On January 12, 2003, I entered a gown into the 12th Night costume
competition. It was the first time for me, and I wasn't sure what to
expect. When I started the gown, I was only thinking in terms of being
"dressed properly" for 12th Night. But several weeks before
the event, I came across information on how to enter the competition.
The forms weren't that
intimidating, and I started seriously considering the idea. Finally I
came to a realization. So what if I wasn't really ready? Would I ever
be ready? And if I ever planned to seriously compete, wouldn't it be
nice if I had some experience?
So I did the classic
scramble-scramble before 12th Night to get everything finished in
time. How can the days slip away so swiftly? Especially when you most
need them to slow down. I worked from early morning until late at
night, and still, the days just slipped away.
The day before the event,
I was still sewing madly. The bodice was finished - the skirts were
finished - the farthingale was wearable - But the sleeves! I hadn't
finished them. They were still spread out on the table in pieces. And
the chemise still needed cuffs.
I took a few hours away
from the sewing machine to pack my overnight bag and feast gear. I
packed as many of my garments as I could without the gown itself.
The day of the event, I
was still miles away from being finished. The lady I was going to ride
with called on the phone and said she would be a little late. I said,
fine, fine. I needed every spare minute.
The time came to leave,
and I realized, with regret, that I wasn't going to finish in time.
Gathering up all my sewing tools, I flung them into a little plastic
container and prepared to finish the gown en route. Without ever
having tried on the gown, I flung it all into a garbage bag and rushed
out the door.
All the way to Eugene,
which is a several hour drive, I was putting last-minute stitches in
the chemise cuffs. When we arrived at the hotel, I was still stitching
wildly. My friends dressed for the costume ball, and still, I wasn't
finished.
Just when I felt it would
never end, I tied off the last seam, and realized, with a thrill, that
it ready at last. And in that tiny hotel room, with the help of my
friends, I put on the gown for the first time.
It felt wonderful! It was
the gown I had always dreamed of wearing, and this was the perfect
event for the debut. The halls and ballrooms of the Double Tree Hotel
were fully decorated with banners, tapestries and period furnishings.
Live Irish harps were being played in the halls, and girls hung over
the banister and sang overhead.
The
main ballroom was guarded by two men at arms, with crossed axes. You
had to show your site token to pass, and the herald would announce
your name and title. Beyond the door it was like a dream -
candlelight, live music, people dancing.
I
forgot about all the misery and pain of making my dress. I found
myself sampling fruits and cheeses from the banquet table, and sitting
with friends at a small table. Then, somehow, I was out on the floor,
dancing with everyone else. I half expected the gown to get in the
way, the only tricky part was not treading on the skirts. I had to
jump and hop, instead of stepping back and forth. However, the length
hid my feet, and any missteps I took during the dance were unseen.
That evening I was up
half the night in my hotel room, putting a stitch here, and a stitch
there, just to make sure things were secure. The next morning, early,
I dressed again and prepared to enter the competition.
Signing
up was easy. The competition was being put on by the Costumers Guild
of An Tir, and many people were entering their projects. I tried to
sign up for intermediate, but was pushed back to novice, on account of
my limited sewing experience. After all, I'd only been sewing for a
year. After filling out the papers, all I had to do was wait my turn,
which would be late in the afternoon.
Making a presentation to
the judges, when, at last, my turn came, was incredibly fun. No one
warned about how enjoyable it is. The judges were delightful people
who discussed my gown with me as though we were old friends. They
asked about my techniques, fabric choices, and sources.
They
took note of all the details, and made a few suggestions. Talking to
them was like tapping into a wealth of knowledge, and it was very
difficult to tear myself away.
The results came in late
that evening. I was on my way back to my room for a snack when I came
across one of the judges. She gave me an envelope, informing me of the
score. I had won first place, in the novice category!
This
is the prize I received: A nice pair of peacock
scissors and an embroidered swatch of fabric reading "Costume Contest,
1st place novice." So much for practice runs!
Notes about the gown
Several people wondered how difficult it was to
sit in this dress.
"Not at all," I would reply, and if there was a chair nearby, I would
happily demonstrate. The hoop steel is fairly flexible, and if you sit
down properly, the hoops bend neatly at either side, creating a smooth,
graceful flair that takes the width of about two chairs. And since the
rows of hoops travel horizontally, they collapse quite elegantly when
kneeling.
Because
I drafted the pattern from my own measurements, the gown fit very
comfortably. I dined, danced, and even ran up and down stairs. The
only drawback about this outfit is the length of time it takes to
dress - an hour to put on, half an hour to undress.
The gown took over two months to make.
And since the local department stores don't carry French Hoods, beaded girdles or French Farthingales,
I had to engineer all my own accessories. The only items I didn't make
were the shoes, the cotton tights, and the pocket watch I hang from my
waist.
Please
forgive the quality of these pictures. They were taken in the evening, in
a very small living room, with a digital camcorder that wasn't intended
to take still photographs. There are clearer pictures and a piece by
piece analysis of the outfit on another page. Click
here to see them.
Click here to see
pictures of my photography crew
Getting
Started - Research - Undergarments
- The Gown - Accessories
- Paintings
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