Sochi Olympics Winter Games 2014: The Pants / Jeux Olympiques d'hiver de Sotchi 2014: Les Pantalons

(La version Française se trouve plus bas.)
 
Do you follow the pants? No? Well, for those of you who do not, or for those who do not know what the pants are, let me explain. If you have been avidly watching the Olympics as I have, you have seen a variety of winter sports presented, with some more popular than others, such as figure skating, hockey and skiing or snowboarding. Curling, as far as I know, is rarely seen as one of the most popular events. One men's team has however found a new way of drawing the public’s eye to their sport, by turning it into a fashion show of sorts: the Norwegians.

Suivez-vous les Pantalons? Non? Et bien, pour ceux d’entre vous qui ne les suivraient pas, ou qui ne les connaîtraient pas, laissez-moi vous expliquer. Si vous suivez les Olympiques aussi avidement que moi, vous aurez vu présentés une variété de sports d’hiver, comme le patinage artistique, le hockey, le ski ou la planche à neige. Le curling, en mon sens, ne fait pas vraiment parti des évènements les plus populaires. Une équipe masculine a par contre trouvé un nouveau moyen d’attirer l’attention du public sur son sport, en le transformant en une sorte de défilé de mode : les Norvégiens.

The Norwegian men's curling team / L'équipe Norvégienne de curling masculin

The curling uniform usually calls for black pants, but these guys have decided to break with tradition. Big time!

L’uniforme de curling demande normalement que l’on porte un pantalon noir, mais ces gars là sont en train de briser la tradition et pas qu’un peu.

Apparently, the crazy pants thing got started when the team, composed of Thomas Ulsrud, Christoffer Svae, Torger Nergård, Håvard Vad Petersson and Thomas Løvold, received the wrong uniform a few weeks before the Vancouver Olympics. Desperate for a uniform, the team mandated their second, Svae, with the task of finding them a new one. He searched online and found matching checkered pants for all the team members in the colours of the national flag, red, blue and white.

Apparemment, l’idée de porter des pantalons aux motifs criards fut lancée après que les membre de l’équipe, composée de Thomas Ulsrud, Christoffer Svae, Torger Nergård, Håvard Vad Petersson et Thomas Løvold, eurent reçu le mauvais uniforme quelques semaines avant les olympiques de Vancouver. Désespéré de se trouver un nouvel uniforme, l’équipe mandata son second, Svae, pour trouver un uniforme de remplacement. C’est en cherchant en ligne qu’il trouva des pantalons à damiers aux couleurs du drapeau Norvégien, rouge, bleu et blanc, pour toute son équipe.

The Norwegian men's curling team in Vancouver /

L'équipe Norvégienne de curling masculin à Vancouver

The media attention that the colourful bottoms brought them and the new found popularity it gave their sport back home was enough to encourage them to renew the experience these Olympics, with not just one, but 9 pairs of silly pants.

L’attention des media que leur apportèrent ces pantalons colorés ainsi que la nouvelle popularité qu’ils apportèrent à leur sport dans leur pays fut amplement pour les convaincre de renouveler l’expérience pour ces jeux-ci, avec non pas une, mais bien neuf pares de pantalons rigolos.

The Pants worn by the team, all from golf clothing company Loudmouth, are all in the Norwegian flag colour, except for the floral knickerbockers they wore to its first training session in Sochi.

Les pantalons portés par les membres de l’équipe, tous produit par la compagnie de vêtements de golf Loudmouth, sont tous aux couleurs du drapeau Norvégien, à l’exception des pantacourts qu’ils portèrent pour leur premier entraînement à Sotchi.

The floral pattern is of Norwegian origin though, and the team say their attire, complete with page boy cap and the knee high socks of the Norwegian Football (Soccer) team, was inspired by pictures of some of the first curling games in Scotland in the early 20th century. Isn’t that exactly what we costumers do?

Le motif floral est par contre d’origine Norvégienne, et l’équipe disent que leur ensemble, incluant une casquette de camelot et des bas aux genoux de l’équipe Norvégienne de football (Soccer), fut inspiré par des photos de match de curling en Écosse du début du 20e siècle. N’est-ce pas là exactement ce que nous costumiers faisons?

So, what do you think of the Pants? Would you dare wear the pants? I know I would, but I’m just crazy this way.

If you wish to see more Pants, you can always follow their unofficial Facebook Fan page here.

Alors, que pensez-vous des Pantalons? Oseriez-vous porter les Pantalons? Moi si, mais je suis cinglée comme ça.

Si vous aimeriez voir plus de Pantalons, vous pouvez suivre la page non-officielle des fans des Pantalons sur Facebook ici.

Royal Wedding Fashion

So unless you live in a cave, you will have heard, there was a royal wedding today. Really! Prince William and his Fiancee Catherine "Kate" Middleton said I do in front of 1 billion spectators. I tried not to follow the masses, I really did. But I'm a girl, I love Fairy Tales and I LOVE weddings.

A Royal Wedding Group Portrait

With all the crazy fashion there, you know I was bound to make a comment. Someone's worst dress list is a costumer's inspiration.

So first, let me talk about the Queen of the day.

Katherine Middleton, Mother of the Bride - Queen Elizabeth II, Grandmother of the groom - Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Stepmother of the groom

No, I did not mean THE Queen, although one has to notice the lovely shade of butter yellow she choose, and admire her hat which is quite elegant (contrary to past habits).

To also comment on this picture, I love what the mother of the ride wore, but I hate the Duchess of Cornwall's hat.

But back to the day's Star: Catherine "Kate" Middleton.

Catherine "Kate" Middleton

No one can deny how lovely she looked in this Alexander McQueen creation. It's not really my style, what with the long sleeves and all that lace, but I can understand the need for sobriety and the difficulty in finding a dress that will please everyone.

My first thought as I watched her get out of the car was "This looks like Grace Kelly's wedding dress!"

Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, April 1956

Oh, and just a quick note in case my Sweetheart is reading, I love Kate's sapphire engagement ring. Just saying.

Diana / Kate's engagement ring

Everyone of course noticed the sister of the bride and her Maid of honour, Philippa "Pippa" Middleton, looking sexy in Alexander McQueen.

Philippa "Pippa" Middleton

One guest's dress also caught my eye: the one worn by Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco.

Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco

I have read critiques concerning this outfit because her dress had a train, but I love it all the same. It looks somewhat like a caftan, but it is extremely elegant.

What any British Royal event really is about, fashion wise anyways, it the hats.

The daughters of Earl Spencer

It seams to be a part of the dress code to have some crazy looking, gravity defying 'thing' on your head.

Princess Anne

I had a dress in these colours as a child... in the early 90's! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I am not loving this outfit.

Sophie Winkleman, Actress and wife of Lord Frederick Windsor

This hat I love. It is asymmetrical, yet sober. Can anyone explain to me how it stays in place?

Miriam Clegg, wife of deputy prime minister Nick Clegg

I am not quite sure about the turban hat, but I do love the humongous red flower fascinator!

Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe of Belgium

TURQUOISE! (You knew we would eventually get there.)

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall

Another gravity defying hat.

Chelsea Davy

Prince Harry's girlfriend wore a lovely suit, albeit perhaps too tight, and it is nice to see another type of headwear and the wedding.

Victoria Beckham a.k.a. Posh Spice

I realize my favourite Ex-Spice Girl is pregnant, but did she have to wear a tent? One the one side, I find it too similar to one of my night gowns, but on the other, I think it may be growing on me. Lovely draping effect, longer in the back, definitely perfect to hide the midriff. The colour and hat are truly nice, but again, pardon my ignorance, but I do wonder how this hat holds in place.

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

Okay, she looks straight out of a Star Trek episode.

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice

We have slowly culminated to the craziest of the hats: Princess Eugenie's, and especially Princess Beatrice's. Some people have said that Princess Beatrice's hat looked like an octopus. One thing is for sure, it has made the news. From what I read, both had very little say in their hats. Designer Philip Treacy just knows them enough to know what they like (which can be a scary though).

Ultimately, the crazier the look, the more I love it! And now I feel like wearing silly hats and fascinators too.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

I wish the newlyweds a happy long and truly happy life together.

Change, Evolve, Transform: Recycling in costumes

Ask anyone who knows me, I am an absolute pain when it comes to recycling and keeping the environment clean. I grew up in the "Let's save the Planet" generation and I apply that mantra to my everyday life (my poor Sweetheart really hears it whenever he throws something recyclable in the garbage can). So if you are ever in the car in front of me and I see you throwing garbage out of your window, chances are I'll get out of my own car at the next red light to yell at you.

This is the reason I fell in love with this dress:

Change, Evolve, Transform by Sporkweilder

How cool is that: a dress entirely made of wrappers that would have otherwise been thrown away! I absolutely love it. And it is so colourful too!

Change, Evolve, Transform by Sporkweilder

This is what Sally, a.k.a. Sporkweilder used to make this outfit:

• Cotton and Tulle
• Crisp (that's chips for us North Americans) packets, sweet wrappers, soda cans...
• Assorted Jewellery Supply
• Randomly collected crafty type things like the feathers for the tiara
• Coloured craft wire
• Wallpaper
• SEQUINS AND GLITTERS!

Change, Evolve, Transform by Sporkweilder

This is what she had to say about her design:

"I took the concept of recycling, evolved my design and transformed empty crisp packets into the dress you see here. FACET, the word on the belt, is the name of the imaginary company I was working for. I was aiming for a '60s feel..."

Great job Sally. I truly love your dress. I have been wondering what to make out of my weekly chips bag once I'm done eating it and that is wonderful inspiration.

I wonder what my Sweetheart will say if I start saving Lays bags and candy wrappers...

What not to wear to your High School reunion (Funky Feather Fascinator)

Big day today: the 10 year High School reunion! What shall I wear!? I've been wondering about that for a while now, and the answer is, my Alfred Sung Orange and Hot Pink Summer Dress:

Pure by Alfred Sung at Zellers

Of course, I bought mine on special, so I only paid 20$ for it (*proudly grinning*). I really like it, I feel like a 60's well dressed housewife in it. Did I say 60's? Does that mean... COSTUME!

Something I miss from the 60's (mind you I was born in the 80's) and the earlier decades is everyone dressing up nicely to go outside the house and people wearing hats.

A couple of months ago, I found a tutorial to make a Fabulous Feather Fascinator. I decided to make a Funky Feather Fascinator with pink tulle and Orange and Hot Pink feathers to match my dress.

See how good it looks with my dress? You can't deny me my Costumeholic nature...

Gwenyver wearing her Funky Feather Fascinator

Of course, I made it the night before, only to realize that the feathers I had were too long to do what the tutorial shows. It still looks great (and funky!), but my Sweetheart, after saying it was cool, was sort of horrified at the idea of being seen with me in public, in a non-costume event, with "a dead parrot" on my head.

So I didn't dare wear it to the pub where the reunion took place.

Nancy-Raven and Gwenyver at their 10 year High School reunion

Where as Nancy-Raven dressed-up as the "Wicked Witch of the North Shore"*, I went as a successful Costume Designer (complete with Gladiator Sandals - originally bought to be worn at a LARP event).

*And thank you so much Sweetie for telling everyone we were going to sacrifice a goat as we left for the restaurant!

As Shakespeare put it, "All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players": every actor wears a costume on stage, therefore, whatever we choose to wear is a costume, especially since we often plan our clothes according to the impression we want to give. That is Gwenyver the Costumeholic's philosophy!