Making a Ruff

Problem Solving.

Yesterday at the costume shop we mostly spent the time unpacking what is up on the tables in front. I had to label pieces and then put them in their respective places (which are now all organized). I'm sure today will be much of the same.

Last night however, I worked on making a ruff for a character in The Fantasticks, which my boss is the costume designer for the show. I didn't succeed though, I knew how to do it thanks to a few handy web tutorials and my knowledge of knowing how to cartridge pleat, but the fabric isn't right. So today I'm taking in my example, a mock up of what it'll look like if I don't change fabrics, and hopefully we can solve this problem. It's just very droopy and doesn't look like the ruff we were going for in design. I'm sure I will be spending my evening making this ruff since she needs it for tomorrow evening, but no big deal, this is all just part of my internship. Besides I think hand sewing is relaxing. I'll post more after I complete the ruff and include a step by step tutorial on my way of doing it (similar to others' but a little different). Then if you ever need to make a Shakespearean looking ruff you can! 

Jumpsuits & Rompers

Jumpsuits & Rompers by brimalotke

If you're interested in reading about jumpsuits & rompers, then head on over to fashionamag and read my article.

Costume Shop Progress & More

The books I got
to use for research.

Right now in the costume shop we are almost done organizing the boxes and totes. As we might start going through them on Monday, if not then Tuesday for sure. On Thursday we were almost done so I was emptying totes up on the counter tops (where the sewing area will be) which were full of random clothing and unsorted fabric. After we get the costume shop organized and completely finished I am sure we will try and tackle organizing the fabric section in the other room in a better way than it is right now.

As for helping with the costume designer (my boss) for her show for a different theater company, I am making a ruff this weekend. Well hopefully I'll finish it this weekend. I'd like to at least have a mock up of a ruff so she can see if she likes it or not. 

Along with that I have been given the choice to remake some of the dresses! They let me take home one of the sewing machines and an iron and I can pick whichever dresses out of the prom, nonspecific, Victorian, or empire waists and combine them to make more historic looking dresses. As of now I have two maroon empire waist dresses, some patterns that I might use, thread, and a lot of books to help me. I am hoping to make a dress with a Watteau back but I'm not entirely sure about my plan yet. However, I might as well try because Sheri and Ella said it's okay if I mess up and we have to get rid of it because we have way too much anyways. It's just a great way to practice a form of sustainability, trying to make new dresses out of what we already have rather than completely starting from scratch. I'm pretty excited about this and I'll write a different post on it with progress pictures once I have finalized my ideas for it.

Kimono Attack

Kimono Attack by brimalotke

If you're interested in more then head to fashionamag! My article on why you should definitely try working a kimono into your wardrobe is up!

Well Dressed Effortlessly

Well Dressed Effortlessly by brimalotke on Polyvore

As per usual my love and black and white patterns dominates this post. I chose to use a mix of patterns because I love the way the end result looks, not quite chaotic because it feels like it should go together, but slightly off because they don't "match." After the background I chose 4 pictures that are from magazine shoots claiming to portray androgynous style. While there is a more drastic form of androgynous style, the pictures I chose are simple and straight to the essence of it: masculine and feminine characteristics emerging into one ensemble. One of the easiest ways to try this is by wearing more masculine styled pieces but retain a feminine touch with the way you do your hair and makeup, or throw on some heels (which despite men going through a phase in fashion wearing heels, thank Louis XIV & the French, heels are more associated with women and the feminine touch of an outfit). Overall I chose the pictures because they're simple, straight to the point, and the models look amazing and strong. Lastly, the wording chosen is because I just liked the way it sounds and how the script is flowly, it brings a more feminine touch to the overall more masculine effect of the photos and geometric backgrounds.

If you want to check out my article I wrote for Fashion A magazine then go here: fashionamag

A Classic Combination

A Classic Combination by brimalotke on Polyvore

There is just something I love about red, black, and white combinations. I think it's classic, stylish, and overall perfect. Of course that's just my opinion, but I love the look of black and white with a pop of red. This is probably why despite all my struggles and doubt about designing the perfect senior collection for the spring, I will most likely use this color combination. I know I have a lot of ideas, but since freshman year I've had this main idea using black and white patterns with red thrown in here and there as my color options. If I've been thinking about it for 3+ years then it's probably the idea I should go with...I think. Well, anyways, give it a try! Stripes or polka dots, whatever, just mix up the prints & have fun.

Pretty Pastels

Pretty Pastels by brimalotke on Polyvore

There are many things I enjoy in life and in fashion. Flowers, pastels, and Audrey Hepburn (amazing role model, she did a lot of great things with her life) are just a few. One of the things about fashion is that there are a lot of things that just work each season. Florals and pastels are always okay for spring, what changes is the perfect colors or size of prints (etc.). I just had fun with polyvore and created this piece because I love the way it looks polished but a little chaotic, as if I had done a collage by hand. Also I just love the way the colors work together. I might be having a little too much time with polyvore, but it's helping work out some ideas for my senior collection-which I need to narrow down. Anyways, hope you're enjoying these images & mini posts, it's a good mix to have with all of my posts lately being about books and costume intern shenanigans.

Exploring Polyvore

As part of my internship with Fashion A Magazine I've been using Polyvore to create collages for my articles. So far I am loving it! I haven't used Polyvore in a long time, but it is addictign! I spent over an hour on it and made 4 boards, 3 of which I posted on the website for the magazine and 2 so far have articles I've written about them. I have 1 left to write about for the website, but I might save that for tomorrow. I am loving the freedom to write what I love, anything that inspires me or that I find interesting in fashion. It's basically writing for my blog but with some minor changes- I won't be writing about my costume internship experiences, or my personal thoughts on the fashion world like I do on blogger. For the magazine I am writing relevant articles that fit fashion into the life of the magazine (what it's all about: androgyny, bohemian vibe, etc). Anyways, I am loving it & I hope you enjoy the polyvore images I post on here. I'll be writing for the ones I don't write for the magazine, and the ones I do write for the magazine I'll add a link so you can check it out! 

Hot Weather? Hot Shorts!

Hot Weather? Hot Shorts! by brimalotke

Check it out at fashionamag.com!

Androgyny Anytime

Androgyny Anytime by brimalotke

If you're intrigued by androgyny and fashion, then go to fashionamag and read my article on how easy it is to mix up your style and find the right combination of masculine and feminine.

Parisian Pastels

Parisian Pastels by brimalotke featuring platform sandals

I am a huge fan of pastels & Paris, especially the architecture of all of the buildings in the city. When I created this image I started off with the picture of the cafe and then chose pastel shoes to show off. I wanted a little variety, but I stuck with blues and purples for three pairs and the the fourth is the one with flowers-the only one that has multiple pastel colors. I didn't want the colors to be all over the place so I tried to narrow them down. I love pastels and I think these are some great options for footwear. Pastels are one of those things that is just a staple for spring, like floral prints, the only changes are the more popular colors for the season.

Floral Adventures

Floral Adventures by brimalotke

If you're interested in floral prints and staying up to date, check out my 1st article on fashionamag!

Costume Shop Finds: An Elegant Hat

Look at this lovely women's hat! It's a peachy pink straw hat with ribbon and trim and flowers and pearls! There's a lot going on but it's beautifully tied together and doesn't look too over the top. On the left is the front view and on the right is the back view. We started going through and organizing the boxes today and I found this one just sitting in a box of very plain straw hats. It will definitely have to be put in a different box once we for sure straighten out the different categories. Right now we're just moving the boxes themselves to main areas of shelving. From the back of the shop we have hats, then show specific, next is men's pants and tops, then women's pants and tops, and finally the front shelves are for accessories and miscellaneous costumes (like dance leotards). Stay tuned for more fun costume finds as we go through the boxes themselves!

New Intern Position!

One of the pictures I sent
that's in the piece about
me as a designer.

I just realized I never wrote about how I was published in a magazine as a designer (not a writer!). I was pretty darn excited about the whole thing and I of course bought a copy of the magazine. I'm in the June issue of Fashion A magazine pages 44-49 (a 6 page piece). 

After talking to the editor I was lucky to get an unpaid internship handling their social media. I'm not alone in doing this, but I post daily things to the Facebook page and will start working with their Twitter and Instagram this week. It's fun because I really fit into what the magazine is about so it's very easy for me to find things I want to share with the viewers. As stated on the Facebook page, "Fashion A is a bohemian androgynous magazine and it is about expressing yourself creatively through fashion without gender boundaries." But what's really really new is that I will be writing pieces for the online magazine. If you want to check out the website, which is now up and running, go here: Fashion A Magazine. I haven't written anything yet because I just got all the information today, but as soon as I post my first article on the website I'll write a little overview of it for my blog, similar to what I did for CollegeFashionista or Maghanitwork.

I'm thrilled I get to continue to write over the summer, and hopefully it doesn't just end when the summer ends. I was writing for Maghanitwork but the website has been updated sine the end of April (with my two articles at the top) so I am unsure of what the future holds for that writing position. Anyways I love what Fashion A is about and I enjoy doing the social media so I have no doubt the writing will come easily to me.

Exhibits From Around the World

Right now there are 3 exhibits that I would love to attend. The first, and most practical, is at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and is called Cutting Edge Fashion: Recent Acquisitions. The exhibition "seeks to explore how various designers were considered avant garde in their own ways, drawing from new acquisitions it has painstakingly made since 2006" (Indiana Museum...). I'm hoping to go to this over the summer, it's not too far away and I think it'll be really amazing to see the different avant garde pieces they've acquired over the years. One of the pieces (pictured in this post) is an evening dress from the 1920s by Callot Soeurs. It's a stunning dress made of silk velvet, metallic threads, and faux pearls. 

(From website, see Bibliography,
photo Courtesy Indiana Museum of Art)

The second museum exhibit I'd love to see happens to be in London at the Victoria and Albert museum titled Shoes: Pleasure and Pain. The exhibit contains around 200 pairs of both women's and men's shoes from around the world. It aims to explore "the complex relationship that people have with shoes, including the cultural significance and transformative capacity of footwear" (V&A...). I really wish I was still in London so I could go see this exhibit. I loved the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibit and I know there are a few more amazing exhibits going on this summer that would be wonderful to attend. 

Lastly, the third exhibit I'd be thrilled to see is in Madrid. The exhibit, Vogue Like a Painting, opens later this month and illustrates the artistic connection between the photographs in Vogue and the original artworks. Kolesnikov-Jessop writes that "Botticelli, Vermeer, Van Eyck, Degas, Hogarth, and Rossetti are just some of the painters whose works have inspired fashion photography in the pages of Vogue magazine" (Vogue like a Painting...). If only I could just up and go to any museum exhibit I want, I definitely would go around the world nonstop just visiting museums and art galleries. Maybe someday my career will involve lots of travelling and I'll get some free time while working and I can visit the sites.

Bibliography
Kolesnikov-Jessop, S. (2015, June 3). "Vogue like a Painting" Coming Up at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Retrieved from http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1171691/vogue-like-a-painting-coming-up-at-the-museo-thyssen
Tay, M. (2015, May 11). Indiana Museum of Art Shows off New Acquisitions in Avant Garde Fashion Exhibition. Retrieved from http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1152499/indiana-museum-of-art-shows-off-new-acquisitions-in-avant  
Tay, M. (2015, June 8). V&A Explores Pleasure and Pain of Beautiful Footwear. Retrieved from http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1147857/va-explores-pleasure-and-pain-of-beautiful-footwear

Weekend Plans: Preparing for Fall

A clutch I regret not buying
 in Bath for my senior collection.

I know it's barely summer but I'm already starting to work on my senior collection for next year. While the fashion show isn't until spring 2016, we have to present our collection ideas about the second week into the fall semester. I've always had some sort of idea for what I want to do for my collection, but now that I've actually started working on it I am overwhelmed with ideas for various potential collections. For instance I've considered doing a Marie Antoinette pastel collection, a Dracula themed one, and a fun colorful printed floral collection. There are just way too many options, I kind of wish I had gotten to do my "mini" collection this past spring like the other juniors and how they can do 2-3 looks for the fashion show. I think my solution right now is to just go ahead and sketch every idea I have running through my brain and then pick the strongest collection. Luckily I haven't gotten a part time job yet so I have some free time to work on my collection. I'm just really excited for my senior collection even if I haven't quite figured out what to do yet. I still really want to do 5 female models and 4 male models, and also work with a variety of patterns & textures, but I still need my main big idea. Hopefully I can use all of my time, especially when I'm being lazy on the weekends, to work on my collection. I'm sure once the school year starts I'll just start complaining about how much work I have, but I have very high goals of what I want for my collection, so I'm just going to have to deal with it. We shall see what happens!  

Costume and Design Differences

One of the big differences between apparel design and working in the costume shop is that in the costume shop you're able to use commercial patterns. Today in the shop Sheri found a bunch of these Folkwear patterns and told me to check them out when I have time because they're really useful and a great resource for period pieces. I'm hoping to check them all out next week and see which ones are the coolest or could be the most useful in the future. 

Costume Opportunities

The Wig section.

Today in the costume shop my boss, Sheri, told me all about her ideas for the play she's working on, The Fantasticks. She's letting me help with some of the costumes and instead of organizing the shop today we spent our time working on the costumes for the play. I got to pull a bunch of button down shirts for two characters, the wigs, headdress, bow tie options, and more. I might also get to sew some of the pieces for the show, but I didn't bring my sewing machine with me to Illinois. I'm hoping I can fix one of the broken ones in the shop and get to used that at home to sew projects. I'm really excited to help on the play and I can't wait to see what the actors will end up wearing. The play starts July 10th, so we have some time but not too much.

Costume Books: "Dreaming of Chanel"

Front Cover

I went to the library yesterday and while I couldn't find some of the books I wanted, I managed to snag some really neat ones! The one I started reading today is titled Dreaming of Chanel by Charlotte Smith and illustrated by Grant Cowan. It's all these stories that are attached to a vintage clothing collection the author inherited from her American godmother. The illustrations are amazing and the stories are wonderful. The stories are all about a page and with the illustrations the book is a quick read so I'm hoping to finish it today. It's a great read so far and I'm going to read Charlotte's other book, Dreaming of Dior. I think it's a good resource for costumes and designing because it has a variety of vintage dresses and stories dating from 1790 to the 1990s. Overall, perfect for reading if you like fashion.

Costume Shop Finds: Men's Jacket

During my time in the costume area today we managed to go through all of the women's and men's coats and suits, and random suit pieces that need matches.

My favorite find of the day is this awesome houndstooth jacket. It has grey and black striped paneling on the inside, which looks striking and amazing against the houndstooth. I also love the inside label, it's one of the more intricate labels I've seen on a jacket.

There's a lot of tuxes, wool coats, coats, jackets, and then suits that are missing pieces and full suits. There's a lot going on in men's that I didn't anticipate. I'm excited to see what all the totes are full of and if we have even more men's looks hidden away in bins.

Pirates of Penzance

My program.

Yesterday I went to see the CUTC's performance of the "Pirates of Penzance." Overall it was really good. I didn't expect the cast to be so young, think mostly high school students, but they were decent singers. I only wish I could have heard them better, but I was front row right behind the orchestra. As for the costumes, I think I would have tried to make all of the pirates look more similar (one had normal cargo shorts on and one had a legit pirate costume). I liked the dresses picked for the girls and the nightdresses. For the nightdresses all the girls had long sleeves except Mabel who had short sleeves. The colored bows were also different for the girls. Overall I really enjoyed the show, it was funny and well performed. I'm really glad I got to go see it!

Other Costume Shops

Part of their hat storage.

Yesterday during my time helping in the costumes shop we took a little "field trip" and went to see how the costume shop at Krannert (U of I) organizes their costumes and rents them out to others. 

It was amazing to see how much they have in their collection. They have a lot of rooms dedicated to different parts of their costume stock. It's all neatly categorized and they even have maps for some of the rooms to illustrate to others how to find what they're looking for in the rooms. It's incredible to see what they have for their different period looks, and the variety is incredible. They also have a good amount of men's clothing which is fantastic. I wish I had taken more pictures, but just this little snapshot of a section of the hat storage just showcases how much they really have in their collection and why great colleges like NYU rent from them and use their pieces. I'm actually considering looking into U of I at their costume grad program. Still haven't figured out life after graduation next year, so we'll see what happens.

Library Visits & Missing London

Since I'm only working at the costume shop in the mornings Monday thru Thursday I have a lot of free time on my hands. This week I've been a little lazy and really only been running errands and watching a lot of Friends on Netflix. I went to the library early this week and got a handful of books, one of which makes me really miss London. This V&A book titled "400 Years of Fashion," is pretty great and filled with a lot of useful information and a variety of looks for the different periods. I've included the front and back covers because they show some of the great looks included inside the book.

1905 travelling gown

While reading this book I've just really missed being in London. In London I could go to any museum or art gallery whenever I had free time and I could see amazing exhibits. Here in Illinois I don't have that access to the fashion and art world that I did in London. I'm about an hour and a half away from Chicago, so I can go to a decently big city and see exhibits and fashion, but it's just not the same as walking to a museum about 20mins away from my apartment. But still, books like this are amazing to read, not only for their information but because they can help ease the fact you can't just up and go anywhere you want any time you want. I'm not all the way through the book yet, I've been taking some notes and really looking at the pieces included. In the costume shop we've been organizing all of the costumes and I really wanted to make sure we get the years right for when we go through the 1900s. I'm more focused on the past 100 years because their stock of costumes is mostly 20th century looks and most of their performances can use pieces from those decades for their shows. I'm just really excited to help create the inventory of all of the pieces and to see what all we have in the shop. And so far this book is a great resource and I definitely recommend it to those interested in the changes in fashion.

Costume Shop Progress

The start of the Prom/Bridesmaid
 Dresses section.

So far so good in the costume shop! We've made a LOT of progress this week. We've managed to organize the first couple of rows of hanging costumes. Our "final" categories are: Specialty, Medieval, Prairie, Western/Cowboy, Ethnic (in this order: Asian, Hawaiian, Spanish, African), Civil War, Empire Dresses, Victorian Era, Decades (1920s-1990s), 80s Prom Dresses & Bridesmaid dresses, Wedding Dresses, and lastly the Non Specific Dresses.

There's a lot but it's all organized and looking great. Of course we have more work to do within them, for example we have to organize Prairie lengthwise and also separate it with a children's section. I really hope that by the end the whole shop is just insanely organized and categorized. We're also getting another intern just to do all of the computer work, which was something I thought I'd end up having to do but it'll be great to not deal with that and just doing costumes. Finally, I'll get to tour another costume shop and see how they're organized. I'm pretty excited to see how everything unfolds and how the rest of my summer will turn out. 

Costume Shop Finds: Fancy Red Dress

My latest find while organizing the costume area is this bright red dress. It appears as a dress and coat, but it's all one piece and has a fun black & white polka dot trim on the lapel, sleeves, and buttons. It's pretty unique and fun. I don't know which production it has been used in, or if it will be in one, but it's still great to have around the shop.

Costume Shop Finds: A Funky Hat

 

One of the great pieces I came across was this awesome hat! I was supposed to be searching for a big straw hat when I found this piece. I love it and really wish I owned it, it's really fun and would really work with my senior collection.

First Day in the Shop

I started out in the costume shop "closet" today and so far it's great! I worked 9am - noon and I'll have this schedule this week working Tuesday to Thursday and then next week Monday thru Thursday the same hours. 

I got to start off with a cup of coffee and then help the manager, Sheri, rent out some of the costumes to a woman who is putting on a fashion show at a hospital. She's doing the different decades and needed some options for the early 1900s and the woman took 3 different looks. One was an empire dress and the other two were tops with skirts and then crinoline skirts for underneath, as well as a shawl for one of the looks and a hat. 

After that we got started with organizing the racks. For three hours of work we managed to actually get a big chunk done. We started by taking off the front rows and putting them on racks and then putting different categories on the racks. So far we have a solid grouping of Specialty, Medieval, Prairie, Civil War, Ethnic, Victorian, Uniforms and then on to the past 100 years: 1920s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. We will also be going through and potentially getting rid of some stuff. There's also a men's section, a coats section, and blouse and skirt sections. There's a lot just within the clothes part of the closet let alone the other side that has all types of accessories and what not like ties and hats. There's also going to be some sections that are specifically organized by play/musical.


I'm pretty excited about getting to do this all for the costume shop. Also just to be getting more experience in theater and costume is great! Well stay tuned for more! I'll probably be posting a little bit of each shift, just like a cool piece or a fun story or something similar. I know I already have a few pictures of some really cool and funky pieces to post about, so that'll probably be really soon. 

Now just to figure out what to do on my off days, most likely a part time job and many trips to the library.   

Illinois Life

Exploring the town in my gold shoes.

So far it's been pretty good here in Illinois. Champaign isn't as busy and hectic as Chicago but it has a lot to offer. I had my schedule meeting on Monday and it went really well, despite the costume shop manager missing it. It's okay thought because we emailed and I start work this Monday. Originally I was told I'd get to help with the costumes for "Guys & Dolls" but they have a full staff. Instead I will helping create and implement a brand new inventory system for the theater company. I will be working with the shop manager to go through their stock of costumes (I've seen the room and it's amazing!) and reorganize them for a better and more effective use of the space. Also I can help with sewing if they need it, so I may get to help with costumes for "Guys & Dolls" after all. Despite what I'll be doing changing, I'm still really excited to be working with the theater company and just getting more experience working in theater in general. Stay tuned for more after I actually start work!