We have lots of events we attend that require clothing that's - well, unusual. The unusual ranges from Renaissance era clothing to various SciFi recreations. Some involve extensive work, and others are repurposing of a variety of items or patterns. Here's a sampling of some of them.
Stephen and I at Castello di Amorosa's Mid-Summer Festival. The shirt and chemise are from the Margo Anderson patterns. My dress was an alteration of my original bodice pattern (duct-tape wrap), to make a double-side laced bodice, with an attached skirt. I pleated the skirt in, which made it easier, and put pockets (which are also cover-ups) in the skirt sideseams where the bodice joins it.
These are two variations on the same pattern. It's a revolutionary war era waistcoat pattern, that I repurposed for two different sci-fi costumes. In the left, Stephen is playing Vir Cotto, from Babylon 5. The diagonal stripes are just obnoxious enough for a centauri. The shirt is one of his linen faire shirts. On the right, using the same pattern but adding short sleeves, is Stephen playing Boromir from Lord of the Rings. I lengthened the jacket, got oblong buttons and added the braid detail to more-or-less match what was seen on screen. It's a print pattern (sort of honey-comb), rather than quilted as in the original. It worked well for Halloween at Packard Children's Hospital.
We brought out the Vir costume again when Stephen Furst (the actor who played Vir) came to BayCon. And we added the obnoxious jacket (pattern from the same set as the waistcoat) -- it's the contrast facings, particularly when combined with the diagonal stripe, that make it scream..
This is version 1.0 of Eve and 0.5 of Wall*E for the 2009 Oscars party. My gown works well, as does the fixed-up motorcycle helmet (it had a broken faceplate, and I replaced it with window shading). Yet to go for me is gloves and blue el-wire to make her eyes. Stephen was supposed to have a full "box" for Wall*E, but it just never happened, and we were finishing this off the morning of the party. Next time...