The Edwardian Ball San Francisco 2015

It is virtually impossible to describe the Edwardian Ball. Based on the work of Edward Gorey. Known for his macabre line drawings and books. He was the original Goth. To find out more about his work, check out

It's not really a ball, so much as a sideshow, circus, theater, art, music, costume, extraveganza. I can't do it justice. Check out their Gallery for photo's and videos of the actual event.

Freed from the contraints of historical accuracy, I was able to gather together some previously constructed gowns I had made and throw all the brothel drapes at them. There is a professional cameraman both nights. The lines are looooooong, but they serve booze in line. This is something that would improve all lines if you ask me. Just imagine how much more pleasant the DMV would be.

Of course the drinks are very expensive, $14 to $16 dollars a piece. Hence the invention of crotch vodka. It's a thing. No I don't want to talk about it. I'll tell you later. No really, we'll talk about it later. Who knows who's watching.

Enough talk. Pictures.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Sort of a Poiret inspired Post Edwardian Look

You know if Poiret shopped at Ross

Channeling my inner Roma. (which may be true, I'll let you know when my DNA test gets back)

My Lovelies

Saturday Night.

Channeling my inner Edwardian, long in the tooth streetwalker. Mutton dressed as peacock.

Name your pleasure Guvna. 

Yes. I have found my people. Can't wait to move closer to them and all the wacky decadence that San Francisco has to offer.

My Alter Ego Finally Gets Her Own Costume

For Halloween this year I will be participating in a really cool event put on by the Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild. Called Spirits and Shadows. In their own words, "Join the mad scientists, Victorians, Steampunk time travelers, grave diggers, ghosts, ghouls, and vampires as we wander through the park where the veil between this life and the next is stretched thin for an adult only evening of dance and fun at History Park at Kelly Park in San Jose" Check out the website for details.

I'm going to be working the event, and I've decided to do an Edwardian fancy dress version of a Gypsy. Specifically this costume is usually representing Esmeralda, the Gypsy girl from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Decidedly NOT the Disney version. Esmeralda just happens to be the nickname of of my alter ego, but it'll take more than a few drinks to get those stories out of me.

Here's the Inspiration. All photos from The Metropolitan Museum Online. This costume is actually circa 1880, but since it's a Fancy dress costume I don't really need to stick to any one time period. Essentially people would be pulling old clothes from their grandparents attics and redoing them, so I can play a little fast and loose (speaking of  Esmeralda) with this.

I'm not sure I'll use the black lace. I'll have to see how much time I have.

I LOVE this bolero. I'm not entirely sure what is happening with the bodice. It's shown as open on the mannequin. I like the way it looks, so I'll have to figure out what to wear underneath

I can probably use the same pattern I used for the bodice of my plaid gown. Truly Victorian 416, The Ballgown Basque

I got some great scores on Silk on Ebay. I'm using dupioni because it is cheaper, and also because it's a Gyspy costume, so the slubbiness of silk will add to that exotic flavor.

For the Bolero, I'm using Truly Victorian Pattern 444 Spanish Jackets.

I'll be using the one in the foreground

And the fabric I bought from Ebay is this red dupioni.

For the skirt, I'm using Truly Victorian 280 Can-Can Skirt.

The ruffles will make it's own petticoat and I can use it in the future for a Can-Can skirt

I scored 8 yards of this mustard yellow dupioni for about $40 on eBay. The skirt takes seven!

I have my work cut out for me and about three weeks to do it in, so I'm going to bite the bullet and use my sewing machine. In fact I better order a ruffle foot for that can-can skirt. Let's try new things on a deadline! Yay! What else is new.

Back Pain, Schmack Pain

In an incredible case of bad timing, my sporadically spasmodic back has decided to mess with me when I only have three sewing days left before Costume College. NOT OKAY. I only ask that my back stops freaking out in time for CoCo, but even if I have to hand sew that b*tch flat on my back, I WILL finish my gala dress.

In other random CoCo creation news. Here's some stuff. There are several events happening at Costume College that I need costumes for.

Event #1. The Pool Party. This is a Tiki Party theme. I was going to make a 50's style bra top and sarong skirt to wear. Using this pattern. Guess what happened.

Clue: My boobs are bigger than hers that's what happened. It looks terrible.

So, with so little time left, I'm going to have to kind of throw this one together.

I did find these cute red Candie's style mules.

I also have a cute retro cherry print bathing suit from Pinup Girl Clothing that I wore for my 50th birthday party. If I throw on a wiggle skirt and those shoes, I can call that done.

I just feel a tad badly about that, because they are announcing the scholarship winners then and I don't want anyone to think "oh, she sure did earn that scholarship with that turbee twist get up"

Event #2. An unofficial shared birthday party with a 70's theme. Again, no time to make anything, so I think I'm just going to take a page from my girl Rhoda Morgenstern's playbook and make it all about a scarf. I also have a black halter, bellbottom jumsuit I can wear with this.

I wanted to grow up to BE Rhoda

Event #3 The Ice Cream Social. Club Ice. I did a remake on this one. My daughter had a 1980's sequined dress. I removed the shoulder pads and sleeves to make it more of a 20's vibe. I need to make a headpiece of some sort and maybe re-attach the sleeves to the dress, but at this point I don't know if I'll have the time.

Why, yes, I did vote for Ronald Reagan. Why>

Why yes, I did vote for Franklin Roosevelt. Why?

Event #4: Sunday Ascot Tea. I will probably go with my Asilomar get up. I've already embellished the skirt a little more.

Only I'll remember my Corset this time.

I'll add my Mae West hat, maybe with more stuff on it.

Come up and see me sometime

I also bought a really nice wool, Lord and Taylor jacket at the thrift store for $2.50. I may try to re-do that to be more Edwardian.

It has some nice soutache and frog details.

And of course, Event #5: The Time Traveler's Gala.I've already added some embellishment and I'll love to do a lot more. It is all up to my back at this point.

Finish me!

This is my first Costume College, so I don't really expect to live up the really experienced costumers I follow on blogs, but I don't want to look like a complete rookie. Since I won a scholarship, I would at least like a few people to think, "That kid has moxie, she could go far". You know, as you do.

Asilomar Pictures at last

So, you may remember a month or so ago, I was complaining about the Edwardian Blouse that I just couldn't make work. Well, I made it work, and it was actually very cute.

Impish

Ken dressed out of his own closet and looked so great, they put him in the fashion show

I think we need to dress like this all the time.

I forgot my corset, so my..um..backside looks a little less smooth than it should.

Oh Sir, you do know how to make a girl blush

Thrift Shop Thursday

This may become a regular column. I prefer to gather most of my costuming supplies at thrift shops. Not just because it is cheaper, but because it really flexes my creative muscles. There is something about a fabric store that (although I love them) brings out a little bit of anxiety in me. I have ADHD and sometimes there are just too many places to look. Shopping in thrift stores narrows my focus. It gives me parameters. Since I have decided to use only natural fabrics when possible, I have to really concentrate on what I can make with what I can find. I also see things differently. I don't see things for what they ARE, but for what they COULD be (something I also used to do with men. bad idea) Here are a few things from my latest haul.

This is what was hanging on the rack:

Huge baby blue 25% linen %75 Cotton tablecloth $4

This is what I see:

The link took me to Elegant Vintage but this item wasn't listed

Then I found a bag of several (not sure how many) yards of this unused fabric:

smells like smoke, but it can be washed. 100% cotton.

Thinking about this:

Right? So cute.

And then there was this hideous beaded tank:

polyester. Ugh.

But when I look at the sequins closer:

They are ridged and metalic, not plastic looking

And I think, "I will remove those cool sequins from that ugly tank and use them to make".......

Flapper!
This concludes your tour of the inside of my brain for this blogpost.

It's my blog and I'll I'll cry if I want to...

Aaaaaah. All I want to do is work on my fabulous (in my head) fairy tale gown. I don't want to work on my stupid Edwardian shirtwaist that doesn't fit right and is confusing me. I have to, because I have to wear it in a fashion show on Saturday.

What do you do to keep yourself going. I really don't like this shirt at all. I want to look like this:

But I feel like this:

Walking Skirt

The holidays are almost over and I have all kinds of ideas in my head of what to make. Part of me wants to start sewing some stuff for my 'real' wardrobe, but I've lost a great deal of weight and plan on losing a little more so I want to wait so I can make things that are more fitted  I want to make some new stays and I want to work on my 18th century court dress and so on, and so on.

One of the things that has occurred to me as I began this process is, although I do want to make some pretty pretty princess things, I also like the idea of "who would I be if I lived then?" What would I wear as a real person. I also find a lot of great shirts that I would like to make into shirtwaists, so I'm going super basic. I'm making myself a walking skirt. I have about six yards of cotton twill which will be perfect. At some point, I will start using some of the pattern books I own, like Janet Arnold, but as I'm learning, I need premade patterns to begin from.

guess which one I'm making?

I picked this pattern, because it has the skirt pattern in two lengths and the shirtwaist pattern. The skirt seems pretty straight forward so far. Its 7 gores with a kick pleat in the back. Its only been straight seams so far, I'll let you know how it goes when I get to the anything funky.

I don't have a single event to wear this to, but I think it will get plenty of use in the future since it's a very practical skirt.