Ballgown Revealed!
As it got closer to the ball, I had to stop posting updates so I could focus on actually getting all my sewing done. But in the end, I got it finished in time to wear to the ball! With a little help from my Fairy Godmother (aka sewaddicted) and The White Queen (aka Hairstyling extraordinare poisoned_kitty) of course! These wonderful ladies helped me get dreassed and ready, and I really couldn't have done it without them, so THANK YOU my dears! I'm ever so pleased with how it all looks, though of course there's always things that need fixing!
I didn't end up entering the competition as I'd originally wanted to spend the Sat with my friends from interstate. Then by the time I'd decided, 'hey maybe I should enter anyway' it was too late to get my forms in. I was asked SO many times by people, including the Guild Prez, why I didn't enter! I'm really wishing I had now (even the Prez said she would have made an exception for me :P). Oh well... I did end up winning a Hall Award for my gown, which I'm ever so thankful for! I've had some major confidence issues this year because of my poor health, so to have so many positive comments, oohs and aahs and finally, the hall award, it really was exactly what I needed to let me know I've still go it! :D
Now, lets see some photos!
Teaser:
Sadly, I didn't take any photos myself, I was too busy swanning around being a social butterfly :P So these are all stolen from Facebook, Credit to their owners!
Let's start with some serious ones:
This shows the colour of the fabrics really well! And my gorgeous flowers!
Yes, I CAN sit, though it takes a little practice. Annoying thing #1: The bodice was SUPPOSED to sit ON my shoulders, but it kept falling off. Grrr. It looks ok off the shoulders, but then it has an annoying wrinkle in the shoulder part. Thankfully it's easy to fix, just need to move the top two buttons over to tighten up the whole top section. I also plan to tack my pretty stringed pearl trim onto the box-pleated trim on the underskirt. Not having it doesn't exactly detract from the whole look, but having it would just add extra pizzazz I think!
I was lucky enough to 'borrow' this very handsome gentleman for a bunch of very Victorian photos! This is my absolute FAVOURITE photo of my dress so far... I just want it in colour :P
The only photo I have of the back so far... I have to get the colour versions of all these photos from my friend (she took heaps of photos!) so I will probably post some more of them later!
Wait!
Here's another kind of back shot. The back drapes ended up pulling up at the sides (you can see the fold over of the lining fabric just below the flowers) which annoyed me, but thankfully looked deliberate. I'll either take out some of the pleating in the CB, or just add some ribbon and/or flowers to pretty it up! Also, my reticule! It was ever so simple to make, but looked so cute when done! It's just a circle base with a rectangle for the sides, fully lined with the lining fabric. I had some left over pleated frill and box pleated trim, so I just played around with it til I was happy. This will also have some beaded pearl trim over the box pleats.
Now some Detail shots:
My AMAZING hair, as done by poisoned_kitty. She did the most fantastic job and it really MADE the entire costume! It's basically a bunch of rolls with lots of flowers and pearls pinned throughout.
Here's my flowers and some detail on the pleating. The large pink roses were from a $2 store and have a gorgeous velvety feel (I'm going to go back for some red & white ones!). The other ones are foam roses from Spotlight, they're a pale pink with a slightly darker pink tip. I was originally wanting to make my own, but fortunately found these ones which matched perfectly. I was actually wiring these together as Mel was doing my hair, so they're VERY messy on the back! However, I wasn't happy with their placement as they kept getting in the way of my hands, so I'm going to pull it all apart and do something a bit different for next time.
Now for some Group shots!
Actually... THIS is my favourite shot of the entire night! So much so that it's now the background on my phone :P YAY! (we were dancing to the 'Austin Powers' music :P 'Doo do do doodo, doo do do doodo')
And some FUN Photos! :P
This is me in my natural state... Everyone who knows me knows I'm a giggler! I giggle and giggle and giggle... even when a scary DIRTY man is trying to kill me... I GIGGLE!
'Ooooh, what a MAN!'
Admiring my 'bustle' :P
These 3 show the shelf my bustle created. It's a SERIOUS shelf!
And finally:
Christian and I both do Swing and Lindy hop, and shortly after I arrived he asked if I could dance in my dress. I told him I seriously doubted it, but I'd be willing to give it a go. Later in the night, starfirephoenix told me that Christian was busting a move on the dance floor, so I decided to go in and take him up on his challenge. So here is proof that you can indeed Lindy hop in a long trained bustle gown! I was very back heavy so I had to get Christian to hand me my train so I could hold it out of the way, and I nearly tripped a few times on the front of my petticoat (need to trim it shorter). But I managed and I was told that my skirt looked amazing as it swished when I turned and twirled. But next time I dance, it's going to be in a non-trained dress! :D
So there you have it! That's my ballgown, all done! There are a few alterations, mostly to the bodice, which I will leave until I'm ready to wear it again. I'm in the process of losing weight, so I can see myself needing to pull the whole thing apart eventually! The very bottom petticoat still needs some lace around the hem (might also put some on the bustle too); the calico petticoat needs more frill (I only had enough for the back/train section); and the shot taffeta underskirt needs all of it's frill! Oh and the pearled trim on the box pleated trim. Um... I think that's about it. So a few things to add, but they're all cut out, just need to be pleated and sewn on really. I'm still very happy with the result and can't wait to wear my bustle again! Hopefully with the day bodice!
I didn't end up entering the competition as I'd originally wanted to spend the Sat with my friends from interstate. Then by the time I'd decided, 'hey maybe I should enter anyway' it was too late to get my forms in. I was asked SO many times by people, including the Guild Prez, why I didn't enter! I'm really wishing I had now (even the Prez said she would have made an exception for me :P). Oh well... I did end up winning a Hall Award for my gown, which I'm ever so thankful for! I've had some major confidence issues this year because of my poor health, so to have so many positive comments, oohs and aahs and finally, the hall award, it really was exactly what I needed to let me know I've still go it! :D
Now, lets see some photos!
Teaser:
Sadly, I didn't take any photos myself, I was too busy swanning around being a social butterfly :P So these are all stolen from Facebook, Credit to their owners!
Let's start with some serious ones:
This shows the colour of the fabrics really well! And my gorgeous flowers!
Yes, I CAN sit, though it takes a little practice. Annoying thing #1: The bodice was SUPPOSED to sit ON my shoulders, but it kept falling off. Grrr. It looks ok off the shoulders, but then it has an annoying wrinkle in the shoulder part. Thankfully it's easy to fix, just need to move the top two buttons over to tighten up the whole top section. I also plan to tack my pretty stringed pearl trim onto the box-pleated trim on the underskirt. Not having it doesn't exactly detract from the whole look, but having it would just add extra pizzazz I think!
I was lucky enough to 'borrow' this very handsome gentleman for a bunch of very Victorian photos! This is my absolute FAVOURITE photo of my dress so far... I just want it in colour :P
The only photo I have of the back so far... I have to get the colour versions of all these photos from my friend (she took heaps of photos!) so I will probably post some more of them later!
Wait!
Here's another kind of back shot. The back drapes ended up pulling up at the sides (you can see the fold over of the lining fabric just below the flowers) which annoyed me, but thankfully looked deliberate. I'll either take out some of the pleating in the CB, or just add some ribbon and/or flowers to pretty it up! Also, my reticule! It was ever so simple to make, but looked so cute when done! It's just a circle base with a rectangle for the sides, fully lined with the lining fabric. I had some left over pleated frill and box pleated trim, so I just played around with it til I was happy. This will also have some beaded pearl trim over the box pleats.
Now some Detail shots:
My AMAZING hair, as done by poisoned_kitty. She did the most fantastic job and it really MADE the entire costume! It's basically a bunch of rolls with lots of flowers and pearls pinned throughout.
Here's my flowers and some detail on the pleating. The large pink roses were from a $2 store and have a gorgeous velvety feel (I'm going to go back for some red & white ones!). The other ones are foam roses from Spotlight, they're a pale pink with a slightly darker pink tip. I was originally wanting to make my own, but fortunately found these ones which matched perfectly. I was actually wiring these together as Mel was doing my hair, so they're VERY messy on the back! However, I wasn't happy with their placement as they kept getting in the way of my hands, so I'm going to pull it all apart and do something a bit different for next time.
Now for some Group shots!
Actually... THIS is my favourite shot of the entire night! So much so that it's now the background on my phone :P YAY! (we were dancing to the 'Austin Powers' music :P 'Doo do do doodo, doo do do doodo')
And some FUN Photos! :P
This is me in my natural state... Everyone who knows me knows I'm a giggler! I giggle and giggle and giggle... even when a scary DIRTY man is trying to kill me... I GIGGLE!
'Ooooh, what a MAN!'
Admiring my 'bustle' :P
These 3 show the shelf my bustle created. It's a SERIOUS shelf!
And finally:
Christian and I both do Swing and Lindy hop, and shortly after I arrived he asked if I could dance in my dress. I told him I seriously doubted it, but I'd be willing to give it a go. Later in the night, starfirephoenix told me that Christian was busting a move on the dance floor, so I decided to go in and take him up on his challenge. So here is proof that you can indeed Lindy hop in a long trained bustle gown! I was very back heavy so I had to get Christian to hand me my train so I could hold it out of the way, and I nearly tripped a few times on the front of my petticoat (need to trim it shorter). But I managed and I was told that my skirt looked amazing as it swished when I turned and twirled. But next time I dance, it's going to be in a non-trained dress! :D
So there you have it! That's my ballgown, all done! There are a few alterations, mostly to the bodice, which I will leave until I'm ready to wear it again. I'm in the process of losing weight, so I can see myself needing to pull the whole thing apart eventually! The very bottom petticoat still needs some lace around the hem (might also put some on the bustle too); the calico petticoat needs more frill (I only had enough for the back/train section); and the shot taffeta underskirt needs all of it's frill! Oh and the pearled trim on the box pleated trim. Um... I think that's about it. So a few things to add, but they're all cut out, just need to be pleated and sewn on really. I'm still very happy with the result and can't wait to wear my bustle again! Hopefully with the day bodice!