The skirt of fabulous frustration
Since I am once again at home and awaiting the white sky death. I thought I'd try to get some pictures of the skirt of fabulous frustration (which is what I am semi-officially dubbing the skirt I made for the steampunk event a week and change ago).
I considered putting on the entire outfit for photo purposes, but the skirt proved frustrating enough, and besides, most of the rest of the outfit needs to be redone again anyway (the clasps on the vest will not stay on and the collar and cuffs I may still set on fire).
The skirt, however, I am fairly pleased with, although you might not be able to tell from these really, really crappy cell phone pictures.
First of all, the materials for this were relatively cheap. The skirt itself is made from three skirts I found at Ross or T.J. Maxx, two of the same in green (about $7 each, layered to form the underskirt) and a brown sundress that was maybe $12. Then I bought a yard or so of golden window sheer fabric as an overlay ($5), another yard of crinoline-y stuff for $1 from the remnant bin, and a lot of little clasps, chain, hooks, watch pieces from ebay, and other stuff, which was probably the most expensive part (and the most frustrating, as I had to go to three stores to get enough of the clasps, and even then had to buy about 1/3 of them in the wrong color and use an antiquing rub on them to get them to match), probably totaling somewhere near $40. So the dress cost under a hundred in material and a few years off my life in labor. But it's so pretty.
Basically it's an underskirt that ties in the back with an overskirt that clasps in the front. But enough with the description, here are the pictures:
Here's a close-up of the clasps and the chains and the little gears and washers and things. It is shiiiiiny
A little more of a view of the front of the skirt. You can see the hooks and the layout a bit better here.
The butt ruffle. I'm sure there's some more dignified name for it, but to me, it's the butt ruffle. It's a very nice butt ruffle. I developed a 'sitting shimmy' when I wanted to take a seat while wearing this skirt, for fear of damaging the butt ruffle.
This is the skirt on. Sorry, I've tried a few dozen times and can't get a non-blurry picture. This is the skirt 'down'. Note that you cannot see my feet. It's brushing the floor and it would be hard to walk.
This is the skirt 'up'. Looks nice, no? I can walk, it looks really neat, I am happy. Also, feet.
And this is how it is staying up. There are a bunch of hook-and-eye hooks on the skirt, hoisting up the underskirt and overskirt. Liz said she liked it better with them down, but I really liked the look of a fancy skirt with brass hooks holding it aloft (but I might be weird).
Side view left. Contortions. Pajama top. Messy room. Shaky camera. Look, just look at the pretty skirt, okay?
Side view right
Maybe before the next time I have an event to which I might wear it, I'll develop the tolerance to go back and fix the rest of the outfit as well.
I considered putting on the entire outfit for photo purposes, but the skirt proved frustrating enough, and besides, most of the rest of the outfit needs to be redone again anyway (the clasps on the vest will not stay on and the collar and cuffs I may still set on fire).
The skirt, however, I am fairly pleased with, although you might not be able to tell from these really, really crappy cell phone pictures.
First of all, the materials for this were relatively cheap. The skirt itself is made from three skirts I found at Ross or T.J. Maxx, two of the same in green (about $7 each, layered to form the underskirt) and a brown sundress that was maybe $12. Then I bought a yard or so of golden window sheer fabric as an overlay ($5), another yard of crinoline-y stuff for $1 from the remnant bin, and a lot of little clasps, chain, hooks, watch pieces from ebay, and other stuff, which was probably the most expensive part (and the most frustrating, as I had to go to three stores to get enough of the clasps, and even then had to buy about 1/3 of them in the wrong color and use an antiquing rub on them to get them to match), probably totaling somewhere near $40. So the dress cost under a hundred in material and a few years off my life in labor. But it's so pretty.
Basically it's an underskirt that ties in the back with an overskirt that clasps in the front. But enough with the description, here are the pictures:
Here's a close-up of the clasps and the chains and the little gears and washers and things. It is shiiiiiny
A little more of a view of the front of the skirt. You can see the hooks and the layout a bit better here.
The butt ruffle. I'm sure there's some more dignified name for it, but to me, it's the butt ruffle. It's a very nice butt ruffle. I developed a 'sitting shimmy' when I wanted to take a seat while wearing this skirt, for fear of damaging the butt ruffle.
This is the skirt on. Sorry, I've tried a few dozen times and can't get a non-blurry picture. This is the skirt 'down'. Note that you cannot see my feet. It's brushing the floor and it would be hard to walk.
This is the skirt 'up'. Looks nice, no? I can walk, it looks really neat, I am happy. Also, feet.
And this is how it is staying up. There are a bunch of hook-and-eye hooks on the skirt, hoisting up the underskirt and overskirt. Liz said she liked it better with them down, but I really liked the look of a fancy skirt with brass hooks holding it aloft (but I might be weird).
Side view left. Contortions. Pajama top. Messy room. Shaky camera. Look, just look at the pretty skirt, okay?
Side view right
Maybe before the next time I have an event to which I might wear it, I'll develop the tolerance to go back and fix the rest of the outfit as well.