Every designer knows that a fitting can set the tone for an upcoming project. The Costume Designer is like an ambassador. We are the first members to really interact with the actors besides the director. It is in the fitting that we mold the character and present it to the performer who will breath life into it. Preparing for a fitting could take weeks or just a few days, but the process and tools are always the same.

Design. Visual images are always helpful to communicate ideas. I like to have sketches, collages, and research present during fittings. This will help you keep focus on the clothing story. For my recent project Bad Boys Crazy Girls, I displayed boards with inspirational images of the character's growth from the beginning of the script to the character's resolve looks. This became a starting point of discussion between the actors and myself and set-up a formula for where the fitting would go.

Clothing. Of course you can not have a fitting with out clothing. Shopping, renting, pulling should have all happened before a fitting. The clothing should not be over crowded on a rack for ease of hanging and finding items. Remember that presentation makes a difference, for example, clothing should be hung on matching hangers and items should be steamed.

Tools. Well I've already mentioned that you will need racks, hangers, and a steamer. Also, to properly fit and prepare for alterations, a designer and their assistant should have safety pins (I prefer #3 sized silver pins), a tape measure, a ruler, note pad, pencil, hang tags, a camera, full length mirror, and possibly some lighting equipment.

Space. It is important to have the proper space. There needs to be privacy for the actor to change and enough space to step back and get a full length photo. Proper lighting is key to taking photos to look back at the work you did during the fitting and to see the items and colors you've brought to the fitting. Poor photos shown to a director could lead to a lot of unnecessary reshopping. It helps to make an actor comfortable with bottled water along with fruit or a snack to keep up the energy. Fittings can be along process and refueling and sugar help to keep an actor standing.

Finally, a good assistant can keep a fitting moving by passing safety pins, writing up shopping, pulling, and alteration notes, rehanging items. The designers job is to keep the actor engaged but the assistants job is to quietly record information and organize. All of these categories listed above will help a designer focus a fitting on character and story. Happy Fitting!!!

11/17/12. Patric the movie will wrap this coming week ending four weeks of amazing performances and creative film making.  Shot primarily at Hill Studio in Paulsboro, NJ, Patric was written and directed by Sean McGarry. Patric follows actor Anthony Lawton in the title role as his character becomes obsolete in today's world ultimately leading to his mental breakdown. This psychological fantasy suspense comedy (yes, all of the above) had many costuming highlights. The script called for the creation of mermaids as well as some other playful images. To the left is one of my costume sketches for a fantasy mermaid scene featured in the movie. Kristen Phillips-Surichamorn of Safari Anomalous was contracted to build the mermaid tails to resemble the sketches.  Costumers built garments and accessories to complete the original designs.

So i jumped onto a fad for the first time since Sheepskin boots....which mind you I did the research to buy Koolaburra's instead of the standard UGGs...one actually being made in Australia as oppose to the popluar counter-part in China. Either way I was still ashamed of myself even at purchase. But this new fad has me still excited and wanting more. I got my first feather hair extension last week at Salon Belissima in Springfield, PA while getting my standard bleach out high lights. Normally, I'm very conservative when it comes to something I can identify as a day old fish fad...not completely rotten but starting to smell. This time around I was ready to plunge in, cause when a girl needs a change in her life she puts the change in her hair. After the blow out, my stylist gave me a few packets of feathers to choose from....so many choices but not enough options for me. I settled on two speckled blk/lime feathers and a sapphire blue. At 15 bucks a feather, this was good enough for me. The bead slid on, the extensions went in and the pliers clamped all in 60secs. Wow! That was almost too easy. Well now i want more and am thinking what other kind of stuff can i easily attach to my hair in this manner. The sky is the limit!! What kind of random objects can U think to put in your hair??!!?? Maybe a chain with my house key...that'll stop me from losing it. Or how about IV tubing? Give it a nice bounce and would always be ready with my own tube to steal beer from your beer helmet. Although, the good thing about the feathers is that they with take heat and style like human hair and will last a couple of months.