Costumes

Goth Gypsy
Tooled Bodice from Pendragon Costumes
Chemise Pattern from Simplicity 5359
Circle Skirt instructions from Shira

So, my friend Allen runs the Haunted Trail of Terror located at Screams in Waxahachie, TX. Scott mans the control center above everything and so has been down there until the wee hours of the morning on Friday and Saturday nights. Just like two years ago, I get rather lonely home alone, so I decided to go help out one Saturday evening. Sure, I could have pulled something together to match the gypsy character manning the booth, but at 2am the Tuesday morning before, I was having trouble sleeping and suddenly it came to me.

I remembered this fabric that I had seen at Hobby Lobby. A cool spider web sheer fabric. I'd made a circle skirt from my previous gypsy costume. I could borrow a black chemise. But, what to do for a bodice. I thought about that Pendragon bodice I had bought to wear to the Renaissance Faire just before deciding to join cast and deck out in court clothes. Alas, it had green celtic knotwork on it that didn't fit the Halloween mood. Maybe I could cover it with a red fabric of some sort. And, in a worst case scenario, I could wear it as it was.

So, Tuesday night found me driving across town to the only Hobby Lobby store that had 10 yards of this fabric left. (Remember how much it takes to make a circle skirt.) And, I got extra because, well, you know, I thought I might need to make a matching bodice if I had time. I got home with my fabric, washed it, dried it, and assembled the skirt because I had to give it a couple days to hang. (The site said months, but I didn't have that kind of time. I suppose I may have to re-hem it again later.)

Wednesday night, I went looking for red fabric and found some red taffeta which looked awesome. I also bought some red cotton fabric for making and underskirt if I had time. We had dance class that evening, so no sewing was possible.

Thursday evening, I cut out and got most of the chemise done except the elastic. This left Friday evening for finishing the chemise, covering the leather on the bodice, putting elastic in the skirt and hemming the skirt. Covering the bodice was a lesson in pain and patience. Hand sewing through suede over leather so there is no bend is not the easiest thing in the world. I got to a point where I would push the needle in with my metal thimble and then use a pair of pliers to pull it through. It only took two hours though. But, when Scott rolled in around 3am, I was still up and working away. Of course, all that was after I stopped at Party City and picked up a cool spider ring and a spider web choker for $1.99. I also had to run by Walmart for some black eye shadow.

Saturday, I thought about making that red underskirt, but then decided to forget it. I was tired. The skirt needed something under it though because it was pretty sheer. I remembered the black silk pantaloons made for my belly dance costume before I changed my mind and decided I wanted gold pantaloons for that instead. Well, now they got to be used. I did make a hair bandana/scarfy thing to wear around my head.

Apparently, this is not what people expect to see me in. A couple people stared in open mouthed shock, and a couple people didn't even recognize me. All in all, I think it turned out well for a hastily put together costume. And thus was born Natasha Esmerelda Marielle Manouche, Esmée for short. In from out of town to visit her relatives and killing off her four husbands for various reasons. And the costume was well received if the number of compliments, appreciative glances from pre-pubescent males (cause I look 14), and the number of requests to have the costume can be used as an indicator.