These are some of my SF/fantasy costumes from bygone eras. More will be added at random intervals. Many of the photos are © Barbara Edwards, the late Robin Hill, Sam Armitage, Steve Kyte, Mark Shaw and others, so please don’t copy or use them without getting permission. I can put you in touch with the photographers or owners, so don’t steal, email and ask!
My first ever SF convention costume was Aphrodisia from John Jakes‘ wonderful, funny fantasy “Mention My Name In Atlantis“. I dyed myself with fake tan, hired a long red wig and had a lot of fun. And things went rapidly downhill from there…
By the way, the Carolyn Palomas costume below is, of course, from the Star Trek episode Who Mourns for Adonais? and not from The Cloud Minders as stated in the caption. The weight of costumes and episodes obviously fogged my memory banks. I still wonder occasionally if William Ware Theiss’ original costume relied for its stability, as mine did, on two small hooks on the waistband and fifteen inches of invisible fishing line strategically placed across the back.
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- First convention costume: Aphrodisia, from John Jakes’ wonderfully funny “Mention My Name In Atlantis”
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- A tribute to Isaac Asimov: The Foundation Trilogy
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- With our old friend John Mansfield after the Masquerade
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- Black Widow & Valkyrie from the Eastercon Masquerade skit
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- Valkyrie declares victory at Eastercon
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- Designs for the first UK Star Trek Galactic Fashion Show
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- Carolyn Palomas from “The Cloud Minders” – one of my favourite Trek costumes
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- Marlena Moreau from “Mirror Mirror” – another Star Trek costume
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- The Black Queen from “Barbarella”
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- From the 1977 Star Trek Galactic Fashion Show
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- From the 1977 Star Trek Galactic Fashion Show
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- At a Fanderson convention as a Moonbase operative.
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- As Princess Leia, showing off those lovely sleeves.
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- As Princess Leia from Star Wars, with Mark Harris
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- Fanderson 84 ‘Stingray” costumes: Troy Tempest had been smooched!
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- Fanderson 84 ‘Stingray’ set, with me as Atlanta Shore
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- Fanderson 84 ‘Stingray’ costumes
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- At Fanderson 82 as Atlanta Shore with Steve as Troy Tempest
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- Troy and Atlanta, courtesy of David Hirsch.
Helen McCarthy: A Face Made for Radio 
This is brilliant stuff. For some reason, I particularly like the “Stingray” costumes. Those eyebrows are really the crowning touch!
I understand that a number of Theiss’ creations depended for their integrity on a strategic application of double-stick tape. It can’t have been comfortable for the actresses.
Did I tell you how we made the eyebrows? Fake hair, the kind you buy in hanks for wigmaking and beardmaking for the stage, glued to thin paper. Steve drew the correct shapes and I made several trial pairs before making three good pairs. He only needed one pari as they lasted better than I thought possible.