Everybody Dance Now

Last night was my dance school’s annual recital. It went great, we had a lot of fun and I got to wear three costumes overall.

My School Dress:

Gwenyver in her School dress at the 2010 ECRO, November 2010

My Solo Dress:

Gwenyver in her "Water" Solo dress (being pursued by a tired baby) at the 2010 Ville-Marie Feis, May 2010

And for our finale, we had a surprise planned for the audience: and 80’s/90's number to the song Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) by C & C Music Factory. Which of course meant an 80’s/90's inspired dance costume! (I mixed influences from both "eras" to make this outfit.)I decided to go for an aerobics look, without going for anything too skin tight. Here are the pieces I have found to make my outfit.

"Pure" by Alfred Sung Pink Square Shirt

This is the main piece: the loose t-shirt. It is a lovely shade of bright pink, and the neckline, shoulders and sleeves are trimmed with braided self fabric. I seem to remember my mom had something with similar braiding back then. This is an Alfred Sung “Pure” T-shirt from Zellers, on sale.

Athletic Works lime green sports tank top

I would have liked to have a leotard to go under my t-shirt, but since getting one in my size would have been ridiculously expensive (Discount Dance Supply’s shipping charges to Canada generally doubles the cost of the order), I instead found a lime green sports tank top that looks perfect when peaking from under the pink t-shirt. This is an Athletic Works sports tank top from Wal-Mart, also on sale.

Black Leggings

I wore black leggings which I already own as a bottom.

Neon Green Leg Warmers

Nothing says 80’s Aerobics Fashion like leg warmers. I found these at Ardène in the 3 for 10$ section They are a different shade of green than the tank top, but this is a St. Patrick’s show after all!

Neon Yellow Fingerless gloves

When you look at photos of Madonna in the 80’s, she was often wearing fingerless gloves. The fashion was also picked up by many at the time. I got these neon yellow gloves at Ardène, also in the 3 for 10$ section.

Rainbow Bright inspired Earrings

These rainbow coloured earrings are also from Ardène, but they were bought three years ago. I saw them in magazine and loved instantly.

Neon Yellow and Black Scrunchie

I wore my hair in a high side ponytail and got a neon yellow scrunchie at the Dollar store to cover my elastic (and match the gloves). Nothing says 90's like a good old scrunchie!

Sansha Unisex "Hi-Step" Dance Sneaker

For shoes, I wore my dance sneakers. These are incredibly comfortable and worth every penny. I even wear them to work sometimes!

Want to see the result? (I am the second from the left).

YAID Senior Class, Finale, 2011 Annual Recital

Yep, we looked cool! I think I’ll wear that outfit to dance practice from now on. So comfortable!

Theatre Ghosts : Heraclia / Fantômes de Théâtre : Héraclia

I have finished another costume for the Ghost’s play. This second costume in as many hours is for the character of Heraclia, an Ancient Greek woman. When considering what to make her, I did think of a peplos, but because of the t-shirt all actors will be wearing under their costumes, I went for a chiton instead.

J’ai terminé un autre costume pour la pièce des Fantômes. Ce second costume en autant d'heures est pour le personnage d’Héraclia, une femme de la Grèce Antique. Lorsque j’hésitais encore sur le modèle à lui confectionner, j’ai considéré le Peplos, mais en prenant en compte la réalité du gaminet porté par tous les acteurs sous leur costume, j’ai plutôt opté pour le chiton.

Peplos VS Chiton

Besides, when Nancy-Raven assigned me this costume, she was thinking of my Circe costume, worn to her Halloween party in 2009.

De toute façon, lorsque Nancy-Raven m’a assigné la réalisation de ce costume, elle pensait à mon costume de Circé, porté pour sa fête d’Halloween en 2009.

Gwenyver as Circé, Halloween 2009 / Gwenyver en tant que Circé, Halloween 2009

I made this chiton the same way I hade made mine: I cut two rectangles the width of the fabric by the desired length for the actress, closed the sides up to 20 cm below the top, to leave an opening for the hands to come out, and tacked the top in eight places, four above each arm from wrist to neckline, to imitate the effect achieved in period with fibula (brooches). The fabric is the same poly/cotton poplin used for Ladanaz’ tunic.

J’ai fais ce Chiton de la même manière employée pour le mien : j’ai coupé deux rectangles de la pleine largeur du tissu par la longueur de l’épaule au sol de la comédienne, puis j’ai refermé les cotés jusqu’à 20 cm du haut afin de laisser une ouverture pour passer les mains et avant d’assembler le haut en huit points, quatre au dessus de chaque bras, du poignet à l’encolure, afin d’imiter l’allure d’un chiton historique fermée par des fibules (broches). Le tissu est le même que celui utilisé pour la tunique de Ladanaz, soit de la popeline de poly/coton.

Heraclia's Chiton / Le Chiton d'Héraclia

For the Palla or shawl, Nancy-Raven gave a piece of dark flesh coloured veiling. I simply finished the raw ends with my overlock and I pulled them through a small metal buckle. The length can be adjusted to the actress’ desire and she can easily pull it over her head for a quick change.

Pour le Palla ou châle, Nancy-Raven m’a remis un morceau de voilage couleur chair foncée. J’ai simplement passé les extrémités non-finies à la surjeteuse, puis j’ai inséré chacune des extrémités dans une boucle de métal. Ainsi, la longueur peut facilement être ajustée selon les désirs de la comédienne et elle peut facilement enfiler son Palla pour un changement rapide.

Heraclia's Chiton and Palla / Le Chiton et le Palla d'Héraclia

I actually like it! Sure it’s beige, but still, I really think it has the right feel to it. Now let’s see what Heraclia thinks about her new outfit.

Je crois que j’aime bien ce costume. Bien sûr, il est beige, mais malgré tout, je trouve qu’il représente bien la culture et l’époque du personnage. Maintenant attendons de voir ce qu’Héraclia pense de son nouvel ensemble.

Theatre Ghosts : Ladanaz / Fantômes de Théâtre : Ladanaz

I do often miss being Costume Designer for a Theatre troup, even an amateur one. I don’t have the time to do it right now, but I still miss it. When Nancy-Raven was asked to make costumes for a High School play (our High School, Rive-Nord), I of course offered to help (make that beg her to let me work on the project with her, as her assistant). Now, because this is a French High School, I will make the posts on this play bilingual.

Je m’ennuie souvent du temps où j’étais Créatrice de Costumes pour une troupe de Théâtre, même une troupe amateure. Je n’ai pas de temps à y consacrer en ce moment, mais ça me manque tout de même souvent. Lorsque Nancy-Raven s’est vue offrir de faire les costumes pour une pièce de théâtre d’une école Secondaire (notre école secondaire, Rive-Nord), je me suis tout de suite offerte pour l’aider (ou plutôt je l’ai supplié de bien vouloir me laisser travailler avec elle sur ce projet, comme assistante). Comme il s’agit d’une école secondaire de langue Française, tous les articles en lien à cette pièce seront bilingues.(J'espère seulement ne pas trop faire de fautes, ce serait honteux.)

I do not know the title of the play yet, nor do I know the story, but from what I hear, it is about people from all eras and cultures meeting, as ghosts, and sharing memories (someone please correct me if you have any more information on this play). Because the “memories” will be projected on the actors, and the characters are ghosts, all costumes must be beige to serve a screens (white is too hard to work with for the lighting experts). Also, all costumes have to be extremely easy to put on because actors change characters during the play, and change on stage (they all wear leggings / pants and a t-shirt for modesty’s sake). It’s a concept, just go with it.

Je ne connais pas encore le titre de la pièce, ni même son histoire, mais de ce que j’en sais, elle met en scène des gens de toutes époques et toutes cultures; c’est une rencontre de fantômes qui partagent leurs souvenirs (si quelqu’un en sait plus, je vous prie de me corriger). Puisque les « mémoires » seront projetées sur les comédiens, et puisque les personnages sont des fantômes, tous les costumes doivent être beige afin de servir d’écran (le blanc étant rendant le travail des éclairagistes trop compliqué). De plus, les costumes doivent être très facile à enfiler car les comédiens change de personnage durant la pièce et se change sur scène (tous porteront un legging ou un pantalon et un gaminet, question de modestie). C’est un concept artistique.

The first costume I made is for the character of Ladanaz, a Mayan girl. Originally, the idea was to give her a short sleeved dress such as the one worn by Zia in The Mysterious Cities of Gold (1982) (Taiyō no Ko Esuteban). After doing a little research on traditional Mayan female clothing, I discovered that they wore Huipils.

Le premier costume que j’ai complète est celui du personnage de Ladanaz, une jeune Maya. À l’origine, on voulait lui faire porter une robe simple à manches courte inspirée de celle de Zia dans Les Mystérieuses Citées d’Or (1982) (Taiyō no Ko Esuteban). Après un peu de recherche sur le costume traditionnel des femmes Maya, j’ai découvert qu’elles portaient un Huipil.

Huipil, Brooklyn Museum

A Huipil is a highly colourful, incredibly embroidered tunic or blouse, which can be short and worn with a skirt, of long. Here is the fun part: translating that rainbow into beige. With no budget.

Un Huipil est un vêtement très colorée et brodée, portée court comme blouse avec une jupe, ou long comme une tunique. Maintenant la partie amusante : appliquer le concept beige à ce vêtement arc-en-ciel. Sans budget.

Concept Sketch for Ladanaz / Illustration Concept pour Ladanaz

Nancy-Raven and the play’s Writer/Director bought poly/cotton poplin on sale to make the costumes (again, no budget) and this is what I used for the tunic. To mimic embroidery, I added a large square at front and back made from what I believe is leftover upholstery fabric my aunt gave me when I was working on costumes for my previous play. It is beige toned and thickly woven.

Nancy-Raven et l’Auteure / Metteur en scène ont acheté plusieurs mètres de popeline de poly/coton en vente, et c’est ce que j’ai utilisé pour la tunique. Afin d’imiter la broderie, j’ai ajouté au devant et au dos un large carré de tissu que je crois être un reste de tissu de recouvrement, don de ma tante à l’époque où je travaillais sur ma pièce de théâtre précédente. Il est dans les tons de beige et tissé de fils épais.

Ladanaz' "Huipil" / Le "Huipil" de Ladanaz

Please ignore the pressing, it is late and this will get washed before the play anyways.

Veuillez je vous prie ignorer le repassage; il est tard et ce costume sera lavé avant la pièce de toute façon.

Pattern wise, it is simply two rectangles with openings at the sides for the arms and slits at the bottom for ease of movement. For the neckline, I used my own pattern of Key hole, which I normally use on medieval t-tunics. It is not necessarily accurate, but accuracy is not a goal here: suggestiveness and a feel for the approximate culture and period is.

En ce qui concerne le patron, il s’agit simplement de deux rectangles avec ouvertures aux latérales pour les bras et de fentes au bord afin de permettre une plus grande facilité de mouvement. Pour le col, j’ai utilisé mon propre patron de col trou de serrure qui me sert habituellement pour mes tuniques médiévales. Ce n’est pas nécessairement une reproduction précise d’un véritable huipil, mais une reproduction exacte n’est pas le but recherché : il s’agit plutôt de suggérer la culture et l’époque de manière approximative.

So now I have one down and two more to go, all due in two weeks! Since it is St. Patrick’s week, I’m already super busy with Irish dance shows, but I promised them to Nancy-Raven and a witch is only as good as her word. Besides, I Iove making costumes!

J’ai maintenant un costume de fait sur trois de promis, le tout dû dans deux semaines! Comme c’est la semaine de la St-Patrick, je suis déjà très occupée avec différents spectacles de danse irlandaise, mais je les ai promis à Nancy-Raven et je tiendrai parole. De toute façon, j’aime faire des costumes!

Purple Herringbone Toddler T-Tunic

I am not the only one in need of garb for next week: my daughter needs some too! She has the light blue jersey tunic made by Nancy-Raven, but if I am to wear my houppelande, she's wearing her nightgown! (Hey, maybe I'll bring it for her to change in at the end of the night.)

In preparation for Spring Crown Tourney of last year, I had begun to make us both matching tunics from a piece of purple and black twill. Since the cars both broke down the in days before the event and it was a 3 hour drive, we didn't go. Thus I never bothered to finish the new dresses.

But today, during nap time, I finished my daughter's!

Purple & Black Herringbone Toddler T-Tunic

Honestly, I now know why this fabric was in the discount section: it is so flimsy, it is hell to work with! See how all the seems are pulling? Not my best work, but it will do. Besides, since I cut it when she was 14 month old and she will be turning 2 this week (can you believe it? I still can't!), the sleeves are this close to too tight, and they are now 3/4 length, and the tunic is about knee length now. So you see, she will probably only wear it this once.

Under it, she will wear a long sleeved white t-shirt and black leggings. I will belt the tunic with a card woven belt I made her during the last weeks before she was born; it is white, green and red, which is fine because the trim has green and red in it. Shoes wise, I guess I'll put her in her leather slippers; they are lime green with red lady bugs on the top. Modern, yes, but so cute.

By the way, the fabric isn't as dark as it looks in the picture.

Purple & Black Herringbone fabric and Trim detail

See? And the trim may not be period, but heck, I paid 5.99$ CAD (plus taxes, of course) for the whole roll! So it looks good enough to me! And eventually, I will finish my own tunic too.

Now, I still need to make my daughter a new coif, and get crunching for my own garb!

To wear or not to wear...

Baronial Investiture Anniversary (BIA) is coming up next week-end, on March 5th; this is the most important SCA event there is locally and I have a little problem: I don’t know what to wear! The new Baron and Baroness will officially make their debut, the King and Queen will be there, as well as many other out of town nobles I am sure. The new Baron and Baroness have issued a challenge to the populace for everyone to wear their best garb, and so of course, as a Costumeholic costumer, I cannot ignore the call of my passion!

I am hesitating between two outfits. The first is my Navy and Gold Gates-of-Hell. It is more fantastic than historical with its Hindu beaded appliqués, but I really like it.

Navy and Gold Gates-of-Hell

The Pros: as I am going with my daughter, I need to be able to move around easily and pick her up (she generally wants me to carry her all the time when she finds herself in an unknown situation. Plus, I love the 14th century hairstyle with the braids on the side of the face. I do need a new white underdress for it, but I have the fabric and the pattern I would use is fairly easy (Butterick 4827).

Navy and Gold Gates-of-Hell - Front Bodice Details

The Cons: It is not historically accurate, the pattern I had used (McCall's 5499) has a fairly smaller skirt than what I had expected, I did wear it once already to BIA a few years back, and mostly, it is not as impressive as my second choice.

My second possible outfit is my Burgundian Houppelande with Butterfly Hennin. I made it for Halloween 2008, while I was 6 month pregnant with my daughter and only wore it to the office that once.

Burgundian Houppelande with Butterfly Hennin

The Pros: It is much more impressive and imposing, I have never worn I it to an SCA event, and I love the way the dress trails behind me. Plus, it is much easier to pull-up my hair into a tight bun than to achieve the braided look I would do for the first outfit.

The Cons: There are many things that need fixing and I only have a week. Many of these are not very time consuming though, but all in all, it seems like a lot! The fur at the collar needs to be tacked to the dress, the hennin is too tight because I but tape over the edge of the straw cache-pot I used as a base, so I would need to open the fabric that covers it and take it off, I need a new, shorter, stiffer veil, and a better belt (although I have a gold braided pleather one I think could to the trick), and a new underdress with a lower neckline, but I don’t have time to make a historically accurate kirtle, so I would have to cheat an make a simple dress from a modern pattern (1998 2 hour dress pattern by McCall's, #9456), and I don’t know if I have the right fabric for that.

Also, I am actually quite shy, believe it of not, and this dress would get me lots of attention, that is for sure. I have to admit I fear the Costume Nazis that invariably follow the King and Queen; I know it is not accurate fabric and I did use fake fur. I just don’t want to deal with them again (last time it was because my Elizabethan necklace was made of synthetic material!). It is crazy to worry about one or two person’s negative reaction, when everyone else’s will probably be positive, right?

After all that, I don’t know if I can easily pick up my daughter, or if she won’t pull on the pins that hold the veil or the veil itself.

Butterfly Hennin close-up

It would seem like the clear choice is the Navy and Gold Gates-of-Hell… but I really wish I could wear my Houppelande. Please faithful readers, what would you do? Help me make a decision and fast! I only have a week to do everything on my list. (For those who vote houppelande, what colour would you suggest for the underdress? Should I keep it red?)

Southern Belles of Laredo

My parents have collected National Geographic issues for a very long time. They got a first subscription to the magazine as a present when they got married and have renewed is ever since. Whenever I visit, I love to flip through the latest ones that are lying around the main floor (the rest I classified for them a couple of years back, in the downstairs library). That is how I one day learned of Laredo's Martha Washington Pageant and their impressive gowns.

Belle of the Ball, Photograph by Penny De Los Santos, Once Upon a Time in Laredo, National Geographic, November 2006

Once upon a time in Laredo was written by Mimi Swartz, Photographed by Penny De Los Santos, and published in the November 2006 edition of National Geographic. It presents Laredo in all its reality, with its lavish pageant and contrasting poverty. Although it makes is sad to learn of a place set in the modern world where the average income is 11,000$ (US) a year, and where the rich got richer and the poor are meant to be poor, I will focus on the amazing dresses the “Marthas” wear on their debut night.

Ready to Sparkle, Photograph by Wyatt McSpadden, Visions of Grandeur, AAA Texas Journey, February 2009

Laredo's Martha Washington Society was founded in 1939, for the ladies of the old families of Laredo. The Martha Washington pageant is their version of a debutante ball, but whereas Northern Debs wear white dresses and long gloves, “Marthas” wear “colonial” or Southern Belle dresses (many article talk of "typical 18th century" dresses, but we both know that is wrong) so adorned with beading, embroidery and ruffles, they can weight up to 80 pounds and cost 30,000$! (And you though the Say Yes to the Dress brides with their 10,000$ dresses were crazy! – Or is that just me?)

Hand Beading of a dress

There are some options for “Marthas” to cut down on the price of their dresses. One is to participate in the hand embroidery and beading of the dress they helped design. Another is to “recycle” the dress worn by their mother or grand-mother by adding more ruffles, beads, sequins and lace.

Hoop Dreams, Photograph by Penny De Los Santos, Once Upon a Time in Laredo, National Geographic, November 2006

“Marthas” must learn to walk, dance and curtsy in these dresses; they practice with their partners, wearing only their corsets and hoop skirts, before adding the weight of the gown. In a time when all girls grow up wearing jeans and tee-shirts, becoming a princess might seem like hard work!

Martha & George Washington

The ball is always held on a Friday. Influential members of society are chosen to play the parts of Martha and George Washington. They are introduced first, and then followed by the “Marthas” and their escort. Each plays a character contemporary to the President, and as they are presented to the public, their “pedigree” is announced: how long has the family been established, whether their grandfather ever played George Washington or their mother was ever a “Martha”, if they were once and “abrazo” child in a local ceremony of friendship where children are sent across the international bridge to embrace a child from the other side of the frontier, that sort of thing. They are expected to bow down very low turning their heads to the side and making their ear parallel to the floor, all the while balancing the curls piled on top of their heads.

Sparkling Splendor, Photograph by Penny De Los Santos, Once Upon a Time in Laredo, National Geographic, November 2006

Once everyone has been presented, then the ball can begin. Finally, months of practice are put to the test as the “Marthas” dance the night away with their escort.

Pageantry on Parade, Photograph by Penny De Los Santos, Once Upon a Time in Laredo, National Geographic, November 2006

Contrary to a wedding dress, the “Marthas” get to wear their dresses again the next day, when each one takes place wrapped in furs on their own personal float, for a parade in honour of the first president.

The Right Touch, Photograph by Penny De Los Santos, Once Upon a Time in Laredo, National Geographic, November 2006

You might wonder who makes these amazing dresses; the answer is Linda Leyendecker Gutierrez. For over 30 years, she has designed with passion the fabulous gowns that gives this pageant it’s character. "The girls are born, and the mothers call me from the hospital," Linda says. To the elite, she is one of the most important woman in town. "I want my daughter to steal the show," one mother told Linda, and so she creates intricate and beautiful dresses for the "Marthas". "They think they're getting what they want," says Linda, "but I lead them to what I think is right."

In the Spotlight, Photograph by Penny De Los Santos, Once Upon a Time in Laredo, National Geographic, November 2006

So tonight, have a thought for these young girls who will make their debuts in Laredo’s society, not because they need it to advance in life – they all come from wealthy families and attend Ivy league schools – but because deep down inside, all little girls want to be a princess for one night.

For more beautiful pictures of these gowns, visit the following links:

• Once Upon a Time in Laredo, National Geographic, November 2006
• Visions of Grandeur, AAA Texas Journey, February 2009
• The Society of Martha Washington Colonial Pageant & Ball
• A visual feast of stunning beauty! by Brit Gal in the USA (I especially recommend that you visit that one - it is detailed pictures of some of the gowns on display)
• The Debutante Ball in Laredo
• Once Upon a Time in Laredo... excerpted from National Geographic at Enchanted Revelries

Dedicated to Nancy-Raven and her current passion for Southern Belle costumes.

Otakuthon 2011 Costume Project: Princess Peach and Toadette

A new year means new projects, and one thing I plan for 2011 is to attend Otakuthon. I’ve missed the last two years already, in 2009 because I couldn’t imagine stopping to breastfeed in public all the time (plus figuring out a costume that would accommodate such an activity), and in 2010 because we were sick the week-end of (at least I had made no costumes for the event – I was waiting to see how it would go and I figured I could decide the day of if I wanted to go). So this year I really, really want to go. I don’t know yet if I’ll go only on Saturday, or if I’ll drag my daughter to Downtown Montréal three days in a row, but we are going. So we need costumes.

Last year I had made a list of ideas I could make for the both of us. I still like all of them, but for my daughter, they mean warm, possibly furry animal suits complete with heads (Pepe, the monkey from The Three Musketeers, or Kero from Cardcaptor Sakura) and I’m afraid these might be too warm for Montréal August weather. So I’ve had another idea:

Toadette from Super Mario

Wouldn’t she be cute? It’s basically a summer dress with, a vest and white shorts. For the mushroom head, I’ll use her bike helmet (which she likes to wear to watch tele) and make a slip-cover for it, mounted on an elastic so it can go on easily (my first helmet had one of those). The "pony-balls" will be made of Styrofoam balls covered in fabric and tacked to one another and the slip-cover. As for shoes, I’m sure I can find a pair of brown shoes her size either at a thrift store, or simply on sale at a retail store.

What about me I hear you wonder. Well, here is what I’m thinking of:

Princess Peach from Super Mario

I have wanted to make a Princess Peach costume for some time now. Besides, I look good in pink, I can style my own hair with a lot of spray net to get those flips, and it would be a fairly easy costume to make. Although Sarcasm-hime warns against the use of satin for Cosplay, I would like to make this costume out of Peau de soie (matte bridal satin). I should keep an eye out for sales!

For our first year going to Otakuthon together my daughter and I, I want to go for an easier project and I think this one would do.

Now if only I could convince Nancy-Raven or Marie-Ange-The-Celt to join us…

Princess Daisy from Super Mario

I'm sure that either one of them would look good as Princess Daisy.

(*Insert grinning face here*)

Wouldn’t that be fun girls?