Fashion and Costume exhibits for every Clotheshorse IV.

Are you looking to expand your mind and visual costume vocabulary? Why not take a look at some of these amazing museum exhibits that 2017 has to offer!

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A Review: Philadelphia in Style at the Michener.

Fashion at the Michener? Like the writer James A.? Yes, there is a museum dedicated to writer James A. Michener, and it’s nestled in Doylestown, PA. While the museum is best-known for its permanent collection of Pennsylvania Impressionist painters, it does present exhibits such as Philadelphia in Style: A Century of Fashion.  The garments are on loan from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, and are a mere sample of the fashions worn by some upper-crust members of the Philadelphia set over the span of the last century (or just about the last century!).

Some beautiful Nan Duskin fashion illustrations with fabric swatches.

Vesture Vocab II: Lexical Decorations for your Costumes and Conversations

Welcome to round two of Vesture Vocab! As always, I hope to inspire your cosplay and costume imagination through uncommon or unfamiliar terms from a period of fashion’s history. Just like design details enhance an outfit, interesting words strengthen an individual’s lexicon. So feel free to use these apparel expressions in either capacity!

Last time, I introduced the terms like farthingale, fibula and fichu,  and their possible uses  in your dress-up wardrobe. Keep reading for this month’s ensemble edification on coif, epaulette, fillet, kirtle, and poulaine.

Character Makeover: Alan M. Mayberry and Alexander Cabot III.

Welcome to the second installment of DG’s Josie and the Pussycats makeover! In a previous article, I discussed the roaring 20’s inspiration and some of the guidelines for this particular character redesign. Last month I unveiled Alexandra Cabot’s new look. Now it’s the boys’ turn for their transformation!

Trying to mimic Scooby Doo’s success, the creators of Josie and the Pussycats chose a style similar to that of the Mystery Machine gang. Perennial voice actor favorite Casey Kasem even voiced both Shaggy from Scooby Doo and Alexander from Josie. This style choice altered some of the characteristics of Alan and especially Alexander from their comic-book personas.  However, their positions in the group didn’t change: Alan is still a roadie and periodic love interest for Josie, and Alexander is the group’s manager. Using these two very basic descriptions of these characters, I’ll next delve into how to fit them into their new 1920s looks.

Alan resembles a certain member of Scooby’s gang.

Alexander in all of his bespectacled glory!

The Gal-lery: Five favorite fashion femmes.

As far as my favorite fashion designers go, this list could be nigh on limitless. Even if I’m not fond of one house’s or designer’s line one year, the next year it could have something really beautiful, eye-catching, fascinating, or just plain awe-inspiring. I’m also one of those people who finds beauty or inspiration in what is not conventionally attractive or appealing. So, even when scads of other people are poo-pooing some weird geometric contraption of a garment, I can understand the human-hours that go into constructing the wearable sculptures we see on the runway, and there is some attraction in that.

Some prefer bold fashion choices…

Character Makeover– Part VI.

Welcome to my sixth and final installment of my Teen Titans (the 2003-2007 animated series) character makeover project. Sixth installment, you say? Well, yes, as I’ve decided to bookend the series with a makeover for Terra,  despite her complicated relationship with our team of young, intrepid heroes.

Terra in action! Source.

NOTE: Please keep in mind that this is just my process, it’s not the only process! Also, depending upon the project, the order in which I proceed may differ.

Fashion, costume and historical garb: Museum exhibits for every clotheshorse!

I could wander at length around most museums,  finding endless, personal, and silent entertainment in what is on view. Personally, a great collection or exhibit has the ability to both exhilarate and to exhaust the mind; the inspiration I glean is abundant and utterly gratifying in the most sublime of manners.

There happen to be an amazing array of fashion and historic costume-inspired exhibits that are currently on view, or are slated for dates within the next year. Keep on reading to discover a few of the gems that I am really excited about!

Pardon my haste… I have a date at the museum!