Inspiration and Interpretation

As the day of our annual meal approaches I began to think of how I got inspired for previous costumes and the results that came from it.

I do tend to spend quite a while foraging through google images for something that starts as a spark and then works its way through to the final costume.

With Snow White I decided I was definitely not going for the Disney version, I felt it too childlike for our principal girl!

I had stashed away a lovely pink and silver sari and wanted to keep that colour scheme with a dress that stood out from all other costumes. 

After filtering out ball gowns and historical dress styles I came across this dress by Basil Soda and fell in love.  Now I know I am not a top designer and there is no way I could do that for real, but I decided this was the dress to base my Snow White on.

It became a basic empire line with floaty bits of silver ribbon, then I made the ‘butterfly’ into a large appliqué with strips of different silver and pink fabrics.  I attempted a go at the shoulders and ended up with something I was pleased to see my daughter wearing on stage...even if it does lack some of the skill in the original.

In Robin Hood I decided Will Scarlett needed to be a warrior type and had wonderful images of leather shoulder armour.  Then I saw the film ‘King Arthur’ and was immediately drawn to the armour they wore.

Of course, being limited again, I did not have the budget or ability to make proper leather armour but did get hold of some plastic leather type fabric and played around with it, and some glue and split pins and came up with this;

I am really hoping that this year, some of the ideas I have rambling around in my mind will be given the time and budget to all come to fruition.  But don't feel you are restricted to what you look at to be inspired, you never know how you will be able to interpret those initial designs into something within your budget!