Review – LOCUS
Issue #267 Vol. 16, No. 4, April 1983
COSTUME CON
By Marjii Ellers ‡
The all-costumers con held at the Bahia Hotel in San Diego over the weekend of January 14 through 16 broke even in spite of glorious weather which caused the hotel to fill up with tourists, according to newlyweds Kelly and Karen Turner. Approximately 225 people came from far places (including Canada and the Virgin Islands) to exchange ideas, show off designs, and compete in two masquerade contests.
Friday evening, special guests were introduced by committee chairman Karen Schnaubelt Turner. During the days, panel discussions were held, and contests were held Saturday and Sunday evenings. A fashion show Sunday afternoon displayed about thirty of the winning designs, made up by volunteers, from a mail-in competition held six months earlier. Slides of the remaining winners were also screened during the show.
Convention members received a Fashion Folio which showed all the winning entries of the advance competition, and the Whole Costumer’s Catalogue, compiled by Astrid Anderson. Astrid plans a second edition next year.
Programming throughout the con was directed to both the historical and the fantastic. Guests included Marty Gear, who will be in charge of the masquerade at ConStellation, Dr. Margaret (Peggy) Kennedy and Adrienne Martine-Barnes, who together devised the Novice, Journeyman, and Master divisions for judging masquerades. Bill Rotsler, Maureen Garrett, John and Mary Jane Hertz, Kathy Lear, Louise Pass, and Nan Earhart. Artists Amy Falkowitz and Karen Kuykendall shared their technical knowledge of appliqué and papier-Mâché, and author Julian May displayed costumes and appeared on panels.
The science fiction and fantasy masquerade costume competition on Saturday night was emceed by David Gerrold in a costume consisting of what seemed to be a pair of space one-piece jammies. Judges were Bjo Trimble, Karen Turner, and Bill Rotsler. The Best Original Costume in the Novice division was “Mime after Mime”, designed by Alison Dayne and made by Robin Schindler. Second place was “Sireethay” by Carol Reske, and third place was “The Assasin” by Patricia R. Oster. In the Journeyman division, the Most Original was “Jack of Shadows”, designed by Sally Fink and Marty Gear, made and worn by Marty Gear, with cape painted by Dave Menehan. Honorable Mentions in the Journeyman division were awarded to Sandra Deakins for “Tiree from the Cygni System” and to “Red Anne” by Karen Jolley from Leslie Barringer’s JORIS OF THE ROCK. In the Master division there were three major awards and two honorable mentions. For the Best Science Fiction, Sally Fink’s “Crystal Singer” was as beautiful as anything she has ever done for a world contest. The Best Fantasy was “Salome and John the Baptist”, designed and made by Kathy Sanders and worn by Kathy and Ev Turner. The Best Re-Creation was “The Joker” from Batman, again made by Kathy Sanders, worn by Drew Sanders. Honorable mention went to Adrienne Martine-Barnes, who designed and made the costumes for “The Four Virtuous Animals” from Chinese mythology. The costumes were worn by Adrienne, Larry Barnes, Peggy Kennedy, and Samantha Johns. I am happy and proud to tell everyone that I myself won the other Honorable Mention for my “An Unknown Victim” from Robert Bloch’s AMERICAN GOTHIC, with the help of makeup by Fran Evans.
Sunday night, the historical competition took place, emceed by Adrienne Martine-Barnes and judged by Marty Gear, Peggy Kennedy, and Janet Bigglestone. There were no experience divisions.
First place winners were Barb Schofield and jan howard finder in 1920 evening dress. Finder was dressed in black and white with period glasses and curled moustachios and imperial; his gloves were white kid. Barb was as slinky as a Vogue illo with a black and gold Erté design. Next place belonged to Sherri Butterfield and Victoria Ridenour in Elizabethan court costume. Sherri in grey velvet, lace ruff, cape, and sugarloaf hat, Victoria in a dress of charcoal grey satin decorated with pearls, emeralds, and gold; both outfits harmonized without being obvious.
Alice J. Davies, the fan (the kind you carry for period air conditioning) expert, made an 1877 walking dress using the cover of a Harper’s Bazaar for her model. Ken Matassa constructed his British Post Captain’s uniform from the Naval Regulations of 1798-1808 in blue wool lined with white silk. From shoes to hat, he seemed to have just stepped off his ship; even the gold braid embroidery was authentic Vellum and Checky pattern. Dresden Devlin (Sylvia Becker) found an 1893 Worth evening gown to recreate in pale pink jacquard, and Barbara Podell copied a parti-colored Italian court gown in wine and teal.
The fashion show and luncheon held Sunday was presented by Pam May and narrated by Katherine Kurtz in full Tudors. Some highlights of the fashion show: Christine Mansfield’s young son, Michael, wore the most thoughtfully futuristic outfit a mother could devise — it included a homing tracer, a protective shield, and a leash for the child’s pet; Nathalia Quirk was a knockout in a Sally Fink design inspired by Mae West; and Kathy Sanders made and danced in Amy Falkowitz’s “Bell Dancer” costume for an avian race.
We all had a wonderful time and are looking forward to next year’s Costume-Con!
[Photographs appeared with this article. Photos not reproduced here due to quality of article’s reproduction. Images of these costumes are available elsewhere on this web site.]
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