last years costume idea lost...

This years entry has been a roller coster of emotions for me.
I started this years entry 3 years ago, and was forced to put it on hold many times due to my grandfather passing away in the first year...RSI issue the next year...and sadly my nana passing away too.
The costume I entered in the last post was what I made at the last second, literally for 2006..as I was adamant I had to enter something! In hind site I should have used real horse hair, as they did not accept it saying that it was too much like fancy dress!! I beg to differ, based on others I have seen entered..it really comes down to the judges on the day.

I must admit I was gobsmacked to see a costume by a fellow Nelsonian..also with a horse saddle and bit etc..coincidence?

here is a photo..what do you think?



The chances of someone thinking up the same sort of thing, same town,same period of gown ,and use of saddle parts such as hat, bit and so on ..., the way the skirt part drape at the back under the saddle.like mine..leaves me a little worried to be honest. I am left wondering what happens to your design when it is not accepted.Do the other designs get told about your concept when they call and ask for inspiration or help with their costume concept? Maybe I'm being unnecessarily paranoid, but when I have family and up to 5 friends all calling or approaching me at school, after the awards show saying '' I thought they got the designers name wrong, I was sure it was yours'' and '' it was soooo like your idea, it was spooky'' it does make your mind wonder...:(
Why am I upset...because I was asked to take off the fake fur, cut it back and re enter.They loved the concept.So that was the plan.I was going to go back to only black fabric.have the lady with a riders crop, like this designer above. I removed the drawbridge.I even had drawn up new idea with no horse butt, just the saddle and stirrups in a simulated horse effect... with the fabric on the skirt as she had it.I had removed the entire under skirt so only the cream layer you now see, would be draped around the sadle like a bustle dress would from that era! sob..what are the odds!?!?!?! I can't help feeling like my design was pulled out from under me..I can no longer enter it with this concept.I would be accused of stealing HER idea..how ironic is that!
So now what can i do with it....recycle it into???hhm....SOB.