The terms come from entirely different backgrounds, but appear to have merged in current fan discourse.
I agree; even competition costumers are starting to use the term for non-competition stuff.
costuming was VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS.
Pretty much. (Sorry for that, BTW. I never went after people that way, but I know folks who did get that wrapped up and ye gods, why didn't anyone including me say "Breathe, it's not important"?) Attitudes like that are why the local guild is a pale shadow of its former self; the people who didn't flee costuming finally put their backs up and said "Screw you, we're doing our own thing over here." And in the meantime, Anime was a completely different culture doing a completely different thing. I'm not surprised that their term has taken over as the movers and shakers of classic competition costuming die or retire.
(To this day I feel guilty for buying a lot of my rennfaire garb. In addition to the good side of things - "Ooo, I love that costume and I know just how to make it" comes the guilt of not making or repurposing every stitch you wear.)
the Japanese guests were astounded at the detail of costuming by the American attendees
Politics and overkill for people who don't want to play to that level aside, there was good from the old mindset. You could learn a lot - for every person bitching about quality, there was one who'd happily teach - and there was a goal to learn, grow, and do your best.
Speaking of great detail, a story from long ago: I know someone who recreated the cover of The Cat Who Walked Through Walls. She was so detailed that she replicated Whelan's signature where he worked it into the costume, and she called him once to get his impressions of what the backside of the spacesuit looked like. In addition to sewing the suit, she used plastics to build the gun and soft-sculptured the cat for her shoulder.
At a Worldcon panel where the artists, a couple costuming BNFs, and authors were discussing character interpretations, she deliberately came a couple minutes late so the speakers would glance to the door.
no subject
I agree; even competition costumers are starting to use the term for non-competition stuff.
costuming was VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS.
Pretty much. (Sorry for that, BTW. I never went after people that way, but I know folks who did get that wrapped up and ye gods, why didn't anyone including me say "Breathe, it's not important"?) Attitudes like that are why the local guild is a pale shadow of its former self; the people who didn't flee costuming finally put their backs up and said "Screw you, we're doing our own thing over here." And in the meantime, Anime was a completely different culture doing a completely different thing. I'm not surprised that their term has taken over as the movers and shakers of classic competition costuming die or retire.
(To this day I feel guilty for buying a lot of my rennfaire garb. In addition to the good side of things - "Ooo, I love that costume and I know just how to make it" comes the guilt of not making or repurposing every stitch you wear.)
the Japanese guests were astounded at the detail of costuming by the American attendees
Politics and overkill for people who don't want to play to that level aside, there was good from the old mindset. You could learn a lot - for every person bitching about quality, there was one who'd happily teach - and there was a goal to learn, grow, and do your best.
Speaking of great detail, a story from long ago: I know someone who recreated the cover of The Cat Who Walked Through Walls. She was so detailed that she replicated Whelan's signature where he worked it into the costume, and she called him once to get his impressions of what the backside of the spacesuit looked like. In addition to sewing the suit, she used plastics to build the gun and soft-sculptured the cat for her shoulder.
At a Worldcon panel where the artists, a couple costuming BNFs, and authors were discussing character interpretations, she deliberately came a couple minutes late so the speakers would glance to the door.
She hit the pose from the cover of the book.
Whelan's jaw hit the floor.