Halloween Costume Cummerbund | Fall 2024
Guillermo De La Cruz - What We Do In the Shadows
Halloween Costume Cummerbund | Fall 2024
Guillermo De La Cruz - What We Do In the Shadows
Single Breasted Vest | Commercial Pattern Project
Design from the FX show What We Do In The Shadows
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Practices: Commercial Pattern | Fitting Alterations
Style/Era: ~2010s
Having some down time in the middle of my Fall 2024 semester, and with Halloween approaching, I decided that I wanted to be Guillermo from the show What We Do In The Shadows as my costume but I did not own a black vest. Given the resources I had at my disposal, and my inclination to save my money, I found a commercial pattern I could utilize to create a black vest for my costume. I altered the pattern a bit to fit in more with the neckline and buttons of the vest used in the show and made a mockup that I then fit on myself and with some aid pinned places I wanted to adjust so that it would also be able to serve as a fitted vest I could add to my wardrobe. I ended up favoring a tighter fit design that lacked a buckle in the back to cinch the vest, and having no pockets for time management. I also opted to use a thicker fashion fabric so that in the Fall weather, I could afford to minimize the layers I wore on Halloween day.
Points in which I was challenged:
Taking in the back and side seams to tailor the vest into a custom fit for myself while not having the fabric stretch oddly when worn or distort the hem of the vest as it sat on my body.
With some guidance I was able to create a curved seam along the back that would take in the vest and then readjust the side seams to balance out the aforementioned curved seam.
Stitching in the front facing in sequence with stitching the lining to the fashion fabric.
I went about stitching in the lining in a bit of an unorthodox way because my mind was fixated on the idea of having it close similar to how one would alter a suit jacket's facing and lining. It worked out in the end, but in the future I believe I would approach attaching the facing to the lining first rather than last.
What We Do In The Shadows / FX
Mockup Construction
Garment Construction
Costume Photos
Photo Credit: Hemani Mehta