Next few projects
My inspiration for a big posh frock hit. And it was a direct result of researching the Robe de Style.
I am working on the Marie Antoinette gambling gown. Yes the silver lame and sliver beaded one. So that’s been making me happy. I even found a cached post of mine about this while looking for info!
Why is it making me happy? Well while looking for Robes de Style I came across images of Norma Shearer in one from The Last of Mrs Cheyney, and it was so beautifully fitted and shaped that it gave me a new look at the gowns she wore as MA.
But also one of my earliest obsessions over costume as design, and craft, and complimenting the performer, and world created, was the book Hollywood and History. I was not part of the library system that had the book but I was close to the library that did. It also has a design for Carrie Fisher as Leia, it’s a profile of her gold hair clips and braid. And that always just struck me as art meets design sketch. The sketch was to convey an idea but was beautiful in and of itself.
Anyway, so I’ve had the gown at the back of my mind from my formative years. Hollywood and History, History of Costume (Blanche Payne), Patterns of Fashion, and the Harpers’ Bazaar (Dover reprint) book were my anchors as a teen for learning that costume was an art form that was far more than fashion. Which is an incredible subject to begin with! Things I wanted to believe but was told were frivolous.
So this is one of those projects to link my beginnings with my experiences.
And I am still working on Missy (bought some dye for my wool) and a few other, but I do definitely need to get a lot of projects out of my workroom to just make room.
And I may also really want to make the Confrontation MA gown too. It’s tulle and ostrich feathers and just is very very deceptively simple. And hey if I am building the support layers may as well make a few things to wear over it!