Finally, Rarity's Grand Galloping Gala gown

I found this one rather hard to pinpoint the style I wanted. I wanted a bustle dress, but how big a bustle?

I found this cuirass dress in one of my fashion history books and the pleated back reminded the pleating on Rarity's dress, so that sealed it. I wanted a fishtailed dress with a little to medium bustle. Also the apron front works for Rarity.

I also like the shoulder revealing look of Empress Elizabeth of Austria's style.

Also the use of jewels and pearls fits and the hairstyle is something I can use for Rarity.

At first I drew the dress with sleeves, but lately I've been feeling wether or not to include them. Even thought they are in the dress Rarity wears in the show. But I will be the hostess, and I need to use my hands, so I need to figure out how to involve sleeves without losing the movement of my arms. Because that was fitted sleeves do, they restrict movement. But I will figure out something.

Here is the final plan. It's a little rought on the details, but it involves beadery and lace on the bodice and I thought about sitting cabochon settings on the skirt to get those big jewels. I'm also thinking of getting velvet for the details, so I get a nice textured look in the fishtail in the same way as in the blue on the first image. I have already gotten bright blue linen for the petticoat and the bustle and lovely purple for the dress. I first thought I thought about making the whole dress in velvet, but that proved to be a little too pricy. Silk was also too pricy. But I found a lovely cotton polyester that has a sating weave that makes it shine. There will be velvet in there, but in smaller quantities.

Rainbow Dash's headband

Yesterday I was doing some searching and came across this:

Image from seperwar.

It's pretty close to what I wanted with Rainbow Dash's headpiece to be, except that it's silver. Bronze or copper would have been my choices, but you get what you find. I'm still waiting for it to ship, so I'll make another post of it once it comes.

And yes, I know that in the show Dash wears a laurel, but I just couldn't find a laurel that would please my eyes, so I'm taking an artistic liberty on this. And I did draw the costume plan with her wearing a stephane instead of a laurel. But it has leaves in it? So maybe it could be just said I'm bending the rule a little bit? Yes?

And every girl wants to be a princess in a tiara.

Fluttershy's petticoat and petit bustle

I got around drafting and making Fluttershy's petticoat to a point where I need to try it on the cosplayer and make necessary arrangements for it to fit nicely. Since I have no plans to giving this cosplay away, I also need to make sure that it also fits me.

I used a pattern I found in Period Costume for Stage and Screen: 1800-1909 by Jean Hunnisett. I got a few copies out of it because my copy is from the library, so I cannot make markings on it. I had to insert more room for the waist as the pattern was designed for someone very tall and built like a stick.

I used the same book for the petit bustle. I'm doing everything in the wrong order, because I haven't made her corset yet, but I plan on drafting that this evening and trying to piece it together tomorrow. Then I can finish the petticoat.

Petticoat without bustle on the left and petticoat with bustle on the right. The bustle is small and  about and inch thick, but it gives the petticoat such a nice lift. If you look carefully, you can see how much fabric I had to insert into the side seam to make it fit. Material for the petticoat is cotton.

Fabrics

So, I've been spending on fabrics lately. I found a nice bright yellow cotton for Fluttershy's petticoat and I discarded the original idea of tulle, when I found gorgeus white chiffon on sale.

I also used spoonflower to make the himation fabric for Rainbow Dash. Once it arrives and I review the quality, I'll open it up for sale, so everyone who wants to copy it can get it.

But now, onto the canary yellow petticoat! Whee!

Also, I'll be making the final draws on Rarity today so expect those to upload during the next few days.

Finished plan: Fluttershy

So I finally drew the Fluttershy plans. It's not strictly one period as I couldn't find a style we were comfortable with, so it's made from two time periods.

I feel that I made the yellow in the plan a little too prominent. The underskirt I planned as two layers of tulle to get that soft look on it.  The overskirt will be covered in peacock feathers. I'm regretting this plan already, but it will look magnificent for our birthday girl. The bodice will be lightly boned. I just need to make a petticoat, corset and an undershirt to go under the corset. And of course the wings, as Fluttershy is a pegasus pony.

Here's the inspiration I used for the design. The skirt is from early 1900's and the bodice is around 1909-10. Both are from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion. Time for material hunting again! Allons-y!

Shoes for Fluttershy are the Astoria's from American Duchess. I'm waiting for them to arrive (and hope to God I got the right size).

Astoria shoe from American Duchess.

Chiton progress for Rainbow Dash

I found 3m of thin linen at a ridiculously low price from our local fabric store. The cosplayer has sensitive skin, so I hope the linen I found is soft enough not to irritate her skin. This is also why we decided against wool. There is soft wool in existence, but linen was a safer choice.

Anyhoo, I have gotten the chiton nearly finished. I ran out of thread and need to get some more.
Here's piccies.

The neckline is rather wide, but looks fabulous. I haven't gotten the proper girdle yet, so cotton cord is shown in the pictures. Also I think I need to think a proper way drape the sleeves to the shoulders for the sleeveless look.

Backview. The draping is in the sides. Also, I had to shorten the chiton a little after the picture was taken.

Another front view and detail of the collar. I kinda like the way it's draping over the bossom.

That's about it until I get more supplies.

I also did a few tests on the decorative border of the himation, but no pictures yet.

I'm not dead!

Just real busy with work, so I haven't managed to update anything... But I have been shopping! Materials and stuff, you know, the nitty gritty. Once they arrive, I'll make a post about it.

I'm still working on this I promise!