Day 8 - Snow White and the Huntsman Dress

So... due to some unforeseen changes, it seems the updating on this challenge may slow considerably. That being said, posts will still come pretty frequently, as intend to eventually have a page for every costume I've made. :)

Snow White Dress (Snow White and the Huntsman)
Modeled by Livia, made and photographed by Sarah

Trivia: 
Dress made circa 2014, after seeing Snow White and the Huntsman in theaters. I like the upholstery taffeta of the overdress, but to my everlasting regret, I selected the most hideous pink cotton for the underdress. *shakes head*

The bodice of the overdress is lined and boned, and features eyelets in the front for a functional lace-up closure and poofy, multi-piece sleeves. Other interesting features include the infinite button array on the lower sleeves of the underdress and a gathered ruffle trim around the square neckline.

The dress was never worn for any events, sadly. As the trend suggests, I was a serial wardrobe squanderer for many years. I have now seen the error of my ways: if I'm not gonna wear it, I'm not gonna keep it.

Day 7 - Eowyn Green Gown

(Inspired by) Eowyn's Green Gown, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Made and modeled by Sarah, photographed by Livia
Location: Rogue River Valley

Trivia: 
I made this gown back in 2012, when I was beginning to undertake more ambitious sewing projects. It was based on Eowyn's Green Gown, one of my most loved costumes from the Lord of the Rings films. It didn't turn out exactly as I'd hoped, mostly because of my fabric choices, but also because I neglected to anticipate technicalities of the multiple layers (chiefly that the overdress, unless secured, will simply slip down off the shoulders and look horrible. (The gown is carefully positioned and staged in the above few shots, believe you me....) Further, I didn't get a chance to make the iconic multi-piece belt, so I had to use a similar one as a stand-in.

The gown is made in green cotton velvet (which was probably too thick to drape as nicely as it might have), and a cheap curtain fabric which I came to deeply regret. The yoke was quilted, which took me two attempts to get right, and the trim quickly became one of my happier finds on the project, as it very closely resembles that used in the original. I think I may have spent 35+ hours on eBay hunting for it.

I certainly learned a lot through the making process, so I'm pleased with it on that account, even if I never did wear it to anything, or even technically "finish" it. I gained great strides in pattern-drafting, and in altering existing patterns. :)

Day 6 - Blue Elven Gown

Blue Elven Gown
Modeled, as ever, by Livia; made and photographed by Sarah

Trivia:
I made this gown around 2013, using some navy blue crushed panne I had lying around and some royal blue satin. The trim I bought especially for the dress, as I recall, and it's some of the nicest I've ever found, quality-wise. My inspiration was some elven-style dresses on etsy and a dress I made earlier with a lace-up feature in the front.

I never wore the dress to any events, sadly. Like many of my earlier gowns, it's been languishing in closets and various storage totes until the present time, unused and underappreciated.

We opted to feature Livia as Tauriel, wearing the gown, since it suits the character's love of starlight and the night. Also, I thought her red hair would complement the dark blue beautifully.

Day 5 - Galadriel White Gown From The Hobbit

Lady Galadriel, The Hobbit

Modeled by Maggie and Livia, made by Sarah, photographed by Casa Bay

Trivia:

I made this costume around 2014 using the Simplicity pattern. I don't know what my intent for it was, except that it appealed to me. As such, I never ended up wearing it to any events, and it languished in the closet for the past few years. The only use it saw was for a Hobbit contest video, and I think my younger sister wore it to Desolation of Smaug at our local McMenamins. I guess I never really saw myself as a Galadriel-esque figure, so I didn't think to complete the costume ensemble for her.

The main dress is in polyester shantung from Joann's, and the sleeves were cut from curtains I found at Goodwill. The brooch was my grandmother's (I inherited a generous amount of them). 

Regarding the photoshoot, I feel we kinda... rushed this one. The location would've been nicer in better weather, but it was freezing cold, drizzly, and windy (we were on a cliff overlooking a wide point of the Rogue River where the bridge crosses over). Also, we didn't have a proper wig or accessories to go with it, so Livy doesn't really look like Galadriel. Still, I'm happy this long-neglected gown got to see a bit of action. :)

February 2018 update: added some photos by Casa Bay that better showcase this gown; the model is Maggie Hartley, an accomplished ballerina and family friend. 

Day 4 - Daenerys' Wedding Gown

After a bit of a lapse in posting for our costume challenge, we're back on track. (We went on an adventure, which is as good an excuse as any, as far as I'm concerned.) It was a good thing for this blog, though, since during the excursion we were able to do a number of costume shoots in some beautiful and diverse locations in the southwestern portion of Oregon.

The first shoot we did was Daenerys' wedding gown, which we were able to capture in the snow and the sand (fitting, really). Our first photo session for the Mother of Dragons was in the forest below Crater Lake, while the second was in the sand dunes near North Bend.

Daenerys' Wedding Gown  
Modeled by Livia, made and photographed by Sarah

Trivia: 
I made this gown for Halloween three or four years ago, knowing very little about Daenerys and almost nothing about Game of Thrones. I just thought it looked cool.

The dress is hand-dyed silk, and made using a Simplicity pattern. It took me about an evening and a half to finish. I originally wore it with a custom-made Smaug "shoulder dragon."

As I recall, I spent most of the Halloween party reciting cheesy lines I'd probably seen in a trailer ("Fire cannot kill a dragon....") and trying to keep the dress from slipping down. I had a horrible wig that wasn't at all correct, and probably ended up looking more like Cersei than Daenerys. *shame* I have since mended my ways, though. I've now successfully completed all 6 seasons of GoT.

Day 3 - Blue Winter Cloak

Day 3 of the costume showcase challenge!

This is a more recent one, and not technically a full costume. Still, it's pretty, and for a costume piece that only required an evening and a bit to make in full, I'm pretty pleased with it.

Blue Winter Cloak
As ever, modeled by the lovely Livia and photographed by this silly dwarf

Trivia:

Cloak in blue polar fleece
Hood lined in long pile faux fur
The "squashed" semicircle pattern was drafted freehand, and results in a gradual, waterfall-style drape.

Backstory: 

Basically, I had the stuff sitting around and decided to make a cloak. The fleece was originally bought on impulse, and was intended to be a blanket (probably). When I went to New Zealand, my ambitious blanket plans were scrapped, and I put the fleece into storage - only to be taken out upon my return. As such, this cloak was relatively recent (within the last month), but I don't really have plans to post my outfits chronologically.

Day 2 - Lady Loki

As promised, here's day 2 of our costume-a-day showcasing challenge.

Lady Loki
Modeled by Livia, photographed by Sarah

Trivia
I made this dress and bustier for the premiere of Thor: The Dark World, and only wore it once. I was really happy with how it turned out, but I just didn't relate to Loki's character enough to cosplay him/her more than the once.
The dress is in green taffeta, and the bustier in faux leather overlaid with (recycled) real leather and gold studs. The effect is quite striking, and reminiscent of the character's look from the film.

A Costume a Day... Keeps Winter Doldrums at Bay! Day 1 - Green Elven Mage

I'm not sure that's how the rhyme's supposed to go, but I digress.

Livia (my partner in crime) and I had a brilliant idea. So brilliant, in fact, I'm surprised I didn't think of it sooner. 

We're going to drag some of my old costumes out of the deep, dark past and give them a chance in the spotlight. This means they'll be showcased with proper camerawork, staging, makeup, accessories, etc., and posted on this blog, with a brief bit of trivia. We plan to do one a day (maybe skip a day or two if something comes up), a challenge that's sure to be a fun diversion from our boring retail lives. 

Most of these costumes were created a decade or more ago, so they're certainly not up to the standards I adhere to these days. But it's enjoyable to reflect on how far I've come, and since I never used to photograph my costumes ("back in the day"), I think it's about time. 

Without further ado, I'd like to kick us off with:

The Green Elven Mage 

Beautifully modeled by Livia, and photographed by yours truly

Trivia: 

Made roughly 2005, with assistance from Jamie Roberts (for the coat) 

The coat was intended for a high school film project, to be worn by Turin's mother (from The Children of Hurin); I portrayed the above-mentioned character, though the film never saw the light of day

The ensemble came together due to complementary color tones, and was re-dubbed "The Green Elven Mage"