The term "wardrobe malfunction" was born a couple of years ago when Janet Jackson experienced a rather embarassing incident with her bra top during the Super Bowl half time. Now that term is used frequently in today's lexicon.
In my play Joseph, I'm trying to minimize the wardrobe malfunctions! The one I've had the most problem with is the tear-apart Coat of Many Colors.
This coat was an engineering problem to be solved, because it had to look good, and then be torn apart by eleven brothers and each one took a piece of it for their own. Then it needed to be reassembled for the next performance. So, I invested in many, many heavy duty snaps to try to hold the whole thing together. That and yards of velcro.
Well my first design was OK with snaps and velcro for the skirt of the coat. It is a complete circle of 6 rainbow colors, each section rimmed in black braid and held together with velcro and snaps. Then, it is mounted on a waistband by velcro and snaps, then snapped to the top. The sleeves also need to be ripped off, and THAT was the technical problem.
Four little snaps on each sleeve did NOT DO THE JOB! Every time Joseph put it on, one or both of the sleeves fell off. One time the right sleeve held but the left sleeve fell off. So, yesterday, I reinforced the sleeve to the coat body with a 2" flange of lining fabric, plus 6 strips of Velcro. Last night, it fell off again!
So, today, I put a strip of lining fabric across the upper bodice, sewed the sleeve flange to the fabric strip, and snapped the strip together in the middle. That one worked! But in their zest to tear the coat apart, someone grabbed the wrong part, and a few snaps tore off. But at least the sleeves stayed on!
I guess my lot in life is to sew snaps back on every night. But the effect is good, because the brothers all come out carrying a piece of the coat on them, or wearing it, so you get the idea!
Lots of fun doing this, one needs a challenge after sewing 100+ yards of white fabric into loin cloths, vests and dresses. Oh, and broomstick skirts before they were dyed.
Check out Hawthorne Players website www.hawthorneplayers.com to see a preview!
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