a great costuming start to 2015

My first costume of 2015! Not only did I finish this costume in time for my friend Tina's birthday tea on Saturday but I took PHOTOS! No one faint!

 

   
   

So 2015 is already off to a great costuming start!
This Titanic-inspired frock has been two years in the making, with lots of false starts and stops. It's spent a lot of time languishing in my pending bin! But I finally finished the sucker and I love it! Can't wait to wear it again...

   
   

I'll be working on a more detailed post on how I made this in the coming weeks

2014 in review

I haven't done a costume recap in ages but it seems the thing to do this year so here we go!

My 2014 was a huge roller coaster ride of real life dramas and challenges as I finished cosmetology school, turned 35 and started down the path of my new career. In between all that craziness I traveled, reconnected with friends, hostessed, rearranged the house and so much more. How I managed to get any costuming done I'll never know but I did.

The list isn't very long but considering my lack of time and Real Life distractions it's surprising deep and full of quality - garments I'm truly proud of and that I loved wearing. I'm at point in my costuming career where costuming happiness or success can't be measured in the length of my completed list or how many events I went to (and made a new outfit for). It's just not my lifestyle or my desire anymore. Its all about joy now, joy in being creative, joy in spending time with great people and joy in a project well done. And joy in feeling like a Pretty, Pretty Princess of course. Hey maybe I'm getting pretty good at this grown-up balancing act after all! Well except for the taking pictures and blogging part. I need to work on that in 2015.

 

   
Birthday Dress
A robe Robe Parée cut in the style of a robe à l'Anglaise. Because big birthdays need lots of sequins and champagne. It's a rare and wonderful thing when a costume actually fulfills all your original visions and comes out just as you wanted it to. This is one of those costumes. *Sigh*

 

     
Birthday Jacket
I threw this together at the last minute, having spent all my focus on the birthday dress and Bridget's Chemise gown. Oh and sitting for my Cosmetology license. You know little things like that. A wool petticoat with a cotton velvet jacket. In the end it's not my favorite nor the most flattering thing I made in 2014. Oh well, it did what it needed to do for the event and it was fun to give my Big Green Hat another wearing.

 

     
Bridget's Black Chemise á la Reine
This is just about the only picture I have of Bridget's black Chemise á la Reine, which is a shame becasue it's really pretty and I worked really hard on it. Merh.

 

   
Blue Banyan
And yet another costume I have no decent photos of. I know - I suck. It's totally getto-fabulous constuction-wise but it's finished! I've only been meaning to make this for 4 years...

 

     
Roman Costume
I'll admit it, this was a total cheater-closet costume, but I loved wearing it. A Ross-Dress-For-Less dress, a length of silk chiffon and lots of gold jewelry. Really it was an excuse to do the hair. Because I needed that hair!

 

     
Purple Francaise
A hair-raising up to the last minute project and with only about 30% of it's planned trimming attached - I'm never the less proud of this frock. The fit is darn good and while far from perfect it's not anywhere as Ghetto-Fabulous as my first Française. In fact there is a lot of finishing/construction work that makes me quite happy with myself. You'll be seeing more of this dress in 2015. (And I mean "more" in every sense of the word!)

 

1790s Pleated Yellow Over-Robe

Finished in the first week of the new year, I'm so proud of this robe. It's about 90% hand-sewn (a first for me!) and a joy to wear. Despite having worn it twice I don't really have good photos of it, clearly something I need to fix in 2015. Oh darn I'll have to wear it again, what a shame.

 

modern 18th century cosmetics

{photo credit: For the Joy & Jennylafleur}

For Taylor's make-up I did a modern take 18th century cosmetics. I airbrushed her foundation in a pale shade to give her the creamy complexion so admired at the time. Defined eyebrows, cream blush on the eyelids & cheeks and a berry lip stain completed the look.

| Photos: For the Joy |
| Hair & MUA: Jennylafleur |
| Model, Gown & Jewelry: Dames a la Mode |

towering hair

{photo credit: For the Joy}

Inspired by the towering hairstyles of the late 1770s (and Taylor's luxurious head of hair), I created one of my favorite historical hairstyles for our recent photoshoot.

{photo credit: For the Joy & Jennylafleur}

I used a frame made of hair donuts & wire as my under-structure and faux hair rolls (or "boucles") to accent the finished style - the rest was all Taylor's own hair. Whew! The very front was curled and teased for texture and to add softness to the face.

Materials used:
frame
bobby pins
Paul Mitchell Spray Wax (for back loop)
Paul Mitchell Extra Body Finishing Spray

| Photos: For the Joy |
| Hair & MUA: Jennylafleur |
| Model, Gown & Jewelry: Dames a la Mode |

stunning images

{photo credit: For the Joy}

I can't decide what looks more beautiful; the lovely proprietress of Dames a la Mode, her sparkly jewelry or the stunning images that For The Joy Photography captured of it all! What fun to work with such talented ladies

See more of the photoshoot on the For The Joy Photography Blog.

| Photos: For the Joy |
| Hair & MUA: Jennylafleur |
| Model, Gown & Jewelry: Dames a la Mode |

video: washing make-up brushes

A little video my friends and my Mary Kay customers have been asking for!

hairspray for the win

{photo credit: For the Joy}

More behind the scenes from our photoshoot! Hairspray for the win!

| Photos: For the Joy |
| Hair & MUA: Jennylafleur |
| Model, Gown & Jewelry: Dames a la Mode |

18th century sparkles

Today's photoshoot was so much fun - I can't wait to see the results! Thanks For For The Joy Photography & Dames a la Mode, you ladies are awesome!!

A Head for Fashion

Thanks to the incredible generosity of a scholarship from Sense & Sensibility Patterns, I spent last weekend in Colonial Williamsburg attending the Conference "A Head For Fashion: Hair, Wigs, Cosmetics & Jewelry" - it was great! It was such a joy attend an event that combined my two passions, hairdressing & history!

a fall portrait

Photos: For the Joy Photography {blog | FB}
Hair & Make-up: Jenny-Rose White
Model: Meredith Lackie

regency hair photoshoot

Another day, another photo shoot to style! This time some Regency inspired hair- can't wait to see the finished results!

18th Century Hair & Wig Styling

I can't tell you how excited I am about the publication of 18th Century Hair & Wig Styling by Kendra Van Cleve! Not only is Kendra a fabulously talented costumer & wig stylist but she is also a meticulous researcher and clever writer. I've taken several of her excellent 18th century hair and make-up classes at Costume College and I'm so excited to have all that information (and more since she has been doing even more research and styling for this project) at my fingertips in book form. Really it's hard to say what I'm more excited to get my grubby hands on, the over 20 women’s & men’s hair styles demonstrated in the book or the yummy research/history. Either way this book fills a much needed gap and is sure to become a much referenced and treasured resource.

Of course this project can only happen if she gets enough funding to self-publish this book. She is offering pre-order sales, with discounts and extra goodies but the offers end January 31st 2014. If you are at all interested in hair, wigs and/or the 18th century pre-order while you still can so we can all enjoy the wealth of info Kendra wants to share with us! Because if this project falls through and there is no book I will sit down and weep. A lot.

Please don't make me cry.

To pre-order or contribute to the book, go to Indiegogo.

For more info about Kendra & the book, visit the website.

For the lastest updates and more info on the project, like the Facebook page!

survival of the fittest - now in article form!

I'm so excited, my first article published on Your Wardrobe Unlocked is now live!

Survival of the Fittest: how to fit yourself by yourself is based on the classes I've taught at Costume College and Dress U. A paid subscription is required to read YWU articles but there are lots of other goodies on the site if you are into this sort of thing... :>

Stylin' à La Fleur

Pride & Prejudice Tea

{photo courtesy of Kat}

I just realized I never posted about this event - bad Jenny-Rose! I had an uber FABULOUS time partying with my Fabulousity Club peeps last month. Kat hosted a lovely tea on her lawn, with shopping provided by The Bohemian Belle & Dames a la Mode, much silliness and an endless supply of champagne!

The next day Robin hosted my Mary Kay "Cosmetics for 18th Century Costuming" party (lovingly now referred to as "Whore Make-up") at which we all rouge-ed up, drank more tea and wore tiaras. *sigh* It was such fun - I didn't want to come home!

 

Photo Listing:

{JennylaFleur's Photos}
my photos & my favorites from others

• Gloria | photos | (flicker)
• Kat | photos | (flickr)
• Robin | photos | (flickr)
• Julia | photos | (facebook)
• Amanda | photos | (photobucket)

  
{photo courtesy of Julia}        {photo courtesy of Kat}

    
{photo courtesy of Kat}        {photo courtesy of Kat}

 

Videos:

I only took one stealth video but it captures the "after-party" and some of the trying on of Julia's lovely hats...

not happy with Google right now

Why does Google have to be so mean? With the demise of Google Reader in a few months I have been looking into alternate options. So far The Old Reader and Bloglovin are the ones I like the best but I haven't made a decision of which one to go with. Many of my fellow costuming blogs seem to be going with Bloglin' though so I have registered my blog with them - you can follow my blog with Bloglovin here. For a good article on Google Reader alternatives check out Cratfy Cupboard. I found via Elegant Musings and found it really helpful!

A Week of Williamsburg

A Week of Williamsburg

{Jenny-Rose Photos} - my photos plus my favorites from others
Aubry | photos | (flicker
Katherine | photos | (flickr)
Sara | photos | (flickr)
Nicole | photos | (photobucket)

 

Let me esplain. No it is too much, let me sum up...

I won't say the week didn't have it's challenges (which for me included a nasty migraine day, monthly cramps, an extra trip to Fredericksburg to exchange vehicles, the series of unfortunate decisions, money stress and the disappointment of sewing goal failures) but the low times are already fading away in the bright haze of the awesome times. One thing I can say about this group of ladies is that for our low-lows we balance them with very high-highs.

    
{photos courtesy of Sara & Niccole}

Highs include beautiful gifts given and received, a wonderful dinner at the Blue Talon, a raucous card party (complete with tispy late night dancing and lawn marathons), the All-Hands sewing marathon to finish my Française Noir (the Committee-Made-Dress!), the carriage ride and the following stroll around town with Nicole (the weather was glorious and we all looked so GOOD!), being granted access to the behind the scenes workshop at the Milliners, the conspiracy of the Rumtoptf label, our evening of great sparkle & merriment at the Tavern and a lovely drive home the back way.

I also learned some important things:


1. Katherine cheats at cards. Don't let that innocent demeanor fool you! Guard your chips and cards at all times!

2. Staying in one of the Historic Houses is pricey but worth it. It was so nice to walk out one's door and already be in the Historic Area. It was equally wonderful to be able to pop in and out throughout the day to relax or grab a bite to eat or just get off ones feet and away from the crowds. It was also great to be able to walk just about everywhere we wanted to go. Having our own sitting room was also pretty awesome. We are so spoiled now!

3. The larger the group of costumed friends around you the more you get stopped by tourists for photos. We learned to split up, go a back way or to simply not be in a hurry to get anywhere.

   
{photos courtesy of Aubry, Jennylafleur, Sara}

The pictures tell only part of the story of course, the parts that make me so glad we went on this crazy adventure were really the quiet ones, the moments we enjoyed quiet companionship, our lunches of PB&J sandwiches in our little house, the turns doing dishes (paper plates are for peasants!), lively conversations, little sewing sessions, the teasing and the free borrowing of feathers, bling, caps and everything else. The company of good friends that knew when to let me do my own thing and when I needed company or to be pulled out of myself by force.

{photo courtesy of Sara}

It sucks when your friends are so far-flung but it makes it even more special when you are all together! It was a crazy week, it was a wonderful week. It’s certainly a week I will never forget and one I will cherish for a very long time.