Mum started making me masks back in March. She worked from scraps left over from old sewing projects, so before I knew it I - completely by accident - had five waistcoats in my closet with matching masks. Once we came to that realization, it became a bit more deliberate, mostly because Mum was looking for something to entertain her through all of this.
In May, Dad had about gone stir crazy from not leaving the house and not seeing me once a week like he’d done for the past couple of years. He started buying lunch from the places in the area doing contactless pickup and coming over. We got the idea to do a series of photo shoots based around my mask outfits. They aren’t what you’d call pro quality - they’re done in a little quasi studio we set up in my entertainment/collection room using whatever-the-heck we could find around the house. But that’s part of the point - something to represent being stuck in the house, trying to entertain yourself. I may be an essential worker and still out dealing with hundreds of people five days a week, but outside of Mum and Dad, I don’t see anyone. I don’t go anywhere. I’m having isolation issues along with everyone else. It’s weird.
When we started this, I said I’d put these on tumblr when we were done. Well, we’re not quite done - there will be a Christmas outfit eventually to give me a full twelve so I can make family calendars for Christmas (and I’m sure this will still be going in in December. Quite positive.) But I’m done for now and that was a last minute thought, so this counts.
First shoot and hands down the worst. We didn’t have the backdrop worked out yet, were still figuring out the lighting, and I had zero ideas for poses.
The first mask Mum made me. Thursday is Purple Day at work, so she made it for me to wear on Thursday. Ironically, it only matches the back of my Joker waistcoat.
Ironically, I did a photo shoot with my Downton livery and mask considerably before I realized how many outfits I had! Still had to do another.
By the time we got to my Hufflepuff shoot, I’d figured out that accessories made things easier.
The cryptid skull fabric was my first Spoonflower design. Mum was kinda desperate to make a mask out of it. If we hadn’t had enough scraps, I think she would have ordered some. Ironically, I can’t wear this one to work. Too spooky.
This was the point that I really started playing with my eye shadow. Fun story - when I first started wearing this mask, a good half of my coworkers wanted one, but we didn’t have enough scraps left. The fabric is years old and not made anymore. One day, a month or two into this, I was walking through the store and there was a guy.....in the same mask.
(The vest was made on a whim by Mum in case we had a Super Hero theme day at work ever. We had one the next month.)
Talk about serendipity. This coat is over a decade old. I just happened to find a scrap tucked in a corner of my place and asked Mum if it was big enough for a mask. Clearly, it was.
My St. Patty’s day outfit. Every year some smart alec asks “Are you really Irish?” One of these years I’m going to find someone with the wherewithal to ask “Are you really Catholic?”
(The answer is no, to both, but several of my ancestors were.)
The Valentine’s outfit is new this year. I may be contentedly single, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be happy for people in happy relationships.... or, you know, happy that I finally have the right to get married if I want! Waited weeks to be able to do this one ‘cause I was waiting for the rose to bloom.
...speaking of that ‘right to get married’ thing.... To those in other countries, here that’s the victory sign. Also, this was my crowning achievement in the makeup department, and I hate bowties.
(And I just realized this should have gone before the V-Day one. Oops.)
I confess, I actually bought this fabric specifically to make an outfit out of it. I couldn’t help it. Mum got some to make masks for her friends who run a bookstore and...well. What can I say? I’m a book worm.
Unlike the Avengers fabric, this is really rather popular mask material. I’ve had it to make a waistcoat out of for at least a year...I think longer... and we just decided the timing was right.
Incidentally, small business shout out, my wands are from Alivan’s. The one in this shot was their limited edition Alnwick oak. The handle is made from an oak tree at Alnwick castle that died and had to be taken down. One of the people there - a groundskeeper, I think - thought it was a shame, so sent a burl to Alivan’s to make something out of.
