Bring out your lace and leather and other bits of dress-up...
Was at a Halloween party at athena25's last night, which was great fun. Got to catch up with all of my friends, it felt like I hadn't seen them in ages. Was slightly worried beforehand - just a touch of the old 'haven't seen anyone for ages, they might all be married with kids by now', but as it turns out, it was easy enough to just fall back into old patterns and old conversations like I never left.
Anyway, I did actually go in costume - I dressed up as Alma Garret, which was a task and a half - and everyone there was similarly attired in costumes of varying kinds. Nat&Ru were a Helena Bohnam-Carter-inspired witch and skeletal pirate, respectively, Timmzy was Bob the Builder, athena25 was a vampire, queenspanky, wingsmith and rifle were zombies, and weaselator rejected the idea of costumes until he had stitches painted on him and was a re-animated corpse. Which, given his day job... :)
My costume! I do have pictures, actually, but they are on my phone so I shall have to extract them from my phone and get them on my computer, which is a lot more complicated than it sounds. (There's a cable involved.) But it was a very elaborate get-up:
- knee-high socks (of the striped variety seen on Sofia and on various ladies at the Bella Union - they may not be precisely right for Alma, but they were certainly warm!) and ankle-high round-toe lace-up boots (Victorian, and with the correct heel, too);
- bra (modern - not something I could compromise on!) & panties (French frills - maybe a little short, but certainly in the style of the period!)
- full-length camisole/under-dress (white cotton - mainly for comfort under the corset)
- under-skirt (black cotton)
- corset (black, under-the-bust cut, full Victorian boning)
- camisole (forest green silk, with black lace neckline)
- shirt (black cotton, 3/4 length sleeves)
- over-skirt (black cotton - complete with bustle and ruffled sides - done by using a modern tiered skirt and rushing up the fabric, then sowing it into place at the back and sides)
- jacket (forest green velvet, silk bow fastening at the front)
- wrap (dark green)
- green velvet chocker, purple jewelled pendant (a gift from erykah101 a few years ago)
- gloves (only for when outside - purple leather, laced-up and bow detail at wrist)
- hair: curled and pinned up, and dressed with a green velvet ribbon
Not a lot of make-up, just a lot of mulled-wine to give me that opiate-imbibing wide-eyed look.
I had great fun with this, and it was convenient too - the many layers were warm and it was relatively comfy as outfits go, although it was considerably trickier getting out of it than it was getting into it. (The multiple mugs of mulled wine probably didn't help.) I have decided that it is a success, not least because I had several positive comments from people on by way to, and back from, the party.
Today, I mostly did nothing, except drink vast quantities of water. Tomorrow I expect to be similar, then followed by the new Bond with the whole gang. Mmmm, people not related to work! I might get spoiled by all this frivolity. *beams*
Anyway, I did actually go in costume - I dressed up as Alma Garret, which was a task and a half - and everyone there was similarly attired in costumes of varying kinds. Nat&Ru were a Helena Bohnam-Carter-inspired witch and skeletal pirate, respectively, Timmzy was Bob the Builder, athena25 was a vampire, queenspanky, wingsmith and rifle were zombies, and weaselator rejected the idea of costumes until he had stitches painted on him and was a re-animated corpse. Which, given his day job... :)
My costume! I do have pictures, actually, but they are on my phone so I shall have to extract them from my phone and get them on my computer, which is a lot more complicated than it sounds. (There's a cable involved.) But it was a very elaborate get-up:
- knee-high socks (of the striped variety seen on Sofia and on various ladies at the Bella Union - they may not be precisely right for Alma, but they were certainly warm!) and ankle-high round-toe lace-up boots (Victorian, and with the correct heel, too);
- bra (modern - not something I could compromise on!) & panties (French frills - maybe a little short, but certainly in the style of the period!)
- full-length camisole/under-dress (white cotton - mainly for comfort under the corset)
- under-skirt (black cotton)
- corset (black, under-the-bust cut, full Victorian boning)
- camisole (forest green silk, with black lace neckline)
- shirt (black cotton, 3/4 length sleeves)
- over-skirt (black cotton - complete with bustle and ruffled sides - done by using a modern tiered skirt and rushing up the fabric, then sowing it into place at the back and sides)
- jacket (forest green velvet, silk bow fastening at the front)
- wrap (dark green)
- green velvet chocker, purple jewelled pendant (a gift from erykah101 a few years ago)
- gloves (only for when outside - purple leather, laced-up and bow detail at wrist)
- hair: curled and pinned up, and dressed with a green velvet ribbon
Not a lot of make-up, just a lot of mulled-wine to give me that opiate-imbibing wide-eyed look.
I had great fun with this, and it was convenient too - the many layers were warm and it was relatively comfy as outfits go, although it was considerably trickier getting out of it than it was getting into it. (The multiple mugs of mulled wine probably didn't help.) I have decided that it is a success, not least because I had several positive comments from people on by way to, and back from, the party.
Today, I mostly did nothing, except drink vast quantities of water. Tomorrow I expect to be similar, then followed by the new Bond with the whole gang. Mmmm, people not related to work! I might get spoiled by all this frivolity. *beams*