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TOP IMAGE: MOVIE BODICE
BOTTOM IMAGE: MY BODICE
CONSTRUCTION - Accoriding
to someone who worked at the FIDM costume exhibit, the back
of the bodice is laced up the back like a corset. It seems
that there is not a seperate corset underneath, but a corset
structure may have been worked into the bodice just underneath
the outer layer.
FABRIC - The bodice of this costume
is most likely made of some sort silk. After looking at it
at FIDM I don't think it's as smooth as charmeuse. There is
a very slight texture to the weave that can be seen in this
photograph. It might be taffeta, or this stiff
bridal silk
that is sold at Britex and Satin Moon in San Francisco (it
has a steep price tag of nearly 100 dollars a yard! I'll jot
down the name the next time I'm at the store).
I made the poor choice of using cheap purple
satin acetate. If I had it to do again I'd use silk (or at
the very least a washable polyester).
The drawbacks of
acetate fabric are numerous. a) It stains the minute water
or sweat gets on it. The fabric must be dry cleaned because
spot cleaning with water only leaves large marks. b) The fabric
does not breath. I was fine at an air conditioned convention
for several hours, but when posing for photos in my hot house
in the summer I fell faint. c) The fabric does not drape well
or press well. d) It is very reflective and photographs poorly.
I flatlined the acetate with cotton broadcloth,
and lined the bodice with polyester lining. Nylon boning was
inserted along the princess seams, and hook and eye tape was
used to close the back.
SEQUINS - The upper part of the
bodice is hand beaded with over 1000 black iridescent sequins
held in place with iridescent seed beads. I used 6mm black
iridescent cupped sequins from Britex.
The real costume may use slightly smaller 5mm which can be
purchased at cartwright's
sequins.
EMBROIDERED APPLIQUÉ - The
sequins are bordered by a V- shaped appliqué embroidered
with corded cornelly work. It looks like the primary thread
used for the embroidery is rayon, with a secondary metallic
thread worked into the embroidery to give it sparkle. There
are no beads used in the corded embroidery work.
Since I don't have a cornelly embroidery
machine, I've found the best way to simulate this work is
by using rayon bourdon cord and couching it with metallic
embroidery thread.
CLICK HERE FOR
MORE INFORMATION ON EMBROIDERY >.
PATTERN USED - Simplicity
8881 - heavily modified and altered. The sleeves were
drafted by me, using the Simplicity pattern as a guide.
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