That’s the generic WordPress title for a new blog’s first entry, and as I can’t think of anything better, I’ll go with it. So, hello world, and welcome to my new blog! This is where I shall record the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of my fifteen weeks at the Northern College of Costume.

I’ve decided to blog about it for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I want to share my progress with you guys, my nearest and dearest, my family and friends, my teachers and mentors. I’ll be posting photos as and when so everyone can ooh and ahh and so on and so forth.

Secondly, I’ve always had an inclination toward blogging, but have never had the motivation or subject matter to prompt me – until now. Along with recording my summer projects, I’ll be compiling images, stories, and links that I find inspiring and that I think will serve me well in future costuming endeavours.

Finally, this blog is for my sanity. As the next four months stretch ahead of me in a seemingly endless, impassable expanse, writing about it makes the prospect of full-time costume-making a lot less scary. Writing is manageable. In fact, writing is fun! With a blog, I can channel all the stress and frustration that I will inevitably feel into a virtual safety net. So what if I do something stupid like cut out an entire bodice off the grain, or slice down the center fold of my bustle drape? Failures in the costume shop can transpose into funny, schadenfreu-tastic entries in this thriving little side project, My Costume History.

Not that I plan on failing. But it’s always good to have contingencies in place.