Costume College 2012

It was a great year. Perhaps not *quite* as magical as last year, but really, what could possibly follow that?  This year was epic in its own right. Sadly, there aren't lots of pictures to go around, but I can tell you what I wore at least.

-Thursday's Carmen Miranda party, I wore the 1940s Hawaiian playsuit. No pictures.
-Friday I dressed in my Kentwell kit. No (usable) pictures. Oh heck, here, have one from Kentwell proper anyway.

Courtesy Aurie Bradley

-Friday night I wore the 1960s Jiffy tiki dress. (It was an entire blue ensemble! Hilarious! I'm going to have to get more pictures of this one later.)

Courtesy Marion McNealy

-Saturday day I wore the revamped bicycling costume, though it's still not quite right. (Again, no pictures)
-Saturday night I went all out in my tux drag kit. It was pretty draggy. Somehow my tux chafe marks faded by the next day.

Courtesy Amy Liebert

-LATE Saturday night I changed into a modern dress and combat boots and did some real dancing. No pictures of that, because honestly I think most of the attendees felt I was cheating. Whatever - I was there to dance.
-Sunday was 1930s undies in the morning, then the 1930s day dress (which I really loved - so comfy and flattering!) No pictures, again. :\
-Sunday afternoon a few of us got into historic bathing suits, and I reprised the 1930s woolen suit.

Courtesy Rebecca Maiten

Really, the outfits weren't the highlight (though zomg I am going to have to make more 1930s, that stuff ROCKS), but it was a) getting rid of a bunch of books (that weren't there in the morning for Bargain Basement, so I assume they found good homes) b) buying a 1863 bound copy of Petersen's Magazine, with tinted fashion plates intact, and c) winning the silent auction for the 1930s girdle (mislabeled as 1910s).  So I left with less stuff than I came with (though blame the humidity or something, it didn't pack up as gracefully as it did the first time).

The garment district trip was somewhat restrained, which was okay actually. We went to the FIDM scholarship store and I got some amazing lavender taffeta and some gold mesh. Then the District proper and I got two lengths of woolen for a super seeeecret project, some absolutely lovely washed Irish linen, some sheer striped cotton, and this weird silk and gold brocade that will make a rockin' brustfleck on a German gown... someday.

Oh right, and I should say - I think I'm going to make a German kit. Aiie. I should finish my English fitted gown first though, and let that be finally wrapped up and done with.

Plans for next year?  Well, I wasn't super happy with the lack of new classes, so I have ideas for some I could teach.  Restoring vintage patterns, sewing vintage patterns - I can actually provide examples, because I'm not actually selling reproductions so I'm in no way interested in preventing you from DIYing it. Sewing machine repair and troubleshooting?  Overview of Fancy Dress?  Or maybe a class on lacing strips, maaaaybe?