What I Would've Worn to Costume College 2020

So, 2020 has turned out, uh, not exactly as planned? Still, I did have plans for Costume College, and I did a photoshoot the weekend that Costume College was supposed to be with what I had done. For the gala this year, inspired by last year's gala dress, typos, and the fire fountain at Costume College, I was going to make an 1830s version of Melisandre. I still hope to--bringing in fantasy elements, beyond what 1830s fancy dress would've done--is something I'm looking forward to.



For this costume I have 1830s underthings, shoes, a necklace, and an idea. Posing in my show version of the Melisandre dress worn as a wrapper seemed appropriate!



And the 1930s Melisandre from the 2019 Costume College gala that inspired the 1830s dress. It's silk satin with I think close to 30,000 sequins at the hem. I planned to wear this on a trip to the Queen Mary too. Now, with more time, I'm planning on a matching sequined cape.



The bodice is bias in the front and open in the back. I wasn't sure how it was going to work, but somehow it came together.



This is the state of my latest Cersei dress was in when WonderCon was cancelled on March 12. At the rate I was sewing, it probably had two or three hours before it would be done. The main dress, anyway. I still had wig styling and an updated belt.



I've since been adding more embroidery--Italian mesh ribbon and tiny beads--to the sleeves. This dress fairly perfectly captures my current mood.



I always like to include something that I just want to wear again. I picked this little cotton spencer and white dress at the last minute when I was taking pictures.



The train on this dress was a victim of Jane Austen Festival mud. The stripes on the pleated back of the spencer were quite fun to pleat.



For the Young Victoria Dinner, hosted by my friend Robin, I was going to make an 1840s dress based on a dress in the Museum of London. The miles of bias ruffles on the skirt are done. Not much else.



I do have accessories! Time was short so I bought a Timely Tresses straw bonnet, and I've had the black bonnet veil for years.



Before Costume College, a group of us were going to go to the Wizarding World theme park at Universal and wear vintage Hogwarts costumes. Mine was going to be 1930s Ravenclaw, as if I were dressing for a reunion. It's still going to be a great 1930s outfit, even if I'm not quite comfortable cosplaying Harry Potter right now. Rowling's stances on trans rights are so saddening and frustrating.



I'm posing with the 1930s skirt and sweater I made to wear on the Queen Mary. That trip will still happen, and I imagine small trips like that will be possible before we can have events again.

I have a few more pictures of these on Instagram--taking these pictures the weekend of Costume College was very good for me--using #costumecollegethatwasnt. My sewing Instagram is linked in the navigation above. I have lots of progress pictures there--costuming is so much more than completed costume!