Custom Costumes - Pella

04/17/2025

Would you look at that!? Our very own Jacki and Phyllis getting some much deserved recognition for all the work they put into Tulip Time and Dutch Costumes over the years. We’re so thankful to Phyllis for her legacy and for Jacki for continuing to bless Pella with her talents year after year. ❤️

Announcing our 2025 Tulip Time Service Award Recipients: Jacki Craver and the late Phyllis Zylstra🌷🪡

Jacki Craver has been a behind-the-scenes hero since the 1980s, designing and creating the intricate Dutch costumes for the Tulip Queen and Court. As a co-founder of Custom Costumes, Jacki has become an invaluable part of Tulip Time. Her work begins long before the festival, researching traditional Dutch attire from various regions of the Netherlands. Each costume is meticulously designed to reflect the unique styles and cultural significance of these regions and time period. These costumes not only add color and authenticity to the festival but also serve as a testament to the rich cultural history of Pella.

Phyllis Zylstra left a legacy of many things, one of them being her heart for making Dutch costumes each year for the Tulip Queen and Court during Tulip Time. Her talent eventually turned into a business called Custom Costumes with her good friend Jacki. At the heart of Tulip Time are the stunning Dutch costumes Phyllis created each year. These intricate garments are the result of countless hours of dedication and craftsmanship in selecting authentic fabrics, creating detailed patterns, and sewing each piece with precision. Every element is crafted to ensure historical accuracy and beauty. In 2019, Phyllis passed away at her home with her husband, David, by her side. Through her artistry, her love of Tulip Time and her community lives on.

If you see Jacki or the family of Phyllis during Tulip Time, please tell them "thank you" for their years of dedication!🌷

04/07/2025

Heirloom quality costumes for sale! These costumes are highest quality and are made by the makers of the Tulip Queen and Court costumes. Many of the fabrics used are remnants from past queens! If you buy the costume, we will share details 😉
See individual photos for specifications and pricing. Contact (text) Custom Costumes intern, Emily Ott at 515-205-4127 to buy!

04/03/2025

We just cannot get over this year’s court costumes… look how precious those Flower Girls are!! 💐

03/25/2025

The 2025 Tulip Queen and Court’s Dutch Costumes are finished and they stunning! 😍 Give this a watch to learn all about the beautiful details.

03/28/2024

03/28/2024

Come sew with us!!

Only a few days left to apply for the Phyllis Zylstra Memorial Apprenticeship! This position exists to identify and train costumiers about Dutch heritage sewing, specifically to create and sew authentic costumes related to Pella’s Dutch heritage. Running from the end of May to the end of August 2024, the position includes a $1,000 stipend and opportunity to sew your own Dutch costume. Read more and apply here: www.pellahistorical.org/jobopportunities

03/07/2024

Look at those beautiful ladies in their Arnemuiden costumes! ❤️

12/01/2023

Just here to say CONGRATS to our 2024 Queen and her Court. We can’t wait to see you decked out in the Dutch Costumes we’ve been working so hard on! 😊

Introducing our 2024 Royal Tulip Time Court: Alexa Klein, Olivia Cunningham, Queen Mia Andringa, Claire Braafhart, and Ellison Ritzert!🌷

Months of fun, learning, and hard work are ahead for these talented young women as they prepare for their reign at the 2024 Tulip Time Festival, May 2, 3, and 4!

06/29/2023

Time for our weekly ‘Did you know??’ post!

Did you know that Walcheren farmer’s wives in the mid-1800s cross-stitched patterns of symbolic religious and secular motifs to decorate their beuk (breast cloth) with their life experiences and hopes for the future?
Some examples include:
Tree of life - symbolizes renewal
Windmill - symbolizes daily bread
Peacock - symbolizes domesticity
Lion - symbolizes strength & courage
Cross, heart and anchor - symbolizes faith, hope and love
Crown - symbolizes royalty
Key - symbolizes keys of Heaven
IHS - stands for In His Service
Flower pot w/ tulips - a common Dutch motif
Bowl of fruit - fruitfulness
Followed by the date and their initials

🌷What symbols would you include??🌷

Pictures taken from our book Dutch Costumes: A Look Into the Past (for sale in the Vermeer Windmill Giftshop) and the Dutch book Onze Klederdrachten by Constance Nieuwenhoff

06/27/2023

Dutchess Costumes!

We’ve been hard at work working on the newest incoming Dutchess Costumes. The Dutchesses are a group of 16 Freshmen-Junior year girls who Dutch Dance to promote the city of Pella’s Tulip Time. This year we only have 4 incoming girls - 2 will be dressed in the girl’s costume and 2 in the boy’s - and we decided on the province of Friesland c. late 1800s.

What’s your favorite part of the costume? ❤️

06/15/2023

Did you know that the village of Staphorst has a unique way of decorating their costumes called ‘stipwerk’ or nail head painting?

Have you ever heard someone say “The Dutch are cheap!”? This is a perfect example - the women didn’t want to use expensive decorated floral fabric for their everyday costumes as they did for their Sunday costumes, so they painted cheaper black fabric. They used this technique (dipping nail heads into paint and making floral patterns) on their weekday kraplaps and caps. 🌼

You can find examples of this in the pictures below from our book as well as a new mural in Pella on the side of The Brew coffee shop! ❤️