Wed 2 Sep, 2009
My Monsterpiece
Comments (1)Tags: clubwear, custom-made clothing, DIY fashion design, feathers, goth, Halloween
The nebula surrounding vampire lore is so thick you could cut it with a gilded dagger. Essentially the vampire is a killer, a monster, and a life-sucking leech. I am presenting vampire fashion from a purely aesthetic perspective, rather than attempting to glorify any raison d’etre of this magical creature. Provocative is the pull of vamp glamour. There is no limit to the decadence, from the hand of luscious fabrics to the most exquisite baroque detailing. Indulge your sense of fun with this look!!
I chose an art nouveau theme for my costume, but you could experiment with mysterious Egyptian or delicate Victorian styles. The Victorian epoch is perfect for capturing the fragility of vampire personna, with pale skin and high drama, while Egyptian images conjure a sense of the occult. I’ve always loved how art nouveau balances clean lines with rich embellishment. The colour palette ranges from jewel tones such as blood red, iconic absinthe green, “Victorian black”: the darkest shade of hollyhock flowers or soft black imbued with a scarlet glow, and accents of moonstone, to solid unadulterated black. Touchable velvet adds yet another dimension, and I was able to find washable red velvet fabric with four-way stretch at a local shop. If you are concerned that velvet fabric would be too bulky, then I recommend using stretchy PVC or “wet-look” fabric.
Orchids…an exotic flower sometimes compared to human skin, skulls, sequins, red ostrich feathers, and a peacock feather adorn the hair. This outfit is completed by red fishnet stockings and armbands for a modern twist, with a painted vintage handbag which I will show you how to paint for yourself. I am going to give you free sewing instructions with plenty of photos to demonstrate exactly how I made this costume!
Lipstick: Ravenous MAC, Eyeshadow: (blonde look) Black Mad Minerals, (studio look) On The Phone Everyday Minerals, Gel Eyeliner: Blackout Mad Minerals, Mascara: Great Lash Maybelline, Nail lacquer: Shirelle MAC, Choker: Radiance Bound (now closed unfortunately), Small Fangs: Scarecrow (also available at Sanctuary in Edmonton), Boots: Grand Nationals John Fluevog
Thank-you to Photographer/Sensei Neil Dunnigan for studio photos, Catherine Scheelar for cabaret photos, and artist Jenn Fleming for photoshopping my poetry and portraits. Thank-you to Jonathan Wiersma for proofreading my html- it was a gong show. Jon also did final processing on the fanged vampire photo. Thank-you to Bill Flesher for being a witty and inspiring friend.
admin says:
Hi there,
If anyone has questions about sewing or about the design process, you can post comments on the page which has you stumped and I will try to be more clear in the descriptions.
Cheers!
Million