The Beginning

As a child, I loved school plays and Halloween.  It meant I could play dress up with cooler stuff than what was in my play box, and mom would let me wear my costume out in public!  Some of "my"(designed by me, made by mom) childhood costumes were: 

* sunflower, 

* Pink Pig w/ Green Spots (from some poem), 

* house (as in the building, won best costume for the school), 

* glitter witch (blue glitter and lycra robe, added blue sequins to hat, sprayed mom's old wig silver)

* Nancy Drew (from the books) and 

* Princess Leia. (mom made an awesome "cinnamon bun" wig out of brown yarn)

Once I grew too old for trick or treating, my only outlet for dressing up in public were recitals and plays.  Nothing terribly unique here.  I did help design our high school show choir dresses.

And then came college - with the UMR Collegium Musicum Madrigal Singers. Here was my first exposure to the English Renaissance.  I fell in love with the fancy dresses, hats, stockings, jewelry, etc. that surrounded the haunting music.  After my first semester, and first Ren Faire, I wanted to know more.  So I searched the internet a bit and found Drea Leeds site - The Elizabethan Costuming Page. ( This is still one of my favorite reference sites for the Tudor and Elizabethan eras.)  The more I researched, I realized how "theatrical" our wardrobe was;  Velcro closures, gathered skirts, cotton print fabric, even some polyester!  In hindsight, this wardrobe was actually pretty good, given it's budget and the fact that the same garments had to be altered for a different person each year.  However, I wanted to put my days (weeks?) of research to good use, so I ordered a custom gown.  Not perfectly accurate, but it fit my budget, and at least *I* was wearing a set of bodies (corset) and a farthingale underneath my gown.  Once I started sewing again, I wanted to make a special gown for faire.  One that was washable.  *makes sure the costume nazis aren't reading*  Brocade looks awesome, but the pattern traps dirt like a magnet.  So I decided to make a hunting gown, from *looks for costume nazis* cotton twill.  I dyed the fabric a lovely lavender color described (I think) in Janet Arnold's "Patterns of Fashion." Using a Margo Anderson pattern, and my existing underpinnings, I tried to finish my first gown in three weeks.  Ok, now that you've stopped laughing.... yes, it is still unfinished, 8 years later.  A few of the pins have even rusted into the hem.  At least I learned a ton about dyeing, cartridge pleating and fitting curved seams.

After graduation I only made Halloween costumes: 

* Lara Croft (BDU's, Army surplus boots, black crop top, and hair extensions), 

* Black Angel (burgundy/black wings, black catsuit, black tulle skirt w/ burgundy organza overlay, awesome star shaped "halo"), 

* Green Fairy (green sequin prom dress, wings and really elaborate face paint), 

* German Bar Maid/ Ren Faire wench (cop-out costume)

And now, well, I have to make my own excuses to dress up.  I don't have enough time, money or desire to join a reenactment group, and stage dress for singers does not include wearing a corset.  So Halloween and other parties are my only chances.

Coming soon - Pirate vs. Ninja party (and my kinda cool pirate costume), and then....

My very first dress diary.  Yes, I'm sewing my own Halloween costume this year.  And it's a big one.