The Singing Costumer

Repost with new photos Finally, the time had arrived. It was time to begin work on my Snow White costume in earnest. I think it took a work or two to finish all the underthings. I spent as little money as possible on those so I could spend a bit more on the clothes that will be seen. I used Simplicity 8489, an out of print Snow White pattern. Unfortunately, I had only bought the smaller size envelope. I needed size 16 which was in the larger size envelope. I had to resort to Amazon to buy it. At a premium price, I might add. So annoying. I didn’t like the gathered skirt as shown on the pattern. So I instead made a full circle skirt, with a hem length of 35 inches. It was tedious, but straightforward. Because the fabric wasn’t wide enough, I had to cut 1 half circle and two quarter circles. I cut those pieces of the satin and the lace. For each piece, I placed the lace on top of the satin, then serged them together all around. I could then treat them as one piece. The finished skirt has...

Repost with new photos Princess Gowns are my jam. Disney cosplays are my favorite. So I thought it was high time I created a gown for Walt Disney’s original Princess, Snow White. But of course, me being me, I decided that I need a whole new set of underthings. In many clips of Disney park princesses, they seem to be wearing bloomers and petticoats with layers of ruffles. So, I decided to begin there. My usual sewing method recently has been to serge around all the edges of all pattern pieces, and then assemble them. It makes for a tidy interior, which I adore. A sewing teacher of mine once said that a nice, neat interior is a sign of a good sewist. And I have taken that to heart. I spent $16 on serger and heavy duty threads. (Plus trim for the skirt, which will be discussed in a future blog.) I’m sure I didn’t even use 2 dollars’ worth of the thread. I And I was able to cut out this whole set from a yellow sheet I found for $4 at a thrift store. So let’s say this whole set only cost me...

In mid 2025, I was thinking about all my Disney cosplays. I just started listing them. The list just kept going and going. I’ve been cosplaying for over 10, and I’ve amassed quite a collection. Including full cosplays as well as vintage-inspired Disneybounds, I’ve got at least 30 projects to show. Welcome to the year of Disney! I’ll be posting blogs and on my Instagram most every week with a Disney project. I have quite the collection of ballgowns already. I’ve done multiple looks for Belle and Ariel (and I have plans for more Ariel looks this year). There’s a few that I plan to remake or refurbish. My Elsa corset needs some TLC for sure. And my Minnie Mouse dress needs a collar to really finish it properly. I still have so many cosplays on my to-do list. There’s so many princesses I’ve yet to do. And Queens! I fell in love with the design of Queen Elinor from Brave at first sight. Some heroines are on my list too. Jane is my big build for the summer con season. I really want to combin...

The Disney Princesses that I identify with the most are Belle, Ariel, and Jasmine. I have made 3 of Belle's movie costumes by now, plus another 3 or 4 AU (Alternate Universe) costumes. So I think it's time to move on to another Princess for now. And having seen a fellow white woman cosplay Jasmine, I have decided it is not for me. It just looked so odd. So, it's time for some Ariel cosplays! I made my first version of Ariel’s pink dinner gown this past summer and debuted it at the costume contest at GalaxyCon 2025. No prize, but I had fun anyway. And now I know what to change the next time I use that pattern. That's another blog for another day. This skirt was a fun little weekend project. My roommate and I went to a theatre garage sale in the summer of 2023. They were selling tons of props, tech equipment, and costumes galore. We bought tons of pieces for our theatrical group. Hidden Gem Entertainment (our group) was doing Dracula that fall, and we found some good item...

  Finally, the time had arrived. It was time to begin work on my Snow White costume in earnest. I think it took a work or two to finish all the underthings. I spent as little money as possible on those so I could spend a bit more on the clothes that will be seen. I used Simplicity 8489, an out of print Snow White pattern. Unfortunately, I had only bought the smaller size envelope. I needed size 16 which was in the larger size envelope. I had to resort to Amazon to buy it. At a premium price, I might add. So annoying. I didn’t like the gathered skirt as shown on the pattern. So I instead made a full circle skirt, with a hem length of 35 inches. It was tedious, but straightforward. Because the fabric wasn’t wide enough,  I had to cut 1 half circle and two quarter circles. I cut those pieces of the satin and the lace. For each piece, I placed the lace on top of the satin, then serged them together all around. I could then treat them as one piece.  The finished skirt has side...

  I am getting back into comic conventions this year, after the blip. My roommate is a huge Lord of the Rings fan. She has had tickets to meet the actors behind the four main hobbits. I have known that this photo op would be happening for months and months. Years, really. They had to cancel their appearances for the last two years. So naturally, I waited to make a costume until the week before. Oops. My roommate and I scoured thrift stores for several hours, trying to find me something appropriately Hobbit-like. At the first store we visited, I found a pink wool size 4 shell blouse. Now, I am not a size 4 any more. But I couldn’t resist it for just $1.  I cut i down the front and down the back. For the front, I wanted some decorative elements. I found some coordinating materials in my stash and set to work. I added an extra strip of fabric down the front to add some room. Then, I topstitched a triangle panel on top to cover that mess. Then, I added some ribbon for some faux la...

  My next big historical project is a 1890s Mary Poppins.We know that Mary Poppins returns every so often. And we know that the original Mary Poppins film is set in 1910. We can assume 17 Cherry Lane has been in the Banks’ family for a time. Maybe she visited the Banks’ neighbor children in 1890 when George Banks was in his early 20s? Let’s say she met George at that time and knew that she needed to keep her eye on him and his family. The Belle Epoch is not a period I’ve studied a lot, but I love it. It’s a perfect blend of the Bustle styles that came before and the Edwardian style that followed. My Constance Hatchaway is loosely inspired by this period. For the skirt, I used Butterick 5970. I bought some beautiful Gray Herringbone Striped Wool from Burnley and Trowbridge. Sadly, it’s sold out now.  I hope it comes back in stock so I can make a matching jacket at some point. Probably the Eton jacket from Truly Victorian. A good portion of the fashion plates from this period th...

  I wasn’t originally planning to blog about this costume. I didn’t sew a single thing shown here. But I decided I would take this opportunity to write about a topic near and dear to my heart; thrift store cosplays. Thrift stores can be a treasure trove of specific and interesting items, found nowhere else. The wide variety of random stuff that one can find there is astonishing. And of course, the prices are usually reasonable. (Although I’ve heard of stores in some bigger cities that are raising prices.) And also, thrift stores are sometimes affiliated with charities that are supported with the proceeds. Not to mention that it is much more sustainable and environmentally conscious to buy used. Overall, thrifting is my favorite way to shop, for cosplay or for daily wear clothes. The one downside I’ve found to thrift store cosplays is the time investment required. Often, it’s a matter of stalking different thrift stores over a period of time to find a specific item needed. Each trip...

YouTube video associated with this blog “ You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!” How old were you when you first heard those words? I don't remember my first viewing of the classic Disney film. Peter Pan has never been my favorite Disney movie. (And don't even get me started on the terrible stage musical.) But I do remember my first time going on Disneyland's Peter Pan's Flight attraction and seeing Peter Pan himself wandering around outside the attraction. It was, if you'll forgive the overused cliché, a truly magical moment. It has since become somewhat of a tradition for me to begin every trip this way. In a thrift store, I found what I assume was a costume for perhaps a Jane Austin play. It was clearly handmade with care and precision. The condition was almost perfect (except for the age-yellowed lace on the collar, yuck). It was a very lucky find. It has a high collar. The sleeves have poofy upper sleeves, with tight long sleeves attached. And it fit me perfe...

YouTube video associated with this blog First of all, Inside Out is not my favorite Pixar movie, but I firmly believe that it is one of the most important films from the studio. I really think Inside Out should be required viewing for children and adults alike. It teaches us that it's ok to be sad or angry for a time. No one can be happy all the time, nor should they be expected to be. Life isn't always happy. Sometimes, Sadness has to take over for a short time. On the other hand, it teaches us that we can hurt others and ourselves if we listen too much to our emotions and keep them to ourselves. Sometimes, we need to ask others for help. And that's ok, too. And especially now, I think we all need to hear this message. There really isn't much to say about this costume, since almost all of it was purchased. The Dress is from Hot Topic several years ago. It is just a simple knit sundress, with the pattern printed on the fabric. The quality is not spec...