Galveston Weekend - December 2-4
I came down here to Galveston especially for the Dickens on the Strand event, and omg! I LOVED it!
I had an old skirt I made in college which is tartan, but has the full box pleats in it so it is really nice and flow-y, and my mom had a lovely white shirt with a high collar and nice embroidery on it, so it fit perfectly. I had a green jacket which kind of went with the whole thing. This morning dressing was fun, I was so nervous! I knew there would be ladies dressed to the nines, what would they think of mine? But I went, sans hat (since I didn't make one) and because I was in "costume" I got in 1/2 price! Whoo hoo!!
I got there about 10ish, when gates opened, and walked around and around, stopping at some of the vendors and chatting. I found one shop which had these really lovely corsets... and I bought one! You know, when they are made properly, they really are comfortable. Who knew! Don't pay a few bucks, since my old one was very uncomfortable, go for a bit more expensive, and it will most likely be better constructed. It's a lovely slate blue, and made my curves stand out! I asked about when I loose more weight and the lady said to send it and they would exchange it for a smaller one. Since they rent them out a lot, if it's in perfect condition, then I would get an exchange. NICE!!
So I walked around all day with this lovely corset and my skirt blowing since the breeze picked up. The festival is near the other side of the shore, since Galveston is an island, there are two shores, and they had free tours of a 1877 ship, Ellsa. Since I was in a dress, and idiot me had my hands sort of full, I didn't go below deck, but my friend who I went with, did so she took some pictures. It was awesome to read about the different things on the ship, and since I am finishing a Steampunk genre book, which features a boat, I tried to absorb as much as I could.
And of course they had the Steampunk Square, and had a lot of people dressed in Steampunk flare. Took pictures of that and LOVED the different things people had on. Of course took pictures of the well dressed ladies, and even had some beggers. I think my favorite were the people dressed as chimney sweepers. I have to remember that! Beggers and chimney sweepers are easy costumes! :-D
My feet were hurting after all that walking, so we headed back to the hotel, which overlooks the Gulf of Mexico. In fact my friend went out walking, and I opened the balcony door and am listening to the water. It sounds like a busy freeway, but it is just high tide waves. Nice surfing weather - saw several people out this morning already with their boards. I really wanted to see the Steampunk Circus and the music, but parking is kind of expensive to have to pay for it again. I think, if I do this next year (I hope!) I'll go later in the day, maybe around the Queen's Parade (about 2pm) and that way I can survive the afternoon. Of course around 12pm or even 11pm there were a lot more people, so that's a bad thing.
The special guest this year was the great-great-great granddaughter of Charles Dickens, so I brought my book - The Mystery of Edwin Drood - to be signed. I told her that being an English teacher meeting her was really a treat. :-D The book will be treasured! Now I don't have an excuse NOT to finish reading the book! Even so it is a story Charles Dickens never finished... I do like a good mystery!
I just checked and I do have a picture of me in the corset, so when I get home and load it to my photobucket (and remember the passwords) I shall show you what I looked like... and some of the styles of Victorian England (in America, and in Texas... )
Over all, I don't mind my feet hurt. I had blast, and I am so very glad I came down. Well worth the trip, and I hope next year I can do it again and bring some others down. Or if not, I will enjoy myself on my own too!!
I had an old skirt I made in college which is tartan, but has the full box pleats in it so it is really nice and flow-y, and my mom had a lovely white shirt with a high collar and nice embroidery on it, so it fit perfectly. I had a green jacket which kind of went with the whole thing. This morning dressing was fun, I was so nervous! I knew there would be ladies dressed to the nines, what would they think of mine? But I went, sans hat (since I didn't make one) and because I was in "costume" I got in 1/2 price! Whoo hoo!!
I got there about 10ish, when gates opened, and walked around and around, stopping at some of the vendors and chatting. I found one shop which had these really lovely corsets... and I bought one! You know, when they are made properly, they really are comfortable. Who knew! Don't pay a few bucks, since my old one was very uncomfortable, go for a bit more expensive, and it will most likely be better constructed. It's a lovely slate blue, and made my curves stand out! I asked about when I loose more weight and the lady said to send it and they would exchange it for a smaller one. Since they rent them out a lot, if it's in perfect condition, then I would get an exchange. NICE!!
So I walked around all day with this lovely corset and my skirt blowing since the breeze picked up. The festival is near the other side of the shore, since Galveston is an island, there are two shores, and they had free tours of a 1877 ship, Ellsa. Since I was in a dress, and idiot me had my hands sort of full, I didn't go below deck, but my friend who I went with, did so she took some pictures. It was awesome to read about the different things on the ship, and since I am finishing a Steampunk genre book, which features a boat, I tried to absorb as much as I could.
And of course they had the Steampunk Square, and had a lot of people dressed in Steampunk flare. Took pictures of that and LOVED the different things people had on. Of course took pictures of the well dressed ladies, and even had some beggers. I think my favorite were the people dressed as chimney sweepers. I have to remember that! Beggers and chimney sweepers are easy costumes! :-D
My feet were hurting after all that walking, so we headed back to the hotel, which overlooks the Gulf of Mexico. In fact my friend went out walking, and I opened the balcony door and am listening to the water. It sounds like a busy freeway, but it is just high tide waves. Nice surfing weather - saw several people out this morning already with their boards. I really wanted to see the Steampunk Circus and the music, but parking is kind of expensive to have to pay for it again. I think, if I do this next year (I hope!) I'll go later in the day, maybe around the Queen's Parade (about 2pm) and that way I can survive the afternoon. Of course around 12pm or even 11pm there were a lot more people, so that's a bad thing.
The special guest this year was the great-great-great granddaughter of Charles Dickens, so I brought my book - The Mystery of Edwin Drood - to be signed. I told her that being an English teacher meeting her was really a treat. :-D The book will be treasured! Now I don't have an excuse NOT to finish reading the book! Even so it is a story Charles Dickens never finished... I do like a good mystery!
I just checked and I do have a picture of me in the corset, so when I get home and load it to my photobucket (and remember the passwords) I shall show you what I looked like... and some of the styles of Victorian England (in America, and in Texas... )
Over all, I don't mind my feet hurt. I had blast, and I am so very glad I came down. Well worth the trip, and I hope next year I can do it again and bring some others down. Or if not, I will enjoy myself on my own too!!