18th ACG Ball

Last weekend, I made the trip down for the Annual ACG Costume Ball in Adelaide. This year, it was more than just me who travelled interstate. There was 1 from Canberra, 1 from Melbourne, 5 from Sydney and 4 from Brisbane. One, of them being my mum. It was her first time coming down to the ball.

The ball is held on Saturday night. I spent Saturday at fabric shops and visiting with family before heading down to the afternoon preparations - judging of the workmanship competition and rehearsal for the parade. It all ran very smoothly and we were done with our practice in no time, so I headed back to the hotel and did up mum's hair before heading back to the venue to get ready myself. The parade entrants are kept out of sight until the reveal.

For the event, I had finally made my next steampunk ensemble - The Black Widow. I've had this costume planned for a number of years and finally decided to get it done in time to enter the ACG ball competitions. The premise of my character is that she is a widow assassin for hire who uses her pet mechanical spider to take out her marks. As for the costume, I had made the skirts a couple of years ago when I made my Steampunk Geisha, but the idea had always been to be able to do the Black Widow - giving me multi-use skirts. All I needed to make in time to take to the ball was a bodice, hat, wig and spider.

And this is where I aimed to get the spider element coming through in my costume. I was being quite literal with the Black Widow theme and going with the class of venomous spiders as my influence. In particular that my outfit is black but with a red stripe running down the back of my bodice. The bodice is designed with a pointed neckline and hem to reflect the angles that you see in spider webs. I also added silver embroidery floss done as spiderwebs over the outfit and tiny beaded spiders.

In the end, I brought home the Master Parade award, the Master Workmanship award and The People's Choice award. It was quite a surprise and a huge confidence boost. In the past I was competing in the Journeymen category, but after a couple of wins in previous years, I was boosted up into the Master category. I was quite nervous.

And I had a brilliant time there. I'm hoping that I am able to go back again next year. I didn't get many shots of my outfit on my own camera, however, I will share a few that friends have shared with me.

Disco Fever Time

Last weekend I attend the birthday party for a good friend of mine. She had decided to host a 70s party. Complete with cocktail food, disco lights and a juke box. There were some amazing outfits dragged out from a full safari suit, a builder, disco girls, hippie girls and some of the tackiest pieces that we could all find.

The cocktail food was fabulous, and included both cheese fondue and chocolate fondue. Strawberries dipped in chocolate was my favourite choice of the evening.

As for my outfit, I whipped up a shorts jumpsuit that I had cutout in my sewing cupboard. It's a modern pattern but very much in the style of some 70s outfits. I topped it all off with some massive platform shoes, belt, big hoop earrings and the piece de resistance - a curly afro wig. The wig really threw a couple of my friends - they didn't recognise me. I loved it! And I had a real blast. I kinda want to dress up in 70s disco more often.

And thanks to the lovely ainead for some of the photos. 

Picnicing in Regency

Last Wednesday was a public holiday in Brisbane for the Ekka (The Royal Brisbane Show). It's horribly expensive for entry and then everything within is expensive as well, so it's not something that I like to attend (would much rather save my pennies for a convention). At any rate, the Australian Costumers Guild in Brisbane decided to organise a Regency picnic for the day instead. It was a little unfortunate for a few people who were unable to attend. My mum included as she works outside of Brisbane City and had to work.

At any rate, I did have a lovely time with the ladies that did attend. We set up our picnic under a shady tree at the Sherwood Forest Park in the western suburbs of Brisbane. It's not a park that I have ever been to before, so I was surprised by the size. We had a view of the Brisbane River running by our site. We filled in the afternoon with some traditional pastimes. Tea and sandwiches accompanied by chatting and socialising. And to top it off we played a few rounds of graces and battledores, both traditional Regency games.

 

I decided to whip out my white 1790s dress and blue open robe for the occasion. I topped it all off with my hedgehog wig and a fabric strip style turban with feathers. I was really pleased to get the opportunity to wear a regency ensemble again. Though, it may be one of the last wears for my white gown, it is starting to show its age with a few tears in the fabric and a mud stained hem.

I think that we may have to continue the Regency picnic idea next year as well. It was a lovely occasion. And maybe next time, we will pick a weekend so that those who had to work can attend as well.

A French Dinner Party

Things have been very quiet for me on the costuming front of late. I had planned to attend a Steampunk Ball in July however it was a bit beyond my budget and I had to sell my ticket, as it turns out though, I was so horribly sick that I would not have been able to attend anyway. My next plans were to attend a daytime Steampunk event last weekend, however it was cancelled about two days before. Alas foiled again. Don't get me wrong, I have been sewing like crazy, that is when I get the chance and a break from the Uni work.

Mostly I have been preparing ahead for a few events later this year. But first up, I made a new 1950s style frock to wear to a French themed cocktail dress Birthday Party last weekend. The dress I whipped up is on that I have made before (in red) and I really liked the design. Hopefully this one will last longer as the red one got worn out a few months ago. I'd had the dress cut out for a few months now and it was just begging to be made up. I love the fabric - a super soft purple rayon, and I love the design. I felt super girly all dressed up for the night and had even spruced up my hair colour so that it was a purple tone as well. You can't see the dress overly well, cause I dug out my warm winter coat for the evening chill had set in.

 The dinner party itself was lovely as well. The Birthday girl put on a lovely spread for us with the piece de resistance being a croquembouche for dessert. I had a blast of a time.