The Singing Costumer

For a short time in spring 2024, I was attending 2 dance classes a week. I had tap on Mondays and Ballet on Thursdays. I was cast in a show that summer, and then caught covid again, and then life just happened. I haven’t gone back to the studio yet. I really hope to do so soon. But the point of this blog is that I really got bitten by the balletcore bug, hard. Pastel colors of blue and yellow, and especially pink and mauve. Bows and lace details everywhere. It’s just such a fun and sweet aesthetic. So I thought I’d blog about my makes in a “What I would wear to class” format. For Ballet, form-fitting clothes are a must. The teacher has to be able to see the lines of your body to make sure you’re performing the movement correctly. Simplicity 8424, the pattern that I choose, has several simply adorable pieces. For my blue top, I used view E. It’s a cute little wrap-top with long, wide ties. This blue knit was from the Wal-Mart mystery fabric bin. The pattern was straight-forward, and I h...

  Blue and pink is a common color combination you will find in Medieval manuscripts. It's not so common today, unless one is Disney-bounding Princess Aurora at Disneyland. Which is something I would do. Probably while singing “I Wonder” and “Once Upon A Dream”. Anyway, back to the topic at hand.  This outfit is partially new, and partially new-to-me. The over dress and hood were made by a dear friend, and later passed to me. The Queen of my Medieval Fair made these two pieces so many years ago. They fit me pretty well, only a little bit big, so I have worn this ensemble to a few medieval and renaissance fairs. I had to wear a dress under it, of course. The only option I had in my costume wardrobe that worked was a cream dress. I made it for this costume, but I was never a fan of the look. So I decided I needed a new under dress. I searched my fabric stash for a good option. Eventually, I found a good length of plain blue cotton. (I am happy to say that I have used most of the ...

I am pleased to return from my blog hiatus with my Valentine's Day dress from 2021. I didn't blog about it at that time, but I did post pictures on Instagram. It turned out adorable, in my opinion. It's simply scrumptious. I especially love the way light reflects and dances across the satin fabric. A lovely shade of pink, gentle gathers, and a beaded net overlay combine for a soft and romantic look. In real life, I don’t wear dresses to work or church often. I’m much more comfortable in pants. But I love sewing them and wearing them for photos! I simply had to wear my beloved American Duchess Pompadours. I still need to sew an 18th century costume one of these days. For other accessories, I wore a single strand of pearls and a pink flower brooch. One of my favorite past-times is refashioning dresses from the thrift store. Sometimes, the dress doesn't fit and I have to figure out a solution. I used a pink satin bridesmaid gown for the main dress. The gown was long, so I ...