Mulberry (designed by Monique Nobrega)
I had two minds about whether or not I really liked this costume or if it was just way too much with the headpiece, backpack, arm and leg pieces, however what sways me over to the like side is the jeweled detailed on the headpiece, it is very pretty. While I love the sheen and look of silk on the bra I think it should have more decoration on the actual silk instead of just bordering it , especially on the frontline. The frontline gets top marks for impact, low marks for being too ordinary when it comes to the bra. The regular costume is very simple, which contrasts with the extravagance of the frontline, however I saw one option with arm pieces so I am guessing you can get the extras if you want the regular costume to be a bit more than just basic. This is a safe "nice" costume.
Charmeuse (designed by Lana Nobrega)
Ah this is the costume which caused so much talk because apparently the headpiece is similar to Rubies of Mumbai. Well I have seen it and it is basically the same design as Mumbai and I don't know which one was done first but with both costumes I do like the headpiece. The colours of this costume work well together, the contrast is great. I love the headpiece of the frontline, it is big and feathery without being too much. The backpack is too much of a cape effect to my liking and I can do without the fabric but I guess with the theme being Silk fabric is a given. I really like the body costume with the one exception which seems to be an issue I am having with many of the costumes; the bra is skimpy as in TOO bare in decoration. I think it is time we step up the game and go beyond decorating the bra with just 4 rows of beads! These costumes could be taken to the blown out of the park level if the bras were well decorated. Another tiny belt completes this costume, overall one that is not too safe, but not that spectacular either.
Eri (designed by Gail Cabral)
On first look I christened this one Silver Mist II; the backline screams Silver Mist to me, albeit a well done Silver Mist. As with Silver Mist the impact is there, the crowd cheered for this one when it hit the stage, it looks appealing and really I like the backline headpiece but the deja vu is too strong on this one. The frontline is interesting, while I like the overall look of the entire costume the grey feathers bother me. The headpiece is well embellished and I love the design of the jeweled piece to the front, it is my favourite part of this costume. The cascading feathers coming off the shoulders on the backpack is another cape effect similar to Charmeuse but I prefer this one.
Habotai (designed by Lana Nobrega)
Let me get the most irritating thing about this costume out in the open first, and that is the BLACK tasseled chopsticks on the headpiece! Why? That tacky detail almost ruined a perfectly fabulous frontline but the saving grace is that stunning backpack! I love the colour of this costume and the black on the fuchsia feathers sets it off beautifully! The shape and style of he headpiece works for the frontline, I can even live with the tassels falling off the diamante circles to the front, even though the black irks me, but the chopsticks were unnecessary in my opinion. While the frontline gets top marks I really do not like the regular costume mainly because I am not loving the shape of the headpiece, it frames too much of the face and comes too low on the brows, and yet again there are those chopsticks! Whoever thought it was a great idea to add the black tassles to the belt needs a reality check because the tassles look like an appendage of the masculine anatomy! The half way decorated bra is a recurring theme that is just killing the backline costumes.
Tyrian Purple(designed by Gail Cabral)
I LOVE the shade of this purple used, it is gorgeous, I like this costume as well. Now, I know I had an aversion to tails and I still shook my head when I saw this one on the frontline but the costume overall is very appealing though I do not know how that tail is going to work on the road, in TRIBE with a million people! It looks cute when in motion though. I love the diamante and gold crown effect on the headpiece as well as the coque used instead of plumes. Both the backline and frontline has the same bra which is one of the better decorated ones in the lot. The regular costume has a very nice headpiece that gives this top marks for one of the best backlines, I would not feel cheated compared to the frontline if I were in this regular costume.
Xi Ling Shi (designed by Monique Nobrega)
Flat out I really do not like the use of the recycled cotinga stones in this costume nor the hook on the belt that was used in Kiskadee, it just annoys me that last year's material was used on this one so the costume does not look fresh, not to mention the colours remind me of Island People's Mirage and the swirls on the back pack are pretty close to Caspian Sea. Admittedly the frontline does have impact, it is all big and fluffy feathers that touch the ground (LOVE THAT) and the rhinestone trimmed wire work on the headpiece is pretty. However the WOW was not there for me in this costume although it had all the right elements with the frontline.
Osage (designed by Gail Cabral)
This is another costume that I absolutely LOVE. I love the orange and gold, I love the frontline, it has impact and the backline is one that can stand up to the frontline with a nice big headpiece that comes in two versions. Not to mention the bra and belt are both well decorated on this one. I will point out the collar on this costume that I was hoping died after Birds of a Feather however it is so big and fabulous that it actually looks like a backpack so it gets a pass for sure even though that element was reused from Carnival 2009. Did I say I LOVE this costume? One of my top picks for sure.
Lapis Lazuli (designed by Melissa James)
Lots of blue, very little contrast however because this costume is another one that does not skimp on the beading on the bra I give it higher marks than it really deserves. The headpiece design I also like, the little oriental detail with the beads dropping on the forehead gives it a nice detail. The frontline headpiece is nice as well, but this costume said nothing to me except that is REALLY blue.
Silk Of Rajasthan (designed by Peter Elias)
Gets top marks for best male costume, of course. I am liking the fabric panels, the fully beaded bra however I am getting a very strong Sonia Mack Morocco vibe from that bigger headpiece!!! This one could have been so much better because I am liking everything else but the large headpiece . The small headpiece is "cute" as in looks like a belly dancer costume cute and then there is the version that is basically Indian jewelry. Lovely accessories on both the male and female costumes, I expect nothing less in that department from Peter Elias. But coming after African Love bird this one was a let down.
Zari (designed by "The Cocktail Girls")
This costume is so .....boring. Sorry to say it but really, we have come a long way from a generic bra and belt and headpiece don't you think? Nothing fancy, nothing special, nothing to hold my interest just a bra and belt... not impressed. Not to mention the frontline with that side swiped headpiece was NOT a frontline to me just a naked bra option.
Mystery of Loulan (designed by Solange Shaw- Gopaul)
Loulan has been calling my name since I first heard about the colour combination and this one did not disappoint. I LOVE the colours of blue, tan and gold. This is one of the BEST backline costumes with a fully decorated bra, belt and headpiece! Overall the regular costume looks complete, even with matching accessories the one thing I have to admit is that the tan bra is a bit like Bird of Paradise which I also loved but was worried would not work with my skin tone. That costume looked gorgeous on the road on all complexions and I am definitely seeing Loulan being a stunner in numbers as well. The premium and super frontline costume options floored me! Premium is all naked splendor, with a gorgeous bra and belt and a massive headpiece, personally I want that headpiece to be bigger and longer for ME, but it is just gorgeous! The Super version is also a stunner, if you were to play in this by default it does not come up short to the Premium version at all. The headpiece at first glance looks the same as Premium but it is not as full and decorated differently. Mystery of Loulan is the only costume to give varying body and headpiece options for frontline instead of just slapping on a bigger headpiece and backpack. You really feel the "frontline" difference in this costume, I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. This is my perfect costume in TRIBE!
Serica (designed by Quita Correria)
I am still wondering where is the rest of this costume, it looks unfinished and what the hell is the reason for that white fabric!? I am still in awe over this costume and NOT in a good way. Someone should have sent this costume back to the drawing board because it failed miserably in every respect. Compared to the rest of the band, even the costumes that did not impress me, this one looks so out of place! Like it is missing from Poison circa 1995!
Threads of Morocco (designed by Sandra Hordatt)
I dub thee the "teeny bopper" section as this regular costume is going to be a hit among the under 20 set. It is very pretty and VERY naked! The frontline is another one of my favourites though there is that Isis cape AGAIN that is used in Harts. LOVE the frontline headpiece and bra, I think Ms Horadatt taking the wire bra and reworking the design each year is super, you have to look forward to how it is going to work and this one does. The regular option has two headpieces, one with just jewelry and a mini headpiece as it is not a huge one as some of the other regular costumes, hopefully these options will cater to prices for everyone especially the young girls who I know wiill gravitate to this like bees to honey.
Fire Silk (designed by Sonia Marcano)
Ugh! I do not like this one. Do not like the boa and plumed been there done that collar, the headpiece is NOT flattering at all and the backline version looks so puny and pitiful compared to the other two versions. When it comes to red and silver costumes I personally think that combination has to be smashing for it to work beautifully (prefer red and gold) and this looks like the Digicel section of the band.
Individual Costumes
I decided to review these separately as each one was really fabulous, but not an option for everyone as there will be just ONE of these made. The individuals really sold some sections, my top picks were Charmuese which has the WOW factor, Mulberry, Habotai and Threads of Morocco in that order. Gorgeous body costumes in the individuals, lots of jewelry pieces used on the bras and belts not to mention the fantastic backpacks and headpiece. What was up with the Habotai Individual with the hat? I am left speechless by that one! Tyrian Purple has a very interesting body suit, I liked it actually but not the tail. Serica Individual should have been the regular costume and Xi Ling Gi was gorgeous but not my personally fave, I think the colours of this costume is what puts it out of a contender league for me, personally. Oh and how I can forget that "costume" that came after Rajasthan! What was that backpack, do they really expect someone to wear that on the road? And, how can I forget the totally unexpected Butterfly costume, section (who knows) I am guessing that represents the Silk Worm that actually lived to metamorphized nto a butterfly... but why does it look like Island People's Butterfly of 2006 , which was a version of Peter Minshall's Papillion? Kudos for having 3 stunning chocolate models in those costumes though!
Now, my issue with these costumes is that the effort that went into the Individuals could have been extended to some of the backlines and regular costumes. Not everyone can afford or be able to access an Individual costume so saving all the "glory" for these kind of cheats those who would LOVE the same gorgeous body but on a smaller, frontline version. HOPEFULLY they will offer the body costume for some of the respective frontlines because they are gorgeous. Well done effort on the Individuals, best I have seen in TRIBE ever.
Male costumes
Ah yes, another year all lumped together and they might as well be because this is the most generic set of male costumes ever! They all looked like coloured board shorts, headband and some sort of chest piece, forget giving the men a little something extra like with Brazilian Macaw or even Parrot of this year. The designers went straight back to the adage of "all men want is a shorts" and that is exactly what they got with the exception of Silk of Rajasthan which actually has a proper male COSTUME. I also saw an Individual male costume, Thank God for something different.
Overall, TRIBE pulled out the big guns for the Individual costumes, blew the competition out of the water in that respect, however I am left unimpressed with a majority of the sections. There are some gorgeous regular and frontline costumes for sure, but I need the regular costumes to step up their game as well as I need some interesting designs instead of just a bra with some gems and a belt; do something with just the bra and belt instead of just sticking three stones on them and calling it a day! Hence the reason some sections get top marks for me, I love the diversity.
I am sure no one will be hard pressed to find a section they like, for me I already have one that I am 100% sure I am playing in, but I would hate to be stuck in one of the least appealing costumes just to be in TRIBE when there are superior costumes out there with the competition! I love TRIBE, I really do, the experience for me is second to none but some of the costumes need that time and effort placed in the Individual designs injected into the regular costumes.
For LOTS and LOTS of High Resolution, HUGE costume pics check out
76 comments:
Habotai - Let me get the most irritating thing about this costume out in the open first, and that is the BLACK tasseled chopsticks on the headpiece! Why?
didnt you 'design' this last year?
comments based on pics...
agreed that the individuals look stunning but not really impressed with the whole package...
Firstly, I'm glad someone made mention of the Harts Isis capes that folks love to cry down every year. I wonder how many masqueraders will request the 'capeless' option.
Secondly, though my head is still spinning from the plume fest, I will say my favourite was Threads of Morocco. Harts had a similar colour combo this year, and I would have snatched it up were it not an all-female section.
However, my favourite costume if I were playing in Tribe would be Loulan (Super bra and Premium everything else). Very Kingfiser-like at first glance, but that headpiece blows everything else out of the water!
I wouldn't even waste my time giving an opinion on individual costumes.
Frontlines.
Mostly nice with some wrongs inbetween (Xi Ling, Habotai - what on earth?!). Definitely a few good choices for the frontliners.
Regular costumes
Unfinished and recycled looking, boring, can fit into any ole theme and so overall extremely generic. I'm sorry if I offend with this comment - but I can't believe ppl got paid for some of these designs.
Male costumes
Blah as usual.
I'm SO disappointed, confused, sad and annoyed all in one! It is going to be a real struggle to choose a costume or 2 amongst these that wouldn't make me feel sick at the thought of paying for.
Steups.
Otherwise. Thanks so much for the pics and coverage :)
I'm only interested in the backlines, as that's what i'll be in and i hardly even see the frontlines on the road!
Mulberry - Love the colour and the headpiece!
Tyrian purple - again, love it
Osage - love it, but it looked nicer in the leaked photos!
Mystery of loulan - love it
Eri - really like it but dont think I could wear that colour
Lapis lazuli - nice, but i dont want a blue costume!
Zari - blah. its ok.
Charmeuse - its ok, but i've played in those colours before. bra is very plain.
Xi ling shi - i really dont like those colours, people have been going on about this costume since the leak and i really dont see it.
Silk of rajastan - needs a serious headpiece re-do
Serica - boring and the headpiece looks like a pope's hat
Threads of morocco - it's ok, not a huge fan of the tiny headpiece
Fire silk - yawn...
Habotai - saved the worst till last. HATE this costume, it is hideous. the frontline looks like it should be in a brothel. it is so cheap and tacky looking, that colour, yuck! and the backline is just as bad!
And dont get me started on the mens costumes - dire!
If we can't get into one of about 4 sections in Tribe - Spice here we come! Overall I think Spice has a much stronger presentation.
Bandwagonist THAT chopstick headpiece was part of my April fools joke this year ..lol, actually the joke costume was "designed" by Richard, of Richard and Anthony! lol
Mystery of Loulan...WOW!
So not impressed. The only one that caught my eye was Osage and its not one that I can say I love. I totally agree with RWB.
As for the theme, I can barely see it. Originality and creativity is missing. Alot of feathers here and there...and thats about it...Very disappointing.
Mystery of Loulon is the only costume I can see myself playing in. I'm disappointed because this was to be the year I would switch from IP and go to Tribe and I am left not knowing what to do. I'm shocked and left shaking my head right now. I really hope they go back and redesign these costumes, cause what they had on stage last night is NOT worth my money. I agree with SLK, Spice came out much stronger this year.
i hate the feathers. the theme is silk, i want fabric, not feathers. that is lazy design if ever i saw it. i actually LIKE that a lot of the bras are not blinged within an inch of their lives, but appear to have some interesting fabric rouching happening, that's at least different. i am not one who likes a bunch of crap pasted onto a bra (or belt) just to say it's 'decorated'. and i don't like a set of extra stuff on the costume, i am one of those who does like 'just a bra and belt'. i suppose that makes me 'unfabulous', but simple is how i enjoy my mas.
Very unbiased review Saucy. I agree with pretty much everything you touched on. There are pretty much 4 costumes to choose from and crapo smoke yuh pipe if you can't get into them.
Price is going to be a key factor in costume selection this year.
Hi, I'm a newbie to this blog..but Saucy you do an incredible job...I'm surprised more people in trinidad don't know about this..I was talking to my mom about this blog last night and promised to send it to her..keep up the good work!!!!
Re: The Costumes...I'm supposed to be playing Threads of Morocco BUT I think I'm going to switch to Mystery of Loulan...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that costume/colors!!!!!!!
Again Trinibears Want to Kill Self Because Male Costume Choice Suck. ]
WE saw small Glimmer Of Hope In Liking Individual.
We were not impressed By the Whole Band.
Somehow i like the Chopsticks, at least they are no, japanese lanterns or paper umbrellas in sight.
Sauce my dear I know you have to be in feathers heaven right now because that's all TRIBE had. Frontlines were hot, backlines SUCKED hardcore.
I'm still waiting on the "silk" or any allusion to silk. My crew wants to play in TRIBE next yr but I'm not impressed at all. Carnival is about MAS first, not so-called premium service blah blah blah.
"Rio" and "Recycle:Going Green" should've been the presentation. Those costumes were a bunch of Rio mas and recycled costumes.
Everything recycled: leftover Cotinga beads, Silver Mist twin sister, Ruby Topaz and Isis combined for that purple section, Kisskadee leg piece AGAIN and IP Portuguese Man o war. Oh gosh TRIBE played themselves out with the IP Butterflies and Rubies of Mumbai clone.
Fellas, I feel your pain --not a decent costume in sight for you and you know y'all not drinking all that liquor so there goes your money.
There is no way in hell these people went to NY for material -- not for a set of scrap cloth. Is Samaroos feathers and trimmings in we tail!!!
Excuse me y'all while I go in my closet and sift through my Poison costumes to bring out for the road 2k10. I will blend in beautifully.
I pretty much agree with your review of the costumes. However, I do not like Mystery of Loulon's backline AT ALL. The head piece looks like it belongs in Star Treck, and I would feel so inferior in that costume surrounded by such elaborate Superior and Premium Frontline costumes.
The disparity between the frontline and the backline costumes is too great. I am very interested in seeing the prices, as I am wondering if Tribe has really thought this through...Also bigger is not always better. I love large head pieces, but the amount of feathers used by both Tribe and Spice in the frontlines is a touch ridiculous.
There is no costume that captures my heart, as in this recession, this does not seem to be the right year to be splurging on a frontline costume and I am beginning to wonder if these plain backline costumes that look like I could just wear it to the beach, will be worth my hard earned money.
Oh, and the re-use of material a year later...definately not cool
Sauce. My hat goes off to you. You are a REAL critic because TRIBE is known to be SAUCY's band! That is what your critique is supposed to be. Good job!
I too like Chatty Patty was thinking of changing from IP to Tribe, but after seeing the leak I decided that the only section WORTH PLAYING (in my opinion) was LOULAN but I just played those colors in Ocean Whispers this year with IP. So, IP for me.
Thanks for the coverage and pics!
nah all yuh I think we've been punked, Tribe couldn't be serious with the recycled Ip butterflies, poison 1996 costumes with a tinge of pulse8 and a touch of D'Midas.All I gotta say for the passable ones that are left you'll ladies gotta be quick on the draw with the mouse to click to register cause its gonna be a serious fight. As for the men no comment.
as usual i wasn't expecting for tribe to wow me. but what i am surprised with are the ppls views re. the costumes because i thought with the die hard tribers, biasness wud take over, like nevertheless its still ok because it went waay beyong the costumes. saucy, thanks for the unbiased review. now that i've looked and looking again, i must say imo these have got to be the worse display of costumes i've seen from tribe. and im sure they'll have the nerve to be charging masqueraders US $600-$1300 for those peices of crap! like seriously, another silver mist????
i guess Spice will be the ish for C2KX!!!
Again, well done on your review Ms. Diva.
Overall, nice costumes/presentation for the band. Most of the sections did not "stick" with the band's theme. Only Silk of Rajasthan did...IMO. Not a feather on that costume, female headpiece needs additional work. Mystery of Loulan is FANTABULOUS!! Great color co-ordination.
Thumbs up to others...TRIBER in the house =D
hey saucy do u have ne about who designed what? well besides solange,peterE,cocktail girls and hordatt?
Ths SAUCE HS SPOKEN NYAAAAH!
Well, well let me say that Tribe's 2010 presentation SUCKED! Sauce you talk about the individual costumes but this ain't Rio - carnival is about de average masquerader!
The costumes lacked any kind of imagination. I saw my kiskadee belt and foot pieces with cotinga adornments. Also bird of paradise was painted blue. And there was mystique and silver mist as well.
And the presentation/narration was terrible - no story to tell...maybe because they picked an inappropriate theme (you know the kind with a STORY that only Minshall or McFarlane can pull off)!
I recall the criticisms Tribe faced years back for Ole time something's costume designs. But at least there was creativity and imagination. IMO this is the worst performance by Tribe yet.
I have to wonder if this is part of their plan to "shrink" the band.
Good luck to those who will waste their money anyways.
they shoulda stick with the lunar waltz...
but despite the comments above, the band WILL be sold-out within a week...
forgetting the costumes for a second, i thought the presentation REALLY sucked. very boring. the music was buss. too many people on stage. the routine did not wow anybody, and what went on with the lights? the presentations for myths and magic and birds of a feather were MUCH better.
if TRIBE's tagline is "the ultimate carnival experience", nothing about that party was really "ultimate."
i suppose they know they have a 'must-sell-out' band, so they can now compromise on quality because it really doh matter either way.
They should have stuck to The Silk Road... then the costumes would make more sense. I wonder what the sections were before they decided to name it after fabric.. hmmmm
I agree with you saucy, I dunno I have so much to say I don't now where to start, I was expecting something more WOW POW! some of these designers keep doing the same thing over and over again, the creativity in some sections are lacking I think I am most likely going to be an individual this year, because to be quite honest some individuals looks like it should be frontline, and every year I want to evolve and look bigger and better than the year before, I dunno I really don't now! I guess this is as good as it gets with bikini mas.....WHERE IS THE SECRET OF SILK??? I am lost with this whole thing...
What an excellent review Saucy! Thanks for keeping us overseas peeps fully updated.
Well I was hoping to see a costume that would demand that I be back in Trinidad for 2010 - but alas, the premium FL for Loulan is the only costume that got me in Tribe. Its sad to think that if I dont get that, I dont think I playing mas next year. Charmeuse and Morocco are lovely. But I'm a little confused about what Morocco's FL is vs the individual. The other costume I like is in Spice - Thailand.
When I saw the leaked book, I felt I was watching birds of a feather all over again. And there were other interpretations of costumes past - Silver Mist, Flight of the Ibis, Isis and Mystical India, among others. Deja vu.
I think Loulan's male costume is my top male pic, then Rajasthan. But there was nothing for the guys. Poor fellas. Most of the male costumes looked like some Barbarossa get ups IMO.
Disappointed - and I am really not sure what I will do for Carnival next year.
I am left to wonder if 'individualism' is the direction tribe wants to take their mas, because the backline costumes with the exception of lulan were generic and boring as hell.all the outstanding costumes were individuals
I find it a bit dissapointing as well that so many feathers were used...it seemed that tribe missed one word from their band name.."the secret of silk feathers" or really it is the secret of silk because with all those feathers used, silk really became a secret.
the best sections imo, are loulan, osage, and threads of morroco....although i might get mad in a couple of years with the cliched use of isis wings (as for me the true beauty of isis wings is seen in belly dance), i really liked that section threads of morroco...
rajastan or whatever it is, is sorely dissappointing....the headpiece besides it looking like a sonia mack remake, there was a costume from poison some years ago, where the exact sort of headpiece was used...the costume was pink and yellow i think.
overall there was a very brazilian vibe to the mas, and this again, makes me wonder about the abundance of individuals,and the direction tribe may want to take their band, floats in the future perhaps? ala sambadrome?
More work needs to be done for teh male... Its not every one just wants a shorts and a drinks band for monday and tuesday... Do the males in two... Good God! When will they learn?
i liked most costumes, the production and presentation. Thanks Saucy for a great review!
ok saucy i have a question for u (or any1 willing to answer): what is the difference and significance between a frontline and individual costume?? i always thought individual was another name for frontline. *shrugs* :S
Needed to have alot more cloth to go with the theme. The 2 stand outs were, Loulan & Threads. Love the colour combination of Loulan, the frontline belt looks very similar to the belt from Macaws frontline last year, just different stones. The headpieces are big and fantastic. Love the richness of Threads, although the backlines aren't as glamourous as others, the costume still holds its own. The frontline is Fabulous but you do have to have a perfect pair to go into the wire bra :) Frontline's headpiece, also big and beautiful. All in all both costumes are Tops. Congrats Ladies!
to the person who asked the difference between a frontline and an individual..
a frontline costume is a costume that is more elaborate than the section to which it is related, in my opinion there is a direct co-relationship between a frontline costume and a backline costume of a particular section. this is a relatively recent development in carnival
individuals on the other hand while like frontline costumes are more elaborate than other costumes, are not elaborate versions of a section, but have their own design related to the overall theme/concept of a band. most times individual implies just that...INDIVDUAL. there is only one costume like that in the entire band.
my 2 cents,and i also stand to be correctec
I kind of disagree with most of the points here. I for one absolutely LOVE Tribe's presentation this year. This is coming from the perspective of a backline babe. Whereas many of you feel the backlines sufferin, I beg to differ. I found that most of the costumes stood up to their frontline companions and this is after comparison to many elements- the headpieces I find are pretty big for backline, the leg pieces to the backlines are mostly identical to the frontlines and the designers didn't go easy in the costume design at all in my opinion.
Take Charmeuse for instance..yes I agree that the bra could be more decorated (it's actually similar to Bird of Paridise's bra imo) however, I think everything else makes up for the under decorated bra! The headpiece is fantabulous! I lovin that connecting piece to the bra and belt and the added cloth that seems to be draped perfectly. As you can tell..this costume is my fave!
Other costumes I like:
-Mulberry: Love the headpiece on this one! If I hadn't played in green already, I would've seriously considered this
-Loulan: I love the premium frontline on this one. The backline for me is just blah..needs something more to stand up with the frontline
Tyrian Purple: Love the shade, the belt and the headpiece
Costumes that are so-so for me:
-Eri: I never really like a white/silver costume..nothing spectacular for me
-Xi Ling Shi: Agree with Saucy on this one
-Osage: Looks prettier in the booklet..something was missing on stage
-Lapis Lazuli- Ordinary. Nothing distinguishing about this costume
-Silk of Rajasthan: Spice own was done much better. Down to the male costume in Spice is much better than this 'knockoff'
-Zari: Agree with Saucy on this as well. Nice colour though
-Threads: Though everyone seems to find this spectacular, I am again coming from a backline standpoint in that I find the backline is rather plain compared to the frontline. I dont mind the skimpiness, it's just that I always like more for my money and this costume is dissapointing
Costumes I absolutely hate:
-Fire Silk- Cheap looking. Looks dated and I hate the colour combo
-Serica: i just hate it..prob the colour
-Habotai: Hate this hot pink costume. I didnt even notice the tassels which Saucy brought to my attention so now I hate this costume even more
Overall..the presentation was very pretty to me. I agree that the theme could've been better but overall, I'm satisfied with my selections
Disappointing!
The Secret is still safe! No one let TRIBE in on this one. This is the first time TRIBE has lost it's way on theme. Spice did quite good on the Spice Route, but TRIBE went off Road and never found even the trace of Silk! Of course, kudos to some brilliance in a few pieces (Spice has more), theme aside.
And for both mas camps, a big up for daring to embrace BIG mas again (albeit individuals).
dccarnivalbaby...looks like I will be following you right back to IP! I hear Mystery of Loulon is already sold out and I'm sure my other 2 pics will be as well. I truly hope Tribe is listening to these negative comments and going back and redesigning these "costumes". Thank you Saucy for bringing us an unbiased opinion. I love this blog even more for that!
Wow all you Trinis picky we. I find the costumes were nice. Yes, Spice a lil bit nicer and the theme was lost in translation but a lot of work went into it.
The trick is to stop comparing the costumes with years gone by "oh that look like mist" wha done done. Take them on they face. Can't believe y'all ent like Habotai and Erie. Fantastic. Like Saucy you like some kinda funny colour- orange and yellow.
So all yuh, de costumes nice... and less people play more space for me! haha
Anyone playing with Tribe does so for the full experience, not just for a costume, otherwise they would go to a band that is not all inclusive and perhaps more artsy kinda like McFarlane. Really the band is just bikini, beads and feathers for party goers and people looking for a good time. I like most of the costumes, which at the end of the day never mind how you call it or big it up or cry it down is a belt, bra, headpiece and a few other pieces. Look at them, that is what they all are....belt, bra, headpiece etc. I like that there are big headpieces, small headpieces, pieces with feathers and without, bras that have covered up every inch of fabric and bras that did not...it means that for my friends and I, we will all find something that we like. Each year we choose the costumes we like best and sign up, after the first few pictures Monday and Tuesday we don't care what we are wearing...this is where Tribe will always get our money THAT ON DE ROAD EXPERIENCE. Until someone else can deliver that, the costume is only second. If we go to another band, have the most gorgeous costume and a horrible on the road experience then Carnival will suck. If we play in a nice costume and have a GREAAT on the road experience then you know Carnival was a blast. Maybe it is just us but that is where we concentrate our efforts or as I said we would play with an artistic band.
So for everyone, just know what you are looking for and choose the band that is best suited to those needs. If you really want a fantabulous costume and not interested in the road experience, then don’t get carried away with the hype of playing in the “in” band…look elsewhere. If like us, you really just want a nice costume and an experience blast then you know where to go.
ok i just read on today's express that registration is in 3 weeks.........which is enough time (fingers crossed) for people like me who wanted to switch from IP to Tribe to see what IP have cause is only 3 section have my attention.....Osage, Loulan and Tyrian
trinicandy registration for TLC holders will begin "around" the 15th. IP's launch is slated for the 16th. :)
Saucy, I am glad that you have provided us masqueraders with a medium on which we can express our views as to “ all things carnival”. It gives me the opportunity to voice what I believe needs to be voiced today amongst all the reviews which I have seen on your site relating to Tribe's presentation. I have played in Tribe before, as well as Harts. My experience in Tribe has been phenomenal. The customer service, the attention to detail, the road experience... this is just a part of the fabulous Tribe experience which sells. The costumes which were displayed at the launch were in my view exceptional. As exceptional as they are however, the selling point for me has always been the experience and the customer service. I have noted all the comments as to the costumes, and the designers. I must say that everyone has different tastes in costumes, TRIBE cannot satisfy all. What it maintains though is its “on de road experience”, which cannot be disputed. Also, I wouldn’t attempt to get into the head of the designer as to their inspiration in terms of their designs. These are artistic and creative people who have given a lot of thought and attention to the theme, and whose costumes, in their view depicts the theme. I think we would be insulting designers if we question their motivation for adding a cloth here, and a feather there…etc. These are veteran designers, and not fly by night designers, who have given us and continue to give us beautiful costumes. I think we need to give respect where respect is due. People may not agree with their depiction of the theme. Therefore those people should move on to a different band where the costumes are satisfactory to them, and experience is not at the top of their list. Tribe is all about loyalty and customer service, it sets apart the serious masqueraders from the not so serious ones, and I think Carnival 2010 is no exception.
Well Said "Sweet Like Candy" , I agree TRIBE IS more bout the Whole experience, Because as far as im concerned I still camping out Registration Day to get My costume Eve though I loath every single one of the male costumes. I loyal enough to pelt out my hard earned $$ behind one of those unimaginative get-ups just so i can be safe on de road with plenty security and lots of 1919 and ginger ale....Is 75% the Experience 25% costume.
"These are artistic and creative people who have given a lot of thought and attention to the theme, and whose costumes, in their view depicts the theme. I think we would be insulting designers if we question their motivation for adding a cloth here, and a feather there…etc." SweetlikeCandy
Everyone is an "artist" and a "critic." Some are better than others. A few are exceptional. Me, I just like talking s***! lol.
Expect to see meh in TRIBE, 2010 :)
damn (fingers cross).....Tribe should have registration after IP launch.....(i hope and pray pleaseeeeeeee)........sorry eh Tribers but i hadda hope and pray here
But i must say after looking at the costumes for several days and day dreaming about them
Osage has my whole heart......
Loulan have half of my heart......
Tyrian purple has a lil less than a third.......
The others hmmmmmmm
WOW!!! I don't understand where all this negative feedback is coming from to such a beautiful color palate. The color story here is rich & stunning.
Admittedly the direction of the theme is not particularly apparent because I'm not really sure what the story line is. Given the nature of this theme it's not as clear cut to gauge & understand the direction that the design team has chosen to take as opposed to an obvious theme such as this past years Birds Of A Feather where the concept didn't require any effort to figure out what to have expected. I guess once the site is up they'll provide a narrative which would give better insight as to the story line behind the portrayal name/theme.
It's almost like persons are expecting TRIBE to redesign the wheel here with their designs with all this nit picking bout recurring elements. It seems like as far as persons are concerned TRIBE should never ever reuse a braid, fringe, trim, jewel, color combination or design element that has been used before (even if it's their own & works just as well with this design, concept, portrayal or theme as it did with the previous). Geez I guess that's what you get for being at the top of the totem pole, you get heavily scrutinized for a portrayal that would awe & excite persons were it an offering from any other band. Ah the blessing & curse of being TRIBE. Oh well!!! I think the designs work & are beautiful. I was just slightly impressed by the designs based off of the pics on triniscene & was almost swayed by all the unfavorable comments till I viewed the more detailed pics from Saucy's photobucket galleries. My reaction went from slightly impressed to impressed. I grew to like those that I already liked even more & some that didn't wow turned out to be very stunning & all in all the entire portrayal looked way more exciting to me once I got through all 400+ photos from Saucy (lol).
Don't understand where persons are trying to make comparisons between TRIBE & Spice when in my opinion none can be drawn. Not even having their portrayal theme compromised, design elements copied & stolen (both of which they had to revamp & rework to stay a step ahead of their saboteurs) & having their photos leaked could bring the "competition" close visually in design & color appeal to TRIBE's presentation. I look forward to the offering from TRIBE's one true competitor, Island People, they've been very hush hush & low keyed in the lead up to their launch & that could only mean 1 of 2 things. We should either be in for a treat or otherwise, I'm expecting it to be the former, at least I'm hoping it is lol.
But as always TRIBE, you can please some people sometimes but you can't please all the people all the time. I for one am pleased. Can't wait for the NY launch. I'm prime up & ready to step out on that red carpet on Aug 9th lol.
Peace, love & blessings to one & all ;)
Costumes are quite pretty. Guess theres a limit to how creative one can be with the bikini & bra! The strength of theme is lacking in contrast to Birds of a feather.
Anyway im a backline babe & my favs so far:
Mulberry (love the jewelled headpiece)
Charmeuse
Habotai - (as long as that head piece is not pulled too far down to swallow up the face!)
Xi Ling Shi (love the colours)
(surprisingly) Fire Silk
Mystery of Loulan
Osage (love that orange & the jewels)
Please PLEASE Tribe sort out Serica..the white bed sheet got to go!
I'm reading some of these comments and wondering if the people who say there was no following the "Secret of Silk" theme actually read up on any of these section names.
I think there's a difference between not liking the way a designer interpreted a theme and having a designer miss the theme altogether. Admittedly, it is not the masqueraders' responsibility to go read up on anything, but if you are going to openly criticize someone's work, the least you could do is have some basic facts at hand :)
Xi Ling Shi - She is heralded as the discoverer of silk and the inventor of the silk loom. She was the wife of the Yellow Emperor (that's why the costume has so many yellow feathers).
Mulberry - The trees are the main food source of silkworms.
Lapis Lazuli - To date this rare stone is very precious and prized for its intense blue color. It was discovered along the Silk Road. If you look at the stone, you will see that the blue used in the costume mirrors it very adequately.
Mystery of Loulan - Loulan was an ancient kingdom along China's Silk Road. The town was a popular oasis, which possibly explains the use of the long flowing blue (water) effect for the headpieces.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I just wanted to give another side of the "there's no following the theme" argument. Maybe people are disappointed because they were expecting something different from the theme, but that doesn't mean that the theme wasn't followed.
TRIBE chose to focus on people/places/items that played a role in silk's popularity. In the same way, Spice chose to focus on some of the places that were key along "The Spice Route" and they presented the designers' interpretation of those places.
You may either like their interpretation or not, but not liking it does not mean that the designer didn't follow the theme.
I agree wholeheartedly with SweetlikeCandy and Sippy2. Let us give respect where respect is due and acknowledge the work that went into the production. This band will sell out because of the road experience and the lime. I swear that 60% of my high school plays in TRIBE and that is what I enjoy and the security every 4-5ft or so.
Thank you so much for this very unbiased review Sauce. Great job on the pics :-)
My fav costumes in order are: Osage (something draws me to this colour!), Mystery of Loulan (I adore those colours), Tyrian Purple and Xi Ling Shi (noticed the 'recycling' of Cotinga's gems from the time the leak came out...but ah still like it. And thanks for naming that IP costume!)
Threads is nice, but I agree it'll be the section for teenie-boppers. Charmeuse is aight as well, quite ok...but not for me. Habotai is different, not liking the tassels at all!
All others are aight, with the exception of Serica which really I am in awe of. WTF happened there??
Will do a proper review later.
"60% of my high school plays in TRIBE" do I hear Threads of Morocco
I agree a lot with The Professor - the most I expect out of a bikini costume is for it to be pretty or for it to be ugly. What IP did in 2007 or what Harts did in 2001 or who won road march in 1963 has no effect on my carnival Monday and Tuesday! I just want something pretty to play my pretty mas and I want a headpiece that doesn't look like the ones I already have. As much as I try to go with different colors I keep being drawn to the same ones so I can't say I play in different colors every year, lol. I was wowed with the presentation, with the exception of the pink and black corset individual - what's up with that floppy hat? The individual sections are AMAZING and the variety of colors on the road will look stunning. Although I will say I was hoping for a little more risk - I could have really imagined some asymmetric top with different colors of silk strips weaved together.... For comparison's sake, i will say I FRIGGIN LOVED Spice's head pieces and their interpretation of the theme. But the overall impact on the road goes to Tribe IMO. I can't wait to take pictures of all of the sections in action! And for all you going back to IP, I will pray that Machel doesn't put out a song worse than "Wild Antz" for 2010.
But there is no doubt about it that the men's costumes are pitiful. they can't get a Bruce Lee pant option? a striped turban? some genie pants and a long scarf tied around the waist a la Sinbad the Sailor? a triangle hat and linen/silk blend in-the-rice-field high water pants? I don't know, maybe mas bands have offered these options in the past with the large majority of men going for board shorts :-\ but can we please let the lime green board shorts go? lol
and thanks ennkaycee for dropping some knowledge!
and many thanks to the Sauce for the coverage!!!
My two cents:
MULBERRY: Nice colour, why is the bra lacking decor? The frontline is great love the large back pack!
CHARMEUSE: The blend of colours does not seem to do anything for this costume.
ERI: From the time I saw this in the booklet I thought: What the hell Sliver mist again? Overall the costume lacking decoration.. one arm and some foot pcs.. *shakes head*
HABOTAI: Missing zeal... Dont get me wrong, I have nothing against skimpy BUT come on..I'm not liking the feathers on the legs on the FL either..
TYRIAN PURPLE: Come on... This is such a Mystique knock off.. I am sooo pissed at seeing this costume.. The only real difference is the head piece and the pattern on the bra which reminds me of dragon's bra! Try allyuh best please!
XI LING SHI: I really love these costumes.. I know people hating on the fact of the re-used beads but I think this is a wicked colour combo.. This costume is overall hot!
OSAGE: :Love Love Love this costume... The colour, the head piece Love it..
LAPIS LAZULI: I love the belt, and the rich blue colour.. I think the detaling on the bra is wonderful as well.
SILK OF RAJASTHAN: I like the red,Not feeling all the cloth, BE HONEST: when u see Spice's Rubies of Mumbai (red costume) and this, it just lacks galmour.. Head pc is very interesting :S
ZARI: FL Bra is like whoa.. Gosh this costume gets 2 thumbs up.. The back line is more or less basic.. But the Fl is a stunner!!
MYSTERY OF LOULAN: This is a kicker costume. I love the fact that the designer wasn't afraid on going the extra mile and decorating the backline bra! This colour combo is gorgeous, This entire costume is lovely. BTW what is LOULAN? anyone???
SERICA: Seriously, is this really the finished product? And the head pc does nothing for this costume.
THREADS OF MOROCCO: ISIS seriously comes to mind, however, I love this costume.. The FL head pieces are gorgeous and that colour shade really makes that costume come to life!
FIRE SILK: Again, Im still waiting to see a red costume that would give Spice a run for their money.. This costume also needs some glitz and glamour!
*SIGH* i know most people only wanna play with TRIBE cuz its TRIBE but be brutally honest, this is not their best work...
thank you aneka. learned 1 more thing today :)
I think that people need to remember that we are currently in a recession and some of the rules won't apply to past years of registration. I think people will be very surprised at how masqueraders are registrating this year. People will be very careful of who they play mas with and not just throw money because its Tribe or IP. I want to see what everyone thinks when the price of the costume is revealed, will your opinions change. As for respecting designers, I understand that we should respect them, but I agree highly that we need to critique them too and not just hold our tongues, because they've spent countless months designing these costumes. Its our money that enables these bands to continue coming on the road year after year and if masqueraders aren't happy, I would hope that they hear some of this negative feedback and go back to the drawing board and make some corrections. Good luck with everyone trying to register with Tribe! Saucy, do you have any idea when the newbies are able to register? Are the newbies left with whatever costumes are available or is there a certain amount put aside for us? I would love to know before I think about my other options.
I agree with critiquing but when I saw Saucy describe one costume as just "blah" when I could see the work that went into it and the intricacy of the design, I knew I had to make my own mind up.
Loulan is no big draw for me. I cannot see that colour palate being visually stunning on the road. Habotai, Erie and all the gold costumes plus Mulberry (my first choice) are the ones to watch in my opinion!
Thanks to the poster who described the names- just what a lil education could do is great. The costumes are stunning- if y'all not happy, message me with your TLC card so I can book!!!
City Chick my opinion is just that, my opinion. It amuses me that so much weight is placed on whether or not I like a costume or not; really do I have THAT much power that people will be upset by my comments? This is my blog, my thoughts and my views; again read the disclaimer! I would hope that each person would make up their own mind to choose the costume that they like, independent of my reviews.
I described one costume as "boring" and that is exactly what it is to ME. I have been playing mas for more years than some of you have been alive, I pay my money without question and in turn I expect a costume that is going to hold my interest and THAT one, did not. Even the ones with other details that I did not like still had elements that were at least interesting, even, the white fabric was something "different". But when you stick some gems on a bra (which anyone can do really) and hang some ear rings on a belt do you really expect ME to be wowed by that? It takes A LOT to impress me, maybe I am not one of the new masqueraders just happy to be in a costume and I am MUCH more discerning and discriminating when I am spending my money and after years of bikini mas.
On the road with TRIBE this year was at times a logistical nightmare with a crush of people on narrow streets.. the band is simply too big. Couple that with mediocre costumes for half of the band for 2010 and you get VERY critical reviews.
TRIBE has the service, that is what they do well and that is what I will play with them for and of course I will play in a costume that I love. However, they are not above scrutiny and they are not above criticism.
I have come to realize that when I give TRIBE good reviews I am labeled as biased and when I give them a critical review I am labeled as bias so the only opinion I really care about is MINE; the masquerader who PAYS for their costume and does not have to appease any designer or stroke egos because they are upset I do not like their costumes.
If I can give a critical review of Spice, and I am good friends with those designers, and they took it in stride then the other designers need to grow up and suck it up, put more effort into their costume for 2011 and EARN a good review from me!
Damn straight saucy!! its HER blog people if allyuh doh like it then doh read it!
Hey woman, I love you still, I love your blog and I like the fact that you critique but trust me, I think A LOT of people were influenced by your comments. And note the operative word THINK. I look forward to and trust your judgment on a lot of things but on this, the subjective character of whether a costume is beautiful, I have to go with my own instinct and my own appreciation of beauty. Sorry :)
I am a TRIBE newbie (but a carnival junkie for 20 years and I too am not happy to be in mere bikini and beads). I am no expert as you clearly are but what I think is that way too much emphasis was placed on "this is an extract of this" "this was used on x occasion" "this reminds me of ..." and in my opinion, that influenced a lot of the comments here. Why can't we just take the costumes on its own face value? When I read a book and critique it, far from my mind is the author's last offering? I look at the words, the cadence, the language and the story. All I was suggesting (maybe ineloquently) was that we try to do the same.
The costume you described as boring I thought was fantastic because the palette (the base, the bikini and bra itself was bare) to draw attention to what was a stunning headpiece. Sometimes less is more. Having a stunning headpiece, a blinged out bra and lots of feathers is sometimes overkill (doh mind is carnival) and I think that the designer paid attention to that fact. For some people "the more sequins the merrier" but that is not really my style :) The cage bra worked with the headpiece!
I don't know about bias or anything and I would never say that you are, I have no affiliations with Tribe (I wish, cause I want a link up right now), what I would say is that the caliber of the costumes are right up there with Spice. No question in my mind about that.
Daiz all.
And oh.. iz freedom of expression- I never say I ent like de blog. I like it. Why can't I like the blog and disagree with what she think? I can "critique" the critic. Wha wrong wid dat?
CityChick you are free to critique, as a matter of fact I get A LOT of criticism myself and take it as part of the "job", no hard feelings at all I enjoy the opposition! Keeps me grounded.
Actually, I am a newbie to this blog BUT a masquerader for about 25 years...I must say I enjoyed Saucy's review BUT I know that the opinions that she gave were just hers...she will NOT influence my decision..I mean, I can look at the costumes and tell for myself based on what I WANT in a costume..and I like the fact that she really didn't hold any punches when it came to her review...I APPRECIATE that in a review...and I've done reviews for movies on a public website where I had to review movies that were against the norm; movies that I wouldn't normally watch, so I totally understand how it's done..but at the end of the day her OPINION is just that, her opinion...everyone has to decide/make up their minds for themselves...
Keep up the good work, Saucy!
It seems that EVERY season since Trinidad Carnival Diary began, Saucy has to explain herself. If Sauce has any influence of anybody (designers, patrons, and/or naysayers) out there that is a humbling position, but not an obligation. Her voice has always been her own and she communicates her passions and her aesthetics. The only "bias" I sense from Saucy is she "wishes" Trinidad bikini mas was a caged bra, c-string barely there, jeweled Brazilian costume fantasy (lol).
We may not always agree with her point of view, but the takeaway we should all get in our love for Trinidad Carnival (expanded to include other regional mas) is her blog is absolutely THE BEST information source (skewed toward bikini mas) for the preparation, buildup, and participation of "the greatest show on earth" (I know, that claim IS still an aspiration ;) )
ennekaycee I get your excellent point of faithfulness to theme as the designers saw it. My disappointment was not in the history of silk, but the SECRET of silk. For sure, it is a vague notion to claim to know the secret. But to me the "secret (s)" have always been luxury and sex. How one achieve this in sexy mas seems obvious if your mastery palette has been feathers. Away from that comfort level, to do this with the PRIMARY material silk is a lot harder to produce. Just the prototyping for proof of design will be enough to drive one crazy, especially with wanting to wow my patrons in the fantasy/journey of it all.
We all have something we want from our mas (an INDIVIDUAL expression, which CANNOT be bought in a box). I am big on themes and the BAND as a concept ON THE ROAD. Don’t worry; there is enough time on the road for “getting on bad.” But I do want the BAND as one to be fierce and dazzling.
Wow.
I can't believe ppl are still buying that crap of experience not costume!
I guess the beauty of this blog is that is exposes that there are in fact all sorts of masqueraders - even for bikini mas.
I for one will not fly to Trinidad for a 2nd rate costume but a good experience.
I strongly believe that it is VERY possible to get the best of both.
Ok, first of all, while I respect the time and effort taken to create a blog and comment on every detail re the costumes, designs, etc., it's obivous there is a clear bias in these reviews which is fine because at the end of the day, we are all different and different things appeal to us. Which brings me to my next point, WHO THE HELL CARES whether or not a hook from last years costumes or similar beads were used? Hooks, like beads, are generic and available for use by all - I was not aware that materials used to make these beautiful costumes were patented by anyone desigenr and furthermore anyone band!!! Now, if a design was copied, that I can understand, however this too was also done by many of the older bands for many years, where they simply recylced some of their most popular designs because they appealed to the people the most, after all, it's a business!!
Lastly, why all the hate and bitching? I was particularly disturbed by the review which stated that one section stole beads from another section. Whether this is true or not, do you really think that this type of commentary is really what we as Trinidadians need to make public to the folks in the rest of the world who we would also like to market these costumes to? We always boast about our Carnival, but do you really think that this is something positive to advertise. At the end of the day, it is ONE BAND!! Do you really think that if two sections have similar head pieces or jewels, that this fact is going to prevent sales. LETS BE REAL PEOPLE, IT'S TRIBE!! AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BAND WILL BE SOLD OUT!! WE WILL ALL DRESS IN OUR COSTUMES COME CARNIVAL MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES AS WE ALWAYS DO.
CGJ, I can't speak for everyone else, but I can surely speak for myself...I for one publicly wrote on my own blog and also on facebook my dislike for Tribe's costumes since the leaked pics were released. Saucy's view on the sections has NOTHING to do with my view. There is no bias views on my part. I'm 29 and I've played mas for 25 of those years and know too much about mas to be caught up in the hype! At the end of the day, it is OUR money that we invest in these costumes and if we feel that its not up to par, then we will damn sure say it. Saucy is doing something right to have over 1,000,000 hits on her blog. And for anyone to think that blogging is something simple, then you go ahead do one and see how much work is put into something like this. If you read her disclaimer, she doesn't apologize for her opinions. I haven't ageed with many of the things she said about certain bands and costumes, but at the end of the day, it is her opinion and her blog and she allows us to do the same by posting comments. I do agree with you when you when you speak about people talking about beading or rimestones used from previous years. I think its great that they are able to recycle old material. I just can't agree with the rest of the things you say, but then again, its your opinion and I respect it.
CGJ I will say one thing to you, if you do not like what I had to say or my "hate and bitching" K.I.M.. Keep It Moving ;)
This calls for my disclaimer right up in here:
Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to influence anyone to play with any one Carnival band over the other. Even though I may be privy to information from many sources this does not influence my views and opinions;the views expressed are solely mine.This is a place to come and get a little carnival info (how ah buy it is how ah selling it), look at some costume pics, "listen" to me talk about mas and occasionally vent or speak my mind.Use with caution!
Yuh know what? I been a Triber from day one.. and anyone who knows me knows this. But that statement right there CGJ "LETS BE REAL PEOPLE, IT'S TRIBE!! AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BAND WILL BE SOLD OUT!! WE WILL ALL DRESS IN OUR COSTUMES COME CARNIVAL MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES AS WE ALWAYS DO." shouted no less. is what will get TRIBE in some serious serious trouble. No one can claim that TRIBE has produced the best presentation this year. It is flawed and some of the costumes are downright below standard... and by that I mean TRIBE standard. But as long as people or TRIBE start to think that they can give a sub-standard product and it will still sell due to the hype...well that's the end right there. Spice knocking on the door to pick up the slack. And after last year's overcrowding a la Poison, one slip in the qualtiy of the product and TRIBE.. will implode. Wait and see...All great empires have fallen due to arrogance and ego. Every last one of them.
Wowza! Check action all up on the comments oui!
Great review Saucee, love the fact that you pay such detailed attention to the mas ;)
My 2 cents:
Mulberry = Love. I usually hate green, and this is the second green costume (after Honeycreeper last year) that I could see myself in.
Charmeuse - LOVE IT. Love love LOVE it.
Eri - pretty enough I find. Personally don't like those colours, but very pretty nontheless.
Habotai - no real comment. One of my least favourites. And actually I don't like the way the headpieces frame the face.
Tyrian Purple - I am also in sweet love with this. The colour is so rich, so beautiful. The BL headpieces are so full and lovely. And that bustle... Sexy for days!
Xi Ling Shi - uhm... Carib section? Love the elaborateness of the FL, but the colours aren't for me. And I find the loin cloth doesn't work so well for this one IMO. Pretty though.
Osage - LOVE IT. BL and FL are gawjus. Nuff Said.
Lapis Lazuli - is nice. Just nice. Some contrast would have been good to enhance the blue I find.
Not feeling Silk of Rajasthan at all...
Zari was so darn promising in the leak... Loved it in there, but not feeling it so much in the launch pics. Love the BL headpiece and the shade of teal/green though.
Loulan - that FL is the shiznit! LOVE IT. The backline... not so much. Could do with a bit more oomph to the headpiece and leg bits.
Serica - WTF? Ahm, no. Again, one I thought had promise in the leak...
Threads of Morocco will look awesomely awesome on the road. Nakedness! In a very good way. Something kinda dodgy about the FL wire bra though...
Fire silk - red & silver is not my fave, but I find it is OK. Nothing more than that though.
Male costumes - poor fellas is all I have to say. If I were a guy I'd be vex no ass to be paying all that money for next to nothing inventive at all...
One last thing - CGJ, are you out of your mind? Tribe will sell out regardless? That kind of attitude right there is why they might very well not see my hard earned dollars again... Did you ever hear of Savage? Poison? Barbarossa? Bands DIE. Masqueraders have choice, and will vote with their feet if they are not kept happy. So Tribe better be working damn hard to keep people happy cause Spice is looking tres good, and even Harts has a better rolling road party in my opinion...
"Wow.
I can't believe ppl are still buying that crap of experience not costume!
I guess the beauty of this blog is that is exposes that there are in fact all sorts of masqueraders - even for bikini mas.
I for one will not fly to Trinidad for a 2nd rate costume but a good experience.
I strongly believe that it is VERY possible to get the best of both."
this by far is one of the best opinions i have ever read in a long time!! it seems some have lost their way as to what mas is about...is COSTUME!! and the quality of your costume is a big part of the mas, after all hours are supposedly spent on design, and production of a piece (that is not to say i think the costumes being discussed are not of a decent standard)
the experience is the icing on the cake. to me an integral part of the expereince is the costume, is the portrayal, it is the becoming of something else a character when all dressed up...it is taking on a different persona...you can't separate the costume from the experience, they both combine to make a great carnival imo.
if the expereince of mas has now only become about security and flowing drinks and not the costume is better tribe save the energy of their designers and give a t-shirt band every year..lol
i cannot beleive that some people will accept so called mediocrity (which is an opinion) because of a 'name'...it saddens me, but then again it is not surprising the acceptance of mediocrity by trinis..(different topic tho)
one more thing.
saucy, no need to defend your opinion because you are entitled to it this is your bit of cyberspace people visiting and chatting on after all.
some people including myself may not agree with things you post but that's ok too, its how disagreement is handled is the most important thing.
Chatty Patty, Goddess and to all the other bloggers who commented on my first comment re Tribe's costume review, it's not that I did submit a response to you guys but unfortunately, the owner of this blog did not allow it to be posted but what can i say, I guess waht they say is true...the truth offends!!
CGJ you have to be speaking about another blog because all your comments were published. I have an email history of all comments that come in, would you like me to forward it to you? Maybe you forgot to press "send" because this is your second comment after the one posted at 2:20PM.
But these people real boldface on the woman blog! Saucy you have patience like DAT! let me say it again! "THIS IS THE WOMAN BLLOOGG!!"
Sauce, about that order of troll spray......
I do not mind the reuse of beads stones etc and may play in a costume where materials have been recycled once it isn’t the exact same colour I played in the year before. The point made about repeating popular styles I can also agree with some bands do the same Indian costume each for instance and I have seen the Large Cotinga headpiece in this band and others, repeated again for 2010, the author of the blog did not harp on that I should point out so I am taking it that the headpiece style is not an issue. The problem for me in the use of the recycled materials is that bikini mas is already just a standard bra and belt, when you start reusing the same thing over and over it gives credence to what the critics have to say the same costume I n a different color as well as it shows the lack of creativity and outright laziness of some designers. There are bands that I applaud for coming different each year, even in bikini mas, and I may not always like the costumes they offer, however it is refreshing to see something different since it is the same bra top, same belt idea. I have been following this blog for ages and this author has always pointed out costumes that have been done before, never have I seen such a defensive attitude to her comments than when she points out the same in tribe. Some of you need to take an objective view, unless you are working with the band and have vested interest, and not take things so personally as if you own tribe. I am also somewhat concerned that CJG made the statement that the band will sell out anyway, which makes me think that is exactly what the designers think. Why give masqueraders a nice costume when the lure for tribe is just being in the band and selling the experience. The experience does not come cheap, nor does the costume, is it too much to ask then that the designers change a bead or a hook for the next year? At least change the colour !
I played in Cotinga and laughed when I saw the stones on Xi Ling because that was a sloppy job they did sticking them onto the bra and belt. I hope that they do a better job this time around and I will not be playing in the section because I have Cotinga nightmares from that stone! Ditto for the Silver Mist flashback, I will never play in that section because I again was unhappy with silver mist.They lost one person who even though they don’t mind the reuse of the stone is not going to play in that section.
I have my top 3 costumes in tribe and if they sell out I rather go play in another band than get stuck with an ugly costume or a recycled version of one that I already played in. Just my 2 cents.
"LETS BE REAL PEOPLE, IT'S TRIBE!! AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BAND WILL BE SOLD OUT!! WE WILL ALL DRESS IN OUR COSTUMES COME CARNIVAL MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES AS WE ALWAYS DO."
Did she really say that? Sooo, what you're saying is that the fact that the band sells out means the designers should not make an effort, not take pride in their work, not try to do anything original or innovative or new or different for their customers?
I am not worried about stones or hooks as much, though I can see how anyone who played in Cotinga or Kiskadee last year would be less likely to be drawn to that.
However, if I had been playing as many years as Saucy I would YEARN for something different.
The reality is that I am a thinking person and Saucy's criticisms were spot on. What we like, we like because of our individual tastes. (Loulan is beautiful but not for me.) But, her criticisms are valid.
To be honest, the costume that annoyed me the most was Zari, because when I saw it in the picture I had expectations. And then when I saw it on the launch it was like somebody started the job and left it alone and forgot to come back and finish it.
That really pissed me off because I love that color. LOVE it. What a waste!!
The thing about repeating elements of design is that you at least have to do something better or newer. And if I already played Water Nymph, what they did with Zari is not better by any means.
It could have been equal, but somebody didn't finish their damn job. That is the truth of the matter and we cannot pretend.
At least Monique's Xi Ling is elegant and looks finished. Zari looks like they slapped it together.
I am not a Trini and I don't see what damage it does if people see Trinis actually being critical about carnival costumes. It shows people CARE about a tradition of excellence and not just looking to have a party.
Yes, people are parading in bikini and beads, but that doesn't mean there can't be any creativity to it. Nobody is asking them to be the cutting edge of costume design. And we all know there is only so much to be done with a bathing suit, but at least behave as though you RESPECT people's intelligence and their hard earned money.
If Tribe is thinking as the writer above does, God help us. Who knows how bad it will get before everybody jumps ship? I work hard for that money and I pay it when Tribe says it is time....I don't want to ever feel that Tribe thinks they shouldn't deliver a high quality product just because the band will sell out NO MATTER WHAT.
Saucy girl! You certainly created a storm here! You know you have touched a nerve when you have over 70 comments to one post ... and you have managed to get ME to actually respond to a post! LOL
As a long-time Tribe masquerader, here are my two pence:
I will agree that some of the designs leave much to be desired. I will also say that perhaps a better presentation of the theme at both the launch and even in the booklet would have provided clarity on the theme since almost everyone providing a review here is utilizing a lens based on his or her own interpretation of "The Secret of Silk".
On the other hand, one can argue that in some respects, the band gave their consumers what they wanted. Let's be honest ... how many times have people said that they want LOTS OF FEATHERS on their costumes? How many times have we seen people lose their minds over large feathered headpieces ... and backpacks ... and everywhere else that one person can wear a feather without crossing the tacky line?
Additionally, how many times have masqueraders said that they hate wearing too much "clort" for Carnival? So they shy away from any costume that has a hint of "too much" fabric ("too much" defined by that individual). As a matter of fact, I have seen some reviews regarding the use of cloth as capes in the Tribe presentation. I mean, if you (the consumer) have an interpretation of "The Secret of Silk" as the use of certain fabrics, then critiquing the use of it (notice I didn't say the creative use) is counter to your intepretation.
So if you (the consumer) are telling the bandleaders that you want "PLENTY" feathers and no more fabric than is necessary (however you define that), don't you think (don't you want) the bandleader to listen (and respond) to said wishes?
We can hope that they will see the reviews here and take it as the constructive critiques that they are meant to be (or should be), and once again, listen to their masqueraders.
I think we can ALL safely say there is something for everybody in Tribe (that's if you can get in...LOL) no matter the review/critique...this also applies to ALL the other bands..
How about that, ladies???? :)
Most all the costumes have some sort of silk fabric incorporated somewhere, albeit overshadowed by feathers. I'll agree that silk fabric could've played a more prominent & creative role & taken center stage in some of the offerings but then I fear some persons would've then taken offense to the use of too much draping or being too covered up or something. I agree with the previous respondent that the excesses & lacking in most of the designs is in direct response to revelers demands for more feathers, bigger headpieces & skimpier costumes.
The road experience is undoubtedly a critical part of the whole carnival experience & in that regard many will vouch that TRIBE can't be touched. But I really don't think that the design team is by any means sitting on its laurels & not making optimal effort because they feel like based on the merit of TRIBE's road experience the band will sell out regardless as some people have been implying. I think that they do put time, energy & effort into their designs & their entire portrayal & must no doubt think that their time, energy & effort shows before they even put an offering up for public display. Birds Of A Feather was a more wow portrayal than this one is based on design for sure cause up until then there were design elements that you used that hadn't really been seen used before but that by no means takes away from how beautiful a portrayal The Secret Of Silk is. I think it's silky smooth LOL :)
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