Hello,
I joined the list after talking to a weaver & dyer at the Southwest School
of Art & Craft in San Antonio last month who pointed me to some web links
that address the production of cloth. I was in hope of finding someone in
North America (preferably) or Europe who I could talk to regarding
construction, materials & techniques that would have been used for the
manufacture of military insignia in Germany during the 1920's - 1940's.
I am part of a small circle of serious collectors & students who study the
cloth, metallic piping, metallic embroidery & cotton embroidery used in
these pieces. Although it may sound paradoxical, the quality of work in
these pieces is very sophisticated and quite beautiful.
If anyone could suggest a source I would really appreciate it.
And no, we don't have shaved heads, wear combat boots or show up at
ignorant, misguided, hate-filled demonstrations or sport confederate flags
on our cars.
Thank You
Tom Chaney
Oklahoma City
From: Lauren Walker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: Historical Costume <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Historical Costume <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [h-cost]Theatrer vs Historic (was:new Butterick pattern 5061)
Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 19:47:26 -0400
It's funny, but actually, studying historic costume has made me appreciate
what ELSE theatrical and movie costumers are doing more than I did before
I knew where to hunt down period-correct sartorial information. When I'm
dressing for re-enacting, I strive for ever more accurate accouterment,
because the story we are telling as re- enactors is either This Is What It
Was Like or sometimes This Is How It Differs From Now. Strict authenticity
is the point in that effort. And I have to say that often what is most
authentic is not to my own personal, modern taste, so I have to tell my
personal, modern taste to shut up.
But the story in a play or movie is usually one that reflects a moral
issue that resonates with the modern audience. And what theatrical
costumers do, sometimes breathtakingly, is to evoke the historic period
while also using visual clothing symbolism that will enhance the
characterizations in modern eyes. Thus, as someone on this list pointed
out a while ago, the hair and makeup of the romantic leads will usually be
the least authentic, for they must telegraph beauty and desirability and
probably moral good as well to the modern audience. (Though I've recently
been impressed by the costuming for the Showtime series "Dexter" -- how do
you dress a sociopathic serial killer who is attempting to live by a moral
code in order to pass for normal?) Even when using modern-day wardrobe for
modern characters, the way they select color and cut paints a character
portrait with amazing nuance. With historical stuff, they have to work
with the double vision of what the characters might have worn in period
and what will look, to modern viewers, like what the characters might
have worn. Because most viewers are not going to tell their personal,
modern taste to shut up.
But then they get us, complaining because the costumes go beyond This Is
What It Was Like and try to help tell the story!
Anyway as for the Butterick pattern, I think the answer to "what era is
it?" might be, "whatever year you want it to be." The jackets look kind of
1940s/50s boudoir to me.
Lauren
Lauren M. Walker
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On May 3, 2007, at 3:51 PM, Ruth Anne Baumgartner wrote:
But the biggest issue, to my mind, is what the costume communicates to
the audience, because that's the ultimate question for any aspect of a
theatrical production.
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
_________________________________________________________________
Get a FREE Web site, company branded e-mail and more from Microsoft Office
Live! http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
