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AMERICAN SCIENCE & SURPLUS NYTIMES ARTICLE THE SPIRIT OF CLOTH BEAD BOUTIQUE VINTAGE SEWING CLASSES COSTUME MANIFESTO
Past Articles
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Costume Con 2008-- Some Tips for Getting your Props through Airport Security, as presented by Stacy Meyn Stacy gave a handout with pictures that hit the high points. {stacymeyn@yahoo.com} http://www.linkedin.com/in/stacymeyn
Carry on liquids: 1 Ziploc Quart size baggie per passenger, 3.4oz max per item of liquid, gel, or aerosol. (Hotel toiletry size is good). This is total CONTAINER size, not quantity of substance. Toothpaste: Tooth powder is recommended or travel packs Soap and shaving cream: travel size or paper soap or shaving paper (seriously-The Container Store sells them) Shampoo, laundry soap, and shaving ‘cream’ all come in paper versions Small, well packed bottles/containers have better odds of being allowed through.
Suitcase locks: Travel sentry combo locks are recommended. Baggage screeners have master keys for these locks. The locks are roughly $10 and available at various stores and travel sites. There are also Travel Sentry bands and lockable hard shell cases. Locks can be cut off, but this brand will cut down on the loss of the lock, through cutting. Zip ties, key rings and carabineers are acceptable means of securing your luggage zippers. Just know they may be cut off, and not put back on.
Use common sense. If it LOOKS dangerous, it will be considered as such. If you are planning on carrying something that could be construed as dangerous (TNT, guns, swords, etc) consider disassembling it, before CHECKING it.
PVC tubes, mailing tubes lined in foam, fishing rod cases or even golf club bags are good ways to pack your oversized checked props.
Also, declare it, when you check it. Don’t SURPRISE the security teams. If you have questions, ASK! If you are concerned about taking something through security, ask to talk to a supervisor. Consider lockable plastic Totes for props or shipping. Review airline and Post Office rules to double check what is and isn’t acceptable. Keep in mind what flys in the USA, may not elsewhere, and vice versa.
Stacy recommended taking a picture of the prop with you in full costume (laminate it), to include in the container with your prop. Write a note of explanation and include re-packing instructions if necessary. Many screeners are also fans. Hardwear/ware, tools, electronics should be checked. Batteries should be in original packages (if possible). Batteries should be packed, so as not to touch / make contact. Remove batteries from the items they’ll be used in and keep them away from wiring components. You don’t want even the appearance of a ‘hazardous item’. Try to arrive early to get your props safely through security.
Consider packing costumes in space saver or garment bags. Remember, LOTS of bags could be tossed on top of yours. Consider an anvil case if you have several thousand $s invested. Sending things as Checked Baggage takes care of a lot of problems, but be aware of chemicals. Sewing kits (label as such ”for costuming repairs”) are not a problem, but SuperGlue (cyanoacrylate) is a controlled substance in Canada.
Gloves in the Victorian Era Gloves in the Victorian Era Gloves were a status symbol in the Victorian Era- a gently bred lady would not dream of going outside without her gloves. Indeed, in the early Victorian era (1830’s & 1840’s) some ladies even prided themselves on never going ungloved- even while sewing. The only time it was required to remove gloves was while at the table(The Essential Handbook of Victorian Etiquette). However as a general rule by the 1850’s gloves were often left off inside, unless you were at a dance or church. These were formal occasions requiring the finishing touch of the glove. Early Victorian gloves(Up to 1870) were generally short (2 button) sometimes 3 or 4 button length for evening wear. If you read period fashion magazines you will see gloves referred to by button length, which is not necessarily the amount of buttons on a glove but instead a measurement of length. This length is measured from the base of the thumb seam and given in buttons = inches measurements. Therefore: A 2 button glove is two inches from the thumb seam and extends about to the wrist. 2 button = wrist length 4 button = just past the wrist, 8 button = mid forearm length, 12 button = cups the elbow 16 button = opera length (also called mousquetaire or evening length) (see For Love of the Opera Glove) 21 button = shoulder length 24 button = the longest I have seen referred to in my magazines and these are meant to“wrinkle down” upon the arm. Gloves were not universally worn by all ladies at all times. Most photographs of the period do not show ladies in gloves, unless they are in their outerwear (coats, hats, etc.) Gloves could be made of kid, thread, silk or washing leather- readers of fashion magazines were cautioned a cheap glove was not an economical buy and were encouraged to choose a single pair of good quality over several cheap pairs. General rules for wearing gloves in the Victorian Era are : Wear light colored gloves for evening wear Dark colored leather gloves or to match the habit for riding or driving (these were sometimes made after the men’s gauntlet gloves- especially for military wives- then they might be buckskin or white). Do not wear gloves while eating. Always wear clean gloves when dancing. Mitts(fingerless gloves) are considered less formal than gloves and not frequently worn after 1840's . After about 1865 more colored gloves are referred to and by 1880 there were a wide range of color worn by the ladies. Fashions always seem to come around more than once: for example, colored and long gloves worn in earlier periods- pre 1820 were abandoned as not the thing in the 1840’s and short white gloves were favored, by the late 1870’s opera gloves were once again popular worn by several famous actresses of the times and you could once again buy gloves to match your every outfit. Here’s the basics for different time frames Approximately... 1840’s was the period for wearing crocheted mitts- you still see them worn some after this period, but not as often as most re-enactors would lead you to believe! 1850-1860's wrist length(2 button) gloves for day and evening wear usually kid and usually white or yellowish 1870’s gloves of up to 8 button length for evening(white) 4-8 button common for daywear colored gloves becoming popular. 1877-1880 some long crocheted fingerless gloves are seen. 1880’s fashionable gloves are longer starting at 6 button and going up to the 24 button evening gloves. Your gloves generally came up to at least where your sleeve ended. If you had limited funds a pair of 6-8 button black dressed kid and a pair of undressed 6-8 button kid were recommended. Long gloves to wear with evening dresses very popular-in white kid or silk(not as formal as kid). Button Length: In the "glove world" the length of the glove from the base of the thumb at the wrist to the hem is measured in a term called "buttons" where one "button" equals about one inch. This word is a derivative of a French unit of measurement. In other words, a four-button glove is not decorated with four buttons, it is merely 4 inches from the base of the thumb to its hem. Glove Sizing: To determine your glove size, you will need a measuring tape. Place the beginning of the tape on your index-finger knuckle and bring the tape across the other knuckles. Continue moving the tape around the palm side of the hand until the tape touches the point where you got started. Do not include your thumb. Gently make a fist. The point where the tape now meets is your glove size. Typically, women wear numerical sizes 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5 or 8 in leather styles. Fabric gloves with a high degree of stretch such as satin and velvet are " one size fits all" size. Other fabric styles with a moderate about of stretch such as cotton and silk styles range to sizes (A and B) with Size A fitting numerical had sizes 6 and 6.5 and Size B fitting had sizes 7, 7.5 and 8. A fine leather glove should fit snugly and should not bag on the hand. Fine, soft glove leather will stretch with the hand. This is where the phrase " Fits like a glove" originated! When removing a glove, never pull on the cuff. Fold back the wrist of the glove and work it gently over your fingers. http://www.shootingstarhistory.com/gloves.html
