Mother Earth Goddess Gown by Kelsey Byram

I'm getting my Etsy shops going!  ElementalWear Boutique has handmade clothing and costumes, inspired by the elements and by the OtherWorld, that place where dreams come from and past, present, and future exist together. My quilted goddess garment is the highlight of the shop!

Shattered Sky Quilts carries art quilts, functional quilts, and quilted accessories. "My Meditation" is currently listed, and I'm working on quilting purses and messenger bags to be listed too!

HOW is that skirt staying on?

I've fallen into the bad habit of uninspired, straightforward sketches of new clothing ideas and concepts, more like technical blueprints, with no character or concept behind them.  I'm trying to break this habit...here are a couple of sketches:

Sexy warrior-woman!  Totally impractical, also totally hot.

More based in reality.  I am actually going to make this one for sure!

I still have a ways to go, but it feels really nice to be doing this again.  I think that was one downside of getting so busy with school - I resorted to simply the fastest, easiest way to get get the idea down on paper, so I could move on.

These bring up an interesting point... I find that a lot of my designs, specifically those for women, get labeled as "risque" or "slutty."  That isn't the point, and it's kind of sad that if a woman shows off her beauty or shows her stomach or something, she's looked down on.  I think female bodies are beautiful!  And while I do intend for the outfits to be seductive, in a sense, that seduction should come more from the woman's feeling of empowerment and confidence from wearing that outfit, rather than how much skin the outfit is or is not showing. I want women to step into the clothing and feel like a Goddess. No matter her body size or body type, when she wears this piece it helps her stand taller, lift her chin, and know - not just think, but KNOW - that she is sexy and strong and capable. That she can conquer the world. And I know, from years in theatre, that the donning of a costume or outfit really can change a person's demeanor. As a costumer, there have been so many times when I have seen an actor only get partway into a role, until they don that costume - and then suddenly they are this character, and they FEEL like that character. They are no longer just acting like they feel it.

And anyways...personally, I hate having my stomach covered. It's just uncomfortable.  When I wear tops that don't cover my midriff, it's actually more about being comfortable in my clothes, and not about trying to draw any sort of attention.

Cyricx the Ranger

I finished Cyricx's new RenFaire outfit! We are quite happy with it.  The material is a pretty heavy-duty cotton, with several layers in key spots, so hopefully it will stand up to his intense use.  I stayed pretty true to the original design (the concept sketch is in my previous post), since Cyricx and I worked several layers of meaning and intention into the details.  We also had strict requirements for the fit of the outfit, because of the range of movement he needs for spinning.  While we both loved the last pair of pants I made for him that were based on Japanese hakama pants, we soon discovered that the wide legs were a major disadvantage when trying to spin staff, poi, puppyhammer....well, just about anything!

On the right leg: The runes Wunjo, Sowlio, Kenaz, Raidho.

On the left leg: "Tricks of the Light," the name of our performance duo.

 

 The sleeves have a pleated section to allow for extra elbow space and arm movement.  The folded-over cuff is intended to stand up to the heat from Cyricx's nunchucks. 

The sleeves zip off!  (Shhhh! No one can see the zipper.  Lace-on sleeves would be more appropriate, but have you ever tried to lace something on or off in the 30 seconds in between pieces while onstage?  Not doable!)

Oh yeah....and the hood zips off too!

I love how this picture shows off his nice hair... *happy sigh*

 And the adjustable waistband, since our weight fluctuates so much between Faire season and off-season.

I'm still hoping to add beads and shiny things, but when I say shiny I don't be mean bright - I'm imagining earthy copper and bronze.  Just enough to add that metallic glint.