Malvena Pearl’s Emporium

Happy belated Bastille Day to one and all!

I wanted to share some photos of a unique gathering of costume enthusiasts that was recently held at the Bellevue Club in Oakland, CA. It was An Evening at the Petit Trianon, set in 1789. There is a large group of photographs via the Guild’s Flickr Photo Pool and they have a Facebook page.

The lovely and talented Claudine de Montigny brings us some great information about how she constructed her beautiful and detailed outfit for this event on her blog, Idle Hands. Lady Heather offered me a her ticket and I was able to attend the event. (I was poised to sit outside the event, on my historically correct wooden crate, wearing peasant garb, knitting) It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic party goers and craftspeople enjoying themselves.

Vive La France!

Costume Academy 2011 Sunday May 22nd~ from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

ASUC MLK Student Union, 2475 Bancroft Way, University of California, Berkeley

Come find us in the Tilden Room on the 5th Floor!

Malvena Pearl

Purveyor of Millinery, Ephemera and Artful Diversions to Inspire the Costume Enthusiast

Peruse our selection of handmade & vintage hats from many eras, hair adornments, books, vintage catalogs, as well as accessories for men and women. There will also be framed Godey’s prints, ephemera and a special treat this year: vintage estate jewelry from a hobby collection. It’s all antique or vintage, unique, rare and one-of-a-kind costume jewelry made between 1850 and 1970. We will have patterns, sewing manuals from the 1920s-1950s and theatrical lobby cards. We also carry vintage ribbon, trim, buttons and other vintage notions. Bibliomania and Black Swan Books will provide assorted posters, prints and clothing, including embroidered nylons. We will feature four handmade bags by Wendy Lou in vintage fabrics.

This post is to welcome Jan Nixon to Malvena Pearl’s group of collaborators, enthusiasts and partners. I’ll be presenting her wares at Costume Academy in May. put on by the Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild. Here’s a little bit about Jan:

Update on our friends’ visit

Ms. M. and Sahrye report back from their visit to Colonial Williamsburg, PA

They went  in costume in their casual jackets and petticoats. (a promise of photos, forthcoming)  Then we got word that they paused in front of the web cam near the Magazine! Yes, our friends were caught on the web cam!

Our friends ran into another group of costumers from our own Greater Bay Area Guild who were also visiting before Costume Convention 27 in Maryland. They met up with Kendra V., Trystan and Sarah Lorraine, authors of  some of the finest and most inspirational costume blogs we have ever found. Kendra teaches at Costume College and at Bay Area Costume Academy; and she was visiting with a number of other very knowledgeable and well-dressed GBACG members who are also enthusiastic about 18th century dress.

Ms. M. said that she and Sahrye were pleased to look so authentic — they were asked for directions and whatnot by other visitors! They went to the Dewitt Museum and saw many of the open drawers in the Textiles section - they had the opportunity to study many lovely, hand-made items such as stomachers, quilting, jumps and aprons.  Sahrye got to be a living “model” and show off her many layers of 18th c. clothing.  They went to the Chowing Tavern for dinner with a couple from Denver, CO, and “closed down the Tavern” with Kendra and the other folks from the Guild.

Trystan and Kendra

Sarah Lorraine in Williamsburg, PA

The next day, Sahrye and Ms. M. received a personal tour of several pieces in the Conservation Collection from Linda Baumgarten. They were also able to take a peek at some upcoming exhibition pieces. I believe when these two return, we will have to share their notes and have at least one gathering.

The Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild arranged for our steampunk event to happen at Chabot, so we could view the stars through several different telescopes, see the planetarium show and eat cupcakes that were frosted like Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  We heard a talk on the history of the Science Center. One of the telescopes was donated to the city and built in the 1880s. We had a great turnout for this event. Met lots of familiar folks there and made some new friends, too.

Of course, this event has made me re-think several projects, as did my sewing/construction session with Claudine and Helena before the event yesterday. We had a “bustle parade” which was hilarious and fun. Sometimes it takes a village to complete a costume project.

Tudor Family Reunion Feast

Mia and I got our outfits prepared for the “Tudor Family Reunion Feast” held by the Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild. We’d been working on these garments for months. I helped Mia (center of photo above) sew the black trim on her red, linen English gown - on the sleeves and hem of the gown. Our friends Sahrye (left) and Gloria (right) are on either side of Mia. Sahrye made the gable hood she’s wearing and Claudine made Mia’s French hood.

The Guild organizers had a lovely and authentic multi-course meal that we ate by candlelight. We also had a woman performing songs on her harp and singing songs from the Tudor era. We brought our own cutlery and candles.

Here’s a photo of  Claudine, as we were setting up:

And here’s yours truly next to Helena and Deborah.  Helena and Deborah, below, are both wearing outfits that Claudine made. Mia inspired me to join her group at this event.

Suzette, Helena and Deborah