words and pics about living and raising a child in Venice
Thursday, February 24, 2022
The Rating Game
Best costume competition on the stage of Piazza San Marco, 24 February 2022; because of Covid it has been a couple of years since they've set up a stage like this.
Enormously curious. How much would one of these costumes cost to buy or to create? Do professionals make and sell them or do people make them for themselves? Are they passed down in families?? So many questions. And if you had them and then moved to Vancouver, you could never wear them again, right?
I always got the feeling that the vast majority of those who attended the expensive private fancy dress balls had rented or purchased their costumes for the occasion, often from one of the ateliers in Venice which make them.
But I know that some of those people (usually from outside Venice) who pose for photos in and around Piazza San Marco have made their own costumes. In fact, there are some people who regularly attend Carnevale who begin to plan their following year's costume almost as soon as the current year's edition ends, as the process of coming up with them and actually creating them requires a good deal of time.
I also know at least one very creative and talented Venetian who always made elaborate and beautiful costumes for her two children when they were growing up, and continues to make them for herself, as she belongs to a small group of dancers who perform historically-accurate dances in historical costume (and are often hired to do so at fancy dress balls in Venice during Carnevale).
And if you moved to Vancouver you could wear your costume for Halloween. In fact, this past Halloween in Toronto I wore a traditional Venetian bauta costume (tri-corner hat, white mask, lace-like black mantle) to hand out Halloween candy. Though I must admit no one knew what to make of it!
Thanks for your reply. I always wondered if that kind of costume play would take over one's closet and life. And how expensive it could become. I am glad you recycled your bauta costume. Folks probably spent time trying to figure out what horror movie star you were trying to recreate.
Enormously curious. How much would one of these costumes cost to buy or to create? Do professionals make and sell them or do people make them for themselves? Are they passed down in families?? So many questions. And if you had them and then moved to Vancouver, you could never wear them again, right?
ReplyDeleteI always got the feeling that the vast majority of those who attended the expensive private fancy dress balls had rented or purchased their costumes for the occasion, often from one of the ateliers in Venice which make them.
DeleteBut I know that some of those people (usually from outside Venice) who pose for photos in and around Piazza San Marco have made their own costumes. In fact, there are some people who regularly attend Carnevale who begin to plan their following year's costume almost as soon as the current year's edition ends, as the process of coming up with them and actually creating them requires a good deal of time.
I also know at least one very creative and talented Venetian who always made elaborate and beautiful costumes for her two children when they were growing up, and continues to make them for herself, as she belongs to a small group of dancers who perform historically-accurate dances in historical costume (and are often hired to do so at fancy dress balls in Venice during Carnevale).
And if you moved to Vancouver you could wear your costume for Halloween. In fact, this past Halloween in Toronto I wore a traditional Venetian bauta costume (tri-corner hat, white mask, lace-like black mantle) to hand out Halloween candy. Though I must admit no one knew what to make of it!
I'd imagine many are hired.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reply. I always wondered if that kind of costume play would take over one's closet and life. And how expensive it could become. I am glad you recycled your bauta costume. Folks probably spent time trying to figure out what horror movie star you were trying to recreate.
ReplyDelete