Pink Raygun Interviews: Traci Baker

We came across Traci on our MySpace, saw her costumes, and immediately hit that “Add Friends” button. Traci is an avid and talented costumer with some elaborate costumes to her credit. My favorites are her Lady Joker and her version of Sarah’s ball gown from Labyrinth. When I was a kid, I totally wanted Sarah’s ball gown to be my prom dress and David Bowie to be my date. Here, Traci talks to John about costuming, the demonic properties of spandex and an eye opening incident with C-3PO.

Let’s get started with some basic biographical information: name, age, occupation – whatever your comfortable revealing to the internets.

My name is Traci and I just turned that oh-so-fun round number of 30. I work as an Engineering assistant for a government contractor so I can’t go into detail on that; very James Bond type stuff.

So you just turned 30 – do you ever get asked if you’re a little bit old to be playing dress-up?

Only by my mother. My family really doesn’t get the whole costuming thing unfortunately. Luckily, Since most of my friends around here are into the same things, I haven’t had to kill anyone for that question. Yet.

I was formerly in the US Army Military police btw so its not an idle threat.

I’ll tread more carefully. Did you do any cosplay while you were in service?

Well there’s not really any opportunities to do so aside from Halloween as I was stationed in Korea. This was ten years ago too – Cosplay really wasn’t that big then.

Not much call for comic book geeks in the military.

Exactly.

When did you first start making your own costumes?

When I was 13 I asked for a leather jacket for Christmas. I left the ‘big box’ (which I thought was my big jacket) for last on Christmas morning. Instead of a jacket I found a sewing machine. My mom wanted me to make some curtains as I had done well in sewing class in junior high. Rather than sewing curtains I started making costumes. Much to her dismay.

Was your introductory training in Junior High then? Any friends or family members to help show you how it was all done?

None of my friends or family sewed. After I got back from my Army tour in Korea I got involved with Rocky Horror; there is a fantastic cast in Boston which is where I was born and raised. I started out as Columbia; I’m a sucker for anything sparkly. But I played Magenta as well, and even Frank once. Since I was going to be onstage I needed costumes so I started sewing! Lots of experimentation and I cringe at my old stuff now!

How did you make the jump from underground cinema play-acting to comic book conventions? Sub-culture jumping, or did you always have an interest in comics?

Well, I’ve always liked cartoons and comics books but wasn’t really exposed to more than the basics. A girl came up to me at a show one night and asked if I had ever heard of ‘Dawn’ and showed me one of Joe Linsner’s trading card pics of her. She thought I looked just like her. I liked the art and went to the comic store the next day and bought quite a few books and started my subscriptions to quite a few different titles. I first went to a con because I saw in one of the books that there was a ‘Dawn Look-a-like contest’ in Atlanta at Dragon*Con so that was the push.

How did you do in the contest?

Well, my first year (1999) I got 2nd but I won the contest in 2000

Did you win fabulous prizes?

The prize the first year was a statue I already had but the prize for first was $1000. I did meet Anthony Daniels because of the contest in 2001. More specifically, I got groped by him in 2001.

I didn’t know C3P0 had it in him!

I had a outfit on that had sort of ‘reverse cleavage’ with my cleavage hanging out the bottom of the neckline.

I was getting introduced to Anthony Daniels backstage before I was to go on so we could work on our ‘onstage banter’ ahead of time. He came up to me and rather than shake my hand he cupped the bottom of my breasts and said ‘Are these real?!?’ I was so shocked my mouth just dropped open. I couldn’t punch C3PO! (The onstage photo below was taken minutes after this incident.)

Wow, what a classy droid. You get a lot of that kind of thing at cons?

Thankfully, no people have been really respectful of personal space in regards to that. Things get pretty crowded at some cons but no one has gone for the goods yet – lucky for them.

I wouldn’t want to tussle with someone with Military Police training.

Might be a little difficult in some of my outfits but sure would be interesting to watch.

I’m thinking there might be a cottage industry in “Traci Takes Down…” videos – watching you kick the butts of rude convention goers.

I’ll be rich! Already thinking what my theme song should be…my theme song has always been ‘Fire Woman’ by the Cult.

You have a real alternative (do they still call it that any more?) sensibility about you. Rocky Horror, Cult…what are some of your musical interests?

Gary Numan is my favorite; his newer stuff rather than the 80′s. I also like NIN, David Bowie, Type O Negative… that sort of thing.

What’s your working environment like? Music playing? Do you have your own sewing room? Any particular rituals to help you get started?Well when I decide to do a costume I do a lot of technical research first. Print off lots of photos, sketch out different things as much as I can. I do have my own sewing room with a stereo but I usually prefer to work in our living room as its got a lot more space. Besides, the pups aren’t allowed in my sewing room and I like to spend time with them. Much to my husband’s dismay, I like to watch costume heavy movies while working.

Are you working from your own patterns, or do you modify pre-existing ones?

A little of both. I do alot of draping but if there is a pattern thats close to what I’m trying to do, why re-invent the wheel?

Where would someone go to find a good starting place?

Janet Arnold ‘Patterns of Fashion’ is amazing for historical based patterning but ‘The Big Three’ companies (Butterick, Simplicity and McCalls) are getting more in tune with what cosplayers are looking for. Go to the store thinking about the SHAPE of what you are trying to build rather than what the finished product will be. Usually you will be able to find a good base to alter the pattern from. Patterns from ‘The Big Three’ are usually easy to find anywhere that has sewing patterns.

Costumersguide.com run by Maggie is an AWESOME resource for costuming reference photos.

Any favorite fabrics you like to work with, or are you open to anything?

I love silk. Silk velvet specifically. Its hard to work with but the finished product is just so worth it. I loathe spandex. It is the devil!

Do you prefer comic book characters with your costuming, or are you more interested in historical recreations?

I go back and forth between the two in time with the big events. Right now I’m in Dragon*Con mode so I’m really gung-ho about the non-historical stuff.

What costumes are you working on now?

Well I like to make an entrance at the con so I usually keep exactly what my new costume is under wraps. Aside from this year’s Dragon*Con costume, I have a new Moulin Rouge costume, another movie costume, a comic book costume and an original design based on a literary character.

Any upcoming conventions on your schedule besides Dragon*Con?

Well I went to All-Con here in Dallas recently and there are a few Sci Fi cons as well coming up but the next ‘big’ one is Dragon*Con.

You make costumes for others. You get must get pretty swamped right before the big shows.

I actually book pretty far ahead but my email inbox certainly gets swamped right before the big cons!

If someone wanted you to make them a costume, what would they need to do?

First they send me an email giving as much detail on their project as they can as well as what budget they are trying to stay in. I’d email them back with my schedule and whats available and if I could stay in their budget. If they agree, I send a contract and payment request and once payment is made I send a list of measurements I need to create their order.

I send progress pics to make sure they are getting what they have in their mind and not just what I think it should look like. People usually have very different views on costumes and I try and make what they have in *their* mind rather than whats in mine..

Is there anything relating to your career in costuming/girl-geekdom that we haven’t touched upon, that you just need to get off your chest?
Sometimes people seem really intimidated by the costumes they see. There are A LOT of fantastic costumers out there so the beginners doesn’t feel they are up to the task and don’t do it at all. We all start small and there are people out there that are glad to help; you just have to ask. I’ve heard several times “I was afraid to talk to you.” I’m a normal person; I like making new friends that are geeks like me so that seems weird sometimes.

I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t be afraid to try something, to go talk to someone, to ask questions. The whole costuming scene really isn’t that big of a world and goodness knows we always can use new recruits!

Sounds like good advice to anyone starting out. Anything else?

Aside from that I think there needs to be more redhead characters. I hate wigs.

You can see more of Traci’s costume work on her MySpace page and on her website.

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