My Fashion Sketchbook

The devils in the detail. 

🎀 Pearls for my 1920s girl.🎀

My Sketchbook

Circus Inspired Costume.

My Sketchbook.

Some 1920 inspired designs awaiting some colour.

Then and now: Pennywise.

Back in 1990 a generation were made to fear clowns, red photo albums, and storm drains. Thanks to Stephen Kings novel IT being turned it to two part TV mini-series.

"I am eternal, child! I am the eater of worlds!
And of children! And you are next! " -It to the Losers' Club

Pennywise the child eating shape shifting clown was payed by Tim Curry. Dressed in his bight clown costume designed by Monique Prudhomme, and full clown make up he has been an image and memory of fear for 27 years.

Now on the 8th of September 2017, the UK will be be introduced to a new face of fear, as Bill Skarsgård becomes the kill clown of Derry, Maine, USA.

This time dressed in white, with black and red trim, designed by Janie Bryant.

A little bit of clown-ology

Clowns can be put in to one of three groups the Character Clown, the Auguste Clown and the White face clown.

The Character Clown

Character clown plays specific characters like the baker, the butcher etc and act as per needed by the script. One character clown that has become famous is the Hobo clown, in fact, sometimes that one may be known as a category in itself.

White Clown

The white clown is sort of like the ring leader and has white make-up on the face and neck that completely covers the flesh tint. They also often wear white clothing with ruffled collars and frills and minimal colour. 

Often, this clown may show exaggerated happiness but may be deeply sad within. 

The white clown may often be used to make a point about the helplessness or complexity of human relationships or how we often need to pretend that we are okay when we are not.

The Whiteface clown held sway in the circus for a hundred years, but as we progress into the 20th Century, he became less of the functor, giving way to the cheeky Auguste.

Auguste Clown

The auguste or the red clown would be dressed in livelier colours and use flesh tint makeup with more colours. They would wear polka dots or colourful pinstripes. 

The Auguste clown is often the recipient of the joke or to whom things and events happen. The water might be sprayed on him, he might be the one who stepped or sat on wet paint, whose pants may get torn and so on.The butt end of the joke. 

The Auguste clown signifies those situations in life which make a fool of us and can be funny to others. 

The Auguste appears to have made his appearance in the middle of the 19th Century and many tales are told of his origin. It is mooted that the famous English Clown, John Albert Griffiths who worked under the name of “September” always called his partner, no matter who that was, August, and the name has stuck

And Now Pennywise

Pennywise is a mysterious evil being from an unknown realm or dimension it fell to earth in the form of an asteroid when It awoke,it began to feed on the settlers, and the cycle of hibernation, in which It would sleep for almost three decades, and be awake for approximately two years to feed, It's favourite disguise was that of a colorful and wisecracking circus clown named "Pennywise". II can also morph into any other beings or things it pleases, generally based on its target's loved ones or friends to lure them into traps or simply appear to them as their very worst fears and nightmares.

Pennywise has had a complete make over form the his last appearance on our screen. Know he looks more scary then before.

Tim Curry in TV mini Series of IT

Looking back now, Tim Currys Clown very much fell in to the Auguste group, even though his face resembles the white clown. There is almost an underlying revenger theme. the idea that the Auguste  was the butt end of the joke, it is as though he is getting his revenge.

The bight colours are intended to attract happiness, in away safety a wolf in sheep’s clothing to attract his victims. Which in a way makes him a little more darker then 

Bill Skarsgård Clown 

It reminds me of all the clowns in the circus’s that visited growing up. With the, purple green and waist coat and sleeves bright yellow jumpsuit with its orange pom poms, a “child friendly” colour scheme of fear, that has a very 70s 80s vibe.

         

Bill Skarsgård In the 2017 film IT

Bill Skarsgård clown costume very much based on the White Clown, the ring leader. - And in away the protector of the group

With his ruffled sleeves collar and trousers and small amount of red on the costume. 

Its a void of emotion, as colour can be associated with a feeling or emotion the use of white - or black - can distance a character from audience and other characters ( in a way leaving the actors performance to be the main attraction.) 

The use of the small amount of red on the costume,  and his make up, gives a sense of evil, blood, fear, anger, - rather then romance.

The whole stye of this costume has very much a old Victorian look to it. which fits with the clown, being that he is ment to be an ancient thing fits well with the character.

On 8th of September 2017, after 27 years of sleep. IT, will be reawaken to feast. And release once again to feed fear in to another generation. I am looking forward to seeing the film and the full costume in all its glory, As this is what makes this horror so amazing .

Coulrophobia  [kool-ruh-foh-bee-uh] 

[noun]

Extreme or irrational fear of clowns.

Origin;

1980s: from Greek kōlobatheron ‘stilt’ + -phobia.

Images form IMDB pages:

Imdb; IT mini series 1990

imdb; IT Movie 2017