Costume quandaries (aka I suck at decisions)

[castalia]

I am making good progress on a steampunk costume for Dragon*Con, though I may or may not be able to incorporate the ray gun I made earlier this year. The more I think about it, the more I want to go with a sort of Victorian naturalist character, as I could play with specimen cases and jars and all sorts of little accessories to dangle on my person.

I am currently busy on an Eton Jacket, which I plan to wear over a blouse and a boned corselet I've already completed, made out of a faux tooled leather jacquard. These will be worn with the short version of this split skirt, without all that fringe of course. And boots.

Where I fall down idea-wise is the hat. I'd like to have a hat, b/c I like hats and they make outfits seem more finished somehow. The options I'm considering are 1) Make a hat, and 2) Buy a cowboy hat and call it a day.

For option 1, I've found a cool site that offers Victorian hat patterns and kits, complete with everything one needs to make a buckram frame and the instructions to cover it with the fabric of one's choosing. You can see finished hats at this site - lots of variety and it's easy to change the style just by bending the brim. At around $35, this isn't a terribly expensive option, and I'd get the satisfaction of having a finished product I made myself. I'm considering the Audrey or the Julie, but I can't make up my mind.

As for option 2, it'd actually be a bit cheaper and obviously less work. Sierra Trading Post has a bunch of cowboy hats on sale for $20-$25 each, which isn't bad. I could get a crushable one which would pack well, this more curvy model, a pinch-front Stetson, or for a little more a Kakadu Langston slicker hat or cowhide hat. STP is forever having sales and free shipping options, so it would be pretty affordable and all I'd have to do is maybe adjust the bands or stick a feather in there, etc.

To the costumers on my flist, what say you? I'm not really going for the high society look or anything very froofy, so if I make a hat it'll likely be something that would look a little more outdoorsy and rugged anyway.

Have a poll:

[Poll #1436360]

Comments

[delle.livejournal.com]

here's my question: tell me about your steampunk character. is she american? british? something else? I wouldn't recommend a cowboy hat unless she's american... and even then I tend to think of steampunk ladies as being more educated, more refined than a pioneer/western woman. JMVHO.

So I voted for "Julie"



(I may be doing a quick steampunk too - just doing a split skirt to put with my Mina blouse (not that my Mina blouse is done...) do you have any interest in doing an easy BSG costume - "easy" as in "buy it off the Net"?)

[deborak]

Hey, we'll have to get photos together. Bill and I both have Victorian gear (although mine is pseudo Edwardian because the line suits me better). I have pics to post that I haven't gotten to yet. As for hats, I think a steampunked up visor or newsboy cap would fit better with this persona. I have to go down to the costume shop in Carytown tomorrow and get Bill a derby and pick out something for my "refined steampunk lady" outfit.

[keleos.livejournal.com]

What size is your head? I ordered a hat for my costume, which I'm realizing now would SO not have been finished in time for D*C, thank goodness I have another year. But it's too small. You, though, might have a littler head than me.

And I think what Deb is talking about with the newsboy cap is something like this:

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/products/mh/NMD3546_mh.jpg

I mean that kind of shape and so forth, not the material obviously. Is that right, Deb?

[mir280.livejournal.com]

0_o That urn thing is creeeeeepy!!! And now there is to be a group pic which means I HAVE to get my butt in gear and make my costume. I have never waited this long to start one before:( Eeeeep!