Your Wardrobe Unlock'd

An outstanding primary source for the history nerd and dressmaking masochist. Ava begins to translate the directions for 21st c sewers!

You voted back in October, and waited and waited.....  And now, the envelope please!  The new themes for 2012-13 are......

A fabulous gown doesn't happen by accident! Designing for a big event takes thought, planning, research and creativity. Here's how.

Plagued by unfinished costumes? Sick of all-nighters? Big ideas that never quite come off? Here's how to make sure it works next time.

Sewing with a child around can be frustrating for the adult and dangerous for the child. Here are some tips.

This month we have two questions: One on ruffles and the effect of grain and the other on working with large, light colored projects.

We also ask for your feedback about our newly re-organised site - are you finding YWU easier to use now?

Pulling you a little bit closer to tackling your dream project - why it's worth trying such intimidating projects, and how to succeed.

Any hobby or occupation has implications for your health. Let us point out pitfalls & tips to help you sew longer!

Possibly the most important article at YWU: pointers to help you avoid and manage potential ill effects to your health.

Do your photos do your work justice? Here are the tips and advice that will help make your costume photos as good as they can be.

We had numerous entries to our writing competition this last month and we judges had a hard time choosing the top two, let alone the winner!

First place goes to Lindsey Eastman for her great essay "Death of a Costume Snark".

We'll publish the second place entry next month. 

Professional costumer Suzi Clarke reminisces about her years at the RSC dressing actors, and then shares some helpful tips on fitting.

This well-known online costumer muses on what makes the difference between a home-made look and a professional finish.

I know you have one; we all do. And if we don't, we should: an idea for a costume, or one we'd like to recreate, that is way beyond our ability (or at least fiendishly fiddly), utterly impractical in timescale and budget (like reprising the work of six thousand Indian craftsmen individually sewing beetle wings onto silk for a year) and completely impractical (you have nowhere to wear it; you'd simply hang it up and gaze at it with a happy sigh).  

Three quick head-start techniques to attract the maximum number of compliments with the minimum of blood, sweat and tears.

Want to make the leap from home-made look to couture quality? Here are the best sewing tips from some great costumers.