Instead of working on the
oh gods, did I forget about it again? badly overdue costuming commission that's been lurking in my sewing room for the past, um, *mumblemumble*, I bashed out most of
that shirt, today.
It's too bloody big across the shoulders (story of my life) and an attempted last-minute fix wasn't (ditto) but it still looks moderately fabulous. The combination of the black/silver taffeta and the black-on-black paisley came together far better than I had hoped. Finding the correct weight of interfacing so that the collar has a lot of body to it but doesn't cross the line to
Ming The Merciless was a stroke of luck. Whether or not that interfacing actually
lasts is another matter. I hope it does, as nothing says
egomaniac like a funky collar - and nothing says
pathetic costumer like a droopy one.
I changed out the damfool ruffle-cuff for a French cuff because a) I love French cuffs and b) I thought it would suit the garment better than the damfool ruffle, and I believe I'm right, if I say so myself.
Costuming purposes aside, it's a fuckin' fabulous shirt. The cut, the flamboyance... it's far niftier than anything by Butterick has a right to be. If I can figure out how to adjust the pattern to fix the issue across the shoulders - and I think I could, if I attacked the pattern paper before cutting another one - I'm going to make a dozen of these things and wear them every day.
So, yes, I'm quite pleased with it. It's a mix of retro and modern, simple style and
Hey! Look at this! which I think suits the concept - meglomaniac Time Lord - quite well.
I've been wavering back and forth about the whole trousers vs. skirt thing and have decided to go with a pair of wide-legged (but not palazzo-scaled) trousers in
red crepe satin, with a black chiffon overlay - again, a big streak of
pay attention to me! going on there. I've worn a skirt in that style and it never fails to be eye-catching... Alas, no chiffon remains in my stash, so the pants will have to wait, for now. When the time comes, I might cut the pants on the bias, although with the crepe the weight that it is, that might be unnecessary. Could be fun, though. I've not done nearly enough stuff on the bias.
Alas, any notions of a coat have been ditched because I absolutely and utterly don't have the money to do it - even with JoAnn's desperately sending 50%-off coupons the house twice a week. Besides, I think a coat might end up fighting with the shirt.
That said, I have a coat made in the same fabric I used for the contrast on the shirt so I could certainly throw it on top, if it still fits me, but I think that might look a little
too coordinated. Control freak, yes, but a
crazy control freak. Can't neglect the crazy part. ;)
Given how long I've been hemming and hawing about the costume idea, it's a little surprising how quickly this has come together. A shame it breaks my
No more costumes that require explanation rule but I think I can live with that.
Now, can someone please loan me a cricket bat to deal with all the goddamn plot-bunnies that have started swarming around me? A shame none of them cared about the
Kaldor City fanscript, as I got precisely sod-all done on that, this weekend. Oops...