The 60s and 70s: funky fashions revisited

Julie and Rex of Woodlands Park trying out costumes for a 70s-80s party at Titirangi RSA. Titirangi Theatre’s Lynn Cottingham has seen some sights to behold in her 35 years (to date) as its wardrobe mistress and while her lips are sealed on specific questions about who, when and where, there’s a twinkle in her eye at some of her memories.

Based at the Treasure House in Titirangi (in the car park behind Lopdell House) Lynn is like a charming, cheerful wizard presiding over all she surveys and no request phases her. Flappers’ frocks from the 1920s? “No problem.” Full attire for weddings? “We have a great range.” Animal costumes? “Large animals over here and children’s animals over there.” Outrageous sparkly stuff? “Plenty of that.” Then there are dresses, trousers, capes, leggings, shoes, boots, hair accessories, beads, wigs, scarves and belts by the hundreds to fit all shapes and sizes for women, men, kings, queens and children, and covering fashion periods from Elizabethan and Jacobean times when Shakespeare first produced and acted in his own plays. Lynn has designed and made many of the latter from sketches she has seen in books, including the laces, jewels and braids she’s created for on-stage performers at the theatre.

She initially became involved when Vicki, her now adult daughter featured in a play as a teenager and needed an outfit. Usually costumes were hired and Lynn thought that was a waste of money so she made Vicki one – and has created or restyled hundreds of garments since then. (Over the years Vicki has continued wearing her mother’s costumes in Titirangi Theatre productions).

“When we do a Shakespeare play, there could be 23 people in the cast and usually they have a couple of costumes each. They’ve all been made from scratch. And yes, that does include the occasional codpiece,” she says.

From those early days, Lynn suggested the theatre develop a wardrobe and get its costumes and accessories in order. “The idea was that every time we did a show, everyone had to bring something new to add to the wardrobe. Gradually, it just grew.

“Around that time I was lucky enough to know a man in Henderson who’d had a costume shop for years and I’d done sewing for him. He gave us a lot of stuff from his shop when he retired. Much of it I had actually made.”

Public access to everything in Lynn’s wonderful wardrobe has brought many a smile – and funds for the theatre – from a vast range of clients. Tears of laughter during ‘try-outs’ and fittings are not unknown.

“The fun starts here if you’re going to a theme party or fancy dress event. The 60s and 70s are hugely popular, probably because the gear is so funky and perhaps some of the hirers are reliving good times they had back then,” says Lynn.

“So 60s and 70s outfits are hot and 1920s art deco period costumes are in favour too. Some of those are so lovely.”

It’s not just party-goers who favour costume attire either. Teachers are also good clients wanting outfits for special school events or costumed book weeks.

“All shapes. All sizes. I take things in and let them out again. If they get damaged, we repair them, and most things are hand-washed after use, including the wigs. Only things like men’s wedding garments get drycleaned.”

Lynn says she’s keen to promote the wardrobe’s selection of wedding attire. “We can do a budget wedding with nice bridal dresses and menswear including grey pants, waist coats and jackets and that may only cost $100.

“We do ball gowns too and as we don’t use them for the theatre, we sell them for a very reasonable price. The mothers clap their hands because dressing a teen for a ball with all the add-ons like hair, makeup, limos and so on, costs a fortune.”

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The wardrobe doesn’t hold many items from the 1980s as they are easily and cheaply sourced in op shops. “We can be more selective now. When we first moved into the Treasure House it took us three months to sort it all out and we don’t want our racks jampacked. We’re lucky to have a heat pump that helps keep everything fresh,” says Lynn.

Last year seven racks of clothing were culled in a public sale. “It was just fabulous. You name it, people bought it and everything went for $2 – $5. If our racks get too full, we’ll do it again.”

The wardrobe at the Treasure House is open to the public on Wednesday (4-6pm), Friday (5-7pm) and Saturday (10am - noon) or contact the theatre at www.titirangitheatre.co.nz.

– Moira Kennedy Titirangi Theatre was established in 1935 by local Ethelwynn Geddes and was part of the Country Women’s Institute based in the MacAndrew Hall in Titirangi Road.

Current president, Phoebe Falconer (right), says it developed a strong following when men went off to WWII. “The women were bored so Ethelwynn thought she’d give them something to do, reading and putting on little plays. It grew as other women heard about it, and then the men came home and wanted to join in.

“When I joined in the early 1980s we were based at Titirangi Beach Hall and we had some spectacular evenings. A group of bikies came down one night while we were performing Shakespeare outside with lights hanging from the trees. We told them to ‘shush’ and when they asked if they could stay and watch, of course we said ‘yes.’ They tiptoed their bikes around, parked and just sat there watching. They were enthralled. It was absolutely beautiful.

“We moved into Lopdell House at the beginning of 1986 and then went to space in Portage Road for about four years when the refurbishment and earthquake strengthening took place. We returned to Lopdell House when that was completed.

“We have about 120 members and we’re always looking for more. We still do four productions a year, Covid permitting, including this year’s pantomime Jack and the Giant Kauri Tree”

Above: Titirangi Theatre’s wardrobe mistress, Lynn Cottingham. Below: Masks and more for the kids ...

Considering the evidence ...

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