The Ornamented Being
Ornamented: -verb: Adorn; beautify
Be·ing: -noun: Fulfillment of possibilities; essential completeness
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There were over 60 entries and somehow I made the top nine. What? How! Anyone want to pinch me because I’m pretty sure I’m dreaming?
I’m confident that this will be the farthest I’ll get in this contest but it’s just been so amazing to have even gotten to this round!
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Anna Pavlova’s costume designed by Leon Bakst for Swan Lake (1905)
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After cutting all the scallops of my tutu (10 layers) I’m staring to understand how Davos Seaworth* feels.
*YES. I have been making clever Game of Throne references all day and no one understands them because I’m the only one watching the series and reading the books. I feel so clever and no one gets it. fail. -
Lesson 1 in tutu making: Cherish your fingers, wear gloves.
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I don’t think you will be hearing from me much for the next few weeks! We are making ballet tutus, which I’m rather excited about! I spent all day cutting my fabric layers out to prep for next week and I still have to finish cutting the soft tulle.
Wish me luck and patience!
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When I was younger I was classically trained in Russian ballet. I once wrote a poem detailing my ambitions, “… her dreams turn quietly on her toe.”
But dreams don’t make allowances for injuries.
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Tutu with a boned bodice of white cotton with a top layer of white organza hand-painted silver. The centre front V panel is beige net surrounded by green plastic holly leaves, red metallic beads, plastic berries, iridescent beads, and silver tinsel all lightly hand-painted silver. The shoulder straps are decorated with light green plastic leaves, red metallic beads and silver tinsel. This decoration continues over the shoulder to the back of the bodice. The sleeves are beige net decorated with silver and pearlised leaf and bell-shaped sequins. The skirt is grey net with pointed edges, overlaid with two layers of white organza painted silver. Between the two layers is silver tinsel. The top layer is decorated with triangular panels of silver sequins and beads. There are elastic shoulder straps and a hoop in the skirt.
The Fairy Winter in Cinderella (1987)
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‘Cinderella’ (1948)
Tutu with a boned bodice of white silk grosgrain hand-painted green. The bust is decorated with a band of pleated white nylon net pinned at the centre with a pearlescent faux jewel surrounded by small diamanté and faux pearls. The central panel is decorated with appliquéd white and pale blue stars made of painted felt outlined in black pen with a diamanté in the centre. The skirt has underlayers of white net with scalloped edges decorated with circular and flower-shaped silver sequins. The skirt is overlaid with swags of yellow-green net caught at intervals with clusters of felt flowers and leaves painted blue and white and joined by wire branches covered with green thread. There are elastic shoulder straps.
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” … The slaves next performed some pretty fairy-like dances, to the sound of beautiful music. Then the little mermaid raised her lovely white arms, stood on the tips of her toes, and glided over the floor, and danced as no one yet had been able to dance. At each moment her beauty became more revealed, and her expressive eyes appealed more directly to the heart than the songs of the slaves. Every one was enchanted, especially the prince, who called her his little foundling; and she danced again quite readily, to please him, though each time her foot touched the floor it seemed as if she trod on sharp knives…”
The Little Mermaid, Hans Christian Anderson
