Plague Doctor
Why
My journal tells me: “I began the day by working on the Wakefield central map and by looking at plague doctor images…. I absolutely MUST make a plague doctor mask and costume. The only thing is, why the hell haven’t I before? They look wondrously sinister and bizarrely, they were for real. I read that the medical term for the plague or Black Death, is still “Bubonic Plague”, and that you still only have a 50/50 survival rate. The symptoms are utterly horrific. And to think that so many people died in agony like that is just horrible. I can barely get my head round the horrors, or even that the doctors looked utterly terrifying by today’s standards. Even some of their gloves had fucking claws. I mean what the actual fuck?”
When
August 2017
Elements
Hat, mask, robe, capelet, gloves, optional lamp
Amount of Work
The mask, capelet and hat were made from scratch. I had a pattern for the mask but it needed to be developed. I had to figure the hat out myself.
Level of use
I’ve worn it to work and Leeds. It’s not very practical for wearing for any length of time and vision is seriously impaired. The costume is all about the mask, so it’s not ideal for going out in.
Notes
I wanted a staff, but didn’t want to pay a lot for one and didn’t have time or willingness to model and 3D print the topper for it. The hat is a bit heaver than I’d like. I could buy a replica but apart from them costing a bit too much, it would detract from the “all made by me” aspect of the costume.
Future use
Probably. It looks great but isn’t great for wearing (the mask). Especially for talking and drinking. It’s not the easiest to put on and off with a heavy hat as well. And the lenses get steamed up something chronic.
Making it
