Breaking down fabrics, or artificially ageing them, is often part and parcel of creating costume for film or theatre. I recently created Anglo-Saxon clothing for a short film, made by Urban Apache Films, which needed to be bloodied and muddied as though straight after battle. However, I wanted to retain the Continue reading “Breaking Down Fabrics”
Mona Lisa
Recently I reproduced Mona Lisa’s clothing for a film by Gardener Creatives for Italian television. The gown was worn by a descendant of Mona Lisa… Continue reading “Mona Lisa”
Georgian Dress
When we are filming the priority is, obviously, filming. So I don’t always get an opportunity to record the costumes made.Sometimes clothes can be on the screen for seconds that have taken weeks to make, or they may not even be in shot at all… Continue reading “Georgian Dress”
Period Drama
Just occasionally a challenge is thrown in my direction! Recently I costumed a third year Lincoln University film (on a voluntary basis – I do this occasionally), but (as with all barely-funded projects) there can be challenges; last minute changes of cast being one.
Eighteenth Century Dressing
Here is a sneak peak at the making of a short museum film on the layers of 18th century dress. It was commissioned by The Lady Lever Art Gallery and made by Crow’s Eye Productions, directed and filmed by Nic Loven. Continue reading “Eighteenth Century Dressing”
1930’s Ladies Suit
As part of our WW1 drama-documentary, William’s Story’, we have followed the story of the Crowder family into the post war years. This necessitated making a 1930’s suit for Grace Crowder and filming her at the home she moved to from Lincolnshire: Sutton Poyntz in Dorset.
WW1 ‘William’s Story’
We have just completed a WW1 drama documentary ‘William’s Story’ which included a flash-forward to the 1930’s and gave me the opportunity to make some lovely 1930’s children’s clothes. Here are some screen grabs from the shoot.
King John
Occasionally, a crazily short notice request arrives. Philip Stevens of Urban Apache Films had be tasked with making a short film, The Empty Throne, with the Lincoln School of Film and Media. The timing left me just one week to assemble/make costume in time for filming…
‘Bringing Blighty to the Soldier’
During the making of the First World War film, Tell Them of Us, we became aware of just how much women supplemented the basic military uniform by knitting for the men on the front line.
Five Specs Productions
Occasionally I help out with student films, especially if they have already volunteered on one of our projects. In this case the talented producer of Five Specs Productions, Bryony Hooper, had already volunteered to help with a PTSD charity film so in return I supplied costume for their third year final film. Continue reading “Five Specs Productions”
Knitting for the First World War
‘Tell Them of Us’, WWI Film
Even before the script was written for ‘Tell them of Us’, I spent a year researching and gathering vintage resources to begin creating the costume. The film was to be set in the Lincolnshire village of Thimbleby during WW1. As I worked I became aware of just how much clothing was hand knitted during the period and realised that to only include sewn clothing would have been a distortion… Continue reading “Knitting for the First World War”
A gown for Queen Catherine Howard
In 2009 I was asked to re-create a Tudor gown fit for Queen Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, for display at Gainsborough Old Hall to commemorate Henry and Catherine’s visit made as part of Henry’s Northern Progress in 1541.
Using vintage patterns c. early 1900’s
Dating Patterns
Dating patterns can be tricky. Some have a date of printing while others have a patent number or date and yet more no date at all. In many cases dating is down to cross-referencing other material including actual garments and published images to come up with a possible outline.
The Lady of Shalott Costumes
Making the Lady of Shalott’s gowns for The Lady of Shalott film.
The Lady of Shalott themed paintings by John William Waterhouse provided the visual inspiration for the clothes worn by The Lady of Shalott in our dramatisation.
Titanic Era Gown
In the late 1980’s I worked as a volunteer collating the costume collection of the Hollytrees Museum in Colchester. I drew each of the costumes in detail for their information cards (this was in the days before digital cameras and digital data gathering)! So I thought I would occasionally share one of these drawings with you. Sadly, I didn’t make a note of the accession numbers of the gowns, but here is the first: