Elizabeth Bennet

I know I said I was going to be a spiderweb for Halloween this year, but the other day I found this beautiful vintage costume which is so Elizabeth Bennet, and required much less work ;)
Everything but the skirt seams are hand stitched, with some smocking here and there, I just love that there's that detail on a costume, we don't even have that on modern everyday clothes!

Pride and Prejudice has been my favorite book since I first read it at 14, and I just can't help but buy more and more copies of the novel. This one is my favorite, it's a beautiful hardback I got at an antique show, but I still have that very worn copy I carried around in high school.

I hope everyone will have a nice Halloween weekend, I'm off to a party at Twila Jean's house, but Halloween night will be spent watching another episode of Sherlock Holmes with kitty and a cup of tea :)

Happy Halloween!

1920s Halloween Costumes

So I'm not a huge fan of Halloween. I do like the holiday, but don't get super excited for it. I suppose it has to do with the fact that if I want to dress up, I do, not matter the time of year. And I just get really sick of seeing all the cheap, skanky, pre-coordinated costumes at stores, in those little baggies. No imagination. No quality. It's like fast food in clothing form.

Anyway, the only time I really love Halloween, is when I see some vintage costumes, and decorations, specifically from the 1920s. They had the craziest, most imaginative, stunning costumes I've ever seen, even something so cliche as a witch, looks original.

I was searching for ideas for my own costume, and came across the third photo, with the spiderweb costume. And now I am going to be a spiderweb. I was going to go totally 1920s, with an actual black 1920s dress I have stored away, but instead I will wear that sequin leotard I found last week. And I'll just have to make the rest! Although since seeing that crazy picture of the two spiderweb girls and their amazing headdresses, my costume seems much less elaborate now ;)

Set 2, 3, and 4, from Rhiannonmar's photostream

Set 5 from Carbonated's photostream

Let them eat cake.

THIS is why I haven't made that hat I've promised for a giveaway, or cleaned my house, or listed barely anything in my shop. I was busy making fabulousness :)
Saturday I had both my bridal shower, and a costume party to attend, but I couldn't wait to show off the costume, so it comes first.

About a moth ago my mother and I were invited to a party and her friends house, I had gone to parties there before with her, once it was circus themed, such fun! The theme for the party was 18th century, and as soon as I heard the hat was the first thing that came to my mind. I have often seen drawings of entire ships in 18th century hats, and thought that would just be a dream. My mothers friend was kind enough to lend me one, and from there the costume was inspired.
I went to Johanna's 18th century blog for tons of insight and inspiration, it's full of beautiful photos, costumes, and authentic clothing from that period. I wish I could have been more authentic, but time and budget were scarce.
Actually, almost everything for the costume I already had. The main fabric is a vintage upholstery, I have no idea where I got it from, and the base of the sleeves are old curtains. The only material I purchased was the blue and white trim, the buckram for the hat, and the big blue feather.
Everything, including the hat, is made from scratch, and I did use a bodice template I found online, but had to alter it quite a bit since it had no sleeves, and was way too short. After I made that structured part I draped on my dress form, over a petticoat and homemade panniers (they were like hip pillows, hehe).
The absolute best part was the hat. If you can believe it this was the first time I had ever made a hat from scratch, I'm pretty proud of myself. I shaped the buckram over a foam head, and covered it with fabric. I wanted the ship to look as though it was caught in a storm, and the feathers were giant waves about to crash down. The pink tassels were just for giggles ;)
Near the end of the party they had a "best costume contest" for men and women, and I won!


On the left, a couple that reminded me of "Pirates of the Caribbean", her hair was so high! On the right myself and the host of the party, Brian, complete with sword!


I embellished my mothers dress a bit, she bought it at my work, it was one of those 80s prom dresses that looks like a princess would wear it.
The party was bundles of fun, there was music, dancing, food, a scavenger hunt, and sword fighting of course :)
Chris, on the right won best mens costume, he reminded me of a cartoon, hehe.


There were such fabulous costumes, and I was really happy to see some hats as well. I especially love the top hat with the big jewel in the middle.


I think that was the most grand I have ever felt, and the biggest fire hazard...