2013 Costume College, Pt. 3 – The Gala

Merja’s Baroque gown OMG.  This wasn’t her Gala dress, but I needed to include a photo of it anyway.

Ready for the last set of pics from Costume College?  Well, I took quite a few, but the camera tends to get in the way, so I stowed it in my room, and thus did not capture the bulk of the Gala evening.

Cait of Curse Words & Crinolines, with her beau

The Gala is quite wonderful.  It starts with a “red carpet” amble down to the dining room, where one is then served quite a meal, followed by dancing, and lots of socializing.  It’s the main event to which to wear your most fantastical, craziest, biggest, most beautiful creation.

Each year, there is a Costume College theme – this year it was “Baroque With a Touch of Pirate,” so a great many of the Gala costumes were 17th century.  There are no rules to the Gala, though, so we saw gowns of all centuries and realms, including two fantastic Alien and Predator creations (of course, I didn’t get a photo, boo).

Detail on Cait’s Robe Battante

Alyxx in a “goldfish” fancy dress costume

Rebecca’s utterly stunning 17th c.

Cathy re-created one of my favorite gowns from “Costume in Detail,” a 1908 dinner gown

In addition to the Costume College theme, many groups like to create their own themes.  Last year the Northern Nevada ladies all dressed in silver and blue.  This year, there was a group of gorgeously attired nymphs and goddesses, as well as a collection of Natural Form beauties.

Detail on Cathy’s 1908 gown

Tim and Claudia’s daughter Vivienne

Ginger’s incredibly 17th c. court gown.  Utter perfection, with unexpected details.

Lauren M’s late 18th c. zone gown, inspired by one in KCI

Elizabeth’s 17th c. gown was gorgeous, with metallic lace and pearls over gold.  Plus the mask is just awesome.

Natalie’s beautiful “Gibson Girl” dress, with all those handmade ribbon flowers, and, of course, her perfect Edwardian figure.

My Gala gown for this year was the Green Acres bustle gown.  It qualified as my “biggest, craziest, and best,” plus it was something I didn’t have to feverishly finish just before the trip.  I had a fun time dragging the train around, and feeling generally quite fluffy.  I fiddled my hair up based on various images I pinned, though all my hair pieces are different colors, lol, and I finally got to wear the vintage Prince of Wales plume I purchased on Etsy last year.

My one “official” Costume College photo

(c) Roger Weeks

Well, that does it for Costume College 2013! Next year….? But of course!  Who knows who will wear what (or what I will wear, too), but there’s a whole year of costuming ahead of us.  Onward!


If you’d like to learn more about Costume College, please visit the website – CostumeCollege.org – for information on next year’s event.