Since I last
posted, I’ve been in two fashion shows and a costume parade, which technically
could be called a fashion show too. My costumes are mostly repeats and I’m
happy to get more use out of them. And there’s soooo many people out there to
show them off to. In the meantime I’m learning more about being in fashion
shows and also running them. Stayed tuned because I have plans of writing a
little more extensive post on doing all that and hopefully others can use the
same information for theirs.
On March 22
I was in my 4th fashion show in Port Townsend, WA during the
Victorian Festival. The Festival is an annual fund raiser for their historical
society, and the money raised from the fashion show goes to a student
scholarship. They mostly have a series of events inside buildings but there are
some tours around town too. It’s not a street fair-type event. I always enjoy working
with these ladies and we’ve been pulling in new models each year from
the various costume groups and I think it’s getting better each time.
The Festival
theme was historical/military and all I could come up with was my 1896 Seaside
gown for that. Due to still getting over the flu, & having a death in the
family shortly before I was flying up there, I would have been happy with only
having to deal with one costume. But the director begged me to wear a second
gown so I threw in my 1875 Green Tartan bustle gown at the last minute. I
decided this would give me an option of having something warm to wear if the
cotton gown would send chills through me.
I always
enjoy taking photos backstage while we’re getting ready, and this year was no
exception.
*NOTE TO
SELF: You know how to take “selfie” photos and you never get in these, so start
taking selfies.*
My friend
Marilyn sat in the front row with my Mom and took some really nice photos of
everyone but it was hard because many didn’t stand still long enough for a good
photo.
I had a
major foopah just before the show. While I was out and about in town shopping in
my green Tartan gown, my train got caught on a door hinge as I went out the
door of one shop and it ripped the side seam out and pulled all the ties loose
that were holding up my bustle and train. *sob* So while I was getting ready in
the dressing room, everyone came to the rescue with safety pins, and Julie even
had a sewing kit. So we got me pinned back together just in time and no one
knew the difference. I was planning on taking my hat off to show how I made it,
so while the narrator was speaking I pulled out my hat pin ahead of time so I
could be ready. Except when I looked down, my hat slid forward off my head. That
dress was just not having a good day.
My next
outfit, the 1896 Seaside dress, went off without a hitch, and it’s by far my
favorite. I ended up wearing it the next day too while doing the tour of the
historic buildings with my friends, Linda and Joanie. Linda, who
used to be a member of our San Diego Costume Guild, and now lives in Colorado,
had come up here with her hubby and they were both in the fashion show too.
Back home in
California, next up was the fashion show at the Chula Vista Women’s Club on
April 5. This was a smaller venue and was all members of our SD Costume Guild
who were in it. I can’t find any photos of the building but it’s an old Spanish
style building. I was the backstage manager for this show, along with being a
model. And being crazy once again, 6 of us were wearing two costumes.
We were
served a nice lunch with all the guests prior to the show, and then we headed
backstage to change. And of course I took “in-progress” photos.
You can also
see my Line Up list posted on the mirror of each person so they can see what
position they are and what they’re supposed to be wearing. I also drew a quick
map of our route on the stage and onto the main floor and exit.
I wore my
1896 Seaside gown first, then Cindy and I both wore our “matching” 1875 Tartan
gowns as the finale and did “twinsey” stuff on stage. That was a lot of fun,
and a different way to end the show.
We saw lots
of people taking our photos and handed our cards out in hopes of getting some
but so far all we’ve gotten are these two of our final line-up after the show.
Edited to add: Just got a couple more photos of me, and Cindy and I from the show. And you get a good view of the interior of the room.
And finally,
April 13 was our English Authors & Characters Parade at Balboa Park in San
Diego.
This was
kind of a repeat of what we did last year during their House of England Day at
the International Cottages when we “crashed” their event dressed as English
authors or characters from their books. We had our picnic prior to it and then
paraded around their central lawn area, and then were asked to also walk across
the stage during another event going on at the Organ Pavilion. This year we
were actually invited to be part of it and to have a costume parade onstage at
the lawn party.
We each
wrote a short description of our character for them to read to the audience.
Some of them were groups of characters from one book, others were just
individuals. My character was Jane Eyre
and I wrote: “Author Charlotte Bronte
introduced us to her heroine, Jane Eyre, in her book by the same name. The book
is part fairytale, part Gothic horror, and part love story. Jane was an orphan and was sent to a strict
boarding school by her uncaring relatives. There she grew up with strong moral
values and intelligent learning, although she lived in poverty. She brought
herself up to be a governess in a great house, and later a teacher. In Bronte’s
book, Jane also fell in love with her employer, Edward Rochester, but soon realizes
that both he and his dark shadowy mansion hide a terrible secret. But you’ll
have to read the book to find out what happened. “ My original plans were to make a new 1840s dress for this but what with everything that was going on, I had to fall back on my 1830s dress I'd worn at Dickens.
This photo
was funny because Jerry Abuan caught us right after I had rubbed the White
Rabbit’s fluffy white tail in front of me and he felt it.
I’d
bought an oversized paperback copy of Jane Eyre to carry and identify myself
with. My intent was to find a young lady around age 13-15 who maybe showed some
interest in my character and give the book to her. I also inscribed the front
page of it about this event.
After our
parade onstage we were all wandering back to the House of England building and
I was looking around for a young girl. I spotted one walking down the walkway
with her father and went over to them. I asked her father if his daughter liked
to read. She was nodding and he said she loves to read, we were just heading
over to the library. I then noticed that she was a Down’s child. I told her I
wanted to give her my book of Jane Eyre and hoped she would enjoy reading it. I
opened the book up and showed her the inscription. “Given to you at the House
of England Day and our English Authors & Characters Parade by Miss Jane
Eyre (portrayed by Val LaBore of the San Diego Costume Guild) in hopes that you
enjoy reading it.”
Her father
read it to her and she smiled at me. He then asked if he could take our photo, and
I said yes please, and could you send it to me? Today I received that photo and finally am
able to finish this entry.
