Book Review: Liberace Extravaganza!

Our latest addition to our bookshelf came about when we purchased thousands of vintage rhinestones from long time Las Vegas costumer Jan Jewett. She and Connie Furr Soloman wrote this book, Liberace Extravaganza! and Jan was kind enough to provide us with a signed copy.
 

Authorized by the Liberace Foundation, this book explores not only Liberace's life story, but the people and clothes that helped him craft his signature image. In fact, you might want to skip to the back of the book when you first get your hands on it. It is there you will find spectacular full page close ups of his costumes, organized by the decade during which the costume was created and worn. Thousands and thousands of rhinestones, sequins, glass and acrylic pearls, seed beads, mirrored cabochons, and crystal beads adorn everything from boots to lace cuffs.
 

Once you're done oohing and aahing, be sure to go back to the beginning of the book and read about the lives of the people who made it all happen.
 

Similar to when we visited Mary Wilson's Supremes costume exhibit, it is exciting to see some of the beautiful items we stock at Bumbershoot Supplies in action in these outlandishly marvelous clothes. This book is a phenomenal inspiration for anyone who loves costuming or beading or who just loves rhinestones, glitter and glam.

Featured Artist: Natalie Ferguson of A Frolic Through Time

If you are someone who loves vintage materials and vintage themed designs, I know you will be inspired by Natalie Ferguson and her blog, A Frolic Through Time. Natalie does what many of us would love to do: she designs and sews period clothing for actual wear.

In her words: “Fashion is fun, but period fashion is more fun. Period clothing speaks volumes about a culture and evokes memories and ideas close to the heart. That’s why I enjoy researching and constructing period clothing and accessories; the feel of the process and the drape of the result open doors to another time and place…[I] am still reading and writing but now joyfully testing what I read on real fabric. Here are experiments and essays - and trials -  in costuming, shared with you.” (Natalie is wearing the feathered hat in the previous 2 photos.)

I learned about Natalie’s designs because she purchased some tiny vintage flat back chaton rhinestones from Bumbershoot Supplies.  She told me she planned to attach them to tiny pieces of fabric, then sew those embellished fabric bits onto a petticoat she was designing as part of a 1795 Full Dress Ensemble for the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville this July, at which she planned to volunteer.  Well, I had to know more and I knew I’d have to share this with you.

See the rhinestone in the center of the goldwork on the finished petticoat…

And here they are again on the buckle…

Every time I visit A Frolic Through Time, I can get lost there for hours, hours that seem to pass by in minutes. This is because Natalie’s designs and her blog bring together so many things I love: good literature, period fashion, living history, fabric, embellishments and accessories, the traditionally female arts, and an attention to detail and authenticity that I greatly respect.  

Plus, a bit of theatre too.

I am also in awe of Natalie’s generous spirit – she provides an incredible amount of detail about the sources she uses to create her designs, the designs themselves and her creative process.  Indeed, Natalie’s blog is a very rich source of information, links and resources on period fashion and I definitely recommend a visit just for the resources alone.  Her blog posts are true gifts.

I hope you will be inspired by a visit to Natalie’s blog for your own Frolic Through Time!