Finds from the last post

The next photo is a concept sketch for a painting I might do - it's still in the twinkle in a mother's eye stage, but it might begin formation in the next couple of days - I'll keep people posted!

Crafty Updates

I finally made my way out to the "other side of town" to track down some of my supplies and managed to get a hold of a couple of things - though I still have quite a ways to go.

It's been raining like mad here in Halifax, but that didn't stop me from taking a bus ride down to Bayer's Lake - perhaps the world's largest open air shopping mall - to try and find a couple of the supplies I need for my projects.  My first stop was the beauty supply store which I was sure would have alligator clips. No luck! It looks as though I might have to buy some online if I want to get the kind with teeth - otherwise I might have to go for less sturdy clips and a whole lotta glue tacked on to give it added hold.  This is a project that I kind of really want to get on the go sooner rather than later, as I actually have an event that I will be attending and I would really like a pretty little clip for my hair - but more about that later.

I wandered over to the Michaels to hunt for the next thing on my list: embroidery supplies and maybe even shisha mirrors, or something like them.  I had surprisingly no luck with the embroidery supplies (I'm gonna head back to Walmart for that one), but I did find some mirrors! I'm so happy! They're all different sizes, but a majority of the ones I chose are just right for what I want to do.  I also found an absolutely gorgeous fake flower that I will be posting pictures of later.  I want to use this particular one for my event because of how stunning it is, it seemed appropriate.

Once the weather lets up a little I'm make my third trip down to Walmart to try and pick up the rest of what I need for embroidering, then I'll go to the Sally Ann or another second hand store to try and pick up some really neat fabric/scarves that I can embroider little mirrors on. Can't wait!

The Origin of Edwardian Headpieces

Over the last little while I've become intensely interested in Edwardian headpieces and just where they originated from - particularly those head band style pieces with the flowers flanking either side of the face (my previous post about making my hairpiece is directly inspired by this type of accessory, which was continued on in a more simpler form in the 1920s). When I think of these particular headpieces my mind always brings up this photograph of Evelyn Nesbit, taken in 1903:

(Interesting fun fact: according to this source, Evelyn Nesbit was the inspiration for Anne of Green Gables' physical appearance - very cool!) It's simple, gorgeous, and hints at the otherworldliness. Another famous girl who wore a similar headpiece was Ozma, from Frank L. Baum's Oz series (for more pictures of Ozma, check out this source):

In recent years, this particular type of ornamentation has come back in a pretty big way in the costuming of dancers like Mardi Love (mentioned in my previous post), Rachel Brice, and Zoe Jakes. I mention Mardi Love first because she was perhaps the most influential in reviving this particular Edwardian aesthetic - the others simply helped perpetuate it. In an interview, Love describes where her inspiration for costuming came from:

"Old photos and old textiles, I tend to collect old textiles and I’m really into Mooka*, Alfred Cheney Johnston, Arte, Edmond Doolock*, Arthur Rackham, and so just old illustrations, old showgirl photos, stuff like that. And then that kind of influences our whole aesthetic."

One of the reasons why I love the particular aesthetic that Love has created for herself and others is the fact that it references the Edwardian era so strongly, particularly with the use of this style of head ornamentation. A quick search on google doesn't really answer many questions on where precisely this type of fashion originated from - though to be honest, I haven't had much time to commit to such a scholarly hunt lately, what with working full time and doing other personal projects - but I'm still attempting to hunt down the origins, hence why I'm writing this.

Love mentions Alphonse Mucha (mistakenly written "Mooka"), one of the most recognizable artists of the Art Nouveau period. His painting style was liquid, graphic (he is perhaps best known for his poster designs), earthy, and very stylistic. He also had a habit of painting women wearing ornate headdresses such as the one pictured below:

Mucha seems like the best place to start in order to find out just where this particular "look" originated from. His aesthetic was influenced by art from the far east - he was certainly one of the many artists of the Edwardian era to fall under the spell of "orientalism." I did a quick search of some art history journals to see what might pop up on the subject and was surprised to see... not a whole lot. Many articles mention the influence of Byzantine art and fashion as being the strongest "oriental" component of his style, but I'm not 100% satisfied with this answer. I'm sure the answer I'm looking for is out there and it's just a matter of someone clocking me on the head and saying "hey! look over here!" In the process of writing this entry, however, I came up with enough information and enough questions to write an entire dissertation, so I think I'll give my brain a break and end with this striking picture of Evelyn Nesbit, which was either taken in the same session as the previous 1903 photograph, or taken later and meant to reference this earlier image:

*"Mooka" meant to be Mucha, as in Alphonse Mucha, and this second name is meant to by Edmund Dulac.

Flowers Part Two

While out and about doing groceries I decided to drop by the Walmart by my house to see what they might have in terms of crafty supplies.  Well, to my happiness they had just about everything I need to make my hair clips (and more)! I picked up a glue gun, some pretty gold beads, some clippy things (not the right ones, so I'll have to go back and replace them), and, best of all, some gorgeous coloured fake flowers.

Beautiful. I'll see what I can do with them once I have the proper clips. I'm thinking of adding hints of the gold in the center somewhere - just enough so that you get a little glimmer of gold when the light hits the flower just the right way, but not enough to take away from that gorgeous colour. They're medium sized so I'll have to be careful how many I use. I love them, so pretty, so autumnal... and so cheap (only $1). Definitely beats going to Ardenes, Claires, or any of those other stores and buying the super cheap looking knock-offs. I can't wait to get started!

Flowers

Something I've been meaning to do for a while now is make my own hairpieces - specifically the 1920s style flower hairpieces very similar to the kinds worn by Mardi Love of The Indigo. You can find them all over on Etsy and even in some clothing and accessory stores, but there's nothing more satisfying than being able to make something of your own that's unique and custom designed just for you.

Here are a couple of pictures that I've rustled up just now as both examples of what I'm referring to, and also inspiration for what I would like to do.

To me these are absolutely stunning. There's something so delicate and yet so bold about them all at the same time. I know all it would take is a pop down to the local Michaels to have a peek at their flowers, a rifle through the craft supplies to pick up the appropriate tools, and then a little elbow grease. I figure the next time I have a bit of cash and time I'll do just that and really force myself to have a go at it. I'll make myself a dare - by the end of next month I'll have two of these made and I'll post them here for everyone's scrutiny.