I blogged over the summer about my dress inspiration, talking about wanting to make a TNG Troi Skant inspired dress with Colette’s Macaron pattern. Since starting the design process, I’ve gone back and forth on this dress. Do I want it to be the skant uniform? Or just an dress inspired by the skant that I can wear on a normal day.
But first, what’s a skant? It was supposed to be a gender neutral uniform; another way that Roddenberry wanted to show that people in the future were more open minded.
I’m back to thinking I want to make a real skant- maybe a tad longer than the mini skirt skants on the t.v. show, but something that is meant to be recognized as one of the real deals.
In brainstorming this path, I’m looking at these photos I’ve found here:
Worn with pants
So, basically a 60s styling, aka a shift dress. I can’t believe how many 60s dress patterns I own. But I can. Before we left Vermont, a woman who knew I was teaching sewing from my home, and had a lifetime’s worth of sewing patterns, gave me a bunch of them before she set off to relocate in Florida. Very generous, indeed.
I went through them, looking for a center long seam and a high neck and that shift dress basic. I found this vintage Simplicity 7482. Along with the Built by Wendy book I have, I think I was ready to start plotting more specifically how I would colorblock it into a skant.
Besides having a sleeve issue which I think rest and a fresh start tomorrow will fix, everything is going rather well. It’s not a difficult dress to construct. It’s just trying to make sure my dress will look like the costume I’m emulating.
To save myself time, I used one of my dress blocks so I wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time in the fitting stage. I’m using a knit fabric so I knew I’d definitely be okay starting with the size 12 the vintage pattern came in for the back. The front was getting altered using my block. I had to cut the altered pattern apart for the colorblocking and add seam allowances where I had made the cuts.
I’m done for the day but I can see how I should be finishing this one up pretty soon now. I do have more costume plans to kick off the new year. A new corset is on the midwinter list.
Raise your hand if you’re into costuming. What draws you a period in time? What gets you to finish a period garment or costume? A con? A costume party? Where do you go all dressed up in your costume?
I draped a TOS skant pattern last spring. Those 60′s Trek designs are amazingly complex for how simple they appear! I have an interesting project planned for my pattern, but I do want to make an authentic as I can version for myself too. I’ve been trying to decide if I want a red engineering or sky blue science officer version (I have the real deal double-knit fabric in both colors).
I usually get outfits or costumes made for myself if I have a place to wear them – and it’s usually last minute.
I can’t wait to see your TNG version! I can’t remember – are you going with Troi blue?
oh, cool. A TOS skant seems way more intricate than the seldom seen TNG ones. For sure. How did you get the real double knit fabric? I’m going with Troi blue- sciences color. I need to get the combadge.
I’m excited cos the con I want to wear this at isn’t till Spring. So I’ll have it ready to go.
I have both a TNG and Voyager combadge and one collar pip (which means I can only be an ensign). I wore the badges a lot in my high school days. (And my husband has the TNG version as well.)
I got my double knit online after a reeeaallly long & determined search (I’d have to dig out the link – let me know if you need it). It’s a truly gross polyester fabric but it is exactly what they used back then and nothing ever looks as good when you are copying TOS. I found red on more than one site but the blues are really hard to find in the Trek shades, which is why even a lot of the official uniforms are the wrong color. I bet they were custom dyed for the shows.
I’m currently ok with the fabric and changes I’m making. I got a Sophia ponte knit. It’s as close as I’ve seen in person. Knowing that even the official ones for fans aren’t the right color makes me feel better.
(And by “official” uniforms, I mean the ones fans can buy.)
I did a TOS skant in red last year for a Star Trek theme party that we threw and it totally got me excited to do more costuming. I’m still a newbie seamstress so it was a bit challenging for me to figure it all out. But in the end it turned out great. I think I’m the kind of person who really needs a clear project and a deadline to work with, so making costumes for parties or conventions is perfect for me.
It’s addicting, isn’t it? I also love deadlines. I need them.
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OMG! i WANT ONE! But sadly I’m no seamstress
Still, Great fun checking out your inspiration here. Kristina at http://nerdysewist.wordpress.com sent me and I’m glad she did!
Well, hey, I’m sure Etsy’s got someone making them to sell…or maybe Kristina and I can get you to start sewing. It’s possible. thanks for coming over.
Can’t wait to see how yours turns out, I’m sure it will be amazing!