United Artists Theater
Western Costume’s early home in downtown Los Angeles may still wear its sign on its facade—albeit one that is completely hidden from view.
Continue ReadingL. L. Burns
Western Costume Company’s earliest stock catered primarily to western films. A 1914 advertisement boasts “Indian, Cowboy, Spanish, Mission, Miner, Trapper Costumes and Properties For Stage and Photoplay.” This specialty, in fact, is the reason company was named Western Costume. But founder L. L. Burns’s relationship with the West — and specifically with Native Americans — was deeper than the costumes he stocked.
Continue ReadingArchive Discoveries
In addition to the research library, Western Costume houses a costume archive with pieces worn by silent legends, like Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino, through modern stars like Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale. Determining what film each piece was worn in can be tedious, but in the past year and a half we have managed to identify close to 3000 pieces.
Continue ReadingFranz Josef’s Carriage
For fifty years, Western Costume owned one of Austrian Emperor Franz Josef’s royal carriages. The carriage, along with boatloads of other Austrian relics, was brought to Los Angeles in the 1920s for an Erich von Stroheim film. Some of these Habsburg artifacts are still in Western’s collection ninety years later, having appeared in countless films; the ultimate fate of the carriage, though, is a mystery.
Continue ReadingCrossing the Line
While looking for a photo to post on Veteran’s Day, I came across a folder labeled “US Navy: Crossing the Line Neptune Party.” Inside were photos from the 1920s of sailors in outrageous costumes—some in drag, some covered in mud—engaged in a bizarre ritual. I had to find out more.
Continue ReadingLibrary Visits
In the past month, I have had the fortune of being able to visit two wonderful research libraries.
Continue ReadingA Trip Home
Several years ago, when I was doing 1940s costume research for Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), I happened across the NC State University 4-H collection.
Continue ReadingSword Fight at Western Costume
“Office workers screamed at the Western Costume Co. yesterday while three men fought a running sword battle in its Hollywood hallways. Two men were stabbed and a third jailed after the melee.”
Continue ReadingYale Crew Team, 1879
When I started working on this post, all I knew about these men was that they were a university crew team.
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