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.
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