A Trio of Historical Classes Presentations, & Wearing the Autumn Bustle

Last Sunday a group of us from the San Diego Costume Guild, Cindy Piselli, Tracy Gomez and I presented our classes to our costume guild that we had done last August at Costume College. 

         THE SAN DIEGO COSTUME GUILD PRESENTS                                                 A SERIES OF HISTORICAL COSTUME PRESENTATIONS

        “Watches & How Women Wore Them”; “Jewel Tone Handbags of the 1960s”; 

                                         and “Faking Hair Under Hats”

 

I had all intentions of wearing my normal street clothes due to the weather still being hot and having to lug in all my gear wasn't conducive to wearing a costume But Cindy managed to talk me into it. However I didn't want to wear my 1830s dress that started me on my path in creating my watch class because I wouldn't have anyone at home to help me get into it. And the other dress I would like to wear that had a watch pocket similar to one of my slideshow photos, my Autumn Bustle, would be too hot to wear with all it's polyester fabrics. But gradually the temperatures started to cool down a bit and by that day it was only supposed to be 72d in San Diego. So I gave in. I also wanted the chance to wear my antique capote bonnet that looked so nice with my gown but while I got dressed, my wig had too much hair for it to fit, and I had to wear my frazzled wig uncovered. I didn't leave myself enough time to come up with an alternative.

It was still pretty warm to wear and by the beginning of the class after setting everything up, I was pretty "dewy". I made a point of telling everyone THIS is the reason why its not recommended to use 

polyester when you make your dress. But I've used it a few times and usually have a cotton lining between it and my body. But it doesn't always help.

Our set-up at the YMCA worked out well. The room was much larger than we expected and had large windows on one wall for light. Definitely a great location for future classes. 

I began the classes with my Watch presentation and when I got to the slide that showed a dress and watch pocket similar to mine I stood up and walked around, showing it to everyone. I didn't think quick enough to ask someone to take my photo but the lights were dimmed for the slideshow so I don't know if that would have even worked. *Unbeknownst to me, my bustle got caught up on the back of the chair. Not pretty.*

Cindy THE BROKE COSTUMER brought a portion of her Jewel Tone handbags for her class on them to display and had Tisha show them as she described them. The history of these handbags made many of us suddenly realize that we had grown up with them and remembered seeing them. I had a moment when I remembered decorating a wooden purse kit from the Tandy Leather Co (who had copied the designs) when I was 12 years old. 

 

Tracy THE HISTORICAL HAIRDRESSER rounded out our classes with her demonstration of how to attach wig pieces to our heads just where it would show under the hat or bonnet. She showed one piece that had multiple uses and caused a lot of us to have that "ah-hah" moment. 

I've done this in parts where I've attached little curly bits on my temples for both 1810 & 1830 styles. I have a longer piece with curls that I've attached across the top of my head to poke out from under the front of my bonnet too. I can definitely say I too benefited from our class presentations too. 

                                                                     i  ~Val~