Mini Post: Steampunk Flashback

While poking through my files, I ended up stumbling upon my old steampunk costume: I have been meaning to go back and redo it so it's more wearable, but here's where it stands now.

The "correct" side: if you look closely, you may see my favorite assassin, The Penguin Knight.

The waist cincher was one of the first I ever made. It was also the first reversible garment I made.

Backstage at the Medieval Photoshoot

This project was actually a result of a class I took: the task for the class was to design and build a medieval styled garment. I decided to do a concept for a young Flemeth from the Dragon Age series of games. I will be doing a more in depth post on this later (from the start of the design post through the execution of the piece) but for now, here are some of the photos of the results of the class.

Here's my costume, in most of it's glory.

Left is Gina Crowley and me, Right is Jessika Rose and me.

We had a lot of time between pictures: Here's Ginger Lass Cosplay in her fantastic Merida outfit and me getting silly on stage.

Back-backstage was also a hoot: From left to right is Hustle and Bustle Cosplay (who was super helpful with hair and make up), Ginger Lass Cosplay again, and me, attempting to hide in her hair.

Mini Post: USO Girl

Here was a commission I finished in 2013 for Comic Con: the customer wanted a USO girl from Captain America: The First Avenger, but was also concerned about being cold in panels. Together, we can up with the solution of a small caplet, pictured below.

Here was the caplet...

And here it is with the dress.

Happy Friday!

 -B

The Ol' Pre 1600's Post

If you don't know me (or don't follow my Facebook page) you wouldn't know that I really enjoy making Medieval to Renaissance costumes, ranging from the very accurate to the completely fantastical.

Starting with the most period accurate, this is a cotehardie made off of a pattern of a dress found in a bog in Greenland.

 Now for a mix of accurate and inaccurate, here is my period Flemish kirtle and smock. The kilt and yoked shirt, however, are built for comfort: the kilt is made of cotton rather than a woolen fabric, and the shirt is a 1970's esque pattern that is more Renaissance Faire than it is Renaissance man.

Finally, a simple pouch. This pouch is a simple wool fabric cut in a circle, turned, eyeleted, and then embroidered.

If you're looking for another bit of the Renaissance, check out my Flynn Rider and Renaissance maiden post.

1920's Mini-Post

Happy Friday Everyone! I have been wanting to post this for awhile: the 1920's dress and underdress I made in a night for a birthday party a few years ago.

Here is the underdress. It was a stiff synthetic that let the outer layer hang loose.

Here is the final dress: I just happened to have the pearls and shoes lying around!

Have a good weekend,

-B

Hats Of Unusual Styles (And one ROUS)

Hats hats hats. Rats? Every so often, I get to make a hat (something that fills me with warm fuzzies and joy). And then once in a very blue moon, I get to make a rodent of unusual size.

First, the hats.

"I need an elf hat." He said. This was no problem to me; elves are easy. "Ok. That won't be a problem." I replied. "There's a catch. I need it to be ridiculous. the most ridiculous and potentially ugly elf hat ever." Thus, this hat was born. 

The model is Chris, grumpy elf of the southwest. The bell is really what brings it all together.

Of course, I don't just believe in hats for other people. 

Disclaimer: This hat was not built from scratch. Rather, it was assembled by the dark forces that be. It cost less than $8 to make, including the bird, net, spider, and the flower.

The crow side is definitely my good side. Probably.

I swear I can make normal faces. Just not in hat pictures. Here is the back, net and all. The net does occasionally snap on other things, but other than that there is no downside to this whole affair.

This was actually one of my favorite hats that I made: mostly because I made it from scratch. It was an amazing experience to see a hat from start to finish.

And now for something different.

Meet Ch'p, Green Lantern of Sector 1014. His appearance is based off of The Green Lantern animated movie, where he accompanies Arisia. He is assembled from parts from beaver, fox, and squirrel toys. I think his lantern symbol got swapped after this picture, but almost all of my photos from this period were wiped with my last phone.

Evelyn Nesbit (Fall 2013)

If there ever was a lady who deserved more recognition, it's Evelyn Nesbit. A cabinet card girl from the early 1900's, she was one of the first live models for fashion: she also was idealized as "The Gibson Girl" by Charles Gibson. 

Photo Courtesy Wikipedia

Most importantly (well, for this post anyways), she is a prominent character in the stage musical "Ragtime". I was fortunately enough to make the "swimsuit" style outfit for her Atlantic City scene. You will note that it is neither a period swim suit or an actual swimsuit: the director took this scene in a slightly more creatively liberal direction.

Front.

Back.

Side View. Unfortunately, I have no shots of this from the stage.