Costume Ideas from 1887

While perusing the web for Halloween costume ideas, I came across this fabulous hornet costume from an 1887 book.

From "Fancy Dresses Described"

It is at least 2,000 times more awesome than any of this year's 30 versions of the "sexy bee" costume (including and most especially the tween versions).

Bee costume complete with wings, tutu, stockings... everything except dignity.

WTH is with the platform spike heels on this kid? At least her bare backside isn't hanging out.

The book is titled "Fancy Dresses Described or What to Wear at Fancy Balls." It is considered public domain and available here.

Along with the hornet, several other costumes are illustrated. My favorite is the magpie. I would love to make a somewhat simplified version of this for everyday wear.

From "Fancy Dresses Described"

2015 has much that 1887 didn't have (the internet, for one)... but when it comes to classy costumes, 1887 is the clear winner.

Halloween Quilt

I bought this Halloween quilt years ago. After a while, it became sort of fragile, so I stopped using it because my dog might have snagged it with her nails. Yesterday I pulled it out of the closet and found the colors coordinate nicely with my purple walls. :)

October Homework

For October's homework assignment on The Curious Professor Z, The Professor says to "show us what you love about this time of year." Hmm... It's hard to narrow it down. I love many things about this time of year.

I love to see the leaves change colors in autumn. Here in Colorado, they mostly turn gold. They are pretty...

but I prefer the riot of golds, yellows, oranges, and reds back east.

Usually, I love that the weather is getting cooler. This year, summer is hanging on tenaciously. Except for a couple of cooler days last week, temperatures are still climbing to around 80F/27C. Begone with you, heat!

No matter what the weather, I love the abundance of bat merchandise available at this time of year. Bat decals:

Bat fabrics:

Bat jewelry:

Bat kitchen goods such as salt and pepper shakers:

Bat shirts:

And because this is America... processed foods shaped like bats. :D

 

Shoe Shopping. Ugh.

Since I got a height-adjustable desk and now stand for much of the workday, I need comfortable shoes. My old black flats finally wore out, which means I have to find new shoes.

Shopping for shoes is a task I dread. I have wide feet. With rare exception, stores don't carry wide widths, so I have to order shoes online. And the shoes rarely fit properly, which means I have to send them back. Such a hassle!

I ordered four pairs from 6pm.com, my first time ordering from them. One pair - Aravon Maura - almost fit and were pretty cute for a comfort shoe.

They are indeed comfortable to stand in, but they flop up and down on my heel when I walk. The other three pairs did not fit at all. It cost a small fortune to ship them back. :(

So I returned to the trusty Zappos. Free shipping both directions. :D

I ordered seven pairs of shoes from seven different brands, plus one pair of low boots.

Of those, I will be keeping... NONE. :P Two pairs almost fit, which is a better result than usual. I will order those in a different size and hope for the best.

One Final Cotton... Then Velvet

The sole Halloween fabric I bought this season has now been turned into a skirt. I used my trusty Simplicity 2449. I trimmed the hem with orange grosgrain ribbon and black lace.

Then it was time to put on the ballpoint needles and sew some panne velvet! :D

I love the look of very long, flowing skirts, and I used to wear them frequently. Alas, they are a poor choice when one's job involves sitting in a wheeled office chair. After rolling over my skirt one too many times, I gave up wearing them to work. But I now have a height-adjustable desk at work, and I stand most of the day... so it's time for long skirts to make a comeback.

I used McCall's 6101, a costume pattern for a '50s "poodle" skirt -- basically a very long circle skirt. I made one in purple panne velvet.

And I made one in black panne velvet. I could not resist adding black lace at the hem on this one... even though I will almost certainly snag the lace on my boot buckles at some point. :P

In panne velvet, a circle skirt hangs deceptively straight. It's a very full skirt, though, with a lot of fabric. When I sit down... well, you can see why long, flowing skirts and office chairs don't mix. ;)

Tag x 2

I was tagged for quote tag by Aji LaStrange at Cafe LaStrange and for Halloween tag by Meagan Kyla at Coffin Kitsch.

Quotes:
"Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching."
I don't know where that one originated, but it strikes a chord with me. Most people make very different choices and do very different things when others are watching... and I find that disappointing. Is fear of embarrassment or punishment really the only impetus for people to do the right thing? It makes me despair for humanity.

Okay, enough of that. On to the fun stuff!

"We are here because we're not all there." - from an Aerosmith song
Ha ha, punny.  :)

Halloween:
1. Favorite Halloween song?
2. Witch or Vampire?
3. Favorite thing about Halloween?
4. Halloween party or scary movie marathon?
5. Skeletons or Zombies?
6. Favorite Halloween candy?
7. Favorite Halloween movie?
8. Favorite Halloween costume?
9. Favorite Halloween store?
10. Jack-o-lanterns, yes or no?
11. Bats or Black Cats?
12. Is Halloween your favorite holiday?
13. Pumpkin spice latte or hot chocolate?

1. Favorite Halloween song?
"Every Day is Halloween" by Ministry.

2. Witch or Vampire?
Witch. I could conjure up a spell or two to fix my home improvement projects that go awry. :) I like my personal space boundaries too much to be a vampire - I wouldn't want to get close enough to people to drink their blood.

3. Favorite thing about Halloween?
The availability of bat items - bat fabrics, bat towels, bat stickers, bat jewelry, etc. - that I can buy for use year-round.

4. Halloween party or scary movie marathon?
Halloween party. I do not like scary movies.

5. Skeletons or Zombies?
Skeletons. Zombies are filthy, stinky vessels of infectious disease. Ick.

6. Favorite Halloween candy?
I prefer to get my Halloween sugar fix from Franken Berry cereal. Mmmm...

7. Favorite Halloween movie?
The Scary Godmother movies ("Halloween Spooktacular" and "The Revenge of Jimmy").

8. Favorite Halloween costume?
The best costume I ever saw in person was a handmade Optimus Prime costume that actually transformed.

9. Favorite Halloween store?
It varies by year, but Jo-Ann, Michael's, and Home Goods usually have the best Halloween merchandise.

10. Jack-o-lanterns, yes or no?
Yes. I love pumpkins, gourds and jack o'lanterns.

11. Bats or Black Cats?
Bats. I'm all about the bats.

12. Is Halloween your favorite holiday?
Yes. I don't celebrate most holidays... and I practically mourn Christmas for the commercialized assault it has become.

13. Pumpkin spice latte or hot chocolate?
I don't like coffee, so hot chocolate it is. Spiced apple cider is a yummy Autumn drink, too. :)

I'm not going to tag anyone because I'm super late replying. But feel free to self-tag and share your answers!