History

Costumer’s Guild West was formed in 1987 by a group of costumers from the science fiction community who were looking for support and education, rather than the traditional science fiction masquerade competitions.

The first Costume College was held in 1993.

Previous Costume College Deans

2024 – Valarie LaBore
2023 – Paige Mattern

2022 – Gina Cowley

2021 – Geri Rex

2020 [POSTPONED] – Geri Rex
2019 – Maegen Hensley
2018 – Valarie LaBore
2017 – Heather Pritchett
2016 – Dani Crum
2015 – Rebecca Howard
2014 – Mela Hoyt-Heydon
2013 – Natalie Meyer
2012 – Rebecca Metzger
2011 – Elizabeth Reed
2010 – Colleen Crosby
2009 – Maegen Hensley
2008 – Martha Davis
2007 – Lana Bailey
2006 – Jody Regan
2005 – Corinne Pleger
2004 – Mary Hooper
2003 – Laura Rico
2002 – Natalie Meyer
2001 – Daria Kruger
2000 – Daria Kruger
1999 – Jess Miller
1998 – Robin Pavlosky
1997 – Bruce Briant
1996 – Bruce Briant (Acting Dean)
1995 – Mela Hoyt-Heydon
1994 – Cal Deveroux Woodward
1993 – Janet Wilson Anderson

Previous Costume College Themes

2024 – Costumes of Stage and Screen
2023 – Cosplay: Fairytales, Fantasy and Fiction

2022 – Costuming Post-Apocalypse: Creating a New World

2021 – Virtual Costume College

2020 – [POSTPONED] Votes for Women – Celebrating the beginning of American Women’s Suffrage
2019 – What’s That Fabric?
2018 – Dressing the Royals
2017 – The 60s Vintage Daydreams
2016 – Counter Culture: Rebels, Revolutionaries & Subversives
2015 – Plucked from the Pages: Your Favorite Literary Characters (First year we had a theme distinct from the bonus track)
2014 – Finishing Touches: The Art & Craft of Accessories
2013 – Cavalier, with a Touch of Pirate
2012 – The Golden Age of Hollywood: 1930-1955
2011 – Medieval Dress: Glorious Gothic to Artistic Reform
2010 – Steampunk
2009 – 18th Century
2008 – Regency Era: 1795-1825
2007 – Crinoline Era: 1840s-1860s
2006 – Ragtime: 1910-1920
2005 – Age of Chivalry (Medieval)
2004 – Gay 90s (1890s)
2003 – The Age of the Bustle
2002 – The Edwardian Era
2001 – The Art of Embellishment
2000 – Celebrating the Costume-Maker’s Art Through the Millennia
1999 – 90s at the end of the 90s
1998 – Elizabethan
1997 – Costuming for the Performer
1996 – Georgian
1995 – 1840-1860: Era of the Hoop
1994 – Bustles
1993 – No Theme for the First Year

Bonus Tracks of the Previous Costume Colleges

2024 – TBA
2023 – Hats & Headdresses 
2022 – Silk Road
2021 – Virtual Costume College

2020 – The 1920s
2019 – Votes for Women – Celebrating the beginning of American Women’s Suffrage
2018 – What’s that Fabric?
2017 – Understructures of Costumes
2016 – The 1960s
2015 – Counter Culture: Rebels, Revolutionaries & Subversives
2014 – Finishing Touches: The Art & Craft of Accessories
2013 – Cavalier, with a Touch of Pirate
2012 – The Golden Age of Hollywood: 1930-1955
2011 – Medieval Dress: Glorious Gothic to Artistic Reform
2010 – Steampunk
2009 – 18th Century
2008 – Regency Era: 1795-1825
2007 – Crinoline Era: 1840s-1860s
2006 – Ragtime Era: 1910-1920
2005 – Age of Chivalry (Medieval)
2004 – Gay 90s (1890s)
2003 – The Age of the Bustle
2002 – The Edwardian Era
2001 – The Art of Embellishment
2000 – Celebrating the Costume-Maker’s Art Through the Millennia
1999 – 90s at the end of the 90s
1998 – Elizabethan
1997 – Costuming for the Performer
1996 – Georgian
1995 – 1840-1860: Era of the Hoop
1994 – Bustles
1993 – No Theme for the First Year

Previous Board of Directors

2022-2023 Officers
President: Kristen Darville-Foggie
Vice President: Samantha Barry
Recording Secretary: Heather Pritchett
Treasurer: Becca Metzger
Corresponding Secretary: Rebecca Lowell
Directors at Large: Tracey Gorin, Rebecca Gose, Paige Mattern, Tammy Horn

2021-2022 Officers
President: Tracey Gorin
Vice President: Danelle Garrison
Recording Secretary: Gina Cowley
Treasurer: Becca Metzger
Corresponding Secretary: Christienne Palmieri
Directors at Large: Kristen Darville-Foggie, Natalie Meyer, Jill Woiteshek, Diane Yoshitomi

2020-2021 Officers
President: Tracey Gorin
Vice President: Danelle Garrison
Recording Secretary: Gina Cowley
Treasurer: Eileen Smolenski
Corresponding Secretary: Ann Ware
Directors at Large: Cheryl Avirom, Paige Mattern, Becca Metzger, Jill Woiteshek

2019-2020 Officers
President: Mela Hoyt-Heydon
Vice President: Danelle Garrison
Recording Secretary: Cheryl Avirom
Treasurer: Eileen Smolenski
Corresponding Secretary: Ann Ware
Directors at Large: Colleen Crosby, Shawn Crosby, Gina Cowley, Tracey Gorin

2018-2019 Officers
President: Mela Hoyt-Heydon
Vice President: Gina Cowley
Recording Secretary: Cheryl Avirom
Treasurer: Sarah Pierce
Corresponding Secretary: Heather Pritchett
Directors at Large: Colleen Crosby, Shawn Crosby, Danelle Garrison, Geri Rex

2017-2018 Officers
President: Mela-Hoyt-Heydon
Vice President: Cynthia Aronin
Recording Secretary: Cheryl Avirom
Treasurer: Sarah Pierce
Corresponding Secretary: Heather Pritchett
Directors at Large: Patti Buckley, Colleen Crosby, Shawn Crosby, Valarie LaBore

2016-2017 Officers
President: Mela Hoyt-Heydon
Vice President: Cynthia Aronin
Recording Secretary: Zoe Jones
Treasurer: Annette Grace
Corresponding Secretary: Athena Dryden
Directors at Large: Cheryl Avirom, Maryann Jones, Heather Pritchett

2015-2016 Officers
President: Eileen Smolenski
Vice President: Becky Thelin
Recording Secretary: Zoe Jones
Treasurer: Annette Grace
Corresponding Secretary: Rebbecca Howard
Directors at Large: Dani Crum, Lorri Gums, Maryann Jones, Patty Buckley

2014-2015 Officers
President: Eileen Smolenski
Vice President: Rise Reading
Treasurer: Annette Grace
Corresponding Secretary: Robin Johnson
Recording Secretary: Zoe Jones
Directors at Large: Lorri Gumms, Maryann Jones, Patti Buckley, Rebecca Howard

2013-2014 Officers
President: Rebecca Howard
Vice President: Mary Ann Jones
Recording Secretary: Zoe Jones
Treasurer: Christine Kelsey
Corresponding Secretary: Dani Crum
Directors at Large: Mela Hoyt-Heydon, Eileen Smolenski, Andrea Molina, Patti Buckley

2012-2013 Officers
President: Colleen Crosby
Vice President: Maegen Hensley
Recording Secretary: Mary Ann Jones
Treasurer: Natalie Meyers
Corresponding Secretary: Eileen Smolenski
Directors at Large: Shawn Crosby, Mary Llewellyn, Rebecca Howard, Zoe Jones

2011-2012 Officers
President: Colleen Crosby
Vice President: Elizabeth McCash
Recording Secretary: Amy Calcote
Treasurer: Margaret Monos
Corresponding Secretary: Chaz Boston Baden
Directors at Large: Shawn Crosby, Maegen Hensley, Jennifer Mulvey, Rebecca Thelin

2010-2011 Officers
President: Maegen Hensley
Vice President: Colleen Crosby
Recording Secretary: Kathy Lear
Treasurer: Natalie Meyer
Corresponding Secretary: Chaz Boston Baden
Directors at Large: Shawn Crosby, Elizabeth McCash, Margaret Monos, Jennifer Mulvey

1994 Officers
President: Cat Devereaux
Vice President: Bridget Landry
Recording Secretary: Janet Wilson Anderson
Treasurer: Lyn Maudlin
Corresponding Secretary: Jess Miller
Directors at Large: Joyce Best, Zelda Gilbert

1993 Officers
President: Cat Devereaux
Vice President: Bridget Landry
Recording Secretary: Janet Wilson Anderson
Treasurer: Lyn Maudlin
Corresponding Secretary & Squeals Editor: Zelda Gilbert
Director at Large: Joyce Best

1992 Officers
President: Cat Devereaux
Vice President: Joyce Best
Recording Secretary: Janet Wilson Anderson
Treasurer: Lyn Maudlin
Corresponding Secretary & Squeals Editor: Zelda Gilbert
Directors at Large: Julie Zetterburg, Laura Brodian Kelly-Freas