Byron Connell's Page

Usually, I help run masquerades rather than entering them - once a decade is about right to actually go on stage!  I have managed the masquerade green room at ten of the last 16 World Science Fiction Conventions and numerous regional conventions.  I directed the Anticipation and Chicon 7 masquerades.  I've attended 26 of the 30 Costume-Cons and worked on many of them.  I co-directed the SF masquerade at Costume-Con 10, and directed the Historical masquerades at Costume-Cons 24, 25, and 29.

At the 2003 Worldcon (Torcon), I portrayed Corwin in the Best in Show Trumps of Amber group.

Since then, when I do enter, I do so in the Master division.   In addition to being a Pup, I am a member of the Armed Costumers' Guild and the St. Louis Ubiquitous Tailoring Society (SLUTS); that makes me an Armed SLUT Puppy.  I am a former recording secretary of the International Costumers' Guild, and former ICG president - in other words, a recovering ICGholic.  The ICG honored me with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.  I have a special costuming interest in military, paramilitary, and civilian uniforms.

Outside of costuming, I am a long-time SF fan.  I was one of the founders of the Latham, Albany, Schenectady, Troy Science Fiction Association (LASTSFA) and was its first president.  I was Archon 25's Costuming Guest of Honor in 2001), Albacon 2005's co-Fan Guest of Honor, and Lunacon 2006 Fan Guest of Honor.  I like hard SF, alternate history, alternate worlds, and fantasy (as well as mystery).  I also am a railroad buff.   I am a historian by training and inclination (Master's degree in Russian history) and a retired employee of the State of New York, for which I evaluated colleges and universities and carried out long-range planning for higher education.

Favorite Costuming Websites:

Because of my interest in uniforms, my favorite costume site is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) site, which has links to the websites of the member countries, including their armed forces. Some of the more interesting Web sites for historical uniforms, accessible from the NATO Web site, are those of the British navy, the Greek army, and the Polish army.