Adam Ant, Then and now
The San Antonio is a couple weeks ahead of Oregon on the tour. If you get any good pics of the current costume.....
I was having some issues with one of the two sets of glasses I have for this bicorn as they were not clearing the brim. Then I found this performance picture and saw they did the same thing.
The large brass crescent necklace Adam has added to the Blue Black Hassar outfit is the helmet applique for the French Hassar helmet, specifically commemorative of WWI. I cannot get a high resolution picture of his but I believe it may not be a full replica and may instead contain custom engraved text specifically for Adam.
My commerative plaque from the above shop is on its way.
www.relicmilitaria.com
I just went back and checked again and it says "Out of stock" so now I wait to see if I got the last available one or if I get a "sorry" refund. Fingers crossed.
My commerative plaque from the above shop is on its way.
France. Great War Commemoration plaque for front of Adrian helmet.Circa.1918
France. Great War Commemoration plaque for front of Adrian helmet.Circa.1918
www.relicmilitaria.com
I just went back and checked again and it says "Out of stock" so now I wait to see if I got the last available one or if I get a "sorry" refund. Fingers crossed.
So far, I have a passable black and a passable white shirt for the current Hassar build but I also have a very satiny blue that is just a business suit button up shirt. I am having a hard time findng any evidence of the cuff and color shapes on Adam's current blue. His older denim blue, for this outfit, was flouncy/fluted/belled but the current one is presenting as a standard suit cuff and collar. I will put together a sample build to compare but if anyone sees any proof of current cuff and collar on the blue, please post.
I think that the current release "Blue Black Hussar" is a bit of a hint of course that the blue is just as likely to show up on stage as the black or white so I almost wish I had pics from multiple tour dates in a row to see if it is one or all being interchanged.
I think that the current release "Blue Black Hussar" is a bit of a hint of course that the blue is just as likely to show up on stage as the black or white so I almost wish I had pics from multiple tour dates in a row to see if it is one or all being interchanged.
So, here we go, do-si-do, come on baby let's go..... rabbithole:
During my search for the brass plaque necklace, I was definitely leaning toward the "brass plaque necklace". See how easy it is to get sidetracked? So, as history does, we went sideways, shifted gears, borrowed, reused and repurposed. So what seemed to be, was not and, what is, got reused, as the other. This often happens in design histories. If you research "brass plaque necklace", you will certainly find Egyptian jewelry, stately award titles given in medieval Europe, and military adornments.
Tracking the military path (We had a big hint at "Blue Black Hussar"), we find the "gorget". This knightly plate armor neck guard was just one piece of a knight's armor but coincidentally was the last piece to continue in service as a common military parade dress adornment. It's size shrank and it became a plaque necklace. Here is the history of the gorget:
abitofhisory.blogspot.com
However, Adam's (even has the same red tie attached) is a very specific design that was NOT that of a gorget. Adam's is patterned after a very specific commemorative WWI helmet visor decoration of the French Hussar units, from previous posts, above.
So now we see the similarity of the two shapes and can even find both with the same internet search terms:
The helmet is the one, seemingly, matching the design on Adam's necklace (as a gorget) but the second picture is a real historic gorget (neck guard turned necklace).
What we have found is, the use of this historic visor plate as a slightly older style necklace gorget that itself was based on an even older knight's armor throat guard. If, instead, I had focused solely on gorget, this visor pattern would not have been found.
Because, it isn't one, until we add the red cord and tie it around our necks. And history and fashion are gifted with another Adam Ant design element. If, in truth, Adam's is a custom made piece (not a historic visor plate), it is then a gorget made with the pattern of a visor plate, whether in err or on purpose. Possibly, when found, it was assumed to be a gorget. They do have the visor rivet holes in the exact location of the gorget chain/cord attachment holes and BOTH are true historic Hussar used elements.
And now, Alice, you can climb out of this rabbit hole and enjoy your day.
During my search for the brass plaque necklace, I was definitely leaning toward the "brass plaque necklace". See how easy it is to get sidetracked? So, as history does, we went sideways, shifted gears, borrowed, reused and repurposed. So what seemed to be, was not and, what is, got reused, as the other. This often happens in design histories. If you research "brass plaque necklace", you will certainly find Egyptian jewelry, stately award titles given in medieval Europe, and military adornments.
Tracking the military path (We had a big hint at "Blue Black Hussar"), we find the "gorget". This knightly plate armor neck guard was just one piece of a knight's armor but coincidentally was the last piece to continue in service as a common military parade dress adornment. It's size shrank and it became a plaque necklace. Here is the history of the gorget:
The Gorget
The last vestige of knightly armour, this decorative piece of metal was suspended around the neck of officers in the 18th century and early ...
abitofhisory.blogspot.com
However, Adam's (even has the same red tie attached) is a very specific design that was NOT that of a gorget. Adam's is patterned after a very specific commemorative WWI helmet visor decoration of the French Hussar units, from previous posts, above.
So now we see the similarity of the two shapes and can even find both with the same internet search terms:
The helmet is the one, seemingly, matching the design on Adam's necklace (as a gorget) but the second picture is a real historic gorget (neck guard turned necklace).
What we have found is, the use of this historic visor plate as a slightly older style necklace gorget that itself was based on an even older knight's armor throat guard. If, instead, I had focused solely on gorget, this visor pattern would not have been found.
Because, it isn't one, until we add the red cord and tie it around our necks. And history and fashion are gifted with another Adam Ant design element. If, in truth, Adam's is a custom made piece (not a historic visor plate), it is then a gorget made with the pattern of a visor plate, whether in err or on purpose. Possibly, when found, it was assumed to be a gorget. They do have the visor rivet holes in the exact location of the gorget chain/cord attachment holes and BOTH are true historic Hussar used elements.
And now, Alice, you can climb out of this rabbit hole and enjoy your day.
Some of the greatest design work in history came from one of the scariest times in history.
Had to put together something quick to go to Valentines lunch with the wife. This one is half Adam and half Keanu (and fuzzy pic sorry was in a hurry):
It led to a lot of trials with ties and combos this evening but I will post those in the Style thread. Personal style tweaks, not from my research on Adam's innovations.
I would have never had one of these hats had I not taken on this build thread. So this is what it feels like to not care when too much is too much and I've barely scratched the surface.
It led to a lot of trials with ties and combos this evening but I will post those in the Style thread. Personal style tweaks, not from my research on Adam's innovations.
I would have never had one of these hats had I not taken on this build thread. So this is what it feels like to not care when too much is too much and I've barely scratched the surface.
Lookin' good, greenmachines — I like your style!
I have been slowly collecting feathers for the bicorn hat. About 70 percent are from my mom's craft room. I ordered the "badger hackle 5-7 inch" in natural unstained and they showed up with more than enough in the pack to do the whites, blacks, yellow, red and natural (black and white) of the short feathers. The long feathers seem to all be pheasant and I was able to gather all at mom's. I first bleached my chosen near white feathers (hair color developer mixed with baking soda) and then colored them with RIT dye for black, red and yellow. This picture does not include the standard badger pattern feathers still in the package. Tomorrow starts the real bouquet process and final installation on the hat. Hoping for a complete last version hat by this weekend.
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MAKE BELIEVE
Master Member
As I said before, a labor of love!
quick update and then sleepy-time: I started on the feather set tonight and have placed all the appropriate small feathers together. They are not yet permanently bonded. I have accounted for all of the large feathers but needed to first wash the set of them (now drying) and I will need to recurve two of them. I will wait until tomorrow as I believe they need to be near boiling to reshape and all here are asleep. Here is my current short bundle with Adam's collection to compare for number of and type of each:
The goal is to bond them all in an insert that can be pushed into the pocket behind the leather badge.
The goal is to bond them all in an insert that can be pushed into the pocket behind the leather badge.
ConcurLooking good, but I would add some straight feathers placed in the middle of the curved ones.
A couple of the long feathers are too long but until I find others, I am calling this hat pose worthy. I would love to find some fuller black feathers and shorter striped but here we are with the first round that I can be happy with:
and comp
They show very differently at different angles so getting my tilt just right to match the comp picture is very difficult.
and comp
They show very differently at different angles so getting my tilt just right to match the comp picture is very difficult.
Already trimmed some of the longer ones and might adjust the black soon:
Might steam the two other blacks to a more forward position and I am finally convinced I need to fade my gold medallion to an aged gold look.
Might steam the two other blacks to a more forward position and I am finally convinced I need to fade my gold medallion to an aged gold look.
Looking good, greenmachines!! GREAT progress on the hat!
And I concur with your assessment of aging the medallion a bit.
And I concur with your assessment of aging the medallion a bit.
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