Crinoline

To make your costume the right shape requires some structure, usually on the inside. This is a crinoline, a petticoat made with several tiers of stiff ruffles so it holds your skirt out. I made this one with a base layer of twilled cotton, so it will be comfortable and give some “swish” as you walk.  I have used the same cotton for the large ruffles in previous crinolines, but used nylon netting for this one so it can be lighter weight.  I designed this crinoline so that it gives the skirt the shape of the 1840s.

To compare how foundation garments shape the costume, see my previous post where I had this same skirt over a hooped petticoat.

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Steampunk Corset, part 3

The finished corset is curvy and supple.  It is all cotton so it breathes well. My lovely model lost some weight since the corset was made (kudos to her) so it is a tad loose, but you still see how it hugs the right places and supports the right places.

This last photo is a good example of how a corset should fit.  Rather than squashing the bust, the corset should lift and support it.  When drafting corset patterns for women above a D cup, I create a different shape of gusset, and different boning placement, than I do for a petite bust.

The making of this corset was illustrated here: Part 1, Part 2

How to Dress for an Eclipse

What is the right costume to wear to an eclipse?  A grey sheer medieval dress.  How do I know?  A little birdie told me.  🙂

1851 Day Dress in Cotton

This costume was a commission for Dickens Fair.  It is a 3 piece outfit that the peformer can put on herself without assistance, as the bodice hooks up center front.  To make the ruching trim I cut several yards of navy blue cotton into strips, joined them into several longer strips, hemmed both sides, then ran them through a ruffler machine.

I had plenty more of this navy cotton, so I made it into a skirt to mix and match with the bodice.

The underblouse was gathered in rows across the front, in imitation of smocking.

Here is one of my references, showing most of the historical fashion elements I used in this project.  The 1851 fashion plate shows the deep V neckline, the smocked-front underblouse, and sleeve shape on the left dress; and the right dress has 3 rows of vertical trim down the skirt (rather than having 2 rows like the bodice).

Paisley a-Go-Go

Just made this cotton print dress.  Methinks the 1960s style needs some white go-go boots to complete the outfit.  This one of a kind sample is a size 8, $80.  Made in your size as a custom order would be a bit more, of course.

Glam Cargo Pants

Cargo pants are not usually this fancy, you say?  Well they were just the thing at Clockwork Alchemy, a recent steampunk event here in California.  These brocade trousers are the ones I was working on pattern matching a few posts ago.

Candy Corn

Hooray for silly hats!  I knitted this candy corn hat out of acrylic yarn.  I made it to go with a skirt I made in candy corn fabric.

It is one from my collection of summer skirts, which will make their debut this weekend at Hydra Comic Con.  They are knee length, with a nice twirl, and most importantly: two pockets.