Costumers Bazaar this Saturday, August 29, 2009

This Saturday, my friend Jean of Bibliomania book shop and I will join the ladies of the Costumer’s Guild at the Albany Public Library for their First Annual Costumers’ Bazaar. We will also have some beautiful books on fashion from Bonnie at Black Swan Books.

Jean has lovely vintage books and ephemera on textile techniques = crochet, sewing, knitting as well as fashion plate prints from the 1880s – 1930s, and biographies of designers and the British Royal families.

I am bringing handmade/beaded jewelry, vintage garments (silk and linen tops that I’ve been turning into stage costumes), shoes, trim, fabric, accessories- VINTAGE HATS, silk and wool shawls, a hand-embellished hatbox, and The Tailor’s Tarot. I also have some childrens books from the 1920s and an extra copy of 9/09 THREADS magazine with the article on custom-covering shoes;

Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild Costumers Bazaar

Saturday, August 29th, 2009 — 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Albany Community Center, Albany, CA

Come Join us!!
moth-butterfly-side-with-hat

Bonnet making class in Berkeley

Today I’m teaching a bonnet making class to kids and their parents in Berkeley.

It’s through a group of folks who have space to have classes, crafty night and other educational gatherings for their friends and colleagues.

Today’s class will be from 2 PM to 4PM at 1340 Arch Steet in Berkeley. We will be making SIMPLE bonnets for mothers, daughters and familes. It will about the process. Here is a photo of the lovely and happy Jenna, who completed the bonnet she began in the class:

Jenna's bonnet
Jenna's bonnet

costumes for “Ballad of Baby Doe” at Berkeley Opera

I completed the costumes for the character of Augusta Tabor, in “The Ballad of Baby Doe”, played by Lisa Houston.

Thank you again, Ms. M. I couldn’t have done this without your moral support and your loan of various garments to alter!

The show is set in the 1880s and 1890s and based on a true story.  You can see it at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Avenue, Berkeley

Saturday, July 11, 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 17, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 19, 2:00 p.m.

The names of Baby Doe, Horace Tabor, and Augusta Tabor have become mythical, but they are actual figures in Colorado history. An exquisite period piece of Americana, The Ballad of Baby Doe is based on their story of love, honor and politics, set against the boom times in Colorado in the 1880s when silver was king. Douglas Moore‘s lush score depicts this gripping riches-to-rags epic through lyricism of irresistible beauty, soaring arias and rousing chorus scenes. A star vehicle for the late Beverly Sills, the role of Baby Doe will be sung by soprano Jillian Khuner.

CAST

Baby Doe …….. Jillian Khuner
Augusta Tabor …….. Lisa Houston
Mama McCourt …….. Marney Margules
Horace Tabor …….. Torlef Borsting
William Jennings Bryan / A Politician …….. John Bischoff
President Chester A. Arthur …….. Ross Halper

Also featuring Elizabeth Wells, Angela Hayes,
Cary Ann Rosko, Elizabeth Gentner, Cass Mann,
Kelcey Poe, Darcy Krasne, Adria Swan,
George Arana, Wayne Wong, Michael Crozier,
Alex Taite, Kenny Louis, Michael Beetham

Buy tickets to The Ballad of Baby Doe
or order by phone at 925-798-1300

Production photographs by Ching Chang

Historical information: Baby Doe lore; Baby Doe photos

the Lemon Lady dilemma

Re: costume event-goers who insist on arguing with other attendees about the costume that they are wearing, right at that moment
I have met a number of the species of hyper-vigilant, hyper-critical costume-event-attendees.   I have worked at Lacis – the Lace Shop and Museum in Berkeley, part time  since last fall.  At Lacis we have a column by Miss Manners (aka the succinct and hilarious Judith Martin) posted on the wall in the staff kitchen. The article is about the rudeness of a stranger approaching another guest at the event and verbally lambasting her outfit. The reader had gone to a costume/historical event and was shocked by this other person’s level of audacity and rudeness regarding her costume. Said reader had screwed up her courage to put together an outfit to the best of her ability and to go to one of these events, although she knew No One at the event.
 
I call hyper-critical people, such as this reader encountered, Lemon Ladies. Some call them the costume police. I like Lemon Ladies because that is what one of my classmates called the rather difficult-to-deal-with staff members at school in the Registrar’s department who always looked as if the world was not to their taste.  If there was a thought balloon over their head, it would most likely be filled with variations of the word “Euuew.”
 
Lemon Ladies seem to enjoy (1) confrontation (2) criticism and (3) arguing, in or out of character. They seem to quickly fall out of character at events in which the attendees are attempting to be in character  (Renaissance Faire, Dickens, PEERS events – I’ve seen this in many settings, sadly.)
Finally, they are people who would rather be Right than be Happy. And they want EVERYONE TO KNOW IT. Now,  you and I both know, when one argues about who is Right about a subjective topic, all we end up with is who is Left standing there, tolerating a sharp environment of hostility, when we still disagree, minutes or hours or days later. Sigh.
What an utter waste of time! One could be dancing, or singing, or sewing, or watching a perfectly good baseball game, DVD,  theatrical production; or writing a letter  to a dear friend on a piece of paper art; or polishing the silver jewelry; or researching a costume or article; or writing a letter to one’s congressperson; or protesting a military action; or brushing one’s pet cat or doing the ironing, or babysitting for a neighbor or making cookies! SHEESH!
 
I go to costume/historical events to Have Fun. When it stops being fun, if I am under no obligation to anyone else present– to my hostess/host or if I need to share a ride with someone — then I leave. Period.
 
I also use the strategy of taking along a posse of other fun-loving, good-natured people! If I don’t, then there is a risk that I may end up as this reader did in the Miss Manners article.
 
The Response:  Miss Manners indicated that it is appropriate in Any historical Era to be offended by a stranger who critiques the bejeebus out of your clothing, in public, which is to say in front of other human beings, and to respond accordingly.  She relays to the readder that One might say in response– in a detached way if possible — “You have Offended my Honor” and turn away from the offending individual, as if he or she did not exist.
 
I learned about costuming by shopping for found objects at thrift stores. I’ve only recently learned about pattern drafting and pattern re-sizing. It’s a COSTUME. It’s there to clothe me for the duration of the event. It’s not supposed to be “correct”, although the research is fun. The creation of the costume, I have found, is actually more fun than wearing it. So when I find FUN events to attend, I put together my posse. This is my approach.
 
My mantra is: “It Doesn’t have to be Perfect. It has to be DONE. DONE IS GOOD.”   Yes, that means that sometimes I’m pinning things at the last moment, which is ALSO HISTORICALLY CORRECT!   And so is using fake hair.
My little sub group of costumers talks about this all the time. We chat on and on about it, as well as being supportive of Any Creative Effort that we each make – that is the Goal. To be creative, in whatever way we can fit that into our crazy lives!
Okay.  I’m putting my little blog-sized soapbox away.  Carry on.
meyerlemons

costume pals in Williamsburg, PA

Update on our friends’ visit

Sahrye, friend and Ms. M. in Colonial Williamsburg, PA

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
Trystan and Kendra
Sarah Lorraine in Williamsburg, PA
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.

Costume Academy in Berkeley

March 7 was the annual Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild Academy, held in Berkeley. The Greater Bat Area Costumer’s Guild offered three class sessions at the spacious Judas Magnes Museum. Costume enthusiasts joined up to take classes on 18th century shoe recovery; makeup and hair techniques for both the Victorian era and the 18th century; sewing tips and tricks; ribbon embroidery; advanced crochet techniques; and several hat embellishment classes. One class offered students a chance to make a reticule out of an ostrich egg and fabric.

Vendors and instructors from as far off as Fort Bragg, Sacramento and Watsonville, California came to sell their wares and students exchanged fabric, shared books, findings, jewelry and patterns.

And at lunch my group had a little birthday celebration for Amy and Mia!

I took Lynn McMaster’s class, “Millinery: Flowers & Net”; Kendra Van Cleave and Bridgit Bradley-Scaife’s class on sewing tips and tricks; and Bridget’s class on Hair in the Crinoline era. The attendance was really good and the location was great. We had room for the many class offerings and the vendors lunch were held in an auditorium.

Greater Bay Area Costumer’s Guild

Hat for M.’s 18th century costume

M. and H. talked me into going to the PEERS event in Alameda for Halloween. I hand sewed the silk covering on M’s hat with scraps of white silk from Betsy and some silver lacey trim from M. I think it came out well. It went well with her midnight blue outfit that she completed completely by herself. (She also made an outfit for her friend R.)

 

R&R’s big day: the team goes shopping

Team Rachel hit the East Bay pavements looking for accessories for Rachel’s wedding. We went exclusively to thrift and vintage shops and had lunch with our friend Charlotte and her charming pup Foxy Lady. We all felt like foxy ladies that day eating lunch at my sister’s restaurant, Sea Salt, and chatting with proprietor of Dolled Up Vintage, Karen. She helped us find the PERFECT dress for Ms Claire so she can be Rachel’s maid of honor. We hit Icon vintage, Pimlico Place, Discovery Shop and J. Sahadi for ring advice for R&R’s big day. Note: R&R aren’t just a couple. They are also sing, play and record with in the band they created, “Plot Against Rachel.”

At lunch Charlotte was trying to decide which parts each of us would play if she were casting “Sex And The City.” She wants to be Samantha and none of us want to be Carrie. But who would Foxy play? I told them I’d be Stanford Blatch.