Posts Tagged ‘shopping’

GBACG’s Last Dinner on the Titanic

Posted by Trystan on April 17th, 2012
Pre-dinner iPhone pic

Pre-dinner iPhone pic

I had an amazing time at the Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild’s Last Dinner on the Titanic, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking on April 14, 2012. This costumed dinner & dance took place at the Bellevue Club in Oakland, CA.

Everyone was seated at tables of 10, & our group decided to portray real first-class passengers & talk about period topics. This was SO MUCH FUN! I was Miss Edith Rosenbaum, a fashion journalist living in Paris (I made up a story about borrowing my fabulously overdone jewels & tiara from that poor little Astor girl, so ill with morning sickness she just couldn’t come to the dining room, but we’d become friends when her maid saw my trunks of Poiret sample dresses I was taking back to New York — I gave one to the 18-year-old Mrs. Astor). Sarah was Mrs. Florence Cummings, & Francis was Mr. John Bradley Cummings, a New York stockbroker. Mrs. Cummings & I met in the ship’s hair salon on the first day aboard, that’s why we arrived at dinner together. Kendra was Miss Madeleine Newell & Jenny-Rose (visiting from Virginia) was her younger sister Marjorie, both ladies were returning from a grand tour that included Palestine & the Middle East — this explained Kendra’s gorgeous 1912 dress made from a green & gold sari. Loren (visiting from Southern California) was the couturier Lady Duff-Gordon, wearing one of her own designs, of course. Liam was Mr. Tyrell William Cavendish of England & Karen was his Chicago-born wife, Mrs. Julia Cavendish. Cathyn & Laina were Mr. & Mrs. Thorne, who were really Mr. George Rosenshine traveling with his mistress Miss Gertrude Thorne, but they assumed married names (shocking!).

Trystan in the lobby of the Bellevue Club

Trystan, aka Miss Rosenbaum, in the lobby of the Bellevue Club

We talked about everything from the latest fashions to world politics (women’s suffrage! George V’s coronation! Bolsheviks!) to the stock exchange to wonders of modern technology such as areoplanes & escalators. FAB-U-LOUS! And all it took was a quick flip through Wikipedia. Creating a tiny bit of historical context for historical costume really makes me the happiest nerd on the planet. And, of course, doing so in an utterly fantastic historical SETTING is the tastiest icing on a decadent cake. Yummy!

I wore a simple ensemble, consisting of a gown I bought from Victorian Trading Company with vintagey, plus a lot of jewelry (more details of the outfit here). I did my hair over large hair rats in a 1910s style, based on tips from this article Kendra wrote. My look was reasonably historically accurate, not perfectly, but I blended in well with the ambiance of the event.

Here are some of the photos taken by the event’s most excellent professional photographer, Richard Man:

All of my photos from the event are on Flickr.  Jenny-Rose has some more lovely event photos on Flickr.

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Shopping as Costuming

Posted by Trystan on March 5th, 2012

Sometimes, you just want to go to an event, even if the historical era is not your bag, baby. Maybe you’re trying something new, maybe the event sounds like fun because it’s at a fabulous venue or it has a great combo of activities, or maybe all your friends are going, or it could be all of the above. And you don’t have anything in your costume closet to wear.

Victorian Trading Company dress

Victorian Trading Company dress

I’m in exactly this position. I decided to buy a ticket to the GBACG’s Last Dinner on the Titanic, which is a very fancy recreation of the ill-fated ship’s extraordinary final meal, complete with a multicourse dinner & dancing to a live band, all in a beautiful setting (where last year we experienced the very enjoyable Petit Trianon event). 1910s is not a particular interest of mine, nor is the Titanic (& especially not the movie of the same name, bleh). But the venue & details of the event sound divine, plus all my best friends wanted to go. I toyed with various ideas of making a gown, even buying something vintage (as I used to have a perfect & authentic 1910s gown, but it shattered literally as I wore at the Costume College Gala one year).

Finally, I gave up & decided to buy something that was close-but-not-quite appropriate, or period-esque as one might say. Or, as Sarah so aptly said, we’re throwing money at the problem (because she joined me in the dress-buying spree for this event :-). I picked out the Reverie Dress from Victorian Trading Company, which I’m sure I’ll need to have professionally shortened. But hey, the cost of tailoring is less than the cost of a migraine from me fussing with all those ruffles!

Of course, a new dress requires a new tiara. None of mine had quite that Art Deco flare that the Titanic event required (in my mind, anyway). Off to eBay, where I found this baby, & oh, does it look good on. I have a load of blingy jewelry in my collection to add to the effect, plus a black burnout velvet shawl to throw around my shoulders & my 1980s vintage Bandolino two-strap pumps on my feet (same shoes I’ve worn to the Gatsby picnic). I just need some white opera gloves, & then the costume is done.

Art Deco-ish tiara

Art Deco-ish tiara

Well, all except for the backwards-documentation… see, after I picked out this dress, I wanted to figure out if it’s at least plausible for the period… here’s what I found…

I couldn’t find a 1912 evening gown with lots of ruffles, just a few tiers. But there are 1914 ruffled day dresses very much in the vein of the Victorian Trading Company dress. And the dress I bought *does* have the overall silhouette of an 1912 evening gown.  Yeah, not accurate, but close enough for me!

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Fabulous Second-Hand Garb

Posted by Trystan on August 29th, 2011
Tailor's shop, Amman Sachs, 1568

Tailor's shop, Amman Sachs, 1568

Buying clothing second-hand is very well-documented in the 16th century, and really, in most eras. Clothing and fabric were big investments before the post-World-War-II manufacturing boom that lead to our current state of disposable fast fashion. If a garment could be used again, it was. Best dresses became second-best or everyday dresses, garments were altered when body shape changed due to age or maternity or garments were passed on to other family members or servants or they were sold to the second-hand clothing dealers.

There was a brisk used-garment trade in Elizabethan London, which Laura Mellin has a brief article on, worth reading.

Anyway, that’s a long-winded intro to say that I bought some cool stuff at the GBACG Costumers Bazaar this past weekend! Sarah, Kendra, and I shared a booth to sell things, and we all did clear out our closets and fabric stashes somewhat.

Of course, I ended up spending half of what I made on amazingly wonderful items. Not much, but some really lovely things — a few yards of embroidered silk, a bunch of pretty wool, a practically new Elizabethan corset, and best of all, a fabulous new 16th-century doublet, in fact, the one made and worn by Genevieve de la Mer Bleue here on Featured Attyre. I’m lucky to call her a friend, and I already knew how exquisite her work was. A while ago, she had sold this doublet to a mutual friend, and now that woman was clearing out her closet. This piece shall be thrice loved, indeed. In fact, looking at the wool I bought at the same time, that will make the perfect kirtle to wear with this doublet. A new outfit is born…

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Biting the bullet, buying stuff

Posted by Trystan on May 22nd, 2011

I think I’m just gonna buy a shirt, because, bleh, who wants to make a frickin’ shirt? Not me, that’s who. I like this one on Etsy, and inquired if she could add sleeve ruffles and deliver by July 1.

Considering this neck stock too, but waffling because, well, it costs as much as the shirt (though half is the buckle, to be fair). I sure as hell don’t want to make all those teeny-weeny little stitches (not that I expect this repro to be as insanely eye-bending as this original, of course). But still, shit I don’t wanna sew. Know your limits, go with your strengths.

Also, work within your deadlines! I’ve got about a month to make everything. Wig and extra hair is on order (kept delaying that until after I paid some big bills). Waistcoat is at least embroidered and will take maybe an hour or two to sew up (famous last words!). Then I have to draft the coat and breeches, for which I will need help (bats eyes at Francis…). I have patterns and books, but y’know, I need 3D help.

Then I have to cover some shoes (not going with the Georgianas after all), style the wig, test-drive the makeup and probably cut some new patches. *If* there’s time in the end, I’ll make a teeny tricorn to perch atop the wig, but that might wait until CoCo. I mean, really, the wig will be huge enough, if all goes according to plan.

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Buy Shoes for Leonard?

Posted by Trystan on April 9th, 2011

I think I may have a use for those Georgiana shoes after all … Maybe *those* could be my Leonard shoes! Dye them purple and wear with big rhinestone buckles. Sure, they’re fabric, which is not really common for men, but they’re not as totally girlie as the Fugawee Marthas (& I just couldn’t get into the suede Fugawees). They’d ride the line. Especially since my other option was to cover some purple satin bridal shoes, which would look kinda girlie anyway.

So now I just have to save up a little cash before the presale runs out!

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More boy-clothes progress

Posted by Trystan on November 24th, 2008
Thomas' waistcoat

Thomas' waistcoat

Mom and I hit Jo-Ann’s Fabric in the morning and did really well at the Black Friday sale! She found two lovely, coordinating black and gold brocades. One will be the forepart for her Carnivale gown (she’s reworking a 17th-century-ish piece bought at a GBACG garage sale ages ago — made by local luminaries Victorian Ridenour and Adrian Butterfield :-). The other will be a 18th-century waistcoat for my stepdad. She also got a bunch of antiquey gold buttons for that. He’ll probably wear this waistcoat, a poufy shirt in black (that she’ll make from a Simplicity pattern I had in The Stash), black pants, and a black cape (from another Simplicity pattern in my stash).

I got a yard of black velveteen for the cuffs and pockets contrast of Thomas’ Carnivale coat and a black tone-on-tone musical print cotton for his coat’s lining (I think he’ll enjoy that touch; it’s more subtle than a gothy print like I’d do for myself, yet also interesting. Besides I couldn’t find anything that was pseudo-period). Those fabrics were on sale too.

Next day, Mom called at 10:30am and asked if I wanted to go to the Jo-Ann Superstore in Fremont today. I was still in my PJs and had only had coffee, but sure, I said yes. The Jo-Ann near us didn’t have enough velvet for my stepdad’s cape, so she thought it’d be worth visiting the big store we’d never tried. Wow. It was massive and had all kinds of goodies. Wasn’t as crowded as the local store had been on Friday either. She found plenty of velvet.

And now my stepdad wants to wear breeches too, not long pants. So I’m going to send him a link to Jas. Townsend’s fall-front breeches, since Mom has enough to do. Though I also told her about my trick of cutting down thrift-store trousers, which she thought was really cool and a distinct possibility. I love how they’re both totally into this!

One note: I think we’ll ditch the idea of embroidering Thomas’ waistcoat. Might not be enough time (especially since I haven’t done squat as far as researching a design), and besides, he has a practically new waistcoat that will go with this coat. I made him a new one for the Lumieres Dinner in September, and this waistcoat is of a silver satin flocked with black — very elegant and one less thing to do.

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Showing off

Posted by Trystan on August 6th, 2008
My carnevale gown sketch

My carnevale gown sketch

What I wanted to find at this year’s trip to the LA Garment District was something to go with this hot pink and silver (polyester) sari I’ve had in the Stash for years:

I made a sketch of my costume concept in Tara Maginnis’ drawing class at Costume College (shown at left). The idea is an 18th-century robe a la francaise in black, using the hot pink sari for the petticoat and stomacher and the black gown will be trimmed in hot pink.

Now I’m totally set on the pink action! The big inspiration came from the trim. It’s hot pink lace with sequins and was amazingly inexpensive. Then I got hot pink low-slub dupioni silk to back the sari (which is rather sheer) and to make ruched trim.

But the piece de la resistance is the petite hot pink tricorn made by Jennifer, aka The Ruby Raven. Kendra pointed it out at the LJ meetup at Costume College, and *bam* I was sold.

Still need to get the black silk (or a poly blend; it’ll get wet in Venice), but that doesn’t require color matching, so I can buy online.

Oh, and I wanted to buy 50 silver buttons for Thomas’ Carnivale coat. Mission accomplished, quite affordably.

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Good karma and good dharma, posted to LiveJournal

Posted by Trystan on April 18th, 2008

Dharma Trading Company rules the world!!! Dude, I always knew this was one awesome outfit, but these fine folks have, yet again, exceeded expectations! I’ve been hemming and hawing (mostly hawing) about what fabric to use for this last tiny little stupid annoying bit on my masquerade costume. I don’t really have anything right in The Stash, and I finally realized Joann’s wouldn’t have anything either.

So yesterday afternoon, around 1pm, I placed an order for 1 yard of silk at Dharma. It was after the deadline for orders to be processed that day, so I knew I’d blown it. I wrote in the comments box “I hope this can ship swiftly, but if it doesn’t I won’t cry because it’s my own dang fault.” But lo, the order was processed in a few hours.

And I received it just now! Of course, I always get orders quickly because the company is in San Raphael, CA, and I’m in San Jose — just a couple hours away. But man, that was FAST!!!

I totally and completely *BIG PUFFY HEART* Dharma!!!

Btw, the order only cost $5 too — I also love that what they carry is all pretty darn affordable and good quality too.

Eugenie bodice closeup

Eugenie bodice, featuring tucker, made using white silk from Dharma

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Acquisition noted, on our Y!Group

Posted by Trystan on April 1st, 2008
Vintage Victorian chemise

Vintage Victorian chemise

I just got a vintage chemise off eBay to wear with my gown. It’s perfect! Fits great and the neckline is the right shape for the low neck of the bodice (at least in a quick try-on last night). My old Victorian chemise is black and I was worried about it showing and about the neckline not being wide enough.

My drawers are also vintage, so I’m rather pleased to have a full set of authentic Victorian undies :-)

Oh and the seller was great — I’d actually missed bidding on the auction, but I asked if she was going to relist it. She offered it to me for the starting price and shipped it super-fast too. Recommended!

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Petticoat and skirt trim, on our Y!Group

Posted by Trystan on February 11th, 2008

Katherine and Kendra, thanks for both of your opinions! I do like the shape of the petticoat — hard to tell in the fabrics picture, but when I floofed it all around, the skirt looked like it will have a really good shape, well-domed, true enough to the period, imo. Which was the whole point of making the petticoat at all.

So, I think if I have time at the end, I’ll pin a 4th ruffle on the bottom and see how it looks. But I won’t worry about it for now.

The big deal was that I could get the general size of the skirt set now. This actually leads to another question I have: silk ribbon!

I need 6 rows of black silk ribbon on the lavender chiffon tiers on my skirt (I believe the ribbon is on the chiffon, not the silk below it; if it was on the silk, the black would look more muted; also, I believe the chiffon is tiered *not* the silk, this will make a big difference overall — but if s’one wants to argue that, let me know).

So, I’ve found 2 sources for ribbon and there’s a big price difference. I’m pretty broke right now, so this matters. But I’m not sure which would look most right. Opinions please!

Caveat: yes, I know 1 row is almost rick-racky, but I’m not finding anything like that which doesn’t look dumb, so I think using plain ribbon for all 6 rows will be better. Suggestions welcome, but I’m leaning towards the ribbon…

I’ll need 22 yards.

Choices so far:

M&J Trim silk satin double-faced ribbon 9mm black
$1.59 / yd ($34.98 total) + $4 shipping

Cam Creations silk embroidery ribbon 7mm black
$0.60 per yard ($13.20 total)+ $2.95 shipping
or
Cam Creations silk embroidery ribbon 13mm black
$0.80 per yard ($17.60 total)+ $2.95 shipping

Afaik, the silk embroidery ribbon would be thinner and doesn’t have that same finished edge that double-faced satin ribbon does. But then, why should that matter for this trim? And sewing it onto chiffon, lighter-weight might be nicer.

I’m not sure about the width though — 7mm, 9mm, or 13mm? I think 7 or 9, especially considering there are 6 rows total.

Man, I feel like have a lot of crap going on in my skirt! Heh.

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