Buggirl's Increasingly Strange Tokyo Tales...

Photographing dancers isn't easy.

I was complemented a great deal on how emotional I am while dancing. I haven't posted the second song from the third stage on line, just the first (that's the drum solo in green)...but it was a bit more emotional. Some of these are from the drum solo, some from the following song.

But, damn, looking at my photos from the third set...for every smiling face there is 3-4 rather astounding looks. I make a LOT of faces...even the O face. But I'm going to assume that that face is just a blip on the non-camera radar and that I'm not one of those dreaded O-face zombie dancers.

(all photos by Nam at www.atelier-nam.com)( Oh! The faces I make. )

We are in the home stretch!

And may I say, some days I love Bhuz. Last week I posted in the swap meet sections to see if anyone had any green skirts they wanted to sell in my size...and now, 6 days later I have my forest green crushed velvet trumpet skirt set (this fabric is discontinued) for 20$ less and 2 weeks quicker than it would cost to special order.

All that is left to do is to finish the fringe on the back, and double check that the decorating is done, and line and hook the belt. Then I'll double check the bra, put extra snaps in and TA-dA

( Costume and human torso. )

It will be ready by Sunday! And on sunday it will be professionally photographed!

I'm a little worried about the brown velvet dress I bought. I was hoping to wear it for my first set.The sender said she'd ship it Global Priority (4-6 buisness days) and that it went out on Jan 19th...but so far no costume.  I might not have time to stitch loose beads and re-line it if it doesn't come tomorrow or the next day...and I think I volunteers to edge a bunch of saris before the show.

I'm pretending like this making costumes thing isn't crazy...as if at NO point this evening did I start to mutter how that *^@#%^ing surry with the fringe on top and the rest of Oklahoma can go screw because I'm the fringe mistress and I control the needle.

You wanna know the sick thing about this?


That is only half the fringe that's going on the front. If you look over to the right hand corner of fringe, you can see how it looks thicker there? with different lenghts? When I'm finished it will be that thick all the way across. And I'm doing it by hand....and thinking about having it finished and ready to wear by February 11th.

Yeah, pretty sick, eh?

Bit by bit the belt is coming along.

General shape:


( close ups )

We have a belt shape.

It's a mix between styles, but overwhelmingly it was felt that I slight V or U shape was more flattering than a straight belt. mekyria also rightly noted that I should probably echo some of the scaloped shapes from my bra decorations.



The HUGE V shape was rejected just because you need HUGE fringe to really make a giant V work, and I'm hand threading each fringe.

Beware, below cut are TORSOS.[Poll #909716][Poll #909716]

I should have bought hooks and eyes when I was at a craft store last, but I assumed I had enough. Tomorrow during lunch I'll walk to the nearest (bare bones) craft place and get some so you can see this on!

The bra is finished and mostly lined. I haven't lined the cups yet because I'll need to try it all on to see if I need padding in it.

After I've hooked, padded, and lined comes the belt...or thinking about the belt while I let my pin-pricked fingers heal a bit. What probably comes next is a picture poll of "these are the belt I have/have made, which cut do you think suits be the best?" while I think.
( Slightly blurry pictures, no flesh. )

I think I'm a few nights away from a finished bra, just a little more cup embellishments and then it'll be time to line and hook it. I decided to break up the negative space on the cup (see right cup) with another line of rhinestones which I will probably edged on one side with dark green beads and small sequins, like the row above it, but in a color closer to the velvet so it adds texture but not too busy. As much as I liked the uninterrupted green velvet space, it also made the cups look a bit huge. I'd like to downplay the cup size.
( Emerald bra )

With the bra nearly finished, it should be about time to get started on my belt. If I were an orderly person I would be working on both at the same time...but when I work on an original costume I only have the vaguest idea of how I will finish it all happens in a rather organic way, I only plan when making something to match a pre-existing bra or belt.

I need to start thinking about what shape I want the belt to take, although I think that belts with a slight V shape on the front look best on my torso.

When I was looking at the lighter green Bella, jellia_jamb asked how my homemade emerald city costume was coming along.

I beaded some more today, while re-watching The Lion in the Winter. I blame my father for that, he sent A Long Dark Journey Into Night recently and that made me want to see Kathrine Hepburn bashing a true equal with acting...thus The Lion.