The yearly costume recap 2023

 So it is time to sum up the costuming/sewing year of 2023. I have definitely felt that I haven't made a lot of things, especially for myself. The reason for that is very simple. I haven't been been happy with myself, and most of my costumes that I have done over the years have been too small. I mentioned earlier on the blog that I made a gastric bypass in November. Now most of 2023 I have been aware of that I was going to go through with the operation, and that has just made me even more uncomfortable in my own body, and sad over the fact that I couldn't wear the costumes that I used to wear. I even skipped the yearly NärCon cosplay festival, even if it was also because I wanted to spend my whole summer holiday with my husband. I did do some events though, and one of the biggest events I've been part of.

It started with Star Wars Celebration Europe in London over Easter. Since 2023 is the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi I brought my ROTJ Mon Mothma for the Rebel Legion photoshoot.

I am the ROTJ Mon Mothma in the front, just behind the ewok

I also brought my jedi costume, which is a really comfy costume to wear at conventions, and the one new costume I brought was my fandom fashion take of Constable Zuvio.

SWC23 involved a lot of walking so I switched the high heeled boots that I had bought for the costume for sand coloured sneakers instead.

I have used the dress as an everyday dress since then, I quite like it as a comfy regular day dress.

After Celebration it was all focus on getting dressed for the 500th anniversary of king Gustav Vasa's triumph parade in Stockholm, and that meant meaking sure that David had something to wear. I first made him a pair of joined hose, a black cap and a faux double and gown.

It's faux in that the double and skirt is actually one piece of clothing instead of separate, still I thought it looked pretty well. I also made a coif, a shirt and trousers for our friend Björn who wanted to walk in the parade as a peasant.

Björn borrowed a doublet and for the day itself David chose to wear his older coat instead of the faux doublet, also because of the fact that it was 25 degrees warm and the coat is cooler. Under the coat you can also see the vest that I made to attach the hose to, so that they didn't fall off. This is also a bit unhistorical since it would have been a sleeved doublet in the 16th century, but I wanted to keep it as cool as possible so I skipped the sleeves.

For myself I decided to wear my 1520s court gown, but I had to add strips of fabric in the sides to make it bigger. It is hidden under the arm though so it wasn't too visible.

After the big parade it was time to prepare for medieval week. My one project for the year was to make a bathing shift.

It was a really good addition that made it so much easier to go bathing and keep clean during medieval week. I also made a new simple shift and a small untergollar, or partlet, to cover the neck opening of my yellow kirtle. I have had to make it bigger, and with that the neck opening had become so deep that I needed to fill it in, or risk being undecent.

Here I am, with the rest of the cooking team of Stockholmsfänikan, in my outfit that I wore the whole week, which is basically the yellow kirtle, new shift and partlet.

I did one last dash of sewing ahead of the annual Christmas market, where our 16th century guild is present. David needed new and warmer trousers. By now the joined hose that I had made for him had fallen apart totally, I also added a new furlined hat for him and mittens and a wool partlet for myself. Most of these items were lined with the fabric from the worn out hose.

I am really happy with this photo since it is the first time in a long time that I could fit into my green gown, so I am hoping that the coming year and with more changes to my body I will find the joy of making costumes for myself again in 2024.