Instant Period Costumes

[Dr von Zarkov]

Though not our cup of tea, we hope some of you may be interest in Instant Period Costumes.. Not up to the high standards of our friend, La Bricoleuse, this guide suggests hot glue as a substitute for sewing. The resulting garments will not be of heirloom quality but should do for a party.

[Insanity]

oi vey, I think I've looked through that or something similar. It would make a historian cry.

[Vienna Fahrmann]

     The one problem with hot glue is that it becomes somewhat less than stable when in several hour contact with body heat.  I've seen it cause several "costume faulures"

    Vieena

[Col. Adrianna Hazard]

I do not recommend the use of hot glue in a costume you plan to wear for more than two hours. I learned this lesson the hard way with a piece of cosplay costume that I lazily constructed with hot glue, then had to re-sew at night for the second day of a convention. Just sew it - it's a lot less troublesome, and seams will lay flat.

[Flynn MacCallister]

The combination of hot glue, body heat and stage lights is nothing short of disastrous, as I have seen more than once at (school) dance and drama eisteddfods. I imagine that this is not the context in which people here intend to use it, though.

Sewing, however, is not difficult, and it is far more tidy and attractive. There is no need to glue instead!

[Ettie]

Just do it right the first time!
It saves a lot of time in the long run!

[Vienna Fahrmann]

     Dear Ettie,

     Heartily Seonded!

     Vienna

[rokkitgurl]

Yea, I had a disastrous experience of my own with hot glue... Les Mis 2003... Master of the House scene... Stage props held together with glue... Add singing and dancing... add hot lighting on them all day... oh yea, props were pretty much flying into the audience...

[La Bricoleuse]

You know, while i do think books of this sort might be full of fun ideas for something one wears once for a couple hours, i also think they contribute to why my profession is discriminated against in the wage-earning sphere. People seem to think all clothing and costumes are "just clothes" or "just costumes," and wonder how come they can buy a skirt at Target for $15, whereas a ballet tutu for professional ballet costs in the triple digits. (Answer, Target skirt is mass-produced with overseas labor with a durability goal of a year or so of casual wear, whereas the ballet tutu is custom-made to the ballerina's measurments and built to last many years through hard dancework.)

[Gwen Grimm]

Just in time for Halloween. A trade secret from professional costume designers: throw out your sewing kit. The way to make quick and dirty costumes is to scrounge for old clothes, cut them up creatively with your scissors, and then instantly reassemble the pieces using a hot glue gun. No measuring, no patterns, no threads. The glued clothes hold up remarkably well. Since you can even wash them, it works for local theater shows. Now that you know the secret, you don't have to buy this book -- except if you want a whole bunch of cool recipes for recombining thrift-store bargains into pretty convincing period fashions.

Ok, that made me laugh out loud....   Sorry, while this may be a good idea for someone who's looking for a quick "one nighter" costume, it's utterly ridiculous otherwise...... And me being me, I can never envisioned making anything for "just one night" anyway... if I'm in a go through the trouble of making it, I'm I'm going to wear darn thing more than once!

[Vienna Fahrmann]

     Dear Gwen,

    I agree, a lot of effort for a one-nighter may be out of proportion...I usually pull my one-shots together from costume components from my multi-use costume wardrobe, but I might make specific accessories for a one-nighter.

     Vienna

[Miss Genevieve Tillington]

You know, while i do think books of this sort might be full of fun ideas for something one wears once for a couple hours, i also think they contribute to why my profession is discriminated against in the wage-earning sphere. People seem to think all clothing and costumes are "just clothes" or "just costumes," and wonder how come they can buy a skirt at Target for $15, whereas a ballet tutu for professional ballet costs in the triple digits. (Answer, Target skirt is mass-produced with overseas labor with a durability goal of a year or so of casual wear, whereas the ballet tutu is custom-made to the ballerina's measurments and built to last many years through hard dancework.)

I think you make an excellent point here. There's very little appreciation for skilled craftsmanship anymore. It's extremely sad.

[Vienna Fahrmann]

     I have heard that the money area in sewing is in alterations.  The general public sees alterations as something hard to do and a special skill, so will pay someone $15-20 to replace a zipper, where they would not pay that person the same amount to sew a simple top.

     Vienna

[A.Seafaire]

Not to mention, laziness is also a factor, Vienna. People seem more willing to not have to bother with something they view as tedious.

[Gwen Grimm]

     Dear Gwen,

    I agree, a lot of effort for a one-nighter may be out of proportion...I usually pull my one-shots together from costume components from my multi-use costume wardrobe, but I might make specific accessories for a one-nighter.

     Vienna

Yeah.... But then you get to keep said accessories for later! ;P  That is the nice thing about haveing a larger costume wardrobe, give you a bit of freedom to play around.

[Vincent Théière]

But La Bricoleuse tulle is so cheap!!   As someone who 'just presses play on the cd' I know your pain.

Yea, I had a disastrous experience of my own with hot glue... Les Mis 2003... Master of the House scene... Stage props held together with glue... Add singing and dancing... add hot lighting on them all day... oh yea, props were pretty much flying into the audience...

Wow, we must get the hardcore glue guns here amongst the convicts.  While I certainly wouldn't suggest them for clothing, or as the only fastening for props, I've used them for props, sets etc with plenty of luck and no danger to audience members.

[Vienna Fahrmann]

   Dear Gwen,

    I have fun making accessories.  I was doing that long before I learned how to sew.

     Vienna