Good evening, Ultimately, it all comes down to taking fabric and turning it into something wonderful, doesn't it? It does not matter if it is modern fashion or historic costume, be it museum quality replica or something to wear by a re-enactment campfire. I had thought that first line would have been the last line, but there you have it. We are all here because fabric, reshaped into something to be worn long ago or now, is the core of our common interest.
In truth, I am sure that our backgrounds are tremendously diverse. Some of us do have backgrounds or current employment in the ready-to-wear industry. Some are theatrical costumers, some historic costumers. Some are just interested in the history, some just interested in the costume, be the interest professional or amateur. It is still all about that fabric and what it became or what it will become. I make clothing for myself - mundane, ordinary clothing, though not necessarily ordinary compared to RTW. I've made clothing for clients, though I am my own favorite client. I've worked in factories where the monthly numbers of garments produced were almost beyond my comprehension. I make costumes, sometimes professionally - like, say, 26 white bodices trimmed in silver for the Snow Corps of The Nutcracker. I was at least smart enough to go out of town when it came time to sew on the 18 hooks/bars pieces to each of those bodices! <big chuckle> I make costumes for me - a big surprise to me, still. I have known of our particular re-enactment group for years, but only recently got actively involved. It is fun. I teach Costume History. I love teaching it because I love what I know of it and I love every new bit of knowledge that I acquire in this area. I love sharing what I know and what other people know. I have a goal to be able to go to the lectures of the live version of my class, dressed for that week or chapter's period...and I am actually starting to see that goal become reality. It is not happening fast, but it is happening. And still, it all comes down to a piece of fabric, shaped and worn, long ago or now...after all, the clothing of now is the historic costume of the future....now THAT's a really scary thought! Hehehehehe A question of textbooks brought to light the issues that we all face in trying to meet our goals in a world where diverse interests are sometimes forced to meet in a small space - a classroom. Sometimes people with diverse interests have to make do with whatever is available locally, in order to scrounge additional learning opportunities for their own interests. Determining curriculum and course content is a challenge when too few classes and classrooms must try to meet the needs of to many differing individuals. Welcome to the challenge of teaching in our modern world. I love this group. It is one of my two top choices when I need direction to new information or guidance in my costume decision-making process, or in my course development process. There is enough diverse background here that I can be sure someone will offer an insight that will help me go in the direction in which I need to proceed, so thank heavens for the apparel production backgrounds and the costume history backgrounds and all the rest of what you all bring to this group. That's all. Laurie _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
