All posts filed under: Admire

1790s costume at the Santa Barbara Missson, thedreamstress.com

When borrowing your sister’s clothes gets fun

Costume College was wonderful, but the absolute highlight of my trip to the US was visiting my sister in Santa Barbara. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, but she’s definitely my sister: we immediately had a gazillion things to talk about and show each other, and finding fun things to do together was effortless: I wish I’d had five times as much time to be there. We walked along the boardwalk and beaches, and saw dolphins along the coast. We went to cool coffee (and tea) shops and tried amazing restaurants. She showed me her favourite secret gardens, where we ate grapes and figs and blackberries, and her favourite parks, where I got excited about squirrels (you’ll understand if you’re from NZ or Hawai’i) and butterflies and plants. We identified flowers in her wildflower garden, and I made friends with her cats. We went op-shopping and vintage shopping (my bank account and luggage allowance are grateful I didn’t buy that 1940s silk damask, but my heart is still sad…). We discovered that …

Ramsay to Renoir thedreamstress.com

Costume Re-Use: How many times can I wear that dress?

I’ve been so uplifted by the response to my post on the climate crisis. In addition to many comments and expressions of support, there has been immediate action. Sewstine has started a group: Costumers for Climate Action, with the goal to use our visibility and voice to help raise environmental awareness and to create change, both as costumers, and in the wider world. We’re working on bigger plans, but to start off, every member has been encouraged to blog or post about the topic this week. While costuming isn’t a huge contributor to climate change in the bigger picture, it could still be more eco friendly as a hobby. We’ve been talking about ways to make it more so, and one of the big things that has come up is re-use. As costumers we feel so much pressure to have a new outfit for every event, and to keep making new things. But, both for the environment, and for all the work that goes into a thing, it’s sad to only wear it once. So …

Set Phasers to Stunning: Regency Star Trek cosplays thedreamstress.com

Set Phasers to Stunning

Captain’s Log, stardate 53959.1 At long last Ensign Paris has put the finishing touches on his latest holo-program: a recreation of a ballroom from Earth’s early 19th century. Tom insists it is perfect in every detail, with no backwards harps, but Harry has told me privately that a number of alterations have been made for the comfort and convenience of the crew. I don’t think the crew cares if it is accurate or not. After weeks of hard work they are all looking forward to the gala launch tonight. It should be quite an event: Neelix has been researching food for an old Earth menu for days. With Chakotay and Harry on an away mission in search of dilithium, Tuvok has kindly agreed to captain the bridge while Lieutenant Torres, the Doctor, and I attend. Even Seven of Nine has expressed interest after the Doctor pointed out that a ball is the perfect place to observe human interactions and courtship rituals. I’m slightly nervous about leaving Tuvok alone on the bridge. Long range scans have …