My partners, Jane and Jo
Dresses and Teddy's are the ultimate in Heavy Metal female outfits.
Dresses and teddy's represent a major commitment in time and money. We would typically start with an initial fitting where we would select a halter that fit beautifully then we would select an appropriate corset. A set of measurements and photos. would complete my pre production notes. Depending on the time of year and the level of insanity it would then take 2to 10 weeks to complete the work. Then we would meet again for a final fitting.
Teddy's start at $700 in petite sizes and can exceed $1200 for a more robust woman. Dresses start at $1000. That may sound expensive but my hero Bob Macky gets over $20,000 for a cloth dress that he never lays a hand on!
Another option that has proved effective is to buy separates that can be worn together. If you buy a simple halter ($125 to $250) a corset ($250 to $500) and a skirt ($250 to $1000) you can achieve the warrior look . but could also wear the corset with a gown (or not) for a very elegant (provocative) look a skirt and top could go well at a concert or other event, in other words separates are more versatile and tend to be less expensive because it is so much easier to make three equations fit the body than trying to write one equation to do the same thing. (all of my designs begin for me with the perfection of numbers. If the numbers are elegant then the work will also be elegant.
I begin this page with several pictures of our partner Jo
wearing her dress at various events of varying flavors. The point being
DON'T LET YOUR IMAGINATION BE LIMITED BY WHAT YOU'VE SEEN OR DONE BEFORE.
I realize that nearly all of my dresses and teddy's have have been commissions and that most of them were not photographed!
Click on thumbnails/ for a better view
My partners, Jane and Jo
The many moods of Jo
The Great Antoine and the Beautiful Lady Jo.
These two pieces are not for sale I consider them to be my
master pieces. There are no elders in my craft/art form to submit to so
I keep these around and have dressed Hundreds of people in them since their
creation in 1980.
If you are between a size 7 1nd 10 they may work for you. Come wear them
at Faire!
This
is a long line and a skirt
.
Another
pict of my friend Laura.
.
Brandy
models an all bronze teddy with Sausalito Bay in the background.
.
.
Melissa
from "Tie Me Down" in Milwaukee.
This
is the only pict I can find to document this three week project
This
Joan De Arch was a mother of three and a warehouseman in Milpitas Ca. and
had never thought of herself as pretty! When a friend of hers saw the pictures
we took at this shoot he hired her an agent and last I heard she was on
her way to a new career. Not all Chainmaille stories are this positive
but but very few are at all negative.
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