Columbia's Shorts - Zipper

Without any direct evidence for knowing how Columbia's shorts are zipped I have always made my shorts with a fly-style zipper for 2 reasons:

• The scoop pockets in front and applied pockets on back are very much like any blue-jean style pants - which typically includes a fly-style zipper. Why? Because the fitted nature of that style needs that flap behind the zipper to insures nothing gets zipped up into it. Ouch!  (Also; fishnets)
• I also can't see any evidence of a shiny plastic/metal zipper, despite the fact that the top of the shorts are very obviously pulling away from the center just below the waistband. If it was just a flat-zipper install that pulling would expose the teeth and we'd see something there. 

So in the absence of evidence, I would still recommend adding that fly-style flap so at the very least you don't get your fishnets caught in the zipper. Or anything else. 

Aside from some obvious stitching that runs across the red ribbon, you can't tell this has a fly-style zipper. Because even if it's not screen accurate your fishnets will thank you!

Pride Costumes...

Here's some of the stuff I've made for Pride month - I started most of these weeks (months?) ago but had to wrap them up quickly. Don't be fooled, I'm still spending most of my days working on Space Suit commissions. Most of these will appear on stage in Austin and Houston, TX.

Floorshow Boa Research

There are two known, extant boas:
1. The King's Road Boa owned by Ruth (and possibly used by Rocky in the film)
2. Columbia's Boa owned by Larry

They have a lot in common and appear to be made from the same materials, however the order of their layers is different. They both begin with a length of black twill tape (grosgrain will work well, too). Both boas also begin with pleated chiffon on the ends - it's a little droopier and gives the boa a more tapered appearance. Both boas have multiple layers of pleated (most likely) Organza, but the lengths and positions of the Red and Yellow are reversed. The tassels appear to be the same.

Floorshow Garter Belts

My best guess is the metallic red ribbon is attached with a zig-zag stitch to some elastic while it's being stretched.  This will make the entire garter strap curl up on itself, but you might be able to flatten it with an iron. Definitely test your ribbon/method with some scrap pieces first. 

Columbia's photo shows that the middle/side strap is attached on top of the garter belt (the other straps are likely sewn into the designated seam).

Rocky's garter belt gives some insight on the fabric - definitely stretchy (not a plain satin). 

Columbia's Tailcoat Pattern (revised)

I've finally updated and digitized my Columbia tailcoat pattern.  The sleeve and torso length can be easily modified for a more tailored fit. This is a Small; I'll have to do the Medium and Large separately (someday!)  My poor paper patterns I made 15 years ago are so fragile. Once I digitize them I can print them out as often as I need.

Columbia's Collar (updated)

Oh how the internet keeps making things easier!  Now I can get everything I need to make Columbia's collar from Amazon.  All I have to do is spray-paint the lock washers gold, and space my rivets out 3/4" apart. Check out these links via my Amazon Associate account - 

Honbay 12PCS Rivet Studs (Amazon Assoc. Link)
CRAFTMEMORE 50 White Clear Rhinestone Rivets (Amazon Assoc. Link)
External Tooth Lock Washers (Amazon Assoc. Link)
Milakoo Adjustable Leather Collar (Amazon Assoc. Link)

Columbia's Pajamas - the shoes! (Research)

I guess in my original post about Columbia's Pajamas I never included her shoes. Although I can't tell if she's wearing shoes during Touch-a, you can clearly hear them when she gets up to leave the dinner table. The best time to see them is during her monologue before she gets Transduced. It's also a great capture of that ridiculously long string hanging from her waist. 

They're just basic black mules (slide-on slippers with a heel).

They're also on her feet during her Eddie's Teddy verse, but so hard to see without lightening the screenshots substantially...

Columbia's Ring

No idea what the blue is - some kind of enamel? But this is one of the easiest parts of the film to see it.

Columbia Top Hat Pin

I've wanted to have these made for so long and I'm excited to finally have them for sale in my Etsy store. (sold out)

I've always been a pin junkie and these remind me of the classic cloisonne pins we wore in high school. The top hat is 1" wide with a metal pinch-back. The glitter is inside the enamel so it's not going to rub off.  I had 100 made, and I'll only be reordering more if they sell well enough.  It's a bit of a large cost upfront.

Guest Post: Columbia Shorts by Russ

Super excited to feature a guest post by fellow costumer Russ.  Be sure to click on the photos to enlarge - they have an amazing amount of detail! This method will definitely bring your shorts to the next level whether you are making them from scratch or simply trying to modify something off the rack.

It is my belief that in looking closely at the Mick Rock photos, the method used for edging Columbia’s ribbons reveals itself: overlocking/serging. This conclusion was drawn by several factors: First, the edging cannot be a 100% solid in color, since in practically all reference photos, even the far edges of the ribbon shimmer at times. This lends the idea that the edges are stitched in some way; with windows between the stitches allowing the base of the lamé to shine through. A rolled hem doesn’t create the right shape or thickness. Folded edges using a ribbon folder or overlaying a satin-edged organza ribbon creates too solid of a line for my preference and again this method does not let the lamé shine through on the edges. Upon further examination, the Mick Rock photos indicate an edging that in my view can only be achieved through overlocking. Note how the edging looks sort of rough and slightly uneven (Fig.1).
The material used appears to be a woven/satin lamé/sometimes called ͞lurex͟. The same type of lamé was used on several costumes for the Transylvanians as well (in particular, some of their lapels), which lends to the idea that there was plenty of this material to use during the construction of the costumes for the film. To test this theory, I cut a 5/8͟ wide strip of satin lamé, backed with a black fusible interfacing for durability, and fed it twice through my overlocker (knife setting should be off). It was a perfect match to the Mick Rock pics: creating a two-toned look with little flecks of the lamé peeking through the edging. Here is an image of some sample gold ribbon compared to a photo in the Mick Rock book. The golds are an exact match. My ribbon looks out of proportion, since it is closer to the camera but it is 5/8͟ wide, which I believe to be an accurate width (Fig.2). Furthermore, with the interfacing fused and stitched in, no amount of tugging in any direction was budging the ribbon’s shape or integrity; which means these are going to
last for many years.

Covering A Columbia Hat (Alternate Method)

This is a guest post by RM - I was so impressed with her results! I think there's a little more work involved in this method, but the results speak for themselves. I have no doubt that this is the way Little Nell's was probably made because the sequin pattern on the bottom of the brim go straight back.  Also, Larry now has screen accurate gold sequin fabric for top hats and tail coats.

I started out with a plain black top hat and glued on layers of felt to make it flare out at the top, just like in Mina’s tutorial. Since I wasn’t happy with any of the gold sequin fabrics I found locally and there wasn’t time to order any, I decided to create my own wavy-line sequin fabric by tracing lines onto fabric with a cardboard template and gluing strings of sequin trim onto the fabric. (NOTE: Once I was finished, I decided the sequins weren’t close together enough so I added more sequin strings in the spaces between them.) I’m not sure how many yards of sequin trim it took—I just bought a spool of 100 meters and still have plenty left over. I chose a lightweight, semi-sheer cotton/silk lining fabric layered over a yellowish gold poly-cotton broadcloth, since that was the only way I could achieve the color and texture I wanted with the fabrics available.  I used my very most favorite glue, Gem-Tac. I made three large ovals (one for the flat top part of the hat, one for the underside of the brim, and one for the top side of the brim) and one long rectangle (for the stovepipe part of the hat). Be careful to make sure the nap of the sequins are all going in the same direction!

I glued the sequin fabric oval onto the top of the hat first, pinning it in place while the glue dried. You can see I made cuts through the center of the brim fabric pieces like a pizza—this is because on the top side of the brim, you need to wiggle that piece of fabric from the top of the hat (which is wider) down to the part where it meets the brim (which is narrower).

Custom Printed Fabric

I've been tinkering with this for a good while now. I will have swatches at the 40th Anniversary Convention.  If you're comfortable with Photoshop, the process is fairly easy. When you upload your design you have the option to set the repeat how you prefer.

Columbia's Pajama Stripe - This was printed by Spoonflower. I have experimented with the colors a bit, and though I think my final result is a bit dark, it lends itself well to natural fading for a truly "worn" look (you can accelerate the process with sun exposure and many washings). Spoonflower will also let you modify the colors before ordering, however I strongly recommend getting a swatch before purchasing yardage.

Brad's Bow Tie Plaid - I tried this on Spoonflower originally and I wasn't happy with any of the results. Every effort looked dull and faded - as if getting a saturated red was impossible.  I tried using their color-picker, and talking with customer support on the phone. Always the same dull results. I had much greater success with FabricOnDemand.com - the only complaint I have about them is that they do not have a store feature to let other people buy my designs directly.

Brad's Cummerbund Plaid - Pretty much the same exact experience as the bow tie plaid. My final results were from FabricOnDemand.com.

Janet's 1/2" Pink Gingham - Gingham is technically a woven plaid, but I've done my best to simulate the effect with printing. I got great results from Spoonflower.com so it's available in my shop there. I also have a lighter version of the same print for Janet's that are working with a lighter pink dress fabric and still want a good match.

Gold Sequin Fabric

I get asked about this a lot so I'm creating a blog entry dedicated to it.  I currently do not know of any gold sequin fabric sources.  I get lucky online once in a blue moon, or a friend may find something random, but I do not know of any place that stocks it.

Tail Coats
Rubies makes a gold sequin tail coat for men (item 90872) and women (90871) that retails for about $250 - $300.  They turn up on eBay fairly regularly as well as large costume companies.

Every once in a while you can catch a good vintage find that comes close.  I guess it depends how picky you are about the sequin design and jacket shape.

Most common these days are the 'foil dot' costumes - faux sequins glued onto a glitzy fabric background. A reasonable investment for a starter costume or someone who doesn't plan to perform Columbia often.

Sequin Fabric
If you're dedicated to accuracy you'll want to look for a wavy, skip-a-row sequin arrangement.  I've seen the wavy strands attached to chiffon, taffeta, jersey knit and thick spring weave (think tube tops).  I am not a fan of using stretchy fabrics for tail coats and the only advice I will ever give on the subject no matter how hard you press me is "no" -  not because it can't be done, but because I don't want to be responsible for a multi-hundred dollar failure if you don't achieve the results you wanted.

I used to find the taffeta-backed version at Hancock's regularly until about 10 years ago.  It was discontinued and doesn't seem to be coming back.  I find a few bolts in random fabric shops online, but never any options of restocking.  Magic Makers used to carry it regularly, but as prices went up he stopped having it manufactured.

If you're less concerned with the accuracy, there's still plenty of gold options out there.  Sometimes with square or oval sequin, sometimes dangly instead of stitched flat, etc.  But for the cost of buying something that isn't right and putting that much work into it, you'd probably be better off buying the Rubies coat mentioned above.

Custom Orders
I'm not currently accepting custom orders - partially because I can't find a reliable fabric source myself, and also because I've suspended all commissions while I'm caring for my mother and trying to move forward with other (non-Rocky) work.

However, there has been some dialogue about having it custom manufactured like the bustier fabric is.  The problem, of course, is the huge amount of money that has to fronted by an individual for a bolt of custom fabric.  We're talking a couple thousand dollars.  Not a big problem if it gets unloaded quickly, but definitely a concern if it takes months or years to recover the cost.  It would most likely be in the neighborhood of $60/yd, and take 3 yards to make a tail coat (not including black sequin fabric for the lapels and whatever fabric for the lining).

If you think you would seriously consider purchasing custom fabric in that price range I encourage you to leave a comment to this blog entry.  If enough people are seriously interested we could make this a reality. Please, think of the Columbias.

New Gold Sequin Fabric Acquired!

With many thanks to Fred Olderr - I have some more gold sequin fabric.  It's a bit darker than the last batch, and I've had this color before and still think it looks fab.  I'll probably be able to get 3 Tail Coats and Top Hats out of it - and I'm just going to make them Small/Medium/Large and list them for sale here on my site when they are done (probably after Halloween because I've got a lot on my plate).  Anything left over will just become more Top Hats (and mini Top Hats!).  
It looks nearly copper in this photo, but my phone's camera leans towards the reds.  I can send a swatch to anyone who may be interested in purchasing a Tail Coat or Top Hat.
This fabric was very popular for dancewear and Disco.  I don't think it's being produced any more, so mostly what you'll find are mill close-outs and old lots that have been lying around in random fabric shops for a couple decades.  It's really a crapshoot.  Larry is looking into reproducing it, but the cost is a major consideration and we're not sure what the demand is.  If you think you'd be interested in purchasing some from Larry - please let him or me know and that may help get things rolling.

Columbia's Top Hat Ribbon

This is a supplemental post to making Columbia's Top Hat.  Click here to view my Top Hat construction entry.

Columbia's ribbon band on her hat makes it easy to disguise where the fabric from the brim and the topmeet.  I use 1" wide black grosgrain (ribbed) ribbon.  Pre-measure a piece to go around the base with a 1" overlap, spray adhesive on one side of the ribbon and apply the ribbon to the hat (figure 1).  The spray adhesive is forgiving if you need to reposition as you work your way around.  You'll want the ribbon to be fairly snug to prevent any gapping that the hat's shape or layers of fabric may create.  Your overlap should be in middle of the left side (wearer's perspective) and the bow will cover the overlap.

The bow is a 10" piece of ribbon folded over and 'pinched' in the middle.  Stitch a 1" line near the edge of the pinch to keep the overlapped ends together and create the bow shape (figure 3).  

Take another strip of ribbon about 2-1/2" long, fold in half and sew 7/8" from the folded edge.  This will be bow's "knot".  Slide the pinched ribbon through the loop you just made with the knots seam to the back (figure 4).  You'll probably need to press your bow a little.

Position your bow over the hand band's overlap on the left side and glue or sew in place.  

Columbia's Bow Tie (Research)

Bright pink sequin bow tie - sequins seem to be on the front only.  It's pretty easy to find a matching satin for the backside.  Black band - looks like a scrunchy band of satin to me, but I've seen a lot of Columbia's use a black elastic sequin band for this and it looks fabulous.  The added benefit of a satin band is that it won't get hung up on your tail coat's collar.

I'm not certain the top photo is actually from the film - but I think it was taken during filming (probably a Mick Rock photo?)  The band definitely looks satin here to me - but if it's not from the film it could have changed (as other things did).

The second photo is a screen grab and does lend itself to the sequin band theory a bit more.  This photo also shows the underside of her tail coat lapel is gold (not black).

And the last shot is a screen grab just to show the size and shape from a straight-on view.  Don't make it too small - that thing goes ear to ear!

---

Edited to add - I think the trading card photo (taken on set) also shows the band to look like a scrunched satin neck band.

Floorshow Corsets (Research)

This is shared with permission by Stefan from the RockyHorror.org forums.  He debunks a long-held myth that the floorshow corsets were worn upside-down and backwards to get their unusual style.  Stefan did a mock-up of what he believed were the hook and eyes up the back (not a busk), which would imply they were custom-made for the film (not bought off-the-rack) and his image lines up beautifully with screen-shots of Columbia's corset; see for yourself-

Okay, this is the mock up I made.

It's not exactly the same hook and eye tape as I mentioned before, but it is very close. And it's black with chrome square eyes.
I sewed the tape onto the fabric pieces in the most simple straightforward way. I added some multicolor sequins to the mock up for size comparison to the original. These are the standard sized 6mm flat sequins.

I closed the two pieces together with the hook and eye tape and pinned it on a doll, making sure to put a little bit of tension on the mock up, simulating the tension of a bustier/corset. While I took the picture I slightly moved my camera a bit to recreate the tiny unsharpness of the motion blur we see in the original photograph

Using photoshop I posted the picture next to the columbia picture. All I did with altering the picture, was brightness, contrast and some color changes, cause the fabric came out a bit redder on the picture than colombia's did. I then scaled the picture (while maintaining the original dimensions (no stretching the image) and then rotated it slightly to mimic the diagonal of the original.

I personally think it is a very good match. Both in look, proportions, and spacing. But see what you think.

Columbia's Tail Coat (Construction)

You can probably apply this method to most commercial tail coat patterns (the Costume kind).  I cut a complete 2nd set of all pattern pieces for the lining whether the pattern calls for it or not.  Lining your tail coat will extend its life.  I only apply the black sequin fabric to half of the front lining pieces - no need to add bulk all the way to the side seams.

I bag-line my sleeves and tails separately, leaving the tops open to turn out.  After you've turned them right side out you can attach the lining and sequin fabric together with a running stitch and there-after treat them as one-piece when setting them into the torso.

I construct the torsos separately - the sequin fabric and the lining.   Then I set the sleeves into the sequin torso, and attach the tails to the back.  At this point it looks like a tail coat sans lining.  You could try it on and adjust accordingly at this point.

With the tail coat laying face-up, I fold the sleeves and tails up onto the torso so all the torso edges are clearly exposed.  With right sides together I lay the lining torso down.  Carefully lining up seams and edges, pin together then sew the entire perimeter.   You are effectively bag-lining the whole tail coat.  Trim your corners and curves accordingly.  Grade your seam allowance if you need.  Then pull the jacket right-side out through on of the lining's arm-holes.  Finger-press around seams.  If you must use an iron - use a low setting and a press cloth and do it quickly (never let an iron touch the sequins directly).

You can close up the lining's arm holes by hand with a quick whip-stitch.  Apply your buttons to the outside and you're done!

Photos of my finished tail coat are in this entry.

Lab Masks (Research)

I've never come across actual surgical masks that look like this (anyone?) but they seem stretchy or kind of rubbery.  In the past I've experimented with sheets of latex, but you have to mix the right color medium, etc.   Kind of a pain.  You can buy pinky-flesh colored vinyl fabric that works nearly as well.  The only downside is that your lipstick will get on the backside and depending on the brand, may not come out.

They are cut straight across the top, but are rounded (pointed?) below the chin.  You can download my free pattern and give it a try.  I like the PVC vinyl with two-way stretch, but felt also works great.