Now that we’re pushing a mere nine weeks until Costume College 2019, I’m in full sewing mode to get a few things completed. With a toddler, this turns my usual “Month of Insanity” (aka July) – to a Quarter of Insanity.
You may have read about the new group – BUB: Butt Ugly Brigade – that was born last fall from a random comment from a stranger on the internet. -sigh-
For 2019 we decided to make our ugliest and tackiest costumes to display as a group at the Friday Night Social at Costume College. So, here I am currently working to get my own BUB costume done.
Now a bit of explanation.
There have been loads of questions as to the difference between a BUB costume and a “Dress of Wrong.”
My friend, The Lady Detalle, created our lovely Dress of Wrong (DoW) group in 2018. These creative costumes take well designed historical silhouettes but are built from drastically inappropriate and “wrong” fabrics. You can see above my 1884 Steelers Royalty bustle dress that is complete in 1880s silhouette yet uses modern print fabric.
The BUB takes this a bit further. Our BUB group believes that “All Costumes Are Awesome!”
So taking ANY costume idea and making it with horrid fabric is still celebrated in our group because we promote the CREATIVITY of it above all.
I’ve had my fabric collected for many months. Although, a few of the pieces have been switched out as I worked on the design. (The skirt fabric was pulled back out of my de-stash pile, and I just don’t know what the color is supposed to be. Perfect for a BUB ensemble!)
The chevron blouse in peach & gray (above) was completed a couple months ago. Now it’s onto the skirt and jacket.
Sewing is coming along on the tragically beautiful jacket. The fabric has been growing on me in like-ability, but I think it’s perfectly awful for the jacket design. hehe…
The other day I had to run to the fabric store for some (coordinating) lining fabric and buttons for the jacket.
My husband and I had so much fun finding the most hideous notions and colors! Ha! What a boost to switch up the creative thinking by purposely selecting “ugly” materials!
I even got some glitter ribbon for the BUB hat that I’ll be pleating using one of my tutorials in my online Ribbon Trim class. This is going to be one ugly, or rather, Butt Ugly costume! So much fun. Stay tuned.
One needn’t really go out of one’s way to make a BUB historical dress, just check Godey’s lady’s books & make note of their fabrics. 1800s were super gaudy! My great grandmother’s antique garments & etc – oh my gosh, TONS of heavy fabrics with all sorts of added on fabric flowers, oh my how did they keep from fainting? the necklines- the heaviness of all that fabric! I recall one very black satin voile gown? it mayve been a mourning dress, & even though I was a 25″ waist at the time it was like doll clothes to me. People were tiny too.
What a delicious challenge! My mother always made inappropriate pairings to wear, which I just could not understand. However, when I had a little girl I gained some insight that helped me understand what my mother was doing. My daughter chose to wear her favorite clothing pieces, all at the same time. That is what my mother had been doing. My daughter grew out of that phase to make great choices, Mom never did…
Oh dear, my mom also, is fabric coordinating challenged. Her technique is above reproach, but her fabric choices, well… As you said, she has not grown out of that phase.