A Homespun Year...Anne Boleyn Costume....

 

My daughter has choreographed a Dance routine based on the life of Anne Boleyn.

 

As I mentioned here, Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry VIII, sadly beheaded for not producing a male heir. The assessment piece was to be based upon a famous (or infamous) woman in history, so my daughter chose poor Queen Anne. We'd recently watched the film The Other Boleyn Girl, so I guess for her, this was a natural choice.

 

She specifically requested a costume based upon one that Natalie Portman wears in the film, that is a deep sapphire blue. Of course the famous B (for Boleyn) necklace worn in portraits by Queen Anne, had to be a major feature of the costume, as did the French Hood worn in the film, and fashionable in the day.

 

 

Additionally, this couldn't be the sort of costume that one just stands around in. It had to withstand the rigours of a Contemporary dance routine, one of the more athletic styles of dance.

 

Sheesh. She's lucky I'm the creative type!

 

First stop last week (with a whole three days notice for this costume!) was the local upmarket thrift store, where I sourced a sapphire blue bustier, and a skirt in a similar shade, both lace and very pretty, seen at the top of my post.

 

 I had wondered how the heck I was going to construct this French Hood, and had in mind a sun visor, or a cereal box trimmed to the appropriate shape, as recommended by bloggers featured on Pinterest. But in the car on the way to the thrift shop, I had realised (thinking laterally) that the jewelled front of the French Hood, similar in shape to a semi-circular tiara, was also reminiscent of the shape of a shirt collar. See, if I let these things tick over in my brain, sometimes something worthwhile pops out!

 

So I was wandering around, looking at mens shirts, when this bejewelled chiffon blouse caught my eye. Not only did it have a diamante studded collar, but the collar was attached to a midnight blue chiffon blouse, perfect to cut up for the veil of the French Hood! Thankyou thrift store...$4.50...

 

 

I removed one side of the collar...see how it already resembles Annes hood shown here in Emerald green...

 

 

 



I painted this liberally on the reverse side with fabric stiffener. Now remember that I regularly make costumes, including headpieces for Dancers, so I had all of this stuff on hand. I acknowledge that it's not as easy, nor as inexpensive, if you have to buy it all. However, I'm trying to show what you can achieve with a little imagination, and a few basic materials.

 

 

 

I then set it out in the sunshine to let it dry and harden, and then stitched it to a lacework headband I already had. See here, I've cut up the back of the chiffon blouse to form the veil of the French Hood...

 

 

...then I positioned the stiffened blouse collar, now dried, on the headband, and anchored it at either end. This wasn't easy as the stiffened fabric is like leather, but I managed.

 

 

 

Now the B necklace and the accompanying pearl droplets.

 

This necklace features heavily in any information on Anne Boleyn, although there is conjecture about whether, as Queen Anne, she would have continued to wear it. However, as a costuming piece, it's a must-have, so here is how I did ours.

 

I shared here, how I formed the B initial, and the pearl shaped drops, from air drying clay. This took no more than 15 minutes, but then I had to wait for them to dry.

Again, I already had this faux pearl necklace on elastic, sourced for a previous costume. Thift stores ALWAYS have faux pearl necklaces for under $5, so that's your best bet. Another alternative would be pearl Christmas trim, or fabric trim.

 

 

I painted the B with gold acrylic paint. Yes, I had that too. If nothing else, by my age, you accumulate an astounding array of crafting tools!

 

Then as seen above, I poked my pearl shaped clay beads onto the end of skewers, and dunked them into my sample pot of pearly paint, purchased last Christmas to fancy up some gifts. I then left the skewers suspended across a jar, to dry.

 

To attach the B and the pearl shapes to the pearl necklace, I simply threaded a double strand of sewing cotton through each bead, threaded on a tiny bugle bead off another costume onto the thread, and then rethreaded it back through the clay 'pearl'. This gave me a way of tying the beads to the pearl necklace, and worked admirably. If I'd had more time, I would have bought some little jewellery jump rings, which would have been sturdier, but they aren't something I had on hand. I know. Laugh if you will.

 

 

I'm really pleased with how it turned out!

 

The skirt was cut off at hip level, and white gauzy leftovers from a lonely unused IKEA curtain, were added as a floaty feature for my girl to dance in. One cannot dance without a floaty skirt.

 

I trimmed her peasant blouse so it fits under the bustier, and there was a section of the lace panel from the front of it left over, just large enough to stitch to the front of the skirt...so I did...just for a bit of embellishment...

 

 

 

Here is the idea, mocked up for my original photo...

 

....and here it is finished. She will wear her Peasant blouse under the bustier as shown here. This is a more authentic and modest look, than the bustier alone.
 



For a small outlay, and a little time and effort, I think we have done Anne Boleyn proud.

 

I'll let you know what mark my darling girl achieves for her assessment.

 

Have you ever had to magic up a complicated, close-to-historically-correct costume? What did you do? I'm always keen for a costuming story!

Five Star Frou-Frou is now a neverending linkup, with a featured blogger each and every time I post.

Todays featured blogger is...

Helen at 3 Winks Writes, who shared a super cute DIY owl projects. Just right for  inclusion in a DIY post!

Thanks for sharing Helen! And thankyou to everyone who continues to link and share!



...Mimi...