Creating Your Costume
Back Story
1. Research your time period and come up with five events or interesting facts that happened within a 10-year span of your time period. Try to find different areas to cover such as the Arts, Government, Sports, Fashion, etc…
EXAMPLE: If your time period was 1560, you would be looking for events that happened from 1555-1565. Just subtract and add 5 years to YOUR time period to get your 10 year span.
List of five events that happened from 1560 time period is
1. Madrid is declared the capital of Spain by Philip II.
2. Ruy López develops modern techniques of chess playing in Spain.
3. February 26 – Jorge de Montemayor, Spanish writer (b. 1520)
4. Dies in 1561- Cipriano de Rore, Flemish composer, primarily of Italian madrigals (born 1515/1516)
5. April 24 – Mary, Queen of Scots, marries Francis II of France.
2. Back Story- This is where you will come up with information about the character you create based off the costume you will construct. Develop a brief synopsis of the character’s background. This should tie into the period in which the character lives. In other words, you can’t use modern references.
Back story needs to be typed.
1 to 2 paragraphs long, Grammar will be looked at in this grade.
Be prepared to have someone in the group to read during the fashion show
(Models can’t read.)
Back Story needs to include the following:
1. Character’s full name
2. Age
3. Social Status
4. Where they live
5. Their hobbies or their involvements
6. Where are they going to wear the outfit that you are creating.
7. Must include at least 2 of the 5 events in your backstory
Back Story Example
Lady Catherine Norton Marlowe
Coming down the aisle is
Lady Catherine Montemayor Marlowe.
She is the daughter of famed Spanish writer Jorge de Montemayor. Recently married, she just moved to the new capital of Spain, Madrid. Her husband William Marlowe is very proud of his 18 year old wife. We are sure that Catherine who grew up in a lower middle class household is happy to live the luxurious life of the doctor’s wife.
Catherine takes pleasure taking care of her new home but she does get a chance to spend time with the local Ladies of the Chess. This is where a group of ladies play chess together and tell stories about their children. Tonight Catherine is dress to go see a concert of Cipriano de Rore’s music. Catherine says, “Though the Fleming composer is deceased, his music will live on forever.” She loves her Italian madrigals.
This Back Story was based off an Spanish Lady’s picture of 1560.
3. Costume Creation Design-
a. You must give Mr. Stewart a list of what THREE style points of your picture’s outfit that you are going to keep the same and ONE style point that you are going to “riff”.
b. Design your plan before you start to construct. You are not allowed to wing it. Take ne copy of your picture and show what style are staying the same and which style point os going to be riffed- See sample Below
Remember- Riffing is where you take an aspect of clothing and change to make it your own style or creation.
Here is a list of possible style points to keep the same or riff. You may come up with your own:
Women- High Collar, Low Collar, Ruffled Collar V neck, Long sleeves,
Short sleeves, 3 Quarter sleeves, Ruffles, High bustle, Low bustle,
Mid bustle, Feathered, Fitted at the Waist, Bows, Off the Shoulder, Corseted, Full Skirt, Layered, Floor Length
Men- Cuff line, Sleeve Lengths, Sleeve Style Straight or full, Vests Style Changes , Coattails, Ruffle Shirts, Collars, Pleats,