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!

My Second-Favorite Holiday

I love Christmas.  As a girl who loves happy endings and cheery stories, Christmas is the perfect time of year.  The lights, music, movies, and stories are all filled with hope.  I love giving and receiving gifts, and that is the biggest gift-giving holiday of the year.  And as a Christian I get to celebrate the birth of my savior.

But I love Halloween!

Part of it may be because my birthday is October 30th (nope, not telling you what year), so I have a birth connection to this time of year.  I have always loved spooky stories, though with a "Disneyfied" spin, such as Hocus Pocus or The Haunted Mansion.  No Friday The 13th or Paranormal Activity for this girl!  And I love dressing in costume.

For someone who loves wearing and making costumes, Halloween is the perfect holiday.  Other than a geeky, cosplaying girl like myself, this is a time when otherwise normal grown-ups can dress in the most outlandish outfits and be socially acceptable.  The kids get to look like their favorite character and beg for free candy while the adults get to hang out in equally fun costumes and admire each other.

Maybe that's why I've grown to love going to cons like Dragon*Con so much.  Halloween is only one day of the year.  When I'm at a con I'll wear 2 to 3 costumes, and sometimes have worn multiple ones in the same day.  For cosplayers, we get to enjoy the most fun parts of Halloween multiple times per year.  It's ironic that the same people that stare at us as we pass by on the streets during an event are likely the same ones who go to Halloween parties in costume.  I think they're just jealous!

I hope that everyone enjoys their Halloween events.  And remember, I'm always available to make something special for you for next year!

The Business Of Costuming

I'm a good costumer.  I've learned how to create new patterns by piecing together existing ones, as well as creating patterns from scratch.  My sewing and creative skills have grown over my several years of doing this and I have a growing portfolio of great work.  However, I still have to learn how to manage a business.

Honestly, I think the hardest part of being a costumer is figuring out how much to charge.  I know how expensive custom work can be, having priced it with other costumers.  So I've always wanted to make costumes at a reasonable price, allowing more people to enjoy the cosplay hobby or be able to simply dress up to have fun.  However, I've had to balance that cost with my time and expenses, making sure that I don't lose money on materials as well as being worth my time to do.

I have a formula that I use to give people a price quote.  It takes into account the wear-and-tear on my sewing equipment, the cost of materials that I use plus a mark-up, and an hourly rate for my labor.  And I've had to tweak that formula several times over the last year as I realized that I was significantly under-charging, especially for my time as a seamstress.  That's not an easy thing for me to do, as I've had people inquiring about price and then complain about the quote.  One person argued back and forth with me via email until I broke down the exact costs, showing that I wasn't really even charging for labor costs with the deal I was giving her.  She shut up after that.  And I learned that I needed to charge more.

It's a balance that I'm still learning.  I don't want to price myself out of the market, driving down the business.  At the same time I know that hand-made custom costumes are not something you can walk into a store or even Ren Faire and purchase off the rack.  I have become very frustrated with certain commissions because I was spending a lot of time working on them yet getting little financially in return.  Though I enjoy sewing and being creative, it also takes time away from my kids, husband, and keeping house, so I need to be able to make it a worthwhile endeavor.

Thankfully my husband manages a business and has been helping me through all of this.  Well, to be honest, he's been nagging me a bit about my pricing structure.  With his help I'll continue to develop my business skills, and though I may make fewer costumes, I'll have more satisfaction for the ones I do get to create.

I never knew that starting a business would be so challenging.  I'm just glad that I work out of a home office and don't have to worry about renting space.  I have new appreciate for entrepreneurs!

A Family Affair

When I started my costuming business I had planned on it being a one-woman affair.  Just little ol' me creating things for other people.  But it didn't take long for me to realize that one person can only stretch so far.  That's when I roped in some helpers.  And the best helpers can be family.

My mom taught me how to sew and enjoys doing it as therapeutic.  So of course I called on her sympathies and started having her help with some of the overflow and simpler things.  Now, she doesn't completely "get"  geek events and interests, so I keep the odder things for myself.  But she has been intrigued by some of the costume concepts I do and I think under different circumstances in life may have headed in that direction herself.  It certainly takes a lot of stress of me to know that I can rely on her skills when I get overwhelmed.

My sister is a professional stylist and knows how to make and work with wigs.  That is often an important part of costuming as certain roles require a different hair length, style, or color than is natural.  I have quite the collection of wigs, so much so that at some cons people haven't been able to figure out what my real hair looks like since I wear different ones each day.  I can do minor wig crafting so it's nice to have someone who really knows what they're doing.

My daughter has started learning how to sew and is one of the biggest geeks in the family, even though she's only 9.  She's done some minor work but I can easily see her getting more into it as she gets older.  Who knows?  Maybe A Touch Of Magic Costumes will become hers one day.

One thing that I've discovered is that doing costuming with my mother, sister, and daughter has brought us together in surprising and wonderful ways.  It really is a family effort even though I'm the front-person.  I couldn't do it without them!

Dragon*Con 2012 Memories

My eighth Dragon*Con ended last week (boo!!!) and it was a great success.  This was my first one as an official costumer, having started my business after last year's con.  It's interesting to me how my views and outlooks have changed in the last 12 months and how that had me looking at things differently.

First, I had a reputation to uphold.  This meant that my family's costumes had to be representative of my skills as a seamstress and not just for fun.

Then there were the people that had commissioned costumes to wear at the con.  I was able to run into them and talk about it.  The Captain Cold costume was noticed by legendary comic book artist George Perez, who stated it was the best version he had ever seen.  That's a huge thing from someone who has actually drawn the character and has been going to cons for decades!  The confessor dress from Legend of the Seeker was also a hit and loved by the customer.

It was great to see people really enjoy what I had made for them.  I'm anxious to see what costumes of mine show up at the con next year!

Now can I go a bit "fan-girl" on you?  Sure I can...it's my blog.

The absolute highlight of the con was getting to meet my long-time idol, Dean Cain.  I've had a crush on him ever since Lois & Clark was on the air and my husband has often said that Dean is the one man I'd leave him for.  So when I was standing in line to talk to him and get his autograph I actually had tears in my eyes!  The experience was better than I could have hoped.  He was so very nice and personable, smiling at me and my family and being so sincere and genuine.  When it came time for the picture, he gave me a genuine, double-armed hug!  Superman himself had his arms around me!  And oh, that smile!!!!

Now it's back to reality (boo again!!!).  Time to organize my thoughts and start planning the next costume.  I already have several commissions to begin, and with around 500 cards passed out at Dragon*Con, I may have more business than I can handle!

Steampunkin' It

Over the last few years my family and I have gotten heavily into the steampunk genre.  "What is steampunk?"  Ah, glad you asked.  If you do a quick internet search you will be bombarded with pages and links.  If you want a more "scholarly" approach you can just check Wikipedia.  Steampunk is a bit hard to describe and define since it covers so many things and is kind of "fuzzy" around the borders of what it includes.  But in a nutshell....take the Victorian time period, including clothing, social structure, and so on, give them modern-ish gadgets that are powered by steam and clockwork rather than electricity and microchips.  It's as much a philosophy and style as it is a setting.  Type in "steampunk" and here is the first image you get...

But since steampunk involves so many things, you never know what you'll see "steampunked".  Steampunk X-Men anyone?

Or what about Batman?  This one is actually a personal friend of ours.  Really!

My husband and I are no stranger to the genre, having first costumed as steampunk versions of Green Arrow and Black Canary.  Yes, I made those costumes!

The following year we joined the rest of the Justice League (and a few villains).

There is something so magical about steampunk.  It's all about honor, adventure, and romance.  Plus the clothing is just so cool!  It harkens back to a time when men were handsome and dashing and women were sexy and feminine without being scantily dressed.

As I write this Dragon*Con is only 10 days away.  And this year we're unveiling a new steampunk costume set...Thundercats!  The costumes are still being made otherwise I'd post props.  But we're very close to being finished, and I think we'll get a lot of great responses and lots of pictures.  Once the con is over I'll post plenty of photos of what we've done.