Chariots, Coal and Cinna - New Hunger Games Costumes Revealed!

Today we get a glimpse at previously unrevealed Hunger Game costumes - the coal and flame chariot suits! 

Read more here: http://www.hypable.com/hunger-games/2012/01/19/new-still-from-the-hunger-games-katniss-and-peeta-in-their-chariot-suits-with-cinna/

To be honest I'm a little surprised by the level of detail here. Personally I would have gone for something simpler and less rock star looking. The scaled leather on Katniss's bust and the spiked shoulder pads give much more of a reptilian feel than... coal. What set Cinna apart from the other designers was that he didn't go wild and crazy the way they did.

But I'm willing to give it a try. Cinna's costumes are the things I imagined the most while reading and therefore I'm going to have the most decided opinions on what they should be like - and likely be more disappointed by them than anything else in the film. So far I've loved everything else I've seen, so... we'll see what is revealed next.

The Costumes of Pan Am

With ABC's period drama, Pan Am, making it's return after the holiday hiatus, I found myself once again drooling over the beautiful costumes on the show. Really, it's only a perk that the show is well written and wonderfully acted, I could watch it just for the costumes alone.

A google search for "Pan Am Costumes" brings up photos of the airline uniform and several dozen 'how-to-make-your-own' tutorials. However the real beauty of the show is the dresses and ensembles the girls wear off duty, so I decided to hunt through the mound of mostly blue pictures to find the very best photos of these gorgeous gals and their dresses.

I also came across some very informative and interesting articles on the making and wearing of the costumes in the show. So if you'd like more detail into the process, I highly recommend checking out the links below.

Glamour's interview with show costume designer, Ane Crabtree.

THR interviews leading lady Christina Ricci on what it's like to wear the Pan Am period appropriate costumes.

ABC's Cynthia McFadden tours the set and gives us the dish on costumes.

RTE's talk with Ane Crabtree.

ABC quotes Ane Crabtree and also features a video on designing Pan Am.

The Telegraph interviews Ane Crabtree on Pan Am costumes.


Now on to the photos!

 (Above, Laura and Maggie stroll through the streets of Berlin. Laura wears a beautiful baby blue dress that is pefectly fitted, while Maggie wears a looser more carefree frock that nonetheless still manages to show off her tiny waist perfectly.)

 Above: even casual clothes show attention to detail, with contrast fabrics (Laura), tiny trim (Collette) and unusual buttons (Kate) make the garments unique and adorable.

 Above: I chose to include this picture because it shows a rare shot of the uniform blouse from behind. We can see that a cinch in the back aids our lovely ladies in keeping their waist neat and tidy, even if they gain or loose a few pounds on a trip.

 Above: Maggie always knows how to make a statement and while her skirt might be a tad tight for the period, it's undeniably bold and flattering, especially tied with a trim belt, a flutter-sleeved top and a jaunty hat.

Above: Another look at Laura and Maggie in their Berlin clothes. Gloves were a must on set, and while Laura wears a demure white, Maggie as always sticks to her defiant black.

 Above: a closer look at the delicate detailing on Laura's blue dress.

 Above: Kate rocks it in a daring combo of two shades of green in a lovely skirt suit set off with a delicate pin and matching handbag. On display is the wide neckline typical of the period, which suits Kate's figure especially well.

 Above: Why don't we wear lovely evening gowns like this anymore? Kate shows an absolute minimum of cleavage here, and her dress otherwise covers and adorns in a very modest ladylike manner. It's set off by a necklace that perfectly fills the neckline.

 Above: Here we really see the benefit of the corset and girdle. Kate's figure is smooth and elegant even in so simple an outfit. Alas for the days when properly fitting undergarments were a matter of course and clothes were tailored and made to fit, rather than relying on elastic and chance.

 Above and below: One of the most stunning pieces so far has been the evening gown Kate wears to fulfill one of her missions. I was unable to find a full length photo (please give me a link if you come across one!)

 Above: Colette and Laura both wear gowns that make use of sheer fabrics in very interesting ways.

 Above: Yet elaborate isn't always better. Above Kate wears a gorgeously simple yet elegant dress that shows its heritage from Dior's New Look. Her gold pin also makes another appearance here, matching well with her beige belt.

 Overall I find Pan Am an excellent inspiration to the kind of attention I should pay to my own wardrobe. Delicate detail, feminine grace, garments that are properly fitted, and use of good accessories.

A Wee Wedding Dress

Once upon a time, instead of shelling out $30 for an American Girl Doll dress, women hand sewed dresses for the dolls in their little girls lives. Sadly the art of sewing has become very lost these days, and most mothers don't have the time or training to create little garments. However I've always loved the art of dressmaking for miniature people, and I was thrilled when my friend Christina shared pictures of an adorable  wedding dress she'd made for her little sister's doll

 It is simple, sweet and elegant, and exactly what every little girl would love to play with. I think Christina's little sister is a very lucky girl!

What do you think, should I do a few tutorials on basic dressmaking for dolls? 

Class Act Fabrics

http://www.classactfabrics.com/index.html

A fellow seamstress recently recommended this website as a good place to get high end fabrics. I checked it out and immediately started drooling over the selections -- and the prices! While wool remains high, this looks like an excellent place to find silks and velvets at manageable prices. Includes some fabrics from couture houses, as well as historically accurate prints for re-enactors.

I hope at some point in the future either my finances improve or I get a client wanting a costume with high end fabric so that I can get a chance to order from this site.

Do you have a website that you recommend for seamstresses? Fabrics, notions, embellishments, laces, trims, etc? Let me know! Leave the link in a comment and I just might do a post about it!

Cream Vintage Dress - Part 2

The saga of the cream vintage style dress/tunic continues! 

My next step was to cut out the skirt panels. I originally cut six, but realized this would really make the skirt too large for a dress of this tiny-ness and delicacy, so I eliminated one.

I spent quite awhile thinking about how best to do the hem and eventually I decided to sew right sides together at the bottom and turn out and iron to create a practically invisible hem.

I then lined up the tops of the lining and eyelet and gathered, then sewed into the eyelet side of the waistband. On the lining side I ironed over the raw edge and hand sewed it down to create a completely finished interior as well as exterior.

The dress so far! Looking nearly complete, right? But not quite.

I still had to add a zipper, straps and a bow. Below are the pieces for the zipper and bow.

Pieces with the edges sewn.

Gathered the larger rectangle to form a bow shape.

Looped the narrow rectangle around the larger one to secure and finish.

Stitched in place and tacked to a safety pin so that bow can be moved/removed as wearer desires.

Attached in ideal position at waistband.

To add the straps I slit open the top of the bodice slightly, inserted the end of the strap, and sewed shut.

And voila! The finished garment! My sister will wear it as a layered piece, but some girls could use this style without layers as a sundress (although boning might be a practical addition to the bodice for support).

Cream Vintage-Style Dress

For Christmas I made my sister a vintage style tunic/dress that we designed together. It was an intensive but rewarding and fairly straightforwards process and we both are really happy with how it turned out.

I started off with taking an existing dress of hers and drawing out bodics pattern pieces based on that on the lining fabric.

I then cut and basted the lining pieces, put it on my sister and made adjustments as necessary.

I then took out the basting stitches and used the lining pieces as patterns for the eyelet fabric which would be forming the top layer.

I assembled the entire bust part of the bodice and attached the eyelet to the lining at the top seam. I then measured out a straight waistline of both the eyelet and the lining.

Next I sewed the lining waistband to the bust lining, and the same with the eyelet. No seams showing inside or outside!

I then ironed down the seams and topstitched-in-the-ditch along the upper seam of the waistband to hold the  eyelet and lining together.

The bodice, pressed and folded right side out.

Part Two

Sewing actually happened today.

For the first time in at least three months. I'm pretty delighted.

Photos coming when my camera card decides to play nicely with my laptop.