via Art for Housewives.

Sharon Long and I were talking about this book yesterday, the image of four girls laughing is a favourite, great hair reference.

Great picture, via Pants for the Ladies.

Vanishing Yellow.
Textile work by Sheila Hicks at The Art Blog

via Kleidersachen

Tom of Holland's Visible Mending Programme. Lovely.

I love pictures of bleaching greens and I screen-grab images as I come across them.
Consequently I have no record of who painted these paintings but I'm sure they are traceable through a description within a Google search.

Two more from WiganWorld.

When I bought my first AppleMac I did it in order to jump onto the 'Information Superhighway' as it was called at the time.
The constant exchange of images and information that has unfolded since is incredible and for me, in costume terms, the most fascinating is usually the everyday, the mundane.
When I look at old family photographs of my own it's often a small domestic detail that arouses the most emotion; the curtains we had in the old house or the trousers my grandmother wore to cover her swollen, rheumatoid knees at a time when few women her age wore anything but skirts and dresses. These domestic, personal details which are not on show at a photographer's studio or a formal event are the notes we collect to aid and enrich the storytelling process of Costume Design.

Natalie Ward recommended WiganWorld to me.

The people of Wigan are building an online portrait of their city, it's a great source of everyday photography shared by a warm, generous community. They are adding new photo's daily, I love this group picture of C&A staff, taken around 1971.

Neil from North Sea Clothing bent over backwards to make sure we received our order on time.

The Intrepid is a very handsome garment and we have received six of them to cover our action needs.
Densely knitted these are heavy pieces of workwear,  it's clear why seafaring men would choose them.

It was this water repellent property which made dipping, ageing, and tearing quite a feat. Breaking them down was a physical task as well as a creative one, my hands are rough and grey today.

Having taken a good beating, bloody and battered and darned, they tell our story.

 Star1950's photostream on Flickr.

Some interesting textile work at Maayan Gutfeld, via Kleidersachen.

The National Geographic website has a really good archive of photographs. Especially interesting, in costume terms, is the People and Culture section.
Maybe I don't need to keep all those old copies after all.

Working hard all day, lost in the Belfast of 1971.
Researching like crazy and scheduling fittings back to back for a fortnight and then coming home to try and squeeze in some 18th century searches for an interview over the bank holiday.

Costume schitzophrenia.

1971 Film Crew

I am researching 1971 for my current job and came across this fantastic on-set still from Get Carter.
Look at the crew! The camera department and the make-up or hair designer, all parkas and Belstaff, look pretty much the same today.
I particularly like the Continuity lady, or the Script Supervisor as she would be known these days. I immediately IMDB'd her: Doreen Dearnaley - Continuity. She has a string of credits from 1949 through to 1973 including Carry On Camping, Up the Junction and Quatermass and the Pit.
I hope she wore a red hat on all of them.

Little 'Red Indian' costume, charity shop, Dalston.
It looks early seventies to me, cute label.

A quick google found nothing.

Something for my workwear project on Flickr.

Cowboys and Indians

Vintage cowboy and indian costumes, again courtesy of Shona Patterson.

A Tiny 1950's Bastille Day Costume

I recently borrowed some vintage fancy dress items from Shona Patterson.
This tiny Bastille Day costume was too small for our needs but I had to record it because it is so cute. The fit is for a two to three year old, and looks to me like it's from the fifties but that is pure guesswork. The hand finish adds to its charm. I think it was very lovingly made.

Peter Jensen Fabric Sale

At the V&A with Synergy Theatre Project

I have recently finished working at the V&A on a short course: An Introduction to Costume Design for Ex-Prisoners.

The four sessions were a collaboration between the V&A and Synergy Theatre Project.

Marisa Smith, our incredibly well organised co-ordinator and her trusty assistant Bryony Smith, along with Kirsten Shirling from Synergy, steered us through the sessions and helped us all deliver the best we could offer in the time given. This thoughtful planning and concise use of time meant each week we were able to provide an afternoon's workshop with enough space for everyone to have time to communicate and get to know one other, structured around high but achievable goals.
I have a tendency towards bounding enthusiasm and Marisa's judgement about what we could fit into each session was spot-on. The result was a very high standard of visual communication of costume ideas and a solid understanding of character from all attendees.

It was great fun as well as a learning experience and I'm sure all of us 'outsiders' found being in the V&A once a week, and calling it work, a pleasure in itself.

Marisa's blog post with more detail is here.
And the V&A's Director mentioned the classes in last night's Evening Standard.

Maine Thread

Yum. Another Katy Hackney find.

There are some really lovely basics at Maine Thread.

Incredibly fresh for 1823.
The Design Centre, as before.

I have been asked to join the industry jury who will select the final BAFTA Crew group members once the application deadline closes on Monday.

I was really pleased to be offered this opportunity but slightly dismayed by Regional Programmer and Events Producer, Katie Campbell's email -

    'Applications from the Costume Design sector have been slightly slower compared to the other departments. We think it is vital for new talent in Costume Design to be properly represented in BAFTA Crew so would hugely appreciate your help spreading the word to your colleagues, juniors, trainees and assistants. Anyone in your department who has two or more broadcast or feature credits and lives in the English Regions and lives outside the capital is eligible.'

Somehow or other, despite the efforts of many, the Costume Department often feels slightly disconnected from what's going on around it and under-represented in areas where other departments seem to be more on the ball.
I'm not sure why this is, maybe we just don't have the time but it does often feel like we have missed a beat.

Why exactly have applications been slower from our department?

I can't answer that but I can pass on the application information -

Apply here before February 18th for a chance to join BAFTA Crew. 

Sylvie Deutsch

Artist Sylvie Deutsch's Seam Drawings and Easystitches wall sculptures.

I would have had to work really hard to create masks that looked like kids had made them.
Always best to go straight to the source - Thanks Nancy.

Both images are from my current favourite daily peek - kleidersachen or 'clothesthings' blog.

The second photo is a strange one - I'm button-phobic (one of the top ten most common phobias before you laugh) but linen buttons and jeans buttons have never really given me the urge to gag or wash my hands.
I have no idea why.

via Pale.

Fellow costume designer sharing Middle Eastern research  - The costumer.