The Countess Costume
Katie B.
Crocheted from alpaca and acrylic blend yarn, wool and acrylic blend yarn, and bamboo-rayon and Tencel blend yarn
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These pieces are entirely crocheted. My inspiration came when it was time to choose a Halloween costume. Reading Dracula had reinvigorated my love for all things gothic. But every year I’m met with the realization that mass-produced costumes are intended to be worn once, and the craftsmanship reflects that. Attitudes towards costumes act as a caricature of modern consumerism. As fast fashion companies have grown into environmentally devastating behemoths, buyers’ expectations of garment quality have plummeted. Crocheting has allowed me to reconnect with clothing, forcing me to slow down and carefully arrange each stitch. The dress was inspired by Morticia Addams' silhouette. I worked the skirt in the round with double crochets and the bodice in rows for a “V” back that laced up for an exact fit. For the shrug, I wanted a spiderweb motif with the conventional raglan form. It was worked in the round with chain stitches and half-double crochets. The cuffs are the one piece of the ensemble I didn’t design myself. I used a pattern from “LunarStill” on Etsy for Victorian lace cuffs. The dress and legwarmers are an alpaca/acrylic blend, the shrug is a wool/acrylic blend, and the cuffs are a bamboo-rayon/Tencel blend. These garments are the culmination of my experiences with fashion, crocheting, and sustainability. As my senior year pushes me to explore future avenues, I’ve realized designing and making clothing is my passion and I plan to pursue this through costume design in my higher education.
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Creativity is how I emote. Without it, I would be a barren tree falling in an empty forest. Creativity lets me make a sound. When I make clothing, I can decorate myself with a piece that is truly my own. Creativity lets me be seen.
