The 11th Annual San Francisco Edwardian Ball!

 I cant wait for this one! But its right around the corner folks, and there is so much to do! There are some amazing vendors this year and Salome's Suitcase are no exception! This is truly the costume event of the year and you do not want to miss it!

The Edwardian Ball 2011
The Regency Ballroom
1300 Van Ness @ Sutter
San Francisco, Ca.
January 21-22
Afternoon Vendor Bazaar - Saturday, January 22!!!!! Free Admission and full bar for those over 21!!!!!!!!
noon - 6pm


Anything goes in the Edwardian/Gothic/Romantic/Steampunk/Edward Gorey vein!

Don't forget to shop my Etsy Store - I have a few corsets and Pants that would be lovely additions to your ballgown or costume!!!!!!!!!

I'll be bringing some of my better costuming to this event to sell: things that would be fun to wear to the ball - so come on in and let us deck you out!

Saturday afternoon is a special day of shopping with free admission to the venue before the ball!!!!! No pressure! Just walk right in and drool over all the finery! You will, I know you will!!!!!!

Not only is the Regency Ballroom full of history and a San Franciscan architectural treasure to boot, the whole vending room will blow you away!!!!

Come say hi, come support local artisans - many of us earn our whole entire living this way! We need you. If you don't support the arts, the arts go away. What a dreary world that would be!

And the entertainment is spectacular!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Hunkering Down For The Winter

 Salome's Suitcase (the design collective that I am proud to be a part of) put on a wonderful fashion show at Ariellah Affalo's Shadowdance this last Saturday evening. Pictures will be out soon and I'll be putting them here as soon as I can.

As usual for me,  a big evening or weekend of vending requires a day or two of down time afterwards. Coupled with a fashion show, and I'm left just beat. But I was so wound up still after the day of our show, that I rearranged my whole studio! Its not perfect yet, but I'm ready to receive callers, KCCC is available to take on new commissions, I'm inspired to continue the process of getting out orders, and this lady is all ready to hunker down for the winter and stay warm and cozy. I want some wedding dresses to work on this winter, so I have been doing a bit of advertising. I'm hoping that with my studio conveniently located between SF and Napa, I can attract some business from all over. Its perfect! I'll make you tea!

Shadowdance was great - I didn't see much of the show as I was running around backstage, but all of our models were just wonderful. Jessica Cowan from Crops and Bobbers in Crockett did the most amazing hair and makeup - our show was fiercely elegant. Everyone pulled together, worked well together as always, and I could hear the jaws drop to the floor when the music started and the models walked their walk. Mission accomplished!

Halloween is over, winter is on its way, turkeys will be roasting in the ovens before we know it and Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye!
Its time now to start working on my patterns. I will be debuting them at Cues and Tattoos in March.
I'll be vending at the SF Edwardian Ball in January. Ive got new merchandise to make and fabric to buy! Ive got stuff to do!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kc.costumecouture@gmail.com
Model: Unsinkable Molly
Photos: Kristine Adams

Ethereally Floored

The lighting was really too bad to get any good shots of the Salome's Suitcase fashion show last month, but
Sequoia Emmanuelle took amazing shots of some of our models back stage in the green  room.

This is Giselle Sibyl from Australia wearing my sheer silk voile gown and Foolproof jewelry. I first met her at the SF Mecca bazaar last year where she was radiating Pre Raphaelite effervescence, and she obviously still is. Every now and then someone comes along who embodies all that elusive etherealness that we try madly to attain - to no avail. You either got it or you don't!

I do not know if I will EVER get a full on shot of this gown before it is snagged to shreds, but you know, when it can help contribute to a fine composition such as this, I am a happy woman.

The dress was inspired by a slip from the 30's. The skirt is lightly gathered onto a bias cut bodice that laces up the back. The laces and loops are made of the same silk material. There is twice as much yardage in the back than in the front. It floats when you walk. It trails in a soft puddle of folds and swirls. She was just dreamy walking through the crowd!

kc.costtumecouture@gmail.com

Its Edwardian Ball Time Again

I spent this week refurbishing a costume for the Edwardian Ball. Lori King commissioned me to make her an outfit for the ball last year,  but we didn't get to fine tune it. This year we added feathers around the neckline and bustle. We straighted the dress out and made the outer bustle cage easier to maneuver in. Then Lori and Jennifer talked me into going to the ball tomorrow night. They stood over my shoulder and watched to make sure I was actually buying the ticket ...........because I guess I have become notorious for saying I'll go  out and then flake. Well, Im tired. Once the sun goes down, I want to go to sleep. But I let them talk me into it because I secretly wanted to go and Im not vending there this year. And they are very merry company to attend a glamorous ball with.

If I dont turn into a pumpkin at midnight, I'll be very fortunate.

Bridal Couture Collaboratin'

Today I will be finishing those 5 projects that I said I would be finishing yesterday. It seems that I get started on something and I get distracted. Perhaps its ADD. Perhaps it is just living in this harried modern lifestyle where everything seems to have to happen NOW and you have to make choices. Someone or something always gets put on the back burner unintentionally.

This has been a slow summer, business wise. Its still there. I'm not going down. But the world is living in fear right now and luxury items just are not on the top of every one's agenda at the moment. And for as hard as I try to keep my costs and prices down, the quality of what I make puts it in the realm of luxury item for many. If times were more affluent, you had better believe my prices would be way higher right now. And worth every penny. Ive seen whats out there. So get it while we are on the downside if you can! Seriously!

This week will be spent on finishing my part of the creation of Ariellah Affalo's wedding dress. Ive been in a collaboration with Christina of Black Lotus Clothing. We have been on buying trips together for fabrics and shuttling this dress back and forth while juggling Ariellahs' fittings. She has been out of the country or getting ready for all of her many projects - as well as preparing to get married in September! Oy! But I really enjoy working with Christina. She is super, super lovely! (And so is Ariellah! I adore her!)

But the whole wedding outfit is just gonna be gorgeous. It already is. I cant wait to see the wedding pictures!!!! As you can see in the above photo (yes she is wearing the Fluffie Rufflie Dance Pants!) she could wear a burlap bag and still be stunning, so you can see how excited I will be to see her wedding photos! And you had better believe that I will post those pics asap!!!

So there is that to finish up this week AND get some new merch. sewn up for Prepare For The Playa. I don't know how I'll get it done, but who needs sleep anyway!

Kc.cosumecouture@gmail.com

Tribal Boutique!!

A new collective of professional bellydance desingers and artisans has formed to network, collaborate, propell ourselves forward out into the world, and hold each other up as a supportive unit - something long needed - and I am a proud member.

Since we are so new, we dont have an official name yet, but we thought that those of us who are around right now, could have a little boutique that might be more accessable for some - rather than wait for a more bustling venue. The plan is to do this once a month and hopefully be available for the traveling dancers and admirers of our work.

Forgive my photoshop attempt! I just wanted to get the info up! LOL!!!!!

So far we have:
Minerva's Antennae
Medina Maitreya
KathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture

Please come by if you can!

kc.costumecouture@@gmail.com

Im In Love

I'm In Love with my new home. Its Valentine's Day and so it is fitting that I talk about the things that I love. Not only do I love all my friends, I love my customers and clients. I especially Love My Son. I love my new home, I love my neighborhood and all that goes with it. Ive traded gangs for your typical San Francisco "charactors" - and that's just fine by me!

I love what I do. I love what I make. I love that I can wake up and have coffee and go to work without walking out the door. I love that I can walk to the fabric store and hop on a bus that takes me where I need to go. I love my Roomie and her pets. I love my cat. (If you come by, you cant be severely allergic or afraid of animals - sorry - I cant live without animals in my life!)

~Don't worry - I keep all animals away from the clothes and fabric!~

And I love that after just a short time, my home actually feels like a home instead of a sea of boxes! (thank you Kristine!)

I just seem to have a lot to be thankful for these days and I love that!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!!
XXXX

I like to promote my friends when at all possible and I believe in their work. This man's art is especially amazing and you should go to this if you are in the area.
He also dresses very nice and I give him extra kudos for this!

Patrick Segui
The Shooting Gallery
February 7th
839 Larkin St.
Sf, Ca
415-931-8035

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

I'll Be Vending At The Edwardian Ball!

Its time for the Edwardian Ball again! And this time I'll be vending! So come by and say hi!

There is so much amazing entertainment as always, but there seems to be so much more this year - or maybe more of who I like. And it is always so much fun to see what everyone is wearing!

I will be accepting checks with proper id, legal tender and swigs off your flask - but no credit cards - sorry!

Come out to the ball!

The Regency Center
Sutter and Van Ness
San Francisco
Friday vending
January 23


kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Antique Velvet

I'm kind of stumped about the velvet on the Victorian bodice. It was taken such good care of - it was living in a museum archive in England and then returned and wrapped in acid free paper. It was part of a family collection and has made its way into my studio so that I can touch it and treasure it for a couple weeks before it makes its way back home. It was the ugly duckling of the collection, and so it was much more expendable should something go wrong. We even thought about turning it into a dance vest, but it seems a shame to wreck it, so I'll just make one from scratch.

It looks almost new. I checked it out carefully to see if maybe someone had recovered it, but the threads and stitching and backing look period. Someone obviously at some point tried to turn it into something else - added newer trim and some kind of red wool facing. But if it were for a show or a play, I doubt they would have gone to so much trouble to replace the outer cover and the purple silk. They more than likely wouldn't have replaced that boning and front inner padding so deliberately.

One of my most favorite things to do is to check out the innards of garments and see how they were put together. I remember once when a friend of mine was modeling for one of Thierry Mugler's trunks shows back in the day. I got to inspect some of his suits. There is a reason why some things cost an arm and a leg................sheer genius. Another friend of mine ended up making some clothes for him, so it was fun to discuss craftsmanship. I hope these skills become more appreciated again one day. Well, one can hope.

So it is always fun for me to check things out up close and personal. And I'm hoping that I can go overseas next year and visit my friend and wallow in the joy of opening up the trunks of pristine Regency and Victoriana that are waiting for a new home. Another museum perhaps? I hope I can get there first!

If anyone reading this has any comments on the condition of this bodice and if this is the original velvet or not, feel free to comment!! Ive just never seen any old velvet in such pristine condition before! Ive never held it in my hands!

Kc.costumecouture@gamil.com

This Thing Called Steampunk

I first recall the term when my intern, Unsinkable Molly, started talking about it. I dont get out much these days with all my projects and such - so I wasn't understanding what she was really talking about at first. It just sounded like what Ive been doing or trying to do for like the last 20 years.

So now I get it. Its what I would look like and have often looked like sans goggles ,leather straps, and ray guns. (Although I have a picture of myself in silver cowgirl gear with goggles and a red ray gun for Matthew James's infamous Space Christmas party) It is the aesthetic that kept me from getting myself a computer up until a few years ago. I cant stand the sight of them. They are the ugliest man made thing that we have ever concocted. That and all the creepy streamlined souless devices that we require now to make our lives more complicated, stressful, and spiritually bankrupt.

I was dragged into the computer age by Carolena Nericcio- director of FatChanceBellyDance because it was increasingly difficult to get class/gig info to/from me as I refused to get a computer.

Once I got over my revulsion, I found I loved the instant gratification it gave me and I was able to grow my business and reach people from around the world. That in and of itself was fun, entertaining and amazing. But it was still the sterility and ugliness of this intellectual world that kept me hidden away. I cant abide it. But I do. I deal.

However, if the techno age had started like this photo portrays..............I would have jumped on the bandwagon. Hell, I may have joined the throngs of millions who flocked to this world and made buttloads of money off of it.

This will just have to do.


Will do endless trade for this computer!

kathleencrowley.etsy.com

kc.costumecouture

Now This Is My Idea Of a Computer

I was dragged kicking and screaming into the techno age.
But had I been able to have a computer that looked like this,
I would have run into the modern world jumping for joy -
With open arms!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

The Makings of Costume Ball Glamour

Lori King came to me with a project that I couldnt refuse. She knew what she wanted and she was going to get it. I like that in a woman.

She wanted to wear something fabulous to the upcoming Edwardian Gorey Ball. She brought me a white acetate wedding dress that was found in a thrift store and a late Victorian jacket that was in fair condition, but the lining was shredding to bits - as they do.

I dyed the dress three times to get the right shade of purple. We knew we wouldnt be able to achieve the goal because of the fiber content, but we tried anyway and came up with a lovely violet. I chopped off the bodice and faced the waist of the skirt. I bustled it slightly and left a pretty little train.

My wonderful assistant, Unsinkable Molly was given the task of tenderly taking out the tattered lining, carefully reinforcing the stressed and frayed parts of the jacket with black lingerie fusing. I prefer using this type of fusing on delicate garments and textiles when I can because it adheres to the fabric quickly and with little effort. It just gives that little extra bit of strength and you cant really tell that its there. Then I copied the jacket and made a purple lining to insert in place of the original. This was a very difficult and delicate task and we spent many hours trying to improve and salvage this piece instead of destroying it. We succeeded.

Molly is reading her fortune......"you will earn much good karma and many future minions by being of service to others now".......

I made Lori a corset of black china brocade with a bee motif. It is a combination of the victorian and 18th century style. I added black beads to the upper arm.

She was stunning. And I made a new friend!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

The Corvest

I was commissioned by Jen to make a corset vest for her boyfriend, Jon. It was for the Edwardian Ball and they wanted something that he would be able to wear on many occasions. We call it a Corvest because it is very like a vest, except that it is boned - with a front busk and it laces up the back. I do believe he loves it because he has been seen out in it since! And he is absolutely handsome and so debonaire in it!

He picked a black chinese brocade with a red design - chrysanthemums. The back is a black satin.

Here he is with Jen. I had to throw in a photo of the two of them with Jill Tracey because they all just look fabulous together!

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Edwardian Edward Gorey Ball

The Deranged Cousins
And it was truly filled with deranged cousins of all types and persuasions.
The entertainment for this 3 night ball was spectacular, although we we only attended the Saturday night ball which was sold out. Jill Tracey, Rosencoven, acrobats, circus folk, burlesque. Assorted scary, odd, macabre and just plain interesting installations, decorations, costumes galore. Eye candy everywhere!

Erling Wold emulating a Gorey cartoon cutout of one of his deranged cousins



You really cant see the Edwardian style corset that I am wearing - but this is how it looked by the end of the night.






Lynne Rutter Inspecting Erling's close shave. I think she and Erling were the epitomy of Edwardian Gorey splendor that night. I wish I could say that I made Erling's suit, but some other stitch whore made it ahead of me. Isn't it amazing? Lynne's waist cincher is my creation. Basic and black and great for any occasion.


Here we are - the motley crew of the Edwardian ball. Actually, the whole Great American Music Hall was one one huge motley crew. You should look up Edwardian ball on Flickr - the photographs are magnificent and give the flavor of the evening much more spectacularly than I ever could. It was nice to be surrounded by so many of my creations. Almost everyone I was hanging out with that night was wearing something I made or rehashed. So fab. It was great.

Holding up the post in a saucy wench way. Cant take me anywhere.
In my defence, I had very little time to throw something together.
And sometimes, those are the most pleasing costumes of all!


kc.costumecouture@gmail.com