Meet your Board: Jillian Eittreim, Costume Academy Coordinator

Why costuming?  What brought you here?

Art is probably the main reason I am into costuming now, starting with the illustrations in the fairy tale picture books I read as a child, and then later with the opulent portraits of Renaissance and 19th century. Some memorable picture books from my childhood were Fritz and the Beautiful Horses by Jan Brett (both riders and horses had amazing clothes!), A is for Annabelle by Tasha Tudor, and the original Lady Bird version of Cinderella illustrated by Brian Price Thomas. I can’t list all my favorite portrait artists so my absolute favorite portrait artist is John Singer Sargent. 

What’s your costuming focus?

I haven’t settled on a time period even though the Renaissance and Victorian eras are my favorite for fashion and art. It would be nice if I could focus on one time period, but I want to try them all! 

Do you do anything else crafty or artistic?

 I have a BFA. I concentrated on painting and printmaking (lithography and intaglio) in school but now I mostly do ink drawings and oil painting. I’ve also been studying Raqs Sharqi (commonly known as belly dance in the US) for about 10 years now.

What’s your day job?

I’m currently an admin for a kids art studio and have been working from home so basically I’ve been smothering my dog with too much attention. 

What was the first costume you made? Is there a picture?

Hm, probably not the very first costume, whatever it was, something I made in high school, but I have pictures of my first corset. Also my first dance costume and a few Renaissance Faire outfits. They are probably on my facebook page or on my Deviant Art page I haven’t looked at in ages.  

What’s on the sewing table now?

I’ve been working on small stuff right now. I’m adding some details to my Natural Form outfit, a hat (finally!) and better versions of the cuffs and collar.  I’ve also started a gelfling tiara. I’ve hoarded everything I need to make the outer garments for my Teens outfit but haven’t started that yet. Also been obsessed with ribbon flowers so…. everything is on the table!

What was your first/most memorable costuming disaster/learning moment?

The Wonder Woman arm cuff I made in the worbla class at Costume College fused to my tea cup. Do not put your worbla project next to your hot tea cup! 

Costume you’re most proud of?

My velvet Tudor gown for sure! It took almost six months from beginning to end starting with the smock and finishing with the tassels on the girdle. I love it! 

What’s your holy grail costuming project?

A Loki genderbend, but with a historical twist. 

What’s your costuming Kryptonite, the one thing you just can’t master?

It’s not a technique, but I think my costuming Kryptonite is actually shoes. Super unpopular opinion, I’m not a fan of historical footwear. It’s the toe shapes that do me in. For the most part I’ve managed to hide passable contemporary shoes under long hemlines but at some point I won’t be able to do that, like when I decide to make an 18th century gown. Luckily that day isn’t any time soon. 

Tell us one (or two or three) things about you that others might not know.

I’m adopted. I was born in Seoul, South Korea and came to the US when I was a baby. My mom is English and dad is American so everything I know about Korean cooking I learned online.