Costume Change, The Newsletter
One theater gal's ongoing closet experiment.
So. Here we are! Welcome to my first newsletter! I’m calling it Costume Change for now, but in the spirit of the title, I reserve the right to change my mind.
I work in theater, where costume changes are ubiquitous. Sometimes at high speeds! Over time the phrase “costume change” has been lovingly adopted by the theater community to describe changing clothes in general— even if the change is as simple as taking off or adding an item of clothing. An example:
George enters the restaurant to meet Lena, who is sitting at the bar. He is wearing a classic tan trench coat and a baseball cap. He looks good, but mysterious.
Lena (re: the look): Were you followed here by paparazzi? It’s giving Celebrity in the Wild.
George responds by taking off the trench and setting it on the bar stool beside him. He waves at their usual bartender.
Lena: Costume change! I like this sweater, is it new?
You get it.
Hi! I’m Yancy.
Even though I’m pretty sure my sister is going to be the sole reader of this first post, I guess I should quickly introduce myself. For the future! Hi. I’m Kristin. Most people call me by my last name, Yancy. I’m an actor and a dancer and a singer. I live in Brooklyn. Sometimes I make dances. Sometimes I make films. I’m A Highly Visual Person, which I think is the connecting thread for me between theater, and choreography, and clothes, and even styling my apartment. I’ve performed on Broadway and all over the country (I’m writing this particular entry from my Airbnb in cute little Covington, KY, where I’m here performing in a play in next-door-neighbor Cincinnati, OH. Exciting!). My job is strange and grueling and amazing and I love it, and its pros and cons have informed my general approach to getting dressed on a budget, out of a suitcase, in a hurry, for multi-purpose outings, to express my creativity, for FUN (remember fun?!)— in a way that I think is broadly applicable to all humans who like to think about style, or who would like to like to think about style.
Why this newsletter?
Essentially, I spend a good chunk of brain power thinking about clothes. Outfits, more specifically. And, like I said, I am a theater gal! On a theater budget! Which has led me to some creative solutions over the years— and this is the thing I would like to write about. The energy of which I think is embraced by the spirit of a backstage costume change. The speed, the clever little swap, the creative fix. Stretching a budget. Making each item work really hard (i.e. how many ways can we wear it?). And and and sorry this one’s hokey but!: clothes that tell a story. I know. But what is great thrift if not clothing with a past? A patina? A little something cool and secret going on?
Moving on.
What to expect:
It seems to me there is a niche out here in the wild, wild internet for a regular-degular person to speak on what it’s like to get dressed when you respect the fashion craft generally, but can’t stomach the $200 purchase of, say, a sassy little tank top. The fight against the algorithm is real! It seems like a lot of the stylish people on here are working with more means than I! What do people in LA even do for a living?! No shame, no judgement. But I’d like to try to approach my particular situation (lover of a great fit, less disposable income, a desire to be intentional/not over-consume as climate change rages all around us), as a creative opportunity, instead of an obstacle. You know, '“the obstacle in the path is the path” and all that.
In the interest of attainable goals, I will start by sending 2-3 newsletters a month. We’ll see how it goes and ramp up from there. I hope to sometimes feature some stylish, creative, performing friends. And I’m going to keep these newsletters free, for the time being (even though I think we pay for what we value! But baby steps). Let me have a hobby without monetizing everything! Let’s birth this little project into a low stakes environment!
Lastly (even though I hate disclaimers, here I go making one!:) I don’t have an editor. Unless my brilliant little sister once again takes mercy on my soul. So the writing will be in the voice of yours truly, and yours truly is just out here doing her best. It’ll be like we’re all just chatting over lunch! Cute!
Okay I think that covers it? Thanks for reading. Let’s get dressed.
— Yance
