Forties and Fifties Fashion for the Stage

Patterns from Vintage Clothing

Jessica Parr

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781351232456
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Theatre

Forties and Fifties Fashion for the Stage: with Patterns from Vintage Clothing provides instruction on how to recreate fashion from the 1940s and 1950s that withstands the vigorous demands of theatrical stage use. This book provides historical context for the clothing and features authentic patterns taken from real vintage pieces. Forties and Fifties Fashion for the Stage demonstrates how to construct a durable costume from scratch, and how to adjust patterns to fit an individual's measurements. The book also contains a number of "How To Fake It" chapters with advice on thrifting and how to create period fashion using today's clothing. Both men's and women's fashions and patterns are featured, including formal and casual wear.

PART I
DESIGNING FOR THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES

one

DESIGN BASICS

Figure 1.1

Read the Script

Reading the script is the first thing a designer does in the design process. Ideally, I like to read the script three times before meeting with the director and design team. Each read through focuses on different things:

First read through: get the feel of the script, the plot, and the mood of the piece. Even though this read through doesn’t focus on costumes, mark or highlight any part of the script or stage directions referring to costume items. For example, if someone asks the time, then someone is probably wearing a watch.

Second read through: get the feel of the characters – who they are, what they feel. List all the characters and make note of any adjectives you feel describe their character. Decide how the characters fit together – how they relate to each other, who’s braver, angrier, more delicate, etc.

Find the world of these characters – geographical location, historical time period, season, time of day, social levels, social situations, and social occasions.

Use the parts of the script you highlighted in the first read through to list all the practical things a character or costume will need to do – wear a watch, have a pocket to put things in, allow for a wide range of movement – sword fighting, dancing, etc.

Third read through: create the costume plot and costume list

Costume List and Costume Plot

The costume list is a list of all the looks worn by an actor. The costume plot is a chart that tracks what every actor wears in each scene throughout the show.

Table 1.1 Bus Stop Costume List

Elma
Waitress look	Waitress uniform	Build
	Apron	Build
	Waitress hat	Build
	Slip	Pull
	Saddle shoes	Buy
	Crew socks	Pull
	Name badge	Buy
	Glasses	Pull
Outdoor look	Winter coat	Pull
	Scarf	Pull
Grace
Waitress look	Waitress uniform	Build
	Apron	Build
	Waitress Hat	Build
	Slip	Pull
	All-in-one griddle	Buy
	Seamed hose	Buy
	Heels	Buy
	Name badge pinned to handkerchief	Buy
	Jewelry (colored plastic)	Pull
Act II opening look	Robe	Pull
Cherie
Opening look	Tight dress	Buy
	Thin fur bolero	Pull
	Slip	Pull
	All-in-one girdle	Buy
	Seamed hose	Buy
	Heels	Buy
	Clutch purse	Pull
	Jewelry	Pull
Chanteuse look	Black and gold dress	Buy
	Long gloves	Pull
	Jewelry	Pull
	Heels	Pull

Table 1.2 West Side Story – Costume Plot

Break down the scenes for the costume plot whatever way works best for the show. Some scripts are written with clear Act and Scene numbers. French Scenes (where a new scene starts whenever a character enters or leaves stage) work well for Shakespeare and Molière, many musicals work well if you break them down by musical numbers. If actors are playing multiple characters, track their different characters in the plot to alert you to potential quick changes.

Talk Character

Meet with the director to talk about the characters. Go through each character and discuss their personality, who they are, what they want, how and if they change throughout the show. One good way to start this conversation is to list the adjectives you wrote down for each character during your second read thr...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Part I: Designing for the Forties and Fifties
• Part II: Patterns and Construction
• Appendices
• Index