Every so often I see an opportunity to costume a show and think "sure, it's been a while". And then it's always so much more than I bargained for. I don't mind volunteering and working for free. But I loathe feeling underestimated. I'm not "just a seamstress"; I'm a professional costumer. I literally went to school for this. I've been paid to work professionally in some very large and impressive theatres. I use professional equipment; my machines (I have 19 of them), my dress forms (I have 13), and decades of pattern experience.
So last month I respond to an ad for a seamstress. They had 3 weeks to opening. A couple of moms have been pulling costumes, but it's a musical set in the early 1900's and they don't sew. They need some skirts made. Turns out they needed a lot made, including two complete Edwardian walking suits for the leads. A second seamstress responds so they decide to divide the workload... half the skirts, and one walking suit each.
Every other day I show up at rehearsal with more finished stuff. I offered fabric recommendation for the walking suit, but ignored. I was provided cotton twill (that cost $18/yd - what the hell?!?). 2 days later I return with the finished costume. After almost 2 weeks plowing through costumes the other seamstress has finished nothing. The other lead has nothing to wear for dress rehearsal 5 days before opening. Nobody has any updates. Nothing. I offer to help, but I'm told not to step on toes.
You know, I've been costuming a long time. I know things. You should listen to me. Because 1 of 2 things are going to happen with those other costumes. I promise you. (1) You'll get a call that there's been an emergency and they can no longer fulfill their obligation, and they'll drop a pile of half-finished crap off, or (2) They'll actually finish, but it's going to be the biggest, steaming pile of shit you have ever seen. I'm not even kidding. And you know what? It doesn't matter which scenario happens, it doesn't change the fact that the lead will still need to be costumed.
So 5 days before the show I went and bought some fabric of my choosing and made the other lead's costume that day. Unfortunately the director was less than pleased about my intervention, but the actress was ecstatic.
So you want to guess which scenario happened? Because I fucking told you what would happen. The day before opening the other costumes show up and they're beyond terrible. Amateur doesn't even begin to describe it. I could go on... but it's really not even worth it. The point is, the actress had a beautiful costume to wear because I could see that train wreck coming from a mile away and I stepped on toes.
You're welcome.
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