Costume Fun with a Chronic Illness

My last several posts have had at least mentions of the fact that I have severe endometriosis, and have had several surgeries related to it in the last two years. I have talked about the impacts that the illness, treatments, and procedures have had on my life. As it stands, I am currently taking a break from pursuing my fashion degree, had to go from a pretty decent job to one that pays less but are more than willing to work with my physical capabilities, and came very close to backing out of the Summer in the City show back in June (I didn't). I also have had to pass or cancel on other events due to my health, including joining my husband for the annual SeaDog Nights and Gypsy Carnival pirate festival in Lebanon, Oregon, this past July. Being several months past surgery, being on a harsh treatment for the endometriosis, the nerve/back pain that forced me to leave my job...we just didn't think the time was right. 2016 is my year, though, starting with Matt wanting to treat a related event in March as my debutante ball.

One of my biggest obstacles with this, however, is costuming. I've already been having to deal with the pain in the ass of costuming while having issues with my weight. But now I have to figure in bloating, back/hip pain, swelling, medications, even surgery. Even now, eight months after surgery, certain items of clothing get worn rarely or not at all because they sit uncomfortably on one of my incision sites, and the nerve endings have yet to return normal feeling to my lower abdomen. I discovered at a friend's Halloween wedding that my underbust corset was the only thing keeping me standing without having to resort to a cane. Oh, and then there's the occasional need to use a cane now. Leggings and loose tops have become wardrobe staples. Heels can't be worn for very long if I'm constantly on the move. But there aren't many resources out there for cosplaying while broken. I mean, there's this one chick who's been putting herself out there, but how she addresses having to work her costumes around tubes and a wheelchair doesn't necessarily reflect how I need to address my own needs. I've already decided to work with higher waistlines to accommodate my belly on crappy days, but will still work with belts and corsets. I'm looking at designing my corsets to be adjustable to my abdominal status at the time of wear. Sleeves and skirts will have to be able to be restrained in the event I need to bust out the cane. And then there's the cane. The one I bought from the store for fifteen bucks to help me get back on my feet faster after my latest surgery certainly isn't piratey or steampunky, nor is it portable for when it's not in use, but on-hand just in case. I need to work in a way to have my pain meds on me and be able to safely take them when needed. I may look at maternity fashion in the 18th and 19th centuries for ideas, too.

I will, of course, share my findings and results here. And any suggestions are more than welcome.

How about a styling tip?

As part of my styling class, I had to style an editorial shoot to be done in San Francisco. Sadly, for many reasons, I didn't go to California, but I did ship my look there.

In order to prevent scuffing shoes and sets, stylists will often put tape on the bottoms of the shoes, especially if they're meant to be returned. Like the ones I sent in. I got them back today, peeled off the tape, and had a mild stroke at all of the tape residue left behind. I was worried that I couldn't return them, so I scoured the interwebs for tips. Nail polish remover didn't work, unless they meant the stuff with acetone in it, which usually doesn't play nice with porous materials. A cleaning wipe didn't work. I wasn't about to pour olive oil on them, but that did give me an idea: coconut oil!

Coconut oil exists as a solid until warmed up. Since I was concerned about the mess that olive oil would make, coconut oil seemed like the right solution. So I grabbed my jar of coconut oil, a butter knife, and a rag. I spread the oil onto the soles of the shoes, left it set for a few minutes, then worked it off with the rag. I then wiped off the excess oil residue with a cleaning wipe, and presto! No more tape residue. And I was able to return the shoes no problem.

One shoe with coconut oil, the other without.

Both shoes residue-free!

Now, ordinarily, the shoes won't be taped for two weeks in boxes, trucks, and two different states like they were for this project. But this is still a useful tip nonetheless, because several factors may require it. Coconut oil will now be a staple in my styling kit. It was worth it, though. I'd better get a good grade on this!

The shoes are the only part of the look that wasn't made by me or my husband.