In the last year or so conversations have come up regarding bullying and unkindness happening – more often than before – in our small community. My post on perfectionism touched on how striving for the (elusive) perfect costume project can blind us in applying our own rules of historical accuracy to everyone else’s creative work.
Unfortunately, intimidation and bullying occur in all industries – including our beloved historical costuming circle.
I strive to create a “Joyful Community” here. I constantly monitor my “Historical Sewing” social media accounts to keep conversations kind, respectful and meaningful. I’m not afraid to hide, delete and ban comments and commenters that bring too much heaviness and negativity to the posts.
You might be thinking now, what does this have to do with this “Butt Ugly Brigade?”
See, I made a post on the Facebook page of my recently finished 1884 Steelers Royalty bustle dress that many followers had been waiting to see.
The dress was made for our Costume College 2018 group: the Dress of Wrong. The project description means you create a historical ensemble with accurate silhouette and undergarments but use obviously wrong fabric. (Think a Regency dress out of Snoopy fabric.)
With the main theme of the event being “Dressing the Royals” I came up with merging our family’s favorite sports team – the only NFL team to win six Superbowls – with my favorite historical fashion era.
It was truly a Dress of Wrong; however, I purposely only used the Steeler logo print fabric in the overskirt so I could repurpose the underskirt and bodice later (‘cause, why not get more mileage out it, right??).
So on the Facebook post a random stranger said: “What is that print thing hanging from the dress? It looks like old, used pajamas! The yellow and black is pretty, but ditch that print thing! It is butt ugly!”
Seriously.
-Sigh- Oh, those anonymous comments made behind a screen!
After a few years of dealing with *thousands* of followers on social media, I’ve learned to be a duck…. And let words roll off my back like water off a duck.
Some of my friends took a stand for me and replied back to the original commenter. (Grace and peace to her.)
I knew I didn’t make my (very fun and well-received) Dress of Wrong ensemble for this particular person.
I made it for me. To have fun being creative with a historical mash-up dress.
The story now goes: I took a screenshot of the comment and shared to my personal FB page. “Ha! I made something “butt ugly.” [See… let it roll off your back and don’t be so bothered by negativity you see online.]
Through a fun and interesting thread of conversation there, my friend, Jeanette, suggested “we do a Butt Ugly theme next year [for Costume College].”
Side Note: the 2019 theme for Costume College is “What’s that Fabric?”
And this is how you make lemonade with the lemons that are thrown your way…. You start a new group and call it the BUB – The Butt Ugly Brigade.
“What’s that fabric?”
“I don’t know, but it’s butt ugly!”
THIS is how you fight the bullying in our costuming community – with JOY and CREATIVITY and finding the LIGHT.
Our little group grew to over 100 members in a day! (yowzers)
And I’ve been truly amazed at what has come from a single “butt ugly” comment about my own costume. We’ve bonded together to stand for all types of creative work and the freedom to “be you” in your costuming.
We are taking those ugly, awful, hideous fabrics buried in the stash, hanging at the thrift store, or on the clearance rack at the fabric shop and turning them into artistic projects – pom-pom fringe and Bedazzled alike.
Honestly, this group has *exploded* so quickly, and we now have mini-groups doing funky vintage aprons and others making royal orders devoted to Liberace.
Ha! Yes, we are bringing it ALL!
As a group we want to:
- Show the world we support others within our small industry.
- To encourage each other…. even when we have on the most disgusting costume and not the fabulous Worth reproduction.
- To recognize the work that went into a particular project.
- To raise each other up as members of the worldwide costuming community.
- To grow together as we journey this creative road. No matter where we are at on that road or the current goals we are working towards as individuals.
Even if you aren’t attending Costume College in 2019, you can join our Butt Ugly Brigade (BUB) commitment by spurring others on in their costuming. To offer support and guidance to someone even if their creative work doesn’t appeal to your own sensibilities. <—– REALLY IMPORTANT
That one who is researching weaves of historical textiles to replicate them and the one hot gluing trim to the hem and everyone in between – we are all in this together.
Combat those awful, random stranger comments by keep moving forward. And keep sharing your creativity with the world – butt ugly or not.
Great dress, l love the idea of historical mash ups, l am limited by money and my unwillingness to wear a corset, but I love the thought of an adapted version of historical styles that l can run (hobble) for a bus in. I made an 1890s style dress from a roll of furnishing fabric found in a charity shop. No boning, and it has a zip but l love it
Mash-ups are so fun!
And I’m pivoting my focus exactly as you wrote: to adapt historical fashion styles into modern wardrobe pieces. It’s been done in modern runway shows, but I want to continue to inspire by sewing them ourselves. Thanks for commenting on our BUB group!
I would like to make dresses that have a historical silhouette, but I use beautiful fabric or techniques and notions that all modern. There is so much beautiful fabric now days and a lot of the fabric in the old days just isn’t that Pretty to me. Of course when I watch historical dramas or outlander when they were in France there was some gorgeous fabric. There was a post on Facebook about a woman in New York who wears her gowns Every day and she does not Care what. What time she combines in her dress. I would like to wear their school clothes every day too.
Dear Jennifer,
We should organize a BUB ball!
thank you for your kindness and openness.. In another post you wrote: ” There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to make a period garment. But, there are “better” or “best” ways to follow in your sewing.” I would add and in your fabric, trim, …, choice, etc, etc.
Let’s try our best and enjoy what we are sewing. Thank you for your help, you nice, smart perfectionnist!
Should I ask a question: Is the bertha collar mandatory on a mid-19th-century ball gown? I am making a dress based on Mary Lincoln’s purple evening dress and I don’t want to ruin my lovely contrasting selfpiping on the one hand, but on the other hand I definitly want to look as “plausible” as possible. What do you think? many thanks
Cheers!
A bertha of some sort would be in line with general fashion of the time. You could make it up separately then attach just below the piped neckline (where, I think you have it but didn’t say).
Thank you so much. As always you are right, and yes I want to be “in line ” with général fashion of the time “. So let.s havé à detachable Bertha. The neckline is piped and Will not suffer because of the Bertha. I was mostly concerned by the “vertical ” piping (along the front and back pieces)It.s very pretty (and dramatic) and I don.t want it to be hidden. Maybe I should make a narrow Bertha with a narrow lace. I am not an expert and On Mary Lincoln.s purple dress I can.t say what is missing and what has never been there. (Sorry for my terrible English).
Take care
I found this interpretation sketch that shows neckline trims you could use for inspiration.
Wonderful! Thank you so Very much. I ´ve found this sketch too but I needed an expert to confirm if it was historicaly acurate. That’s what I call a narrow Bertha. I hope you won’t be disappointed by my lace choice : 6 cm black vintage Calais, because I haven’t got any narrow antique Chantilly. I will sew the lace to either to a 1.5cm bias (plus piping) or to an inch wide sophisticately pleated strip (see princess de Broglie by Ingres, 1853 or duchesse d’Aumale by winterhalter, 1846).
If I may, and if i am able to do it) I Will send you a picture when it’s finished.
Hope you won’t say: Perfect for the bub show!
Happy week-end
I have done most of my costume work as a reenactor, and have strived to be as correct a possible; meaning lots of fails, and several BU designs . I have also been a part of those who should know better but have been stupid enough to believe that I have the right to tell others when they are wrong. (I have been working on stopping that). I love the BUB idea! I think that it is part of the reason so many of us really get into costuming in the first place, but get side tracked into thinking that we MUST do things the ONLY CORRECT way. Bravo! Thank you!
I thought you gown was creative and have a fellow cowboy shooter who had made a gown out of her beloved football fabric. It was unique and I thought quite clever! I liked how you have yours as separate overskirt making it easy to interchange to another later. How rude hat someone should not think about this clever idea properly. I love the butt ugly idea but yours truly wasn’t. 😘😘😘
Love it love it! Great idea..
This spin off group truly encompasses all that we as seamstresses (of ALL levels) are striving for…. making art we love and having fun!!! Well done (again) Lady Rosbrugh
Thank you, Jennifer!
Well met, my Lady, well met indeed!
My first visit to a large ren faire, Northern Renaissance Faire, by the Living History group, had my eyes popping out of their sockets and my brain whirling on “puree” as I wandered through the faire with my friends. God’s teeth!! There was so much to see. My thoughts ran through the full gamut of “that ‘s perfect”, “look at the DETAILS in that”, “she/he must be a patron”, “she is going to be SOOOO sunburned”, “what in the….!!!” And then….I saw them…. this delightful couple had taken Olefin couch fabric in a brilliant 70’s plaid to make pattern accurate Elizabethan gown, doublet and pumpkin trunks. Stopped me in my tracks! It also inspired me to make a “Dress Wrong” project of my own – in camouflage! camo netting veils off the graduated brass shell casing enhanced french hood, brass shell casings as the aglets on the sleeve ties, military surplus bags for a privy pouch, my dress was khaki and my friend’s was olive drab with ripstop camo as the underskirts and sleeve slashings. We used hopsack to make the chemises with hemp ties at the neck and the wrists. Oh – finishing touch – canteen cups! We even tied a little camo netting with shell casing “aglets” to the canteen cups as we wandered about. Had a blast!! And got asked to leave the faire!! Do I have pictures? No! May have to do it again! LOL! Thank you so much! Funny how people’s criticism can bring forth such fond memories .
Sounds like much fun! But sorry you had to leave.
thank you for this post! I am not a sewer, so I can only dream of what you can all do. However, I have a talent for cobbling things together out of found modern clothing, and refashioning straw clamdigger hats from Party City, into pretty darn good 1890s milinary. Thank you for recognizing all of us who love historic fashion !
Glad to have you part of our Joyful Community, Suzanne!
I think BUB is a great idea to lighten the mood and still stay on the track for authenticity.
I must say that I was relieved that only the over-skirt was inappropriate fabric because, as usual, your gown is fabulous.
Thanks, Paula. I designed it as such so I can wear the foundation skirt and bodice with more authentic events. 🙂
I love the BUB. Thanks for addressing this and helping us laugh. Some people take everything so seriously, we start to get a little paranoid about the technicalities. It helps to step back and take a broader view. I also think it is unkind to criticize someone who may be just learning instead of trying to help.
Even those of us who LOVE to do all the delicious details of historical sewing can get wrapped up too often, as you say. It’s important to do something different to both revive our passion for historical challenges as well as see the creative process differently. It also brings attention to those who aren’t at our level yet and be kind.
I saw you in your Steelers dress at CoCo2019 and I thought it was both fabulous and hilarious! I am now inspired to make my own butt-ugly but fabulous creation!
Yes!
Right on, Jennifer. Count me in the BUB group. I just might get a BUB outfit made for next year’s College. Gayle
YES! Roll With IT, Girl!!!! You need a certain–um–jene se qua—or gene of ridiculousness–or something –to make very out of fashion clothing and actually wear it in public, in the first place. Hold your head high and do it for the fun of it! I’m right there with you as are all the others who have joined The BUB! The naysayers don’t even signify..
It’s sad that if you don’t fall into a certain mold, you are wrong!!!! We have a family business, screen Printing and Embroidery, we are always outside the mold!!!! Creativity is Ones own thought!!! I remember when my husband was in college doing an art project, the Professor didn’t like the way it looked. He had to go change his weaving to suit his professor!! Really, where is Your creativity accepted??
Hey, do you know Black Creek Pioneer Village?
I have not heard of it.
Great idea! I need a project that will let me laugh my way through it. I have longed to make a butt-ugly ridiculous dress and I have enough odd fabrics and a myriad of tassels and fringe that have been looking for a home. You’ve inspired me and I hope to get it done to wear for Halloween events at the historic site where I work. My goal is to achieve a dress that will inspire oohs & ahhs from a distance, and then a chorus of OMG’s when people get close enough to see what it’s actually made of.
Yes!! That is exactly the idea! Have fun. 🙂