Cosplay Throwback: Giselle

When? Oh, this one takes me back . . . all the way to 2010 XD
I liked Enchanted, and for some reason I wanted to make Giselle's curtain dress.

I have no clue. I guess because it was difficult and I like a challenge? Whatever. I tried to make it.

How? 
According to Lady E's blog Lady E's blog, the dress used in the film was made of embroidered silk and chiffon. Due to my budget, this translated to me buying heaps of aqua coloured cotton and curtain lining. Quality materials- what are those? Even the wig was cheap. I also bought some very nice lace from local shops from the trims.

I actually drafted my own pattern. It wasn't too horrible, though the fit at the back left a lot to be desired, because it ballooned out when I put on the zip and looked very ugly. The dress also lacked the flow of the one in the film because I didn't make the panels quite wide enough. The white part of the dress was just slightly gathered rectangles of white curtain lining over pink lining material.  The flowers were all made of lining material painted with acrylic paint.



Has it aged well? 
No. Mainly because I cut it up to use in other projects. But even just looking at the photos, it looks old, and not at all accurate. I didn't even attempt the embroidery, and skimped on the materials, though that may be a good thing, because I wouldn't have know how to handle nice cloth like silk or sateen.

Would I remake it? 
Probably not, mainly because there are other Disney characters I like more, such as Merida and Mulan, though Giselle is still very funny and sweet. It's a shame, because I have the perfect pattern for it. I do like the style of the dress, so I might try my hand at an open regency gown.

Left http://doxiequeen1.wordpress.com/?s=historical+gown
Right http://www.etsy.com/listing/154330157/reserved-regency-dress-court-robe-jane?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=regency+gown+red+gold&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=MT&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=regency+gown+red+gold

Giselle and Gaga photos

My LAdy Gaga costume. Not very good quality photo but too bad. You can see some of my pictures in the background

ME, Eva, the sexy witch and her dog

Me, and you can see Beetlejuice's knee

To Butcher a Curtain

MICA (Malta Islands Cosplay Association) are holding a cosplay competition on Sunday October 31, 2010 7:00 PM at Drayton Pub - Paceville, and guess who got asked to be a judge?


I suppose this is because I was a judge for the first day of the Comic Con cosplay contest.
I've spent a long time wondering which costume to make. Originally I was going to make Babydoll's costume as seen in the trailer of Sucker Punch but it will be a little too cold and I have never made a pleated skirt before.


And then inspiration hit in the form of 'Enchanted' and Giselle's curtain dress.







This costume is deceptively difficult. Lady E has broken down the construction of the dress over on her blog: this was the only analysis that I could find on the Intenret about this particular costume, though there are many on Giselle's wedding dress.




Here is my costume analysis (sorry for the terrible quality). The dress has a sweetheart neckline, then the bodice connects at the front to two panels of fabric, as the picture shows. At the back there is a scoop neck and two more panels: Lady E reckons that there is an invisible zip here. The original fabric is probably silk, though I'm going to cheat and use cotton or similar: then if I make a mistake it will be less tragic.
The underdress is several layers of fabric: white chiffon, pink chiffon and some opaque white cloth which might be satin. I have white fabric which is used to line curtains which can be used instead of chiffon, though I will have to find some opaque cloth: probably pink cotton.
The sleeves are little puff sleeves. They shouldn't be too bad. Giselle has a long ribbon slightly darker than her dress tie just under the bust: apparently it isn't sewn down.
There are some trims on the dress. On the neckline there's scalloped white lace and teal ruching. The front opening is trimmed with white eyelet lace and pink piping. There are also plenty of flowers on this ocstume: in the cnetre of the bust there's a sprig of pink blossoms, and two little rosettes in pink, just on the sides where the neckline meets the sleeves. Good thing I've watched Fabric Manipulation Flowers on Threadbanger (check out the rest of Secret Life of a Bionerd's stuff: she has loads of tutorials on making costumes). She's also got a bunch of ribbons and flowers in her hair: I can make a hair clip for my wig without hassle.
Apparently Giselle is wearing calf-length lace up boots. Not sure if I'll be able to fidn those, however, I have found an excellent tutorial on making boots
That's all for now.