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Corset fittings and public personas
Mar. 27th, 2010 04:29 pmI went to Scoundrelle's Keep this morning to get fitted for a new ensemble. This will consist of a black silk corset, black ruffly/steampunky blouse and a black waterfall skirt with some lace trim when it is complete and I will look something like a middle-aged Victorian vampire with an excellent dressmaker. Not sure what I will end up doing with my hair but no doubt inspiration will strike when things are further along. Why I'm doing this now, after generally being a con goer/filthy pro not known for either garb or costumes, is a different story.
Some of it is that I am turning 47 on Tuesday. I've been contemplating getting an interesting outfit of a steampunky variety for awhile and I like to schedule big, flashy things around Occasions. I have also been assured that my back will be happier when corseted, which I look forward to finding out. In addition, I will also admit to vanity; I am a gal who likes her outfits and they are harder to come by when one is of a certain stature and build, particularly when one also has strong feelings about looking silly (variously defined). And I'm feeling a bit frumpy. I do not like feeling frumpy. It is bad for my self-image.
At the same time, there are interesting and prevalent opinions about Writers Who Dress Up. One school of thought is that a filthy pro must never, ever do this. The price of anything resembling is a costume is that you will immediately get taken less seriously by the numerous roving agents/editors/publishers/other writers and miscellaneous flora and fauna assumed to roam through every con. This is less of a concern for me than it might have been once. My experience is that flamboyance generally doesn't make much difference, but that may be because I am published and have begun to receive my tiny modicum of fame, rather than still trying to sell something, anything. I might also add I am aware that there are "hip and cool" fandoms to dress up in and suspect that may also make a difference in how the costumed author is perceived - steampunk good, Star Trek dubious and so forth. I have also observed that while the occasional pro may sneer, fans generally love it, especially if it looks good. And they're the ones who usually buy the books, run the cons and generally make fandom function.
There are, of course, plenty of writers who ignore the mortal terror of Being Taken Less Seriously, and wear whatever they please. In my experience, this group is often a lot of fun to hang out with. Dressing up and knowing you do it reasonably well (even if only by your own standards) is fun and often confidence-boosting. The clothes make the writer in this sense, and you can take your shy, socially-inept self out and become someone else, even for a little while. One of the beauties of fandom in its many guises is that there is such a remarkable range of things to experiment with.
Your thoughts? And yes, when it's ready, I will try and post a decent picture. :-)
Some of it is that I am turning 47 on Tuesday. I've been contemplating getting an interesting outfit of a steampunky variety for awhile and I like to schedule big, flashy things around Occasions. I have also been assured that my back will be happier when corseted, which I look forward to finding out. In addition, I will also admit to vanity; I am a gal who likes her outfits and they are harder to come by when one is of a certain stature and build, particularly when one also has strong feelings about looking silly (variously defined). And I'm feeling a bit frumpy. I do not like feeling frumpy. It is bad for my self-image.
At the same time, there are interesting and prevalent opinions about Writers Who Dress Up. One school of thought is that a filthy pro must never, ever do this. The price of anything resembling is a costume is that you will immediately get taken less seriously by the numerous roving agents/editors/publishers/other writers and miscellaneous flora and fauna assumed to roam through every con. This is less of a concern for me than it might have been once. My experience is that flamboyance generally doesn't make much difference, but that may be because I am published and have begun to receive my tiny modicum of fame, rather than still trying to sell something, anything. I might also add I am aware that there are "hip and cool" fandoms to dress up in and suspect that may also make a difference in how the costumed author is perceived - steampunk good, Star Trek dubious and so forth. I have also observed that while the occasional pro may sneer, fans generally love it, especially if it looks good. And they're the ones who usually buy the books, run the cons and generally make fandom function.
There are, of course, plenty of writers who ignore the mortal terror of Being Taken Less Seriously, and wear whatever they please. In my experience, this group is often a lot of fun to hang out with. Dressing up and knowing you do it reasonably well (even if only by your own standards) is fun and often confidence-boosting. The clothes make the writer in this sense, and you can take your shy, socially-inept self out and become someone else, even for a little while. One of the beauties of fandom in its many guises is that there is such a remarkable range of things to experiment with.
Your thoughts? And yes, when it's ready, I will try and post a decent picture. :-)