When I first started this blog, I was an unemployed costumer attempting to create period gowns and costumes with very limited means. Although now employed, I still try to be as thrifty as possible. I am still "The Broke Costumer"!

In addition to posts about the outfits I make on a budget, this blog includes short research articles on fashion, history, accessories, styles, or whatever interests me at the moment.


I hope you enjoy my journey into the land of inexpensive costuming and short articles.




Sunday, August 21, 2016

Tiki Oasis Thursday/Friday-Party on Monster Island!

Time for Tiki Oasis again. Thursday night through Sunday night full of retro Polynesian, 60s pop culture and tiki wonder. Live bands, dance performances, burlesque, Mai Tais, symposiums, vendors, car show, continuous pool party (mermaids!), Mai Tais, costume contests, Miss Tiki Oasis contest and Mai Tais. Every year there is a theme, and this year's theme is Monster Island. Check out their website Here
 
Thursday night is held at the Bali Hai, an opening night reception with dinner available, live entertainment and socializing. It seems that a lot of people dress in Hawaiian attire for this first evening, and I have each year. I have been wearing long mumus to the Bali Hai evening, but this year I decided to wear a short dress.

 I had an entire draft of a post written about a dress I made. I wrote about every step I did, how I used a yard and an eighth piece of awesome tiki fabric and combined it with a solid color. It turned into a disaster, and I threw it in the corner. So, with 3 days to go until the first night, I raided my closet. I found a Hawaiian print dress I wore to Palm Springs a few years ago. I never blogged about it, so I am sharing it now.  Here is a photo of of me from 2014, at an event which the artist Shag attended.  The fabric has plumeria and hibiscus and is very summery. The pattern I believe I used was a New Look pattern by Simplicity. It has a side zipper, which I like, as it leaves the back smooth.  Here is a photo taken in a photo booth at the Bali Hai.

















 FRIDAY - MONSTER MASH!

Monsters galore! I grew up watching classic monster flicks: Frankenstein, The Wolfman, The Mummy, Dracula and my favorite, Creature from the Black Lagoon! My brother collected and made all the Aurora plastic Monster model kits. My father taught us how to create bloody scars and all kinds of make up tricks. For Halloween we set up Frankenstein's lab in our front hallway, with foil lined walls, electrodes and Jacob's ladders which crackled and shot off electric current. A severed hand in a bubbling fish tank that was eerily lit. So I was excited for this year's Tiki Oasis theme.

I  already have a classic Universal monster dress which I have worn several times to other events. I decided to crank out a quick dress, using a different monster fabric. This one has fake movie posters on it - vampires, zombies and the Glob! I used a pattern I had made before for my mid century modern house dress. See it here



3 yards Fabric $21.00





























  
The first night, I cut out all the pieces, sewed the pleats in the skirt waist and sewed skirt together. I made the sleeves and set aside. This took about 2 hours. The second night, I put darts in the bodice pieces and sewed them to the skirt, prepared and attached the facings, put in the zipper and sewed the sleeves in. Another 2 hours, and all done!

Above left is a photo of a fitting, pre-sleeves and hem. Cute and easy.   Above right is a photo in front of the stage, which is being set up for the night concert. Left is at the concert, and the monsters are starting to appear!      

















The King of Monster Island!

End of the night room party.....see you on Saturday :)


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