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Past Articles
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The Cosmopolitan has provided a delightful costume venue for us twice now. We enjoyed our Christmas party there with a wonderful staff and very tasty food. We also descended upon them for the Christmas Tea and enjoyed ourselves with fun, interactive entertainment and an all you could eat tea. Again the staff was delightful and quite attentive. The owner/chef came out to greet us both times. He was gracious and welcoming to each of us. Thank you to the staff and owner of Cosmopolitan for hosting both our costumed events so charmingly.
Another Costume College has come to an end. It was as informative as usual, with the anticipated gorgeous costumes. Please consider attending next year, if you can. It really well worth it. Several talented folks have already begun posting photos. Be sure to take a look.
The organizers of the Vista Highland Games presented Bob with a plaque of Appreciation for the Guild. Thank you, Bob, for accepting on behalf of the Guild and for coming up with the coolest ideas for how to make our fun loving Guild 'stand out' {grin}
Sheep Day was a Highland Games version of Rat Day and was just as much fun...maybe more because we had 'sheep' related food. Come next year for the answer to THAT mystery.
Shrek Forever After promoters asked us to join them in costume. Four of us rose to the occassion. The staff enjoyed having us there, and one of the security guards promised to pass on our contact info to Paramount Studios Promotion Director. We hope to hear from them again. The movie was cute and interacting with people is fun. Thanks for making a fun Saturday.
The April Del Mar Walkabout "Summer Darkness" was a wonderful success ! The vendors have been expressing how much they enjoy having us 'walk about', in our wonderful costumes. The pictures once again show the diverse and creative natures of our Guild members. Huzzah ! and Thank you !, to Lady Mari and all her wonderful walkers.
A good time was had by all, at our Rat Day, just past, but then it's always a great day of fun and frivolity. Giant orange (Nuclear?) rats were added to the new okapi print puppets. The kids will have lots to choose from this year, as we made a record 325+ rats. Of course, this was due in part to the Twins bringing 80+ completed 'vermin' to the gathering. We had good crowd of core members and new folks to round out the 'his' & 'hers' work groups. Oh, and let's not forget the food, which was delicious, as always. A big Thank you to Bob and Joann for hosting another delightful day of rat making. Double thanks to all those dedicated rat makers who worked a full day producing lots of rats and even more laughs. To the 'Friends of Margaret', Huzzah !
Cindy P. planned and hosted a wonderful Regency event across from the Star of India. I went through the pictures. Wow! Not only were the photographs wonderful with all the incredible and unique shots, but everyone looked great. Hmm...why am I not surprised (grin). The authencity of the look and feel of the event was wonderful. It was nice that our 'resident' photographer Jerry was able to be included in the shots as well, because he looked great, too (as always). I'm sorry I missed the event, but those who attended have been heaping the well deserved praise on Cindy for a job well done. Huzzah, Cindy !
Who's next ? 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
Past Events We gathered for our annual Christmas Dinner at the New Orleans Creole Cafe. Close to 20 of us were treated to a warm welcome at the Cafe. The food was good and the company congenial. We were disappointed to note that Captain Fitch's was closed by the time we finished dinner. The rain held off for the most part and we heard a few hardy carolers as we wandered about.
A-Haunting-We-Go in Old Town was well attended. We had 18 folks show up to lunch. Val sweetly made and presented all the ladies with lovely Victorian mourning broaches. Sandra led us on a leisurely tour through Casa de Estudillo, El Campo Cemetary, and the Whaley house. We met some neat people along the way and paused for LOTS of pictures, because of course everyone looked Fabulous ! We passed out a few business cards, so we may have some visitors/new members show up to our next meeting. Dan posed as our 'dearly departed relative', so naturally we had some fun teasing the tourists with that. 6 or 7 of us were 'detained' at the County 'jail' for more than 20 minutes as tourists took many, many more pictures with us. Some of photos will be making their way to Japan; others to Columbia. A good time was had by all.
Rat Day was a great day of fun and frivolity. More pink rats were resurrected to add to the new multi-colored, cheetah print, and black/white ones. The kiddies will have lots to choose from this year. Thank you to Bob and Joann for hosting another delightful day of rat making. Double thanks to all those dedicated rat makers who worked all day producing lots of rats and even more laughs. To the 'Friends of Margaret', Huzzah !
Glenda planned a gathering at the Corvette Diner, in Pt Loma, on Saturday. The food was great. The staff was a riot. The fashion show was well attended. Everyone looked great and had a faaabulous time. =) Let's do it again! Huzzah, Glenda !
Met the owner of The Spirit of Cloth 2802 Juan St in Old Town San Diego {619-295-2802} Tues-Fri 10:30-5pm, Sat 11-5 www.the spiritofcloth.com. She is a neat lady by the name of Sally. She opened her shop June 1, in the old Stampaholic store. She said she carries imported silk, linen, cotton, rayon, wool, trims, patterns, and odd/crazy fabric. She also takes old kimonos and makes them into purses, totes, and scarves. Sounds like a place worth checking out.
