White Diana gown
Sorry I haven't been online for a while, I'm almost out of net and it doesn't reset until the 5th, so I've had to ration my net time very carefully. I've got a few photo posts to do, but that will have to wait for a week or so.
In the meantime, I had a HUGE brainwave recently about one of my upcoming costumes and I just had to share it here!
It's one of two new costumes I'm making for Melbourne Armageddon, Wonder Woman's white gown from the 'Real Power of the DC Universe' poster. I've posted this before, but here's my reference pic:
This gown presents quite a challenge for me since I don't quite have the same figure! I was originally going to make a corset for the base, to give me the right support and shape for the dress, but with such an extreme plunging front, I didn't think the corset would really work. Plus it seemed to make the whole thing so much more difficult than it really needed to be, which completely put me off. I was so frustrated with trying to make it work that I very nearly pulled out altogether!
However, I had a bit of an idea, thanks to my work on the recent dance show at Tafe. It's a little unconventional, but it will allow me to stay true to the design, whilst still giving me support, shape AND hopefully make sure there's no costume malfunctions ;)
I'm going to make a leotard as the base, with the plunging front V neckline and a low scooped back. I've already got white cotton lycra in my stash, which I'll use double. I'll be able to sew bra cups (and possibly extra padding :P) in between the two layers of lycra, plus I want to sew a little pocket into the lining to hold my chicken fillets, and possibly look at sewing in some underwire. My thinking is that the tension created by the leotard will help secure everything in place at the front.
I'll then attach the skirt to the leotard first, then drape the front sections and secure them in place. I will be attaching the front pieces along all the edges of the leotard, plus tack it in place over the skirt edge, so it will look like a whole gown. I might also tack some of the drapey bits in place, but I'd like to keep the illusion that the front pieces are falling naturally, rather than being sewn into place.
I've decided to make the back draped section (which you can see at her sides) as one piece, rather than two separate drapes. It almost looks to me like a cape (YES WW wears a cape!), so I'm going to make it as a half circle with the centre draped into a cowl.
The majority of the dress is being made from a while microcrepe, though I may need to add a lining to the skirt. I'm using a double georgette for the back drape part, firstly so it's lighter and won't pull too much, and secondly just to add some interest and texture. I might also use the georgette as an overlay on the skirt, instead of adding a lining, but I'll have to see how it looks first.
I'm so excited about making this gown again, now that I've had this idea, so I'm very glad about that! It makes the whole process so much easier and I'm feeling more confident about being able to pull the whole look off. Fortunately all the fabric I'm using is from my stash, so the only things I need to buy are the accessories - shoes, hairpiece, tiara, circlet and earrings. And I'll need to make a new set of bracers, but I already have the silver contact for that. Oh and I plan to wear dancers tights and some shaping underwear too, to help with the whole look.
Please let me know what you think!
I shall post about my other costume once my net resets too :)
In the meantime, I had a HUGE brainwave recently about one of my upcoming costumes and I just had to share it here!
It's one of two new costumes I'm making for Melbourne Armageddon, Wonder Woman's white gown from the 'Real Power of the DC Universe' poster. I've posted this before, but here's my reference pic:
This gown presents quite a challenge for me since I don't quite have the same figure! I was originally going to make a corset for the base, to give me the right support and shape for the dress, but with such an extreme plunging front, I didn't think the corset would really work. Plus it seemed to make the whole thing so much more difficult than it really needed to be, which completely put me off. I was so frustrated with trying to make it work that I very nearly pulled out altogether!
However, I had a bit of an idea, thanks to my work on the recent dance show at Tafe. It's a little unconventional, but it will allow me to stay true to the design, whilst still giving me support, shape AND hopefully make sure there's no costume malfunctions ;)
I'm going to make a leotard as the base, with the plunging front V neckline and a low scooped back. I've already got white cotton lycra in my stash, which I'll use double. I'll be able to sew bra cups (and possibly extra padding :P) in between the two layers of lycra, plus I want to sew a little pocket into the lining to hold my chicken fillets, and possibly look at sewing in some underwire. My thinking is that the tension created by the leotard will help secure everything in place at the front.
I'll then attach the skirt to the leotard first, then drape the front sections and secure them in place. I will be attaching the front pieces along all the edges of the leotard, plus tack it in place over the skirt edge, so it will look like a whole gown. I might also tack some of the drapey bits in place, but I'd like to keep the illusion that the front pieces are falling naturally, rather than being sewn into place.
I've decided to make the back draped section (which you can see at her sides) as one piece, rather than two separate drapes. It almost looks to me like a cape (YES WW wears a cape!), so I'm going to make it as a half circle with the centre draped into a cowl.
The majority of the dress is being made from a while microcrepe, though I may need to add a lining to the skirt. I'm using a double georgette for the back drape part, firstly so it's lighter and won't pull too much, and secondly just to add some interest and texture. I might also use the georgette as an overlay on the skirt, instead of adding a lining, but I'll have to see how it looks first.
I'm so excited about making this gown again, now that I've had this idea, so I'm very glad about that! It makes the whole process so much easier and I'm feeling more confident about being able to pull the whole look off. Fortunately all the fabric I'm using is from my stash, so the only things I need to buy are the accessories - shoes, hairpiece, tiara, circlet and earrings. And I'll need to make a new set of bracers, but I already have the silver contact for that. Oh and I plan to wear dancers tights and some shaping underwear too, to help with the whole look.
Please let me know what you think!
I shall post about my other costume once my net resets too :)