“Apparel oft proclaims the man.” – William Shakespeare
… or woman, I would add.
In everyday life, we are of course more than what we wear, but our clothes can change how we feel, change how we act. The right outfit can transform our attitude, posture and character. Well-made and well-fitting clothing best honors who we are, which is never static – we are always in the process of becoming, becoming ourselves.
On stage and on screen, even more than on the street, characters are loudly proclaimed by the costumes they wear. As they come to life through the actors’ work, characters are always in the process of becoming, of revealing who they are.
Since identity and personality and character are not static, it feels right to me to use the evolutionary verb BECOMING in relation to my work with clothing and costume. (So, it’s not ALL about the pun on “so becoming” … although we want to achieve that result as well!)
Whether you’re looking for personal clothing to best reflect who you are or clothing to reflect a “character” you want to be or a set of costumes to clothe an entire cast, I can help you through the process of CONCEPT (design) through CONSTRUCTION (sewing, or alteration if that is what you need) so as to reveal the CHARACTER you want to become!
Paula
My Story:
I have over 50 years’ practical experience sewing, which really did begin as shown in the delightful inset drawing. I began small and soon I was making clothes for myself, my family, friends and others.
I gradually moved on to designing, pattern-making, tailoring and custom sewing. I fell in love with costume design and construction while working on a summer musical many years ago with the well-known designer Norm Kirschbaum. Since then, I’ve costumed for various community theatres in the Bay Area.
My experience and skills include all levels of professional sewing, tailoring, alterations, working with vintage fabrics and fitting for special needs.
In keeping with my philosophy that remaking and repurposing is essential to sustainable living in the modern world, my favorite challenge is to invent new things out of clothing that has been discarded, no longer works or just needs an update.
Costume-making is where sewing meets magic. It can take us back into the past by reproducing historical clothing. It transforms us into fantastical creatures or fictional characters for serious - or casual - cosplay, not to mention good old Halloween! (For more about custom-made costumes, see the INDIVIDUALS section of the website.)
I'd love to work with you to create something "Sew Becoming" that you'll love who you are in it!
