Photographs of competitions past

[neadods]

skywardprodigal is whacking her head against a wall about a "Why is fandom so white" post, wherein the OP basically said that, based on a single black fan, the answer was that "black people have something better to do than go to conventions."

Gonna be a hell of a shock to the ones I know, I tell ya.

When I started going to conventions, I was one of the competition costumers. And there, everyone knew Toni, Denise, and Jeanette. They were hard to miss in the costuming world, and I'm not talking skin color - each woman was a competitor, a panelist, a judge, and Toni and Denise between them built their branch of the International Costumer's Guild into one of the rowdier and more infamous chapters, while Jeanette has been a quieter but even longer-running officer in our local chapter - not to mention one of the core members of my Shore Leave Masq. team. For people who had "better things to do than go to conventions," they were and are movers and shakers in the costuming world.

But the issue of "costuming for color" did come up. Denise announced she was tired of "costuming white*" and went historical or mythological. (Same guy. Consider it revenge for the shears.)

But Jeanette... Jeanette said she didn't want to costume "white" and she didn't want to be a slave; she wanted to do a historical that showed her background.

And so she and Jennie came up with a costume that became costuming legend.

As the presentation begins, it tells about a woman whose father was an envoy from the court of Henry VIII. The lights came up behind her, showing the outline of the perfect Tudor dress as the narration went on about how she was waiting to go to that wonderful world she'd been told about, and how she'd prepared herself from the materials at hand in her mother's home so far away.

And then the main lights snapped on and revealed African Tudor.

It was, and I mean this quite literally, awesome.




*I suddenly realize that this photo probably looks alarming out of context. It was a hilarious presentation where Toni read the bodice-ripping portion of a romance, while onstage the hero tried futilely to actually get through the historically accurate clothing. So while the narration had him about 3 seconds away from being a father, onstage he didn't even get through the first layer... until he chased her offstage with the shears.

Comments

[skywardprodigal.livejournal.com]

This is an amazing post.

Thank you, bella.

[rheanna27.livejournal.com]

That 'African Tudor' costume is just stunning. Wow.

[havocthecat]

My jaw dropped. On all of those costumes. Wow. ETA: I'd have more to say, probably, but I'm running out the door now.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

*garblust*

Wow, and thank you.

[havocthecat]

I have only the most basic of sewing skills, and I think it's enough to appreciate the intricacy and level of skill and work that goes into the things that I can't do. And those all? My God, those are all such beautiful, amazing costumes.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

And in the case of the historicals - including African Tudor - researched within an inch of their lives. It isn't unknown for historical judges to stick pins in competitors, to see if the corsetry boning is in the right place or not.

[mechturtle.livejournal.com]

It isn't unknown for historical judges to stick pins in competitors

And that's why I'll likely keep on making costumes like 7-foot demons. ;)

Terrific pics, and wonderful costumes!

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

That's one of my favorites in The Costume-Maker's Art. Veddyveddy cool to know the story behind it, having been a wee baby MediaWest-bound novice at the time...

[neadods.livejournal.com]

There was a lot of dishing and snidery going on behind the scenes of Costume-Maker's Art. They told us no historicals, and when some got in, the people who hadn't applied got all bent out of shape... but *everyone* agreed that African Tudor belonged in there!

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

Dishing? Snidery? With costumers? Or, y'know, any other group of humans... I am shocked. SHOCKED, I tell you!

[harmonyfb.livejournal.com]

That is some quality costuming. I especially love the sun headdress.

I'll never forget the period African costume I saw at Pennsic one year; it rocked. :)

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

Wait... isn't Pennsic known for its wet and sometimes Very cold? Or was this a freak year of hot and dry?

[havocthecat]

I'd imagine August wouldn't be particularly cold, though wet is a possibility. Though I've never been to Pennsic; I'm not certain.

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

Haven't been to Pennsic, but have lots of friends who HAVE, and the stories they tell... O_O and the songs I've heard.

[jeff-morris.livejournal.com]

My love for Toni knows no bounds...so long as the subject of baseball never comes up.

Back at CC16 here in St. Louis, there was one occasion where she needed to get to a convenience store. I drove her over, and the the LOOKS we got were hysterical.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Knowing the two of you, you were really milking it too, weren't you?

[jeff-morris.livejournal.com]

Nawwwwwwwww, not US....

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

DANG.... O_O That is- WOW - I like the purple Antebellum ballgown, too! :D

I hope the audience was howling by the end of the Bodice Ripper bit... Cause I certainly was!

[boogiebabe-smap.livejournal.com]

I was in the audience and Yes, we were roaring!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Oh, we were howling! Right at "With one rip her gown came off" - while onstage he got a good grip, yanked - and pulled her right over, the gown not moving an inch!

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

I will NEVER be able to read another romance novel, of that period, in the same way ever again...


...

(This is NOT a bad thing!!!) >:D

[misscam.livejournal.com]

That is a smashing picture.

[j00j.livejournal.com]

Wow, the African Tudor costume is stunning! The things I miss by not going to cons that do much in the way of costuming... (my preferred hangout is Wiscon, which does have a fancy dress party, but it's not usually a huge thing the way it is at some cons)

The Carl Brandon Society might be a fun thing for people to check out, although it's pretty much centered on the literature side of fandom rather than the media side.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Wow, those are some gorgeous costumes. Thanks for the links?

[delux-vivens.livejournal.com]

beautiful costumes, but its all crazy talk. *knowing look*

next you'll be suggesting there were black people *in* medieval/renaissance/tudor europe.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

My usual response to that question is "how much evidence do you want to see?"

[kmarier.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear! Check out most overviews of art history and there are plenty of pictures!!

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

That is super awesome.

Oh, YES!

[flaviarassen.livejournal.com]

I actually saw that IN PERSON!
I feel so special....

Re: Oh, YES!

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

Lucky bum...

[kmarier.livejournal.com]

The African Tudor gown is one of the most beautiful costumes I have ever seen. There was a book done about sci-fi costumers on the West Coast and they had a full-color still photo of this amazing gown and it remains one of the costumes I remember from that book and I haven't seen that book in years. Thank you for sharing that lovely still.

While I will say that most of the sci-fi fen I know here in the Pacific Northwest are white and asian, I have found that anime fandom here is increasingly more diverse, and happily so - and happily costumed.

I for one love to see costumers work with historical eras not usually seen, the results are awesome and inspiring!!

[--kali--.livejournal.com]

All those costumes are absolutely gorgeous!

[maypanic.livejournal.com]

Oh, those are stunning! I want the egyptian dress so very much.

But the African Tudor- strokes of genius like that don't come around often. Beautiful in concept and execution.