Day of Wrong costumes

Playtrons of the Bristol Faire have embraced the tradition of having
a “Day of Wrong” — where the idea is to wear something totally wrong, especially as compared to what you would normally wear. It’s sort of a chance to bust out a little and make something in a different style, weird people out, and what have you. I’ve seen people make some amazingly creative, time intense costumes to wear for just one day, and the visual puns abound. Anyway, I’d never bothered to put up photos of costumes I’ve made for DoW, because they’re not ‘bethan. But I’ve recently decided I should be a little less of a stick in the mud, so here they are. Look, I can sew something without proper skirts!
2004

This year’s fashionably Wrong offering was a pirate costume.
What’s wrong with that? Well, an astute observer will note that that’s
an early colonial frock coat fitted over a late victorian corset, with
a pair of modern high heeled boots and topped off with a heavily feathered
straw tricorn. It’s sort of “The Worst of Hollywood Pirates on Holiday”.

In the interest of being extremely wrong (for me), I even
tried to use a pattern. I mean, I bought a pattern, and I cut the pieces
out. I even laid them down on the fabric. Then I did a little origami,
basically, and overlaid the pieces of my corset pattern, and cut where
I bloody well felt like it. I hate using other people’s patterns…. The
velvet for the coat started out maroon. I’d done a test bleach swatch,
and it turned a lovely rose color. A rose colored pirate? How delightfully
wrong! Unfortunately, when I put the coat together and threw it into a
much larger bleach bath, it turned coral. I don’t know why. It’s still
pretty.

I did do one other (unintentional) wrong thing on this
one. For the first time *ever*, I got a finger in the way of my sewing
machine. Sewed clear through it, right next to the nail. My advice to
you: don’t do that. It hurts.

2003

Well, the next Wrong offering was a little fey costume.
Do fairies wear victorian corsets? Eh, prolly not. Look, it’s the Day
of *wrong*, not the Day of Realistic Fantasy. Anyway, it’s a silk victorian
over a lot of poofed tulle and a few fringed scarves. All accessories
were provided by local trees and plants. I actually spend most of the
day adding leaves and things to my hair and, well, anywhere they’d stay.
I’d have looked like a rather motley hedge by the end of the day, if I
haven’t also spend the day shedding little bits of foliage as I moved.

The local Archbishop (from the court) made the mistake of trying
to have a chat with me about my “pagan ways” (read: intriguing lack of clothing). But he was
kinda dull, so I decorated him with leaves and petals. Now *that’s* entertainment.

2002

The first Wrong thing I did was a little belly dancer
(ish — heavy emphasis in the “ish” here) getup. The top think is actually
a very abbreviated corset (think “elizabethan sports bra”), and the bottom
is a couple sheer skirts with a fancy beaded sash at the top. And yes,
regardless of what the “health and fitness” industry has to say about
tummies that aren’t flat, I’m pretty comfortable with my lil’ jelly belly
there. I got thin enough to lose the marshmallow fluff for a while, and
frankly, it didn’t look right.