

Forry Ackerman and Myrtle 'Morojo' Douglas at NYcon, 1939

- (photo from Ted Carnell collection)

For other contemporary photos of that L.A. trio see here.

I don't have too many costuming photos from the 1940s, but here's one from the 1949 Worldcon. There was no Masquerade at the convention, Lois Miles being a model who had been brought along by Dave Kyle as part of a PR attempt. (For other photos from the 1949 Worldcon see here):



Lois Miles as "Miss Science Fiction"

- (Ted Carnell collection)

Earl Kemp recently supplied me with a bunch of photos from his albums from 1950s Worldcons. Here are some from the 1952 Worldcon. As can be seen from the label, the Masquerade was clearly part of the convention by this point, having presumably been added at some point between 1949 and 1952. (Photos by Karen Anderson):





Sisters of the Galactic Order of Serena

The earliest costuming at UK conventions appears to have been at CORONCON, the 1953 UK National Convention. This was not for a Fancy Dress event but as part of a play, and involved several male fans donning drag.:



Dorothy (Jacobs) Rattigan (Vince Clarke collection)

Fred Brown, Ted Tubb, Ron Buckmaster, Charlie Duncombe. (Vince Clarke collection)

The 1954 Worldcon, and the quality of the costuming has improved noticeably since the 1952 Worldcon. (Earl Kemp collection. Photos by Karen Anderson except where noted):



unknowns

unknown, Bill Eisenlord

Karen Anderson as PLANET STORIES cover heroine, unknown

(photographer unknown)

Clockwise: Willy Ley, unknown, unknown, Olga Ley

Jeanne & EE 'Doc' Smith at rear, unknown in costume

CYTRICON was the 1955 UK National Convention, the first of a run of four CYTICONs that would be run in the town of Kettering over the next four years. The Liverpool Group had decided beforehand to make their party a Fancy Dress party and had prepared costumes accordingly (they were the only ones in costume). All photos Norman Shorrock collection:



Norman & Ina Shorrock

Full view of Ina's valkyrie costume



Harrison, Daphne Buckmaster, Stan Nuttall, John Roles

Costume colours

The Liverpool Group must have enjoyed wearing costumes at CYTRICON because the following year, at CYTRICON II, they really went to town. According to notes, Renee McKay was Cleopatra, Stan Nuttall was Mark Fanthony; Ina Shorrock was a Krishnan woman (in green paint); Dave Newman as Attila the Fan; Don McKay was Erik the Bent, and in the BEM suit was Eric Jones:



BEM, cartoonist Arthur 'ATom' Thomson

Rene McKay, John Roles



Ina Shorrock, Rene McKay, Dave Newman, Stan Nuttall

Don McKay, Lil McKay, Pat Doolan, John Roles



In 1957 the Worldcon came to London for the first time. Here's a link to a gallery of Masquerade photos on the part of this site devoted to that convention: