like a boy. 

The dress was SO comfortable to wear.  With the modified corset I could drive in it, eat in it, etc.  Other than being warm because of the velvet, it was really nice to wear. 

After that I attended the Scottish Ramble and wore my leather bodice with rampant lion, and Cunningham tartan skirt again:

(obviously from last summer as we couldn't see the grass in February...)

We had a blast (the Princess also went in a faux-Cunningham tartan), although I didn't follow corset protocol and almost became a Corset Fall-Out.  Apparently bodice chillers are needed even in February...

The posse as a group went bowling in bridesmaid dresses in January to celebrate the birth of the chick.  I went as Crazy Aunt Irma:

The hair is real human hair extensions that I sewed in rows onto an orange scarf.  The costume is vintage.  I would recommend reinforcing seams on vintage clothing when you are going to be doing something as strenuous as bowling, or it may start to fall apart on you.  Just consider this a Public Service Announcement.

Lately I have been busily working on my new Day of Wrong for this year  - I Love Lucy.  It will be an Elizabethan based off of the following picture:

Now I just need to find accessories for my girdle.  Anyone know where I can find some tiny bongo drums, and a Ricky doll?

I have also been busily beading the sleeves for my Italian Courtesan, which is actually going to be based off of a portrait by Alessandro Allori from Moda a Firenze.  (Page 101, #42 if anyone wants to look) It is a doublet style front, with shoulder rolls and Spanish style sleeves.  The picture is in orange, but I am doing it in dark blue midnight silk, with embroidered gold silk sleeves, forepanel, etc. 

The plan for Courtesan Day is that people can pick any style of Italian gown, from Venetian to Florentine to Fantasy.  We watched Dangerous Beauty and got inspired.  So while most of our gowns won't be "courtesan specific" in terms of design, it is more about looking pretty and having fun.

I have other costumes planned for this year (to include a LOT of brown, it would seem), and I will try to get pictures up as soon as I get things accomplished. Between Costume Con, Costume College, the various fests we are going to, etc., it looks to be a fun year ahead.

Comments

[The Cheap Chick (aka the chick)]

I can't WAIT for my finished courtesan costume! We are going to be a force to be reckoned with... again. Par for the course :)

And Costume Con will be Made Of Win - an entire conference center filled with people dressed in Pretty Shiny. Oh GAH, I can't wait for May!!!!!! Ehem. Calming down, now.