Several years ago I trimmed an 18th century bergère (a flat-brimmed straw hat with a shallow crown) rather modestly for a Claire inspired Outlander costume. I’ve since never worn it. So last year while working on my gown and accessories for Fetes Galantes (yes, the one the pandemic canceled), I upgraded my hat using The American Duchess […]
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Oktoberfest Dirndl, but Make It Witchy
How many dirndls are too many? What started with one dirndl to wear to a wedding reception in Germany became several to wear to Texas Renaissance Festival and Oktoberfest events here in Texas…so why not make one a little more witchy for a dirndl group at Costume College? Following yesterday’s post on my 1950’s McGonagall […]
Wizardbounding 1950’s McGonagall
After finishing my McGonagall costume last year, a mountain of a project, I had a lot of spare olive fabric, both striped and pintucked. When we made plans to run a half marathon in Orlando, we also made plans to visit Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I wasn’t sure wizardbounding was a thing, but I […]
Costuming McGonagall from Harry Potter
Professor Minerva McGonagall is my favorite Potterverse character. She’s the true hero, and anyone who says otherwise can fight me. She has many classic looks in the films, but the one that captivated me the most was her outfit at the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Stunning olive dress robes […]
Costuming Brianna from Outlander: Season 4 (Patchwork Shirt)
I usually costume Claire from Outlander, and I have outfits from the first 3 seasons. But in season 4, a costume worn by Brianna (Bree) caught my eye, and I started working on it before the first episode even aired. I made Brianna’s patchwork shirt that she wore while hunting with Jaime in episode 409, […]
Hair Cushions: An Experimental Book Review of The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Beauty
I’m no stranger to 18th century costuming, but my knowledge is relatively new and limited to Outlander and Black Sails, and I am still learning (always). I attended Costume College last month and sat in on the 18th century beauty lecture led by Lauren Stowell and Abby Cox from American Duchess. My husband, friends, and […]
Costume College 2019: A First Timer’s Recap
About a year ago I learned about Costume College, an annual costuming arts conference in Southern California, via social media (thanks to the incredibly skilled people that I follow). You mean to tell me there’s a conference for people who like to sew costumes and want to be better? Of course there is…sign me up! […]
Costuming Afternoon Tea Darth Vader
Since I was a little girl, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Darth Vader was one of my favorite characters. Now that I’m a grown costuming woman with moderate sewing skills, I can’t help but recreate this iconic and beloved character in my own way. Preparing for Costume College with my […]
Costuming an Art Inspired Maenad
In my wine loving household, maenads, the drunken followers of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, were always a sort of mascot. I found this gorgeous representation of a maenad on Pinterest, specifically on a tarot card by Tarot of Delphi. The art used on the tarot card is Autumn Vintage Festival (1877) by Lawrence Alma-Tadema…and […]