This years Gala at Costume College was amazing.  Last year was spectacular, but I swear that the caliber of costumes this year was even better.  (and the food was definitely better, and they didn’t make you announce yourself on the red carpet, which I approved of!)

I took so many photos, because there were so many gorgeous things to take photos of.  I’m just going to share the more spontaneous, ‘what it was like to be there’ ones with you, rather than the really posed costumes shots, because most costumers will hopefully be posting about their costumes in detail on their own sites.

Admiring dress details while waiting in line for the Red Carpet.

Taylor of Dames a la Mode and Merja of Before the Automobile have “Oooh, your dress” moments while Jenny La Fleur looks on.

Cleverest solution ever to the eternal ‘How to carry all your stuff while looking historical?’ question.

I love the way the blue in Teresa’s be-you-ti-ful 1660s jacket brings out the blue in Merja’s hand-painted gown.  There was a whole group of costumers in 1660s, and while I really wanted to be part of it, I just couldn’t manage it with my sewing schedule & luggage allowance.

Between this beauty by Sabrina and Rebecca’s gown (see below) I really want to make late 1860s-early 1870s pretties…

Twin Empress Elisabeth of Austria’s (Sisi’s) Hungarian court gown!  The left version is by Jessica Grist who performs with Bella Donna.

Both versions get excited about Jennifer’s beautiful recreation of an 1880s fashion plate (which also had a twin recreation)

I  knew it was going to be a good night when Rebecca of Diary of a Costumer’s amazing blue gown is the first thing I saw when I stepped out of the lift, and I was not disappointed!  Here she is photographing Meg of Nutmeg Sews gorgeous entirely hand-sewn Romantic Era frock.

More pretty ca 1870s: Lauren of The Homemade Historian in a dress based on an 1872 fashion plate & Seamingly Vintage with Meg.

Jenny La Fleur, like me, is always behind a camera!

I love these two.  I feel like I stepped into a Jane Austen film looking at them.

Caroline of Dressed in Time made a gorgeous recreation of a 1902 Worth Gown from the Met which I was very excited to see, because it is also on my to-make list, thought I’m going about it in a very different way – it’s really fascinating to see how costumers approach the same garment from quite different perspectives.  Unlike her I don’t think I’m dedicated/mad enough to hand-stitch all the fabric-to-lace joins though!

At dinner I sat with Cathy Hay & friend from England (but across the table, so couldn’t do much more than wave at them) and  Gloria of In the Long Run,  The Lady Detalle  & Meg at dinner.

After dinner it was back to more gown excitement and photos (apparently there was dancing, but I missed it entirely – oops!)

I love taking photos of people taking photos…

Here Meg and Angela of Burnley & Trowbridge photograph Lauren of The Lady of Portland House  in her truly spectacular hand-spangled frock.

Foxy Ladies!    Loren  of The Costumers Closet &  Jenni La Fleur are campaigning for Charles James Fox, Aubry of A Fractured Fairy Tale (in white) is in a spot-on recreation of Romney’s 86-87 portrait of Susanna (Miller) Lee Acton, which I got to see at the Huntington on this trip!

And, to finish off, Carolyn of The Modern Mantua Maker in ‘I want to steal this entire outfit and especially that fan’ from her natural-form.

So much inspiration!  So many things I want to sew for next year!

SaveSave

SaveSave