Variations In An Iconic Dress

My favorite animated movie of all time is Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  I love the story and the character of Belle.  I'm also in love with the Broadway musical version, having seen it on tour four times.  In fact, I'm currently making costumes for a local production of it using teenagers and young adults.

I'm super excited about this production!  And of course, I have to make Belle's clothing, none of which is more iconic than her yellow ballgown.

I've mentioned before that taking something from animation or print and making it three-dimensional can be a bit of a challenge.  In this case it shouldn't be too hard, because Disney has women wearing this at their parks and in the live musical.  So just copy those, right?

Nope.  I have discovered over the years that there is no one single version of the dress, even with Disney.  take a look at the variations, all of the "official" Belle.

As you can see, there is not one "official" Belle ballgown.  While they are all immediately recognizable as her yellow dress, they are not exactly the same, despite all being made by Disney.  And none of them are 100% accurate to the animated version.

In one way this makes it more difficult, since there is not one single style to duplicate.  However, it also makes certain aspects easier, as I only have to get the basic lines, style, and color without having to make it perfect to one version.  This dress is so iconic that someone just has to get the color and basic silhouette and someone will recognize it as Belle's.  For example, look at this image of Belle from one of my favorite TV shows, Once Upon A Time.

There are many elements in it that are not the same as in the original Disney movie or Broadway show.  However, because of the similarities anyone can tell that this is meant to represent the same gown.

The version I'm making now is actually my third one.  The first one was actually the first dress I made on my own, several years ago.

I was pretty darn proud of that dress!  But I realized that I could probably do better, so when asked to do one as a commission I worked to improve it.

The same basic idea is there, and though neither dress is exactly like the examples I posted above, they are still something that someone can look at and think "Belle's ball gown!"

My third one will be my favorite version, with more tweaks and some changes to improve the pattern.  If you want to see what it looks like, check A Touch Of Magic Costumes on Facebook in a few weeks for the final pictures.

Becoming Gypsies

One of my family's favorite events is the Renaissance Festival.  We've been to many of them over the years and make a point to attend the one in our state at least once per year.  I realize that "ren faires" are very romanticized reenactments of history and involve a hodge-podge of time periods from medieval to true Renaissance times.  But there's something so fun about stepping out of the real world for a day to see acrobats, actors, and swordfighting while browsing the numerous vendors.

My husband and I talked for years about dressing in costume before we actually did so.  At first we bought our clothing as I hadn't started sewing.  But when I took up needle and thread a few years ago I made outfits for myself and our children.  My husband's clothing was still in good shape and looked good so he continued wearing it.  Last year I looked at our family and realized that he was the only one not wearing clothing I had made.

Well, I couldn't have that!

This year I decided to make sure that everyone was wearing my creations.  We also have realized that we prefer comfort over incredible looks when spending a day walking around a faire.  After some thought we decided that gypsies would be fun as well as comfortable.

Being a costumer is more than just doing the actual sewing.  I consider styles, patterns, fabric, print, colors, and just about everything else.  Since I was creating all of this from scratch I looked into the stereotypical gypsy designs, especially the kind you see at ren faires.  Here are the looks I came up with.

I have to say that this was the single most comfortable outfit I've ever worn to a ren faire!  And if I do say so myself, it all turned out very nicely.

After so many costume commissions, it was nice to just have fun and make something for myself.

I Costumed Burt Reynolds!

Sometimes my life as a costumer gives me some very unique opportunities.  Recently a small film shot some scenes in my town for a movie called Hamlet and Hutch.  It is about an aging actor, played by Burt Reynolds, who is in a community theater production of Hamlet.  I can't tell you much more about the plot, as I don't know all of it, but I do know that it will eventually air on the Lifetime network.

One of the large local theaters was rented to film some of the stage scenes.  I have done several productions there as a costumer and an actress, so I am friends with the theater director.  She loves my costuming and utilizes me regularly, so when the film company asked for help in arranging costumes appropriate for a community theater production, she gave me a call.

Honestly, this was an easy task, as I didn't have to make anything.  I used costume pieces from my own personal collection, as well as a few things from the theater, and was able to meet the needs from these simple sources.  But what was the coolest was when the costume organizer for the film sent me Burt Reynolds measurements!  Yes, I had to find a costume specifically for him!  Though I'm not a huge fan, I certainly respect his lifetime of work and the contributions he's made to entertainment.  And he's one of the most well-known celebrities I've met, so of course I was super excited!

Did you know he has a small foot?  I was surprised by that fact.

Anyway....

So I got the pieces together and brought them to the theater on the specified day.  While I didn't get to interact with Mr. Reynolds directly, and unfortunately didn't get to help with his fitting, I was in the green room when he came in and started talking to everyone.  I was also an extra in the audience along with my children (my husband was working and couldn't be there).

I wasn't completely star-struck, thanks to years of meeting celebrities at Dragon*Con and other conventions.  But it was still an amazing and cool experience, especially knowing that he was wearing what I picked out.  Not his costume coordinator.  ME.  Lil' ol' Tink arranged a costume for Burt Reynolds that he is wearing in the movie.  I was also able to arrange a brief part for a good friend of ours, Alan Sanders, whom I've worked with a lot in the past.  I provided Alan's costume as well...just sayin'.

Of course I took this opportunity to pass out my business cards to the film's costumers, director (who took two!) and other staff.  Who knows?  Maybe this will be my open door to working on other films.

Hollywood, here I come!

A Costumer Never Stops

Last week my family and I took a vacation to visit my own personal Promised Land...Walt Disney World.  I could go on and on about how wonderful it was and how much fun we had.  The highlight was getting to dine at the Be Our Guest restaurant in the New Fantasyland and having our table in the West Wing of Beast's castle.  It was so magical that I actually got tears in my eyes!  And when I met the Beast himself I started crying again.  Yes, I know it was all Disney magic and a person in a costume, but that is my favorite Disney movie of all time and I couldn't help myself.

Speaking of costumes....I realized I have a problem.  I can't turn of my costuming senses.  There I was in the most magical place on earth, enjoying time with my family, and I found myself analyzing costumes.  On one day our first visit was to Belle's Enchanted Tales.  While I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, I took a lot of pictures of Belle because I was analyzing her yellow ball gown.  I've made that a few times in the past and got some close-ups to help me make a new and better version.  I pulled myself out of the "moment" in order to look at the lay of the fabric.

Sheesh.

Later I got to meet Tinker Bell, Rosetta, and Periwinkle.  This is my third visit to Disney World and I've never had a chance to meet any of the fairies.  Such a shock, considering that Tink is my favorite character and the inspiration for my nickname!  Of course, I was super excited at getting to meet them and have my picture taken with them.  So what do I do as it's our turn to step up to them?  I lean to my husband and say "Be sure to take lots of pictures of Tinker Bell.  I want to see how her costume is made."  Yes, there I am with my idol and I want to take the time to analyze her clothing.

It's a problem.  I can't turn it off!  I found myself doing that with every princess, fairy, or other character we came around.  My husband constantly picks on me about my habit, as I do it at cons, Renaissance Faires, and anywhere someone is wearing a costume.

In my defense, my husband does the same thing when it comes to animals (he's a vet).  He will immediately notice whether or not a male dog is neutered and if the pet is at a normal weight.  So he's certainly one to speak!

I love costumes....how they're made, the fabric choices, and all of the little tricks that go into making the imaginary real.  When I see someone in a costume I want to know how it's made so that I can learn and improve.  The instinct is so strong that I simply can't help myself and it's an act of willpower to simply enjoy the moment.

I promise that the next time we visit Disney World I'll try to live in the moment.  But don't hold me to it.

Mass Market Costumes

Over the holidays I stopped into the Disney Store, one of my favorite retailers to visit.  I'm a huge Disney fan, and just about breathe everything Disney.  So of course I love any chance I can get to surround myself with things from the House of Mouse.

Since I've been making costumes I tend to analyze things I come across.  When I go to Renaissance Faires, cons and just about anywhere I spend time going over the costume with a critical eye.  I'll look at stitching patterns, how the pattern is put together, what type of cloth is used and so on.  This new quirk of mine is a source of constant amusement to my husband, but I simply can't help myself.  I want to look at what others have one as a way to continually improve my own skills.

So there I was in the Disney Store and one of the costumes caught my eye.  I started looking at the pattern on the material and how the costume was put together.  Keep in mind that this was a princess dress for a little girl, nothing too fancy or detailed.  As I studied it I started to try and figure out what it would take for me to make it.

There is a big difference between a mass market costume and one made by a costumer like myself.  Costumes meant for places like the Disney Store are made in huge quantities, usually in countries with cheap labor.  They are done on patterns of only a few sizes, as quickly and cheaply as possible.  The pattern on the cloth is usually custom-made to the setting on large spools to cover thousands of yards of material.  Due to the sheer number made there are ways that the company can manufacture it that make them look really nice.

I had to admit that the dress looked pretty good, especially for $50 in a Disney Store.  There was no way I would ever be able to make the same thing for that amount of money.  Heck, the material alone would probably cost me about that much simply to buy.

So why do custom work?

It's about the quality and customization.  The patterns may be nice and be accurate to the source material, but the material is often thin and less durable than what I typically use.  The stitching is also less complicated and easier to pull apart than with custom work.  But most importantly is the ability to get customized measurements and get things you can't buy in stores.  Buying a custom costume means that it will fit to your measurements, something you can't be assured of buying off the rack.  The flexibility of custom work also allows unique creations, such as the steampunk wedding dress I talked about last time.

It really depends on what you want out of a costume.  But never forget exactly how much work goes into handmade artistry.

It's A...Nice Day For A....Steampunk Wedding

Admit it.  You heard Billy Idol singing the post title in your mind.

Last weekend I attended the wedding of some friends of ours.  But this wasn't a typical wedding.  The bride and groom are geeks like us and decided that they wanted a rather different wedding.  Their theme was Star Wars and steampunk, something they both loved!

How does this tie in to a blog about costuming, sewing, and creativity?  The bride had something particular in mind for her wedding dress and couldn't find one she liked.  Knowing my costuming and sewing skills, she asked me to make it.  Remember my last entry?  Yeah, that was about this dress.  She wanted something Victorian/Edwardian/Steampunk, and I'm proud to say that with her ideas and my pixie-powered sewing machine I was able to make it happen.  Three patterns were meshed together with some original ideas to make a one-of-a-kind wedding dress.

The rest of the wedding was just as unique.  The groom was in full steampunk regalia.

The unity candles had candleholders made from lightsaber hilts.

The groom and the groomsmen came into the room to the tune of the "Imperial March" from Star Wars, played by a pianist dressed in steampunk clothing.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen had their own rather unique outfits that went with the whole theme.

Before the bride came in the children walked through with seampunked bubble blowers while the Star Wars Cantina band music played.

Costumes weren't limited to the wedding party!  The guests were encouraged to also dress up in their best steampunk outfits.

Thankfully I have numerous costumes at home and was able to simply use things I already had to put together an outfit.  And yes, I made it myself.

A friend of the groom (and us also) put together and modified some Star Wars action figures to represent the steampunk theme of the wedding.

Even the cakes fit the theme!

After the wedding was over the reception began and it was just as unique as the wedding.  Besides eating and socializing the guests were given the chance to play Rock Band on the Playstation2 as well as the Munchkin card game.  It was certainly the most unique wedding I have ever been to!  And I've been to plenty.  However, this was the first wedding my children had ever been to, so to them this is normal.  They are growing up going to sci-fi conventions, so it just fits in with the normal craziness and strangeness of their lives.  It will be interesting to see what they think of a "typical" wedding, and if they think it's too boring!

I wish the greatest of blessings and a long, happy marriage to my friends, Lord Chad and Lady Christyn Sides!

Wedding Dresses Are Scary

When I started making costumes I thought that I would primarily be working with cosplayers, though I was open to just about anything.  In the year that I've been doing it professionally I have discovered that I actually get more business from local theaters and acting groups.  But one of the most unexpected things was when I started getting requests to make wedding dresses.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I don't find "regular" clothes very much fun.  My enjoyment is costumes and period clothing.  So I certainly don't plan on making "normal" wedding dresses very often.  But the ones I've been commissioned for aren't exactly normal.  One couple I know is getting married next March and wants me to make anime-styled clothing for the bride and groom.  And the one I'm currently working on is a Victorian/Edwardian style, as the couple is almost doing a steampunk theme.  For a costumer that's just more clothing, right?

No!  In fact, the idea of doing them scares me a bit!

Think about it.  Under ideal circumstances this is the only time a woman will wear a wedding dress, and it is supposed to be one of the most important and special days of their lives.  While every part of it is important, a woman really concentrates on the dress.  That is what makes her feel special and beautiful, and is what her husband-to-be really focuses on when she walks down the aisle.  It is the central point of any photos of her, and what people will probably remember the most about the event.  So as important as the dress is, if it's screwed up the whole wedding can be ruined.

No pressure.

Seriously!  I worry enough about someone liking their costume for a con.  But when I am responsible for the signature clothing they are going to wear on the biggest day of their life, the stress is magnified.  If it doesn't fit right or look right, I might be the one to make their wedding go from memorable to infamous.  It has to be perfect!

Sheesh!

However, if everything goes right, it can be one of the most rewarding moments possible.  I'm very proud of how the current dress is turning out, and the bride is happy with what has been so far.  No, I can't post pictures until after the wedding, but this might be a masterpiece, if I do say so myself.

Assuming I don't mess it up.

Ah, the stress.  Then I get to start on the anime dress and tuxedo!  Another wedding!