McGrew Studios

Unique Custom Costumes, Production Design, Personal Tailoring & Fabrication

Specialty Design and Fabrication for the Creative Industries

Corsets

Making History: Victorian Dress

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Historical anniversaries bring re-enactors and history buffs out of the woodwork. We thought we’d add some youthful vigor to the Transcontinental Railroad Anniversary celebration by creating a lovely dress and sending our intern, the lovely Anna, to join in on the fun.

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The Union Pacific’s tracks joined the Central Pacific’s tracks on May 10, 1869, in Promontory, Utah.

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We took our pattern from a museum book featuring mid-1800’s dress patterns and created the outfit in a nice calico. We adore how bright and cheerful Anna looks, amidst all the dark, dour costumes around her. They look like they’re dressed for a funeral and she looks like she’s dressed for a party:)

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Tea dyed, linen frog closures adorn the front of her bodice plus tiny crochet lace trim on her collar and sleeves that are also finished with teeny burgundy piping. We created a straw hat for her with the matching fabric, too. Anna is wearing a corset and hoop underneath, plus a rounded ‘pillow’ to fill out her bodice, giving her the accurate monobosom silhouette of the period.

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Red Riding Hood

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Corseted Leather Bodice with Basque, Skirting & Hooded Cape

Custom built, for the lovely Tawny.
Red leather, wood-grain patterned fabrics, plus an all-over red-on-red foliage patterned fabric for the cape plus a red satin lining.

That’s a lot of red. Divine!
Can’t wait for some portraits of her:)

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Xena Warrior Princess

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Leather with worbla armor.
Xena costume for the lovely Meghan.
Watch out. She’s beautiful but dangerous.

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Steampunk Wedding Attire

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This ensemble is definitely all about “something old, something new.” Jessica wanted some of her existing items repurposed and integrated into this ensemble. We built the corset, blouse and bolero jacket as brand new pieces. Kyle’s vest is also a new item that we made, a double breasted black canvas waistcoat with silver buttons. Her white lace skirt was originally a full length dress and a family heirloom. She also owned a short black petticoat. I recut and made her lace dress into a full length skirt with a new waistband, and her black knee-length petticoat became a new ruffle of a new, full length underskirt.

 

This dress and vest are a lovely departure from steampunk’s usual sepia tones. Jessica and I discussed Cecil Beaton’s wonderful designs for the film, My Fair Lady, particularly the scenes at the racetrack. All the ladies and gentlemen wear black and white in these scenes, with fantastic dresses, hats and accessories.

 

All wedding attire becomes a piece of history, by definition. Wedding outfits are super satisfying to make whenever the couple wants to take their look out a slightly different door, say historic, fantasy, sci fi, steampunk, etc. So when we create suits and dresses that articulate an impossible world or replicate some earthly historic period, we’ve just doubled-down on the cool factor. We are helping people re-imagine, re-live or recreate history with clothing that’s used in new ceremonies and new contexts. It’s really fun. It’s also awesome to custom build for grooms. They’re often so overlooked.

Rockabilly Wedding

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All custom, in white dotted Swiss lace over white satin, corseted, metal stays throughout bodice with metal lacing stays in back and some red satin ribbon laces. She’s so gorgeous! Thank you, Rachael, for sharing these beautiful pics and congrats to you and Nate!! xxoo
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