Source of inspiration: Centre National du Costume de Scène / Source d'inspiration: Centre National du Costume de Scène

(La version Française se trouve plus bas.) 

I had meant to show you my clean sewing corner this week-end, but that just didn't happen, so instead, let me share with you one of my favourite source of procrastination inspiration: the Centre National du Costume de Scène. Situated in France, the centre's mission is to conserve theatre costumes. Their collection can be viewed online and it is marvellous and so varied. They have costumes from a number of plays and ballets, and each are presented with their full pedigree: what play it was for, when it was made, who wore it, etc. Very complete information. Here are some that really caught my eye.

J'avais l'intention de vous présenter mon coin couture tout proprement rangé cette fin de semaine, mais comme ce n'est pas encore au point, laissez-moi vous présenter l'une de mes sources de procrastination d'inspiration préféré: le Centre National du Costume de Scène. Situé en France, le centre à pour mission la conservation des costumes de théâtre. Ils possèdent des costumes de nombreuses pièces et ballets, et chacun est présenté avec son pedigree entier: le nom de la pièce, la date de confection, le nom du comédien pour qui le porta,etc. De l'information très complète. En voici quelques-uns qui ont capté mon attention.

Poppaea, The Coronation of Poppaea, 1978 / Poppée, Le Couronnement de Poppée, 1978

Phaedra, Phaedra, 1959 / Phèdre, Phèdre, 1959

Diana, Léo Burckart, 1996 / Diana, Léo Burckart, 1996

Mélisande, Pelléas and Mélisande, 1952 / Mélisande, Pelléas et Mélisande, 1952

Queen of the Night, The Magic Flute, 1977 / La Reine de la Nuit, La  Flûte Enchantée, 1977

The Queen of Spain, Ruy Blas, 1960 / La Reine d'Espagne, Ruy Blas, 1960

Robert, Robert the Devil, 1985 / Robert, Robert le Diable, 1985

Thetis, Orpheus in the Underworld, 1988 / Thétis, Orphée aux enfers, 1988

Emilie, Les Indes galantes, 1952 / Émilie, Les Indes galantes, 1952

And finaly, the one that I first fell in love with, the one that made me go look for it and made me discover this wonderful website, Ottavia.

Et finalement, celui qui m'a d'abord séduite, celui qui m'a fait le chercher et qui m'a fait découvrir ce merveilleux site, Ottavia.

Ottavia, The Coronation of Poppaea, 1978 / Ottavia, Le Couronnement de Poppée, 1978

 

This one, this one I have to make one day. I wonder how much muslin I am going to need though.

Celle-là, celle-là je dois me la faire un jour. Je me demande bien combien de mètres de mousseline me seront nécessaire.

Take Back Halloween / Se réapproprier l'Halloween

(La version Française se trouve plus bas.)

This week, in reading EPBOT, I discovered a new source of inspiration for costumes: Take Back Halloween. This resource was created as an answer to the costume store trend of only having "sexy" labelled costume versions of anything you can imagine. For women who love to dress up for once a year for Halloween, they suggest amazing looking costumes made up of ready made items and maybe a few no sew projects.

They want women to feel empowered by their costumes; te ideas they suggest fall under four categories, which are Glamour Girls, Goddesses and Legends, Notable Women and Queens. The research they put into these costumes is pretty impressive too; it is worth the read just to learn something new.

Here are a few of the costumes made by Take Back Halloween:

Cette semaine, en lisant EPBOT, j'ai découvert une nouvelle source d'inspiration pour les costumes: Take Back Halloween (en Anglais seulement). Cette ressource à été créé en réponse à la mode des costumes commerciaux féminin qui sont de plus en plus des versions "sexy" de tout ce que vous puissiez imaginer. Pour les femmes qui aiment se déguiser une fois par an pour Halloween, ils suggèrent des costumes impressionnant fait d'items trouvés ou acheté tel quel, et parfois modifié sans la moindre couture.

Ils veulent redonner le pouvoir aux femmes au travers de leurs costumes: les idées suggérées sont classifiées sous les thèmes de Femmes Hollywoodiennes, Déesses et Légendes, Femmes Célèbres et Reines.La recherche effectuée pour monter ces costumes est aussi impressionnante; ça vaut la peine d'aller la lire juste pour apprendre quelque chose de nouveau.

Voici quelques exemples de costumes assemblées par Take Back Halloween:

Ada Lovelace

Christina of Sweden

Freyja

Ixchel

Minoan Queen

Isis

Morrigan

I think the Morrigan is my favourite. It is really simple, yet dramatic. I just love the make-up, the feather collar and plaid in general. I think it begs to be Steampunked.

If anyone of you is still wondering what to wear for Halloween, head over to their website; you will have no more excuses not to dress-up.

Je crois bien que la Morrigane est ma préféré. C'est si simple, et pourtant dramatique. J'aime le maquillage, le col de plumes et le plaid en général. Je crois que ça demande à devenir Steampunk.

Si quelqu'un se demande encore quoi porter pour Halloween, allez faire un tour sur leur site; vous n'aurez ensuite plus d'excuses pour ne pas vous costumer.

Coming soon: The Berg Fashion Library

This promises to be a wonderful resource for all costumers: opening in May, the Berg Fashion Library will give us access documents, books, research papers and an impressive database of pictures!

This is an excerpt from the website, specifically from the About the Berg Fashion Library section:

Berg Fashion Library - a fashion portal

Available from May 2010 on a subscription basis, the Berg Fashion Library is a cross-searchable online portal that incorporates a full range of resources essential for anyone working on dress or fashion from a broad range of disciplinary bases – anthropology and material culture, art history, theatre studies, history, sociology, cultural studies, human geography, folklore, and fashion studies.

Key content available at launch is outlined below.

• The Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion online – updated twice a year
• E-Book collection: full text of c.60 Berg fashion e-books with regular updates
• E-Journals: the Berg Fashion Library will also be fully cross-searchable with Berg fashion journals (Fashion Theory, Fashion Practice, and Textile) if your institution subscribes to them
• An extensive, colour, image bank with thumbnails that link through to enhanced content. This will include 1,600 images from the internationally renowned V&A collection and 2,000 images from the print encyclopedia
• Extra reference resources, such as an A-Z of Fashion and a Dictionary of Key Terms

Example from the Virtual Tour presentation

Other added-value resources for future stages may include the following:

• A regularly updated abstracting and indexing (A&I) database – covering journal articles, industry literature, books and images – this will enable users to locate relevant content with ease, and to gain access to the full text via Open URLs wherever possible
• 200 ‘position papers’ (1.7 million words) covering the state of the art in fashion research across all fields – from curation to business
• Specially-created materials through which key museums can be visited ‘virtually' – for example, videos of curators introducing major exhibitions and collections with links to exhibits

Another example from the Virtual Tour presentation

I can't wait to start using this resource. Just imagine the possibilities! I wonder how much the subscription will be? I hope it is affordable enough for private users. In the mean time, you can always take the Virtual Tour to get a taste of what it will be like.

Kagemusha: 16th century Japanese Garb

Instead of watching Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) for a third time in a row (what, did you think my latest Japanese phase was over? ), I decided to watch a classic Japanese movie instead (which I found in my Sweetheart's DVD pile while looking for something else): Kagemusha (1980) by Akira Kurosawa. The French translation is awful, but the cinematography is magnificent.

Kagemusha (1980)

Did I ever mention that during my Film Study Major, I was in charge of Cinematography for my team's movie? Well I was (I would have preferred the job of costume designer, but it was already taken). I was taking photography classes at the time and as I came from an Art DEC, I had an eye for composition that most of my other team members didn't. By the way, our movie "Un Homme Ordinaire" won both prizes it was eligible to win at the end of year Gala.

Kagemusha (1980) - Dream Sequence

Back to Kagemusha: the movie is set in 16th century Japan and is inspired by Takeda Shingen, a warlord who died in 1573, though the events depicted after his death are fiction written by the movie's director. The story tells of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate a dying warlord in order to dissuade opposing lords from attacking the newly vulnerable clan. The costumes, designed by Seiichiro Hagakusawa are inspired by the clothes worn by the Warrior class in the Azuchi -Momoyama period (1568–1603).

Sadly enough, my Costume History classes in Fashion school did not include foreign fashion; it was focused on Western clothing only. While I do understand the time constraint issue in trying to go through thousands of years of fashion in one or two semesters, the fact remains that Costume History classes are meant to help you recognize certain styles in modern trends (or at least this is how my teacher put it) and these trends will every so often be inspired by foreign fashion, whether in the print of the fabric or in the cut of clothes. I am not blaming my teacher here (I like her too much for that), but the program, which I believe needs to be revised a little.

So I will try to fill in the gap a little.

Kagemusha (1980)

So what did a warrior wear in the Azuchi -Momoyama period? When at home, the warrior lord might wear a Suo, a short coat not unlike a Hitatare, and Hakama, pleated pants. The fashion of the time called for men to shave the top of their heads and for the hair to be tied up into a small Mage (bun like piece of hair in the back). This hairstyle is called Sakayaki.

Statue of Takeda Shingen, Daimyo of Sengoku (1521-1573) in Suo and Hakama - Front View

Statue of Takeda Shingen, Daimyo of Sengoku (1521-1573) in Suo and Hakama - Back View

Kagemusha (1980)

In the movie, we also see quite a few men dressed in Kosode, a Kimono like garment with smaller sleeves, Hakama and Katiginu, a sleeveless jacket.

Comparison between a Kosode and a modern day Kimono, from Wikimedia Commons

The Kosode, literally meaning "small sleeves" was worn by both men and women. It first appeared as an undergarment during the Heian period (794 - 1185), but during the period studied here, it was worn as an outer garment as well.

Warrior General in Kataginu and Hakama - Front View

Warrior General in Kataginu and Hakama - Back View

Kagemusha (1980)

The movie also has a few scenes with women, mainly concubines. The first time the Kagemusha (Shingen's double) meets the concubines, two of them serve him dinner and each displays a different style. By the way one of them is played by Kaori Momoi, who plays Mother in Memoirs of a Geisha, but I have no idea which one she is.

Women of the upper warrior cast wore floor length Kosode, often a couple layers of them, held close by thin hoso-obi belts, and an Uchikake coat. The hairstyle, called Suberakashi, is worn straight and long, except for two short pieces on either side of the face which are cut short; these are called binsogi no kami. Fashion of the time required women to pluck out or shave their eyebrows. These were redrawn higher on the forehead.

In the picture showing the concubines, the one on the left wears her Uchikake hanging from her shoulders as such:

Woman of the upper warrior class in ceremonial dress, with Uchikake outer-garment - Front View

Woman of the upper warrior class in ceremonial dress, with Uchikake outer-garment - Back View

The concubine to Shingen's right wears her Uchikake wrapped around the waist, in the summer fashion.

Woman of the upper warrior class in formal costume for summer, with Uchikake wrapped around the waist - Front View

Woman of the upper warrior class in formal costume for summer, with Uchikake wrapped around the waist - Back View

And there you have it: a little overview of the costumes in Kagemusha. Of course, I did not include armour, as I am no expert on the subject, nor did I mention the clothes worn by the peasants.

If you would like more information on 16th century Japanese fashion, there are plenty of web pages on the subject, many of them by SCAdians as the SCA accepts any culture as long as it is pre-17th century. The one I recommend is Woderford Hall by Lisa Joseph.

For those of you who might want to make yourselves a Japanese costume, here is a little gift: Free Patterns! I found the links on Lisa Joseph's page The Kosode: a Japanese garment for the SCA period (on which she also explains how to make one).

To make a Hitatare, go to: http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/katchu/graphics/patterns/hitatare.PDF?43,13
To make Hakama, got to: http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/katchu/graphics/patterns/hakama1.PDF?58,15

The Hakama pattern will be especially useful if you also like to do Anime Cosplay.

By the way, all of the statuette pictures came from the Kyoto Costume Museum (not to be mistaken with the Kyoto Costume Institute). They have a very large collection pictures of statuettes dressed in the garb of different eras of Japan, from prehistory to modern times. Each costume is very well described with words in Japanese and their literal meaning in English. It is an incredible resource.

I guess I have one more reason to want to go to Kyoto!

The Kyoto Costume Institute

I don't know about you, but I love to travel. One place I dream of visiting is Kyoto, Japan, and not just for Gion (the most famous Geisha District of that city), but also for The Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI).

Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century, Taschen Books, 2007

My aunt M. got me the Fashion History Books by Taschen on one of their trips to France (and by the way, this is the book my Mom got me this Christmas that I returned, yet she was with my aunt when she bought the book). It is full of absolutely beautiful costume pictures, all from The Kyoto Costume Institute. So of course, I want to go there!

Robe et Habit à la Française, pages 68-69, Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century Vol. 1

Would it surprise you to learn that my favourite book is the first volume, which is about 18th and 19th Century fashion? I didn't think so.

Hairdos and Robes à l'Anglaise, pages 110-111, Fashion: A History from the 18th to the 20th Century Vol. 1

Even though it is is situated in Japan, KCI collects Western Clothing for studying purposes. The idea is that clothing is intertwined with everyday life, and so by studying one we may understand the other better. I couldn't agree more. Their collection ranges from the 17th century to the present time, which means that under one roof you an find perfectly preserved clothes and underpinnings that could have been worn by Versailles courtesans or made by Jeanne Lanvin.

Revolution in Fashion 1715-1815, The Kyoto Costume Institute

KCI only holds small-scale exhibitions at its own KCI Gallery, as the space of the gallery is 86m². The pieces shown are carefully selected from the collection.

The permanent collection of the KCI is not on public view, but they often organize exhibitions that travel to museums around the world. For instance, the Revolution in Fashion 1715-1815 exhibit was shown at the Palais du Louvres in Paris, France, in the early 90's (under the name Élégances et Modes en France au XVⅢème Siècle).

Luxury in fashion Reconsidered, The Kyoto Costume Institute

If like me you are not about to go there, you can still visit their Digital Archive where you will find good quality pictures of a few chosen pieces for each period. Thank goodness for Internet!

I should start a Costumer's travel agency, so I could organize tours around themes and museums. I wonder if it would catch on?

The International Costumer's Guild

By now I have mentioned the name a few times, so I though I should tell you what it is: The International Costumer's Guild is probably the largest network of costumers. Created in 1985, its purpose is "to bring hobbyist and professional costumers from around the world together, and to foster, through its chapters, local educational and social costume events".

International Costumer's Guild's Logo and Mascot - Glitziana

Many chapters can be found in the US, and one was founded for Canadians a few years back by Kaijugal a.k.a. Dawn McKechnie: Fibre Fantasy Artists of Canada (the group is based in Toronto, but opened to all Canadians). Although the ICG itself does not organize conventions or events, members will often participate, and often work at them. Chapters also organize their own events.

The ICG also has a very large collection of photos and videos of costumers, The International Costumers Gallery. It contains over 14 000 items!

"At its core is the Pat & Peggy Kennedy Memorial Library – a storehouse of photographs, video and paper ephemera spanning 70+ years of Science Fiction costuming. Also included are accumulated images from Wearable Arts and performance arts events, Living History and other showcases for creativity."

And of course, there are the mailing lists, discussion groups and forums which are opened to all.

Whether you are looking for other costumers in your area, events you should go to or pictures of costumes past, this is a great resource for anyone interested in serious costuming.

Compulsory Costumes

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS FUN IDEAS FOR COSTUMERS.

Back in August 2008, a discussion went on on the International Costumers' Guild's Yahoo group to list the costumes that all costumers should make at least once in their life. I've gone through the archives and this is the list (in no particular order) that was suggested.

• Ren Faire Garb
• Barbarian / Warrior (with or without martial arts display)
• Pirate
• King/Queen
• Armour
• Anime
• Diva
• Wizard/Sorceress

Snow Queen by Yerina

• Snow / Ice Queen
• Alien
• Star Wars
• Elizabethan (16th century)
• Georgian (18th century)
• Regency (early 19th century)
• Victorian (second half of 19th century)

Black & White Steampunk, Dragonfly Designs by Alisa

• Steampunk
• Goth
• Peacock themed
• Night/Day
• Four Seasons
• Gods
• Something with an over sized headdress
• Something with high heels, stilts or extra limbs
• Something with wings
• Something with lights / Something that glows and rotates! (Robot?)
• Something that no one "gets" but you
• Some version / variety of Ninja
• Reptile/Insect/Arachnid
• Furry or other non-human body type

Horta, "The Devil in the Dark" Star Trek (1966)

• Some form of rock: say rutilated quartz, or such as Grignak (Galaxy Quest - 1999), an Easter Island Statue, a Horta, Rockbiter (Neverending Story), etc.
• Creature not even remotely human-shaped (may require more than one person in the costume and/or remote puppeteer); a Horta would count here too
• And of course, something Dead: Zombie, Evil Spirit, Vampire, etc...

Of course some of the compulsory elements can be combined. Some suggestions included a Vampire Pirate Wench with Wings (which probably also qualifies as Goth), or a Polar Bear (furry) Snow Queen with lights. Take your pick!

Costuming Research Resources: The Wardrobe Door

In the last month or so, I have mostly shown you my own costumes and the projects I was working on. So today, I have decided it was more than time for another Costuming Research Resource; today, I have chosen present The Wardrobe Door.

Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie, William Moseley as Peter Pevensie, Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie and Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Have you ever seen The Chronicles of Narnia movies? They are The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) and Prince Caspian (2008) (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is due to come out in 2010, so more to come on that one).

The Wardrobe Door is the Website to visit if you are looking to make a costume from the movies. They have a ton of well organized reference pictures as well as some fan made reproduction pictures. There are also comments about fabric, cut, embroidery, lacing, you name it. And of course, there is a forum to discuss the costumes with other fans and costumers.

So for instance, if I wanted to make Susan's Green Archery Dress from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (which I do want to make eventually), I could find beautiful pictures such as the following:

Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie and Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

If you are interested in making a costume from any of The Chronicles of Narnia movies, your first research stop should be The Wardrobe Door.

Military Uniforms: Evolution from Napoleon to WWII

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day. Although I am against Wars and don't particularly encourage the Military, I can't really ignore the date. Sooo...

No one in my family ever served during the two World Wars. My Grand Dad, a Frenchman, was recruited as a translator after the Second World War, but only because he lived in the mess that was Europe after fighting was over (and because he was too young to be drafted before that).

But my Sweetheart did take the Officer's Course (if that is the right term) when he was in his twenties, my friend Sciath was in the Navy and I have another friend, J., who still is in the Navy. So for them, I salute this days the only way I, your favorite Costumeholic, can.

By talking clothes. Military Uniforms to be exact.

Costume Militaire, Le Petit Larousse Illustré, 1990

Well, there's not all that much I can say: this is not one of my areas of expertise.

What I do know, and thank you Sweetheart for feeding me the info here, is that there was a very important change in uniforms with the First World War. As you may remember from High School History, the Great War was the first to be fought in trenches (instead of on a field).

A century earlier, at the time of the Napoleonic Wars, uniforms were splendid and colourful; the point was to be recognizable on the battlefield. Battles were bloody, but they were disciplined affairs. It was all about courageously running out on the battlefield. During the 19th century, military uniforms were highly decorated, moreover in peace time.

But with the new (deadly) technologies available to armies in the early 1900's, being easy to spot, was no longer desired. Besides, colourful, decorated uniforms for all was way too expensive during this war time. Slowly, throughout the 20th century, Military Battle uniforms (different from Dress uniforms) changed, to blend itself more and more with the environment over time. Cubism, a popular new Art style of the early 20th Century was the inspiration for Camouflage, a print we all know of today and used by the Military all around the world.

That's pretty much all I know. If you would like to see more reference pictures, I suggest you visit the New York Public Library Digital Gallery - Military Uniform. With about 31,770 search results, you should find what you need.

Of course NYPL Digital Gallery is also a great source of pictorial information, whatever you are looking for.

Edwardian London on Film

I was going through my bookmarks and I rediscovered this:

Lost film footage of Edwardian London discovered (Published: 23 Oct 2008)

As sources go for historical costumes, film is a wonderful tool. Think about it: you get to see what we now consider to be a costume as it was worn back then, on real live people! This footage is especially brilliant because it is filmed as a "documentary" (and not a fiction). It was was shot in 1904 as a Travelogue.

I know, the quality isn't all that great, but come on, the reels where "lost" for over a century.

If you look around on YouTube, there are more historic films for one to dream about bygone eras.

Costuming Research Resources: The Costumer's Manifesto

It's time for me to once again share my wisdom (and my links!) with you, so today I present The Costumer's Manifesto. Written by Tara Maginnis, Ph.D., The Costumer's Manifesto goes as such:


The Costumer's Manifesto: (A statement of Purpose and Ethics for Costumers)
"I am a Costumer, I make clothes for imaginary people." ---Celestine Ranney, 1982

I. When I costume, I am not a fashion designer nor a clothing manufacturer, but a builder of character, concept, and physical movement.

II. I, above all, work with Actors: I help them build their character from without, even as they build it from within. I do not complain about the shape of their bodies. I create the shape we need, and/or build a visual representation of the character that suits the existing body. I am aware of their movement needs and I facilitate them.

III. I work under the guidance of Directors: I help them visually represent their conceptual ideas in physical form. I create clothes for the inhabitants of the world they envision.

IV. I am inspired by the words of Playwrights and Scriptwriters: I try to bring alive the script by transforming the words of the text into visual metaphors. Words, especially poetry in the text, need a visual equivalent that supports the mood of the script without distracting from it.

V. I collaborate with the other Designers, seeking to bring our collective vision together so it works in harmony. Costumes do not exist in a vacuum, but on a set, among properties and furniture, sound, and light, as part of a consistent visual representation of an invented world.

VI. Whether I am in the position of stitcher, cutter, dyer, crafts worker or designer, I remember that what I am doing is contributing to the greater whole of the production, and must be done with an aesthetic sense in keeping with the performance, not merely my own whims. Designers, therefore, need to communicate the shows design to all the other costumers involved in the process as clearly as possible, so that when design decisions are made at any level of the process, from buttons to butt padding, they reflect the needs of the show or film as a whole.

VII. I assist the Audience in understanding the story and characters. In performances where spectacle is required, I make the costumes astonish and entertain, but when the audience should be more aware of the other elements of the performance, I will try to make the costumes recede to the background, without personal vanity.

VIII. I study the history of fashion and dress, no matter what my position in a costume studio, so that I can better replicate the styles of clothing of the past when needed. However, I will remember to avoid mindlessly copying old fashion plates, but instead keep in mind the key elements of character and concept, and select or adapt those fashions to suit the individual production.

IX. I am aware that my work consists primarily of adapting and reinventing pre-existing styles to do a functional purpose: cover a body. I know then that what I build is not legally subject to copyright law, and I will not winge and whine if another designer is, in turn, inspired to reuse elements, even a majority of those elements, from one of my designs in their work. I will accept this as flattery if anyone does so.

X. Costuming is a fun profession, and I endeavor at all times to keep it that way by remembering the feelings of all my collaborators. At no time should actors feel their bodies are being criticized in a fitting, nor should a student, worker or volunteer be treated as slave labor, nor should a director or another designer be bullied into an unwanted design decision. A desire for excellence is good, but the desire should never be pursued to any degree that ignores labor law, common courtesy or civilized collaboration.
Tara Maginnis, 8/18/2002

But more than just a declaration of principles and intentions, The Costumer's Manifesto is a great source of information about ALL types of costumes. My favorite sections are the Costume History (sorted by Period) and the "Ethnic" Dress. The Timeline of Costume History Images is also a wonderful source of at glance information.

Of course, the down side to this website is the sheer amount of publicity and links trying to sell you Halloween costumes, but one learns to navigate through them.

So if you have a Costume History class this semester, you are looking for specific costuming information (and you haven't found it in my humble blog) or if you're just generally interested in the subject, be sure to go check it out!

Costuming Research Resources: McCord Museum

Before creating or reproducing a costume, one must always do a little research. It doesn't matter if you want an absolutely perfect recreation or just a loosely inspired creation, you will want to look at some reference pictures to get an idea of what you want to make before you rush off to the store to buy fabric or accessories. Sometimes, researching for fun will also enable you to spot things in stores, such as jewelry or shoes, which you would not have noticed otherwise and would then be looking for like crazy when the time came for you to make the costume of your dreams!

For 19th and 20th century costumes, one of my favorite resources is the McCord Museum. Their focus is always the History of Montréal, which they present through their extensive collection of artifacts, from clothing to paintings to furniture and more. I've been there a couple of times and every time, they have different pieces on display.

But this Museum is more than exhibitions: they also have a number of free on-line tools, such as interactive and educational resources, their own YouTube account with many videos on a variety of subjects, and the absolute best, their collection of 135 000 images (including the entire Notman Photographic Archives). You've already seen the Victorian Tartan Taffeta Ball Gown, shown last Saturday. Now imagine being able to look at each piece of clothing, shoes and accessories that their collection holds from the comfort of your own home!

As a sneak peek of all they have to offer a costumer, I invite you to view this video called "Form and Fashion":

At my last visit, I was told by my lovely guide that the Museum will sometimes grant access to their vault if one presents a project/demand deemed interesting enough by the Museum. That made me dream! Imagine the understanding of these historical dresses' construction I could gain if I could look at the pieces closely! One day, maybe...

(To the Museum's Human Resources - If ever you are hiring, I know my BA is in Film Study and not Museum Science, but I doubt you will find someone who knows as much about costumes, is as eager to learn, and will respect the numerous artifacts of your collection as much as me. And a bonus - I can dress-up in my own reproductions of different costume for the joy and entertainment of visitors. Oh yeah, and I'm bilingual!)