Halloween approacheth...

And while there are many things you can buy for which you do not be able to sew/design to achieve, you do have to plan.  Know what you want to do by October 1st, and you should be okay.

(Now reposting this, by the way, as I have changed my plan for what my Halloween costume will be, AND I have updated the links for the best Halloween sources in the district for real-life and online shoppers!)

Great resources for costume ideas?  Learning from my own past mistakes, I say, I have to make a decision before October begins, and stick to it!  Halloween has no build-up, so I never care until people start really talking about it.  Trick-or-treating has fallen out of favor, and there aren't too many appealing events, so I think I have learned my lesson about how to manage it.

So, I share with you what I've found:

Here is what has long been my favorite NYC idea for a family costume, where we are all different sizes of the same creature.  Creepy, scary, and HILARIOUS!  I've made some for a client years ago, when buying one was not an option yet.

My pinterest Halloween page is also full of ideas.

But here's the thing - there are so many things you can make and put your own spin on, using supplies from the district. There is so much sameness out there, in both the costume stores and the DIY-sphere, that it is absolutely  amazing how much sameness I'm seeing. 

This year, I'm loving the rain cloud costume idea... worn with a raincoat, and I could trail it with a rainbow fluttering behind me.  

However, the more I think about it... the more I want to go in a completely different direction, and make my own statement.


I hate that I'm even putting this idea out there, because I am now FLOODED with related ideas, but this one inspired me to know exactly what I MUST do!

Here is is, folks:

So, where can you shop to find interesting, costumey fabrics or wild inspiration?

Try these:

Mood Fabrics

Truemart

Lauren Trimming

Evermax

Spandex House

Bead Max

Joyce Trimming

East Coast Trimming

Fabrics World USA

Manhattan Wardrobe Supply

and, of course, ALL the rest of the stores!!!!

East Coast Trimming

A store that is a bit off my usual beaten path, but became part of my excursion last week, as I was picking up something oh-so-exciting from the garment district!  

(more info on that journey to follow in near-future posts...)

The window is decorated for Halloween!

Why East Coast Trimming?  Halloween is coming.  That's one good reason. I wasn't sure why I stepped in when I went last Friday.  Somehow, that garment district fever just grabbed me. But now that a weekend has passed in-between, I can certainly tell you how it all tied together.

And then... on Saturday, I was walking along Columbus Avenue, just behind the Museum of Natural History, when I saw a quiet little street fair.  I stopped and looked at their offerings, just astounded by the quality of work presented there. The prices for most of the things I loved were higher than any amount I would casually carry (or even have at the moment... who am I kidding...?), but I did get business cards with thoughts of Christmas gifts in my head.

One such vendor was Michal Lando, who offers some of the most exquisite jewelry, that I wanted to jump up and down fanatically at the mere sight of it.  She was wearing her won work, and it really had a wonderful lightness to it. Works of art, really... inimitable, as her techniques, choices of colors and materials are where the magic really happens... but I recognized a mystery material that I frequently fondle in various garment district shops, but have no idea how to use. The pictures on her site are beautiful, but you need to see how these pieces come alive in person, to truly appreciate them.

She was my link to a clue...  Click on this link, and come back to me.  I'll wait...

"What do you call this stuff?" I asked her, touching the tubular necklaces. "It is a mesh, typically used by milliners, I think," she replied.

Ahhh... there it is! That tubular stuff I've seen in many notions stores, but most recently at East Coast Trimming, where I really liked the colors they had in stock. Keep in mind, that this stuff comes in different strengths, with different amounts of springy-ness, then can be stiffened with millinery sizing.  It is also dyeable.  So, what is this stuff called?

Found on Ask.com:

"Sinamay is a type of natural fibre that is made from a plant called musa textilis found in the Philippines. Sinamay is usually dyed and stiffened, and is mainly used for the production of hats, fascinators and other clothing accessories."

A YouTube search for sinamay will lead you to a plethora of tutorials on fascinators, hats, tutus, decorations, and holiday ornaments. As if our brains weren't full enough of ideas already, right?

So, let's say you do to East Coast Trimmings.  Maybe you aren't going there for sinamay.  But maybe you'll spot those great buckles and closures, those beautiful dyed ribbons handing in the back on the left side, some buttons, some feathers... just gasp and sigh, and dream...

NYC Trim Store Review: East Coast Trimming

Address: 142 W. 38th Street (between Seventh and Broadway), New York City
Phone: 212-221-0050
Hours: "Flexible." Monday - Friday 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Best for: Too soon to tell as the store only just opened

Good news, readers! A brand-new trim store just opened in the Garment District and I think you're gonna like it. East Coast Trimming, on W. 38th Street between Seventh and Broadway, is an attractive trim and notions store that should please shoppers who are looking for a thoughtfully curated store. Its well-designed interiors and ample lighting (good lighting is so rare in the Garment District) put it in the same company as fellow trim stores M&J Trimming and Botani Buttons.

According to owner Donna Teves, a former Pacific Trimming employee, customer service is what will set East Coast Trimming apart from its competitors. I did like the fact that when I told her I had been searching the Garment District high and low for these Clover Wonder Clips, she promptly tracked down the information and said she'd stock them for the store. The two times I visited the store staff was always on hand to assist customers.

I don't think it's fair to do a full review on this store, seeing as how the inventory is clearly evolving. (It's surprisingly heavy on things like cotton twill and webbing, for example, and the only zippers I saw were Coats & Clark in packages like a Jo-Ann's store.) So I plan on checking back regularly and will update this post in six months or so. In the meantime, stop by and welcome Donna and her team to the Garment District. I'm sure she'd be happy to hear what kinds of things you'd like her to stock.

I love the black shelves and the cute boxes.

Look at this! Track lighting! So you can actually see the colors of the items you're looking at. You have no idea how many times I've asked Garment District store employees if I can have a swatch to examine outside before buying, just because their lighting is so damn bad and I can't tell if I'm looking at navy or black.

I adore how these covered jumbo snaps are stored in little pill bottles.

  

If you need webbing at reasonable prices, this is the place.

Thank you, Tricia, for tipping me off to East Coast Trimming!

Wanna come on a Speakeasy Tour?  Check out the link, to see what's coming up soon!