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.

Introducing: Frank-n-Trixie and the no-good, very bad shoe!

In honor of Tim Curry's birthday this month (April, 2025) I made a special Frank-n-Trixie themed ensemble - 

It's my basic usherette dress pattern, but I added a tie-belt (instead of the traditional skinny leather belt).

• My oversized pin is a copy of a "Charles Atlas" ad - I can make you a man!
• I got my Frank pearls on, though slightly smaller to suit this ensemble better
• You can see them, but I had red triangle-shaped earrings on
• Hot pink satin gloves
• Rhinestone anklet
• A cute riveted facade (like Rocky's tank!) to attach across my usherette tray
• I handed out "Body Part" gummie candies
• I had the lab-scene Frank shoes all finished and ready to go, but they broke before I made it out the door. Thankfully I had some Sweet-T back-ups (re: white heels)

My Usherette Dress

This was my final design pattern based on my research, and my final costume result! I made a few (personal) adjustments from Patricia Quinn's original usherette costume:

• I chose a sheer fabric (to be a lil' sexy) in a neon pink color (to better match my hair). 
• Instead of the giant Elvis pin, mine is Anthony Head (because I saw him play Frank in '91). I had it custom fabricated and based it on the '90s UK tour graphics.
• Instead of “Sloane Cinemas“ (re: Royal Court), my cap says “Farley’s Flicks” (Shock Treatment nod).
• Her tray reads "Lyon's Brand Strawberry Time" (a British ice cream treat), but my tray says "Barry's Berries" because Barry Bostwick was in attendance when I wore the costume - and the tootsie pops are Strawberry flavored!

RHS Usherette Costume (Research)

In the stage production the Usherette has traditionally been performed by the same actress as Magenta. In the original 1973 cast Patricia Quinn wore a pink usherette dress with an enormous Elvis Presley pin and carried a "Strawberry time" serving tray. The outfit was topped off with a fan-shaped cap (?) that read Sloane Cinema. The Royal Court Theatre (located in Sloane Square, London) was built in 1888, and for a period between 1935 to 1940 was actually used as a cinema before being closed from bomb damage in the war. The theatre reopened in 1952 and the smaller Theatre Upstairs (with just 63 seats) was added in 1969 - where Rocky Horror would premier 4 years later. 

I have never seen any photos of Quinn's usherette costume without her holding the tray in front, nor any views from the side or back. Sue added capped sleeves to later incarnations, and of course the name on the hat would change.

The dress has a straight yoke across the front, with a pleated segment (presumably ending in a waist seam). Often when a shirt or dress has a yoke in front it will have one in the back as well. It looks like there are pockets. It has a plain collar (with no collar stand) much like her maid dress in the film. 

During the 60s and 70s Lyons Maid "Strawberry Time" and other frozen treats were peddled at theatres (film and stage). You can even find some of their previews/commercials from the 60s and 70s on YouTube - I grabbed a couple relevant screenshots below.

In 1974 Jamie Donnelly joined the Roxy cast production in L.A. (and later the Broadway cast) and "Hi.. I'm Trixie" was written across the front of her serving tray. The costumes were once again designed by Sue, but there's no way of knowing how similar her dress was to Patricia's.  Jamie's dres has a separate midriff (which was popular in 50's waitress uniforms) and if you go back and look closely you can see a hint of the same segment on Patricia. Jaimie's dress appears to have the same front pleats and pockets, but her wig is covering any confirmation of a yoke (probably??). Sleeve cuffs were added, but I can't make out what is on her pin.