The Dreamstress

Last week I posted the tiniest bit about my wardrobe for Art Deco Weekend 2012, but I didn’t really tell you much about what it was about.

Napier holds an annual Art Deco weekend because an earthquake (and resultant fire) on Feb 3 1931 devastated the city, killing 256 people in the greater Hawkes Bay area, and necessitating the rebuilding of the entire downtown business district.  All the rebuilding was done in the Art Deco and Spanish Mission style.  So every year Napier holds a festival to celebrate it’s Art Deco heritage, and commemorate the earthquake.

Or so goes the official line.  Sadly, my impression was that the festival was really just an excuse to sell stuff, wear silly clothes with only the barest veneer of historicism, and drink too much.  There were a few tours about architecture, and a 20 minute ceremony about the earthquake, but I found the lack of history and recognition of why the event was held vastly disappointing.

Also, the whole event puts a huge emphasis on the 1920s.  The official posters are almost always 1920s in style, and depict people in 1920s clothes.  The tour guides and Art Deco trust board, as a whole, wear truly dreadful pastiches of 1920s styles.  I don’t get it.  The earthquake happened in 1931.  The city is a 1930s and 40s city.  Why not focus on that and celebrate that?  To me, ignoring this basic fact, and glazing over the history, does those who died, and those who survived and rebuilt, a great disservice.

So the weekend was a bit disheartening for me as a historian.  It was a fun event, but I never felt that it taught me anything, or pushed me, or challenged me, or gave me something to aspire to as a costumer or historian.

It was, however, a wonderful weekend for bonding.  I drove up with Claire of The Vanity Case, and Rachel who modeled the Vionnet dress, and stayed in a dorm at the Criterion Art Deco Hostel with them and five other fabulous swing dancing ladies (and almost one fabulous swing dancing guy, but he got rearranged out at the last minute).  We had the most fantastic time dressing up together and trading accessories and stories and lending each other slips.  I got to meet swing dancers from all over New Zealand, and even two Art Deco aficionados from Southern California.  So that part was well worth it, and hopefully we can be the new vanguard that brings life, and interest, and depth, and history to the Art Deco Weekend.

Or just gorilla hunts.  Those are good too.

So, without further ado, masses of photos.  These are meant to give you a bit of an overview of the event, and a sneak peek or two at some of the things I sewed.  I’ll post more photos of those later.

Day One, Friday:

Wore the Frumpy Dress, my brown oxford pumps, and my marcasite and cameo necklace.  Claire did my hair, we went op-shopping, checked into the Hostel, visited with all the swing dancers, had Turkish for dinner, and one dreadful dance (not my partners fault).

Day One, Friday:

Wore my newly finished beach pyjamas, entered the reproduction costume contest (hated it, always do, must just acknowledge I’m not an exhibitionist), stood in the fountain to cool off, watched a friend & dorm-mate with the Bathing Belles competition (woot woot!), changed into a linen sailor skirt and blouse, stood in another fountain, changed into my green silk pretend-30s dress and a finished off with a few reasonable dances.

Day 3, Sunday:

Wore my newly finished red, white & blue chiffon dress.  Spent a lot of time walking around the streets of Napier getting sunburnt and trying to remember where I parked the car.  Went to the Gatsby Picnic (really?  Couldn’t come up with something more unique to NZ?) and hung out and danced at the Swing crowd’s circus-themed tent.  Had a lovely photoshoot on the beach while vintage planes and a not-exactly-period helicopter did tricks.  Spent more time walking around, getting sunburnt, and trying to find the car.  And then drove home and was sad.

And thats that.