Thanks to our Kickstarter campaign for 2013, we’re adding 19 new costumes this season, 7 of which our backers and supporters will get to vote on. This series of posts is designed to briefly introduce the many notable women and legendary figures we’ll be considering. Voting will take place spring/summer of 2013.
It’s clear from their mythologies that the prehistoric Celts and Germans spent many centuries living next to each other in Europe. Of course both groups are Indo-European, which accounts for quite a few shared concepts, but the similarities suggest an especially close relationship. The Morrigan, whose name means something like “Phantom Queen” or “Terror Queen,” is a case in point. One way to understand her is as a Celtic Valkyrie: a bird-woman (crow or raven) who screams onto the battlefield, choosing and claiming the dead. (The banshee of Irish legend is probably an aspect or echo of the Morrigan.) The Morrígna, plural, are supernatural phantoms who augur death, just like the Valkyries. The Morrigan is also connected to the earth and fertility, reminiscent of the way the Germanic Freyja manages to be both angel of death and goddess of love. But where Freyja is generally a positive goddess, associated with joy and abundance, the Morrigan tends to be rather scary and dark.
Think we should add a Morrigan costume to Take Back Halloween? If you missed our Kickstarter campaign you can still become a supporter and get to vote on the new costumes.
Illustration credit: The wonderful painting of the Morrigan is by Brigid Ashwood.
Thanks to our Kickstarter campaign for 2013, we’re adding 19 new costumes this season, 7 of which our backers and supporters will get to vote on. This series of posts is designed to briefly introduce the many notable women and legendary figures we’ll be considering. Voting will take place spring/summer of 2013.
“I see Queen Mab hath been with you,” says Mercutio to Romeo, thus beginning one of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches:
She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the fore-finger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies
Athwart men’s noses as they lie asleep;
Her wagon-spokes made of long spiders’ legs,
The cover of the wings of grasshoppers,
The traces of the smallest spider’s web,
The collars of the moonshine’s watery beams,
Her whip of cricket’s bone, the lash of film,
Her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat,
Not so big as a round little worm
Prick’d from the lazy finger of a maid;
Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut
Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub,
Time out o’ mind the fairies’ coachmakers.
So, she’s small.
Where did this tiny personage come from? Did Shakespeare invent her? The name “Mab” is Welsh, and may represent an echo of pre-Christian Celtic mythology. In Ireland the great goddess Medb was transformed into the legendary Queen Medb, cattle thief extraordinaire. It’s quite possible that the same Celtic goddess underwent a similar downsizing in Wales—except instead of becoming a mortal queen, she became a fairy. Whatever the case, it’s likely that Shakespeare was drawing on existing tradition in the folklore of the British Isles.
Think we should add a Queen Mab costume to Take Back Halloween? If you missed our Kickstarter campaign you can still become a supporter and get to vote on the new costumes.
Illustration credit: The beautiful fairy painting is “The Spell Fairy” by Welsh artist Trudi Finch. It’s available as a greeting card in her shop (click the link), along with her other gorgeous work.
Jane Austen (1775-1817) hardly needs an introduction; she is one of the most beloved and admired authors in the English language. The watercolor above right is by her sister Cassandra, and is believed to be of Jane. The portrait of Jane on the left is a 19th century painting based on a sketch by Cassandra.
Talk Like Jane Austen Day is October 30, so you can get double duty out of your Halloween costume. To dress like Jane Austen, you just need a Regency gown. And some sort of headcovering—her niece said she always wore a cap (presumably under her bonnet when she went outdoors).
The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Custom Regency gown. This seller will make a gown to your measurements, with your choice of fabric and trim. There are now many, many other sellers on Etsy offering Regency gowns (that wasn’t the case when we originally published this costume in 2011), so shop around to find an option that suits your taste and your budget.
2. Regency bonnet. This is the Eliza model from Austentation, which offers a wide range of Regency bonnets and hats. You can get any of them plain or decorated with your choice of fabric, feathers, ribbon, etc., and all at very reasonable prices.
3. Cap. Wear this by itself or underneath the bonnet. This is a simple period cap in white, with a little frill to frame your face.
4. Isotoner satin ballet slippers. Regency shoes were extremely similar to ballet slippers; they even had ribbons. Modern Isotoners are an excellent substitute.
5. Single strand 18-inch faux pearl necklace. Regency pearls were simple and classic-looking. If you don’t already have a basic pearl/faux pearl necklace, this one will do.
Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814) was the unsung heroine of the American Revolution. As one of the intellectual leaders of the rebellion, she wrote countless pamphlets, plays, and treatises explaining the American cause. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson considered her a rare genius. Perhaps her most lasting contribution was the Bill of Rights: it was she who sketched out the principles that would be enshrined in the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
The portrait above right is by John Singleton Copley and was done when Mercy was about 35 years old. The sculpture on the left is by George Stuart. For the costume, you just need a colonial lady outfit—a rather nice-looking one, since Mercy was upper-class. The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Colonial “Martha Washington” costume. This is ideal for Mercy or indeed any upper-class lady of the colonial period. Includes the lace-trimmed mob cap. They have this in small, medium, and large.
2. Crinoline. This will give you a nice full look down to the floor. However, you’ll also need some padding around the hips, so read on.
3. Bum roll. Like other gentlewomen of the era, Mercy wore panniers, or side hoops. That’s what made the dresses stick straight out from the hips on each side. You can buy these today from the people who do historical reenactments, but they’re rather expensive. Also, we’re not sure they would really fit under this costume. So a simpler approach is to just tie on a bum roll. This will give you some padding around the hips and in the back. You can also rig up your own bum roll/pannier arrangement with a little ingenuity and experimentation: try stuffing pillowcases with something fluffy and then strapping them onto your hips.
4. Replica of the Bill of Rights. Carry this with you and tell everyone it was your idea. Because it was.
5. Ballpoint feather pen. This is a fun prop: it looks like a colonial quill pen, but it’s really a ballpoint.
Boudicca (first century; died around 61 CE) was one tough lady. This British queen fought a war of resistance against the Romans, and though she lost, her heroism has echoed down through the ages. The two costume plates in our main illustration are based on ancient descriptions of her appearance, and that’s what we’re using for our design. The middle picture is of Alex Kingston as Boudicca in a TV movie, which we’re including mostly because we think she looks awesome.
The Britons at that time were wearing tunics not too different from what the Romans wore, but in their favorite woolen patterns. (Unlike the Romans, though, British men also wore trousers.) They wrapped thick mantles around their shoulders as cloaks and fastened them with fibula brooches. This is how Dio Cassius described Boudicca:
“In stature she was very tall. In appearance terrifying. In the glance of her eye most fierce. And her voice harsh. A great mass of the tawniest hair fell to her hips. Around her neck was a large golden necklace, and she wore a tunic of colors over which a thick mantle was fastened with a brooch.”
You can make a very serviceable tunic and cloak with nothing more than flat sheets and safety pins. The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Flannel sheet in red and cream plaid for the tunic. Yep. Here’s your Boudicca costume. The ancient British woman’s dress was similar to the Greek chiton (tunic to the Romans). All you need is a flat sheet; we give you instructions below.
2. Flannel sheet in black watch plaid for the cloak. You just need a big rectangle for your cloak, so you could also just get a couple of yards of black watch plaid flannel fabric. (Or, if you don’t mind your tunic and cloak being of the same material, cut the elastic out of the fitted sheet from the set in #1 and use that for your cloak.) Whatever you end up with—a sheet or yardage—just drape it around your shoulders at a jaunty angle. If you want to fasten it with a fibula brooch, you can usually score a great one on eBay (search for “fibula brooch”).
3. Long red wig. Unless you already have red hair down to your waist, which Boudicca did.
4. Copper torque with gemstone. We got ours from Etsy; there are many sellers offering torques now.
5. Temporary Celtic tattoos. There are 50 stick-on tattoos in this pack; put them on your arms, face, wherever.
6. Shield and sword. Yeah, it’s supposed to be a Roman shield, but that’s okay. You took it off a Roman soldier.
Shoes: The British shoe was probably a low leather slipper wrapped around the foot. You could wear flat leather booties or gladiators.
How to make the tunic: The simplest ancient tunic for costuming purposes is the Doric chiton, which consists of a single rectangle of fabric folded around the body. All you need is a flat sheet, some safety pins, and a belt or cord. Here are your chiton instructions:
Murasaki Shikibu (ca. 973-1014) was one of the world’s great literary geniuses. She wrote the first novel in history—The Tale of Genji—and with it created not only a timeless masterpiece of Japanese literature, but an entirely new art form. The photos above show performers garbed as Murasaki: the style is elaborate Heian period court dress. To really pull this off you’d need about 12 kimonos layered on top of each other, which we’re thinking might be a bit much. We’re proposing a simpler approach.
The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Miko cosplay costume. The miko costume consists of red hakama (divided trousers) and white haori (kimono jacket). This is similar to what Heian ladies wore under all their kimonos: you can see the red hakama on the performer in the photo up top. You can also get hakamas from martial arts stores; just search on Google for “red hakama.”
2. Brocade kimono
3. Tabi socks.
4. Zori shoes.
5. “Geisha” makeup kit. Not really geisha; just classic Japanese makeup, which is what you need to recreate the look of an aristocratic Heian lady. (The “geisha” tag on everything drives us nuts.) The easiest thing to do makeup-wise in North America is just go with theatrical makeup, and this kit is an inexpensive choice.
6. Long black wig. Really long: 60 inches. Why do you need a five foot long wig? Because this is what Heian ladies were doing with their hair:
Christine de Pizan (ca.1364-1430) was a brilliant writer, poet, philosopher, and feminist. At a time when females were regarded as profoundly defective beings, Christine boldly imagined a “City of Ladies,” where women would be valued and respected. Her genius was such that she was able to support herself by writing, the first known woman in medieval Europe to do so. The illustrations above were prepared for fancy presentation copies of her manuscripts, and show the author in various scenes. On the left she is greeting some local burghers; on the right she is hard at work in her study.
As you can see, the most distinctive thing about Christine’s costume is her headdress. She wore the two-horned thing from Burgundy known as the “Attor de Gibet,” or Burgundian caul. Fortunately, you can actually buy such an item from the people who supply historical reenactment costumes.
The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Late 14th century gown in royal blue. From Artemisia Designs. This is a really pretty dress, and they offer it in a full range of sizes. We also suggest a less expensive alternative dress in #2.
2. Alternate choice: Arwen dress from Holy Clothing. This isn’t trying to be an authentic medieval gown, you understand; it’s more a fantasy kind of thing. But it’s an excellent value (about $65) and looks wonderful. In fact, it looks a heck of a lot better than most of the cheapo “medieval costumes” for sale. It’s also available in a bunch of other colors and in sizes up to 5X.
3. Burgundian caul. This is the two-horned thing. That store has all their headgear in tables on one page; the Burgundian caul is about a third of the way down. You choose the veil and fabric color, and then it takes them about a week to make up your set. (If you’re handy with crafts, you can also make your own Burgundian caul with a couple of birthday party hats. Get small kiddie-sized hats and cover them with fabric, then wear them on your head like two horns. You’ll need to rig up some kind of fastening to keep them on your head, and you’ll need a piece of chiffon or something as a veil.)
4. Wimple. You can’t see it very easily from the illustrations, but Christine is also wearing a wimple, which is the white hood-like thing that we now associate with nuns. You put that on first, and then wear the Burgundian caul on top. You can get an authentic wimple from Revival Clothing. An easy, inexpensive substitute is a modern one-piece hijab. It’ll give you the same look.
5. Medieval writing set. Here’s a quill pen and parchment scroll to carry with you.
Enheduanna (ca. 2300 BCE) has been called the Shakespeare of Sumerian literature. It might be more accurate to call Shakespeare the Enheduanna of English literature.
Enheduanna is the earliest known author in the history of human civilization. She is the first author whose name has come down to us, the first author to write in the first person. Daughter of King Sargon of Akkad, she was a high priestess and poet in Ur. Her powerful hymns to the goddess Inanna, in which she narrates her own inner life and religious consciousness, became sacred texts that were treasured for centuries. She was also an important political figure; indeed, she probably played a crucial role in Sargon’s rise to power and his consolidation of the religious establishment. The famous “Enheduanna Disk” (inset in our main illustration above) actually records her likeness, showing her flanked by attendants as she presides over a temple procession.
The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
Kaunakes. On the left, a line drawing of the Enheduanna Disk. On the right, an illustration by Angus McBride of a Sumerian man wearing a kaunakes.
1. Twin size flannel flat sheet. The early Mesopotamian woman’s tunic was simply a rectangle of wool wrapped spirally around the body. The ideal size for the rectangle is about 48 inches by 108 inches, so a twin size sheet is a little bit off (the standard twin is 66 x 96 inches). It’s workable though; just fold down the excess. We give you instructions below on how to wrap it around your body. Red-dyed wool was the style for extremely high-status people, so we suggest the garnet sheet.
2. Optional: Three yards of 58-inch wide curly Mongolian faux fur. Most of the time Enheduanna would have worn the standard woolen tunic (#1), but on the Enheduanna Disk she’s shown wearing an archaic garment called the kaunakes. This was a cloth woven with big tufts of wool pulled out to make a super-thick shag—as if the early weavers were trying to preserve the look of sheepskin. By Enheduanna’s day this kind of cloth was probably centuries out of date and restricted purely to religious vestments. Anyway, that’s why her dress on the disk looks fluffy: she’s wearing a kaunakes. If you want to try that, get three yards of shaggy faux fur and wind it around you like a regular tunic (instructions below).
3. Braided turban headband. As high priestess, Enheduanna wore a distinctive headdress called the aga. The construction of this thing is not entirely clear from the ancient statues and reliefs: was it a cap with a rolled brim, or just a thick turban-like band around the head? The simplest approach for the costume is to go with something like this braided headband; we suggest the yellow or red. If you have long hair, wear it free flowing down your back or in long braids, which is what archaeologists think was the style for high priestesses.
4. Gold door knocker earrings. Big gold hoop earrings just like this have been found in early Mesopotamian burials.
5. Lapis lazuli necklace. The Sumerians loved jewelry of lapis lazuli, carnelian, gold, and silver. This handcrafted necklace from Afghanistan has a similar look with real lapis lazuli, silver, and reddish beads.
How to make the tunic: The early Mesopotamian tunic was just a big rectangle of cloth taken straight off the loom and wrapped around the body. All you need is a twin size sheet or a belly dance veil, plus some safety pins to help keep things in position. Here are your instructions:
Shoes: The Sumerians didn’t wear any. But that probably won’t work if you’re going out, so just wear simple flat sandals.
Makeup: The Sumerians liked to outline their eyes very heavily with kohl, so wear eyeliner top and bottom.
Illustration credits: All the paintings of Sumerian life are by Oliver Frey and appeared in the book Living in Ancient Mesopotamia, Chelsea House, New York, 2009. The Enheduanna Disk and the Sumerian jewelry are in the collection of the Penn Museum.
Wu Zetian (624-705) was the only woman to ever rule as Empress of China. We show three depictions of her above: on the left is an antique portrait, on the right is a photo of an actress in a historical pantomime, and the center sketch shows Wu Zetian in the typical dress of the period. That’s the look we’re going for—Tang Dynasty style, strapless underdress, flowing transparent robe with huge sleeves.
Carina Lau as Wu Zetian.
1. Tang Dynasty-style empress gown. The flowing transparent robe with this dress is wonderful. Notice that the inner gown tends to run small; if you need something larger, you can wear any strapless gown that doesn’t clash (see #2 for an example).
2. Red strapless chiffon gown. This is in case the gown that comes with #1 is too small; these come in red, black, burgundy, blue, white, purple…a bunch of colors!.
3. Bridal crown. A bridal crown works great for dressing up as an empress. If you’re looking for something bigger and better, China Cart carries a variety of crowns for everything from weddings to stage performances.
4. Optional wig. Tang Dynasty hairstyles tended to be big and poufy, so if you can’t do that with your own hair, you may want to try this wig. A nice firm pouf is really useful as a base for the crown, which is actually a set of hair sticks and combs. (Note: There’s apparently an unwritten rule that any remotely Asian-looking wig has to be labeled a “geisha wig.” Drives us nuts. Actually this is just the bouffant upsweep hairdo that women in China, Japan, and Korea have worn at various times over the past two thousand years.)
Makeup: Tang Dynasty ladies had some serious eyebrow action going on, as you can see from the photo of Carina Lau made up as Wu Zetian for the movie Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. She looks awesome.
Wu Zetian was said to be ruthless, but there’s probably a lot of lurid male hysteria in the stories about her. She was definitely a very, very effective ruler, and China prospered under her reign. She—well, hang on, let her tell you herself:
That’s her character in Civilization 5. Don’t know about that cleavage, but the costume is right.
The Greeks considered Pythagoras the “father of philosophy.” He taught a system of natural science, mathematics, and ethics that profoundly influenced the Western canon. Ah, but who taught Pythagoras? A woman: Themistoclea. It is a curious fact that while the Greeks were hailing Pythagoras as the “father of philosophy,” they also recorded that he’d learned most of what he knew from Themistoclea, a priestess at Delphi. Well, maybe curious isn’t the word.
But back to Themistoclea. All we know is her name, her occupation (priestess at Delphi), and the approximate time she lived (6th century BCE). Presumably she was the Pythia: the Delphic priestess who was responsible for delivering the all-important oracles, possibly while in a shamanistic trance. The Greek vase painting above shows the Pythia seated on her bronze tripod, ready to deliver an oracle to the man who stands before her. The 19th century painting by John Collier is based on that vase, and on several details known from ancient Greek authors. He shows the fissure in the earth from which some sort of gas was said to escape, possibly helping to induce the Pythia’s trance state (though it didn’t affect anybody else); and he shows clearly the laurel leaves and bowl of water she held in her hands. It’s a great painting, though we’re not sure about that bare shoulder. As you’ll see below, the chiton was typically fastened on both shoulders.
The costume is simple. The Greeks wore draped tunics of dyed wool, a look which is easily replicated with sheets and safety pins. The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Flat sheet in chocolate brown
2. Gold-bordered red veil. This is to drape over your head while you inhale or meditate or whatever.
3. Laurel wreath
4. Artificial laurel branch. This is to carry with you and wave around while you deliver oracles.
5. Copper offering bowl
Shoes: Simple leather sandals for going out and about, but barefoot is best for delivering oracles.
How to make the tunic: The simplest ancient tunic for costuming purposes is the Doric chiton, which consists of a single rectangle of fabric folded around the body. All you need is a flat sheet, some safety pins, and a belt or cord. (You can get a rope belt here
Sappho (ca. 620-570 BCE) was the world’s first great love poet, composing lyrics of astonishing power and immediacy. The Greeks considered her the greatest of all the lyric poets; it’s a tragedy that most of her work has been lost. The charming painting above is by Francis Coates Jones, and since nobody really knows what Sappho looked like, it’s as good a place to start as any. That’s Sappho on the right, by the way, holding the lyre.
The Greeks wore simple tunics of dyed wool, a look which is easily replicated with sheets and safety pins. Additional veils and shawls can be added for interest (like the girls on the left side of the painting). Since Sappho talked a lot about violet and saffron, we’ll use those colors. The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Flat sheet in eggplant. This is for your tunic; we give you instructions below on how to pin it together. The size sheet depends on your height, but a full-size works for most people. (By the way, it’s a misconception that the Greeks wore all-white tunics. They loved to wear deep-dyed colors.)
2. Orangey-yellow chiffon veil. There’s your saffron. You can sort of swaddle this around your waist or drape it over your shoulder.
3. Small kinnor harp. The kinnor harp, also called King David’s Harp, is similar to the ancient Greek lyre. This one is small, suitable for carrying around with you as you sing love songs about Aphrodite.
Shoes: Simple leather sandals.
How to make the tunic: The simplest ancient tunic for costuming purposes is the Doric chiton, which consists of a single rectangle of fabric folded around the body. All you need is a flat sheet, some safety pins, and a belt or cord. Here are your chiton instructions:
Razia Sultan (1205–1240) was the first female Muslim ruler in South Asia. Remembered as a brilliant general and politician, she reigned as the fifth Sultan of Dehli from 1236 to 1240. The illustrations above give a glimpse of how she’s depicted in popular culture: comic books, children’s books, and the 1983 movie Razia Sultan, with Hema Malini in the title role. We especially love the costuming in the movie, which has Razia swathed in chiffon and pearls at the same time she’s wearing her helmet.
The pieces we suggest, from left to right:
1. Anarkali style churidar suit. You can make any kind of churidar suit work, but ideally it should have long sleeves and as full a skirt as possible, like this one. Cinch the dupatta around your waist as a sash.
2. Medieval Norman helmet. This is the closest we can get to the Turkish helmet, which wasn’t all that different from the Norman helmet of the same era. The conehead look was very popular.
3. “Sultan” headpiece. You’re going to put this on over the helmet, around the base. The two pieces together will look more or less like the kind of thing Razia wears in the movie.
4. Curled-toe shoe covers.
5. Gold armor wristlets.
