Nicole as Adele

 Adele's gown is comprised of 4 dresses.  The bodice came from the lavender dress, in the middle.  Grey velvet trim was removed and lavender, off the shoulder straps were added with beaded detail.

The skirt came from the lavender dress, on the left.  The same beaded fringe that was added to the shoulder straps was added to accentuate each tier of the skirt.

We got 2 of the same dress, pictured on the right, donated from sisters in the same wedding.  The skirts were cut open and used as the train, while the bodices were connected and manipulated into the top of the bustle.  A lavender shawl was cut in half  and added as side panels.  White wedding dress lace was applied for decor.  Finally, stock white fabric and roses were added to bring a pop of color...

Tressa's Dress

Tressa's green dress was easy to build off the dark green 2 piece, on the left.  The only thing done to the bodice was the addition of beaded fringe off the shoulder straps.

The skirt from the emerald dress, on the right, was turned into the train, with some remnant burgundy fabric fluffed and gathered to make the bustle.  Burgundy flowers and green ribbons were tucked into for decoration...

Amanda's Dress

Amanda's started with this basic navy blue 2 piece dress.  Beads and rhinestones were sewn onto the bust line and front hem of the bodice.

The skirt got a light blue dyed lace and bead cut out from a 1980s wedding dress (not pictured).  Plus, stock grey fabric was pleated and added to the hemline.

A silver vest with long front panels was built out of stock fabric to add a contrast in color.  Small lace was added as trim.

For the train, the same light blue dyed wedding dress was used--showing off the lace cut-outs.

The bustle utilized the same silver fabric, from the vest.  Navy blue ribbons and light blue flowers were placed on the bustle for some more dimension...

Emily as Rosalinda

Rosalinda's dress was very easy to create.  The dress, above, was ready to roll, for the most part.  Shoulder straps of recycled hyacinth flowers, from a discounted Christmas wreath, and rhinestones were attached.  Then, all we needed was the bustle...

The skirt, from the middle black dress, was used as a base with the red shawl, from the dress on the left, used as a topper.  To dress up the red shawl, black and silver beaded trim, from the mother-of-the-bride dress, on the right, was used...

Mary's Dress

For Mary's dress, we tried dying a contemporary wedding dress, but ran into too many issues with having to take in the dress too much and the dye being inconsistant.  

This orange dress, brought in at the 11th hour,  didn't really need to be changed, too much.  Shear fabric was added as cap sleeves and a wedding dress under skirt was utilized as  the train.

The bustle took shape from the dress's original shawl and some stock copper fabric.  Lace cut outs were added to the shawl and stock lace was tucked under to add depth.  Finally, some flowers were added to bring in some more color...

Rachel's Dress

For Rachel's dress, we really wanted to use the 1980s layered purple and pink dress.  Playing off the lace on the bodice, remnant lace was swagged across the front of the dress and gathered in the back to help build the train.  

The underskirt utilized the lavender skirt, that was left over from the bodice, from the dress on the right, that was used for Nicole's dress. The top piece of the bustle was taken from a 1980s wedding dress and dyed lavender.

A simple lace shawl was created and used as a shoulder cover...

Leah's Dress

Leah's dress began its transformation from this basic raspberry strapless one piece.  First, we separated the bodice and added tabs, adorn with gold tassels, to the hem line.  The skirt was, also, trimmed with the hold tassels, along the hem line.

Stock iridescent gold and raspberry fabric became the underskirt and train.  It also was utilized as cap sleeves, along with the gold tassel trim.

The bustle was created with more of the gold/raspberry fabric, stock gold remnants, and gold fringe....

Ali's Dress

Ali's dress started with the train on the silver dress, on the left.  The front of the dress had already been, horribly hacked up for a different project, but the embroidered train was still in tact!

For the bodice, the lavender bodice from the 2 piece on the left was used as a base.  A second lavender dress (not pictured), covered in small lace strips was used as the skirt and some of the lace was transfered to the bodice.  Pleated shoulder straps were also added.

Wanting to not take anything from the train, a simple purple and lavender bow was added to the bustle...

Megan's Dress

Megan's dress started with the gun metal 2-piece, in the upper right corner.  To build off the halter strap, light grey shoulder straps were added with a very light stock shear silver layer.  Rhinestones were added to the bustle to help play with the tone-on-tone embroidery.

Using the same gun metal dress for the under skirt, we cut the top off of the burgundy dress, in the upper left corner, and draped it as the over skirt.  It was gathered to give it some volume and dimension.  To add depth, the burgundy velvet dress, in the lower right corner, was draped and tucked into the gathers of the over skirt.

The bustle was created by using the shawl of the dress, in the upper left corner.  Ribbon loops were created by sewing stock grey and burgundy ribbons together.  The same shear silver fabric from the shoulder straps was utilized to add a lightness and some movement.

The train utilized a skirt, similar to the white gown, in the lower left corner.  A light grey/silver skirt was cut open  and tucked up into the bustle, allowed to pool onto the floor...

Annie's Dress

Annie's dress started with the pink dress, in the upper left corner.  Wanting to add some detail, the shear layer from the blue dress, in the upper right corner, was applied over the pink.  Stock black lace was added to the bottom of the pink skirt, as was black pleating, to the hem line.

The black with pink dress, on the bottom, was utilized for its skirt.  Once the bodice was removed, the skirt was cut open, up the center back seam, and used backwards as the over skirt and lower bustle.  Pink trim was added to the front and stock black lace was added to cover the pink.







For the bustle attachment, remnant pink fabric was used as the base with left over lace from Rosalinda's dress used on the edge.  Stock black ribbon was used to create bows as embellishment.  

Finally, pink and black lace was used in conjunction to create an attached shawl...

Missi's Dress

Missi's dress started with the cream dress on the left.  Blue beading was added to the tone on tone embroidery on the skirt to help it pop out.  The same blue beading was added to the bust line, as well.

The vintage sequence dress had its sleeves removed and was added as an over vest piece that was, also, incorporated into the bustle.  Gold ruching trim was added to add dimension and color.  

Stock fabric was used as the train and a vintage shirt was used as the bustle mid layer.  The gold dress on the right was cut up and turned into a giant bow.  Stock ribbon and flowers finished off the bustle...

Autumn's Dress

Autumn's dress started with the brown 2-piece, pictured left (skirt & shawl not pictured).  The bodice needed more color, so salmon colored beading was added across the bust line.  Cream colored lace with chocolate edging was also beaded and added on as shoulder straps.

The skirt from the salmon dress was removed and used as the under skirt.  The brown skirt was cut open and used as the over skirt, wit the addition with the same cream lace and stock salmon ribbon.

For the bustle, the brown shawl--trimmed in the same salmon ribbon was utilized.  The front bow adornment from the salmon dress was also used.  More stock ribbon, fabric, and flowers finished the bustle design.  Two lace panels were hung on the sides to had a third color and movement...

Kaitlyn's Dress

 

Kaitlyn's dress is a combination of these 2 dresses.  The light green dress became the bodice and under skirt.  For the bodice, we highlighted the tone on tone embroidery by sewing on beading and added blue embroidery.  To mask the halter strap and add softness, stock blue fabric was added to the bust line and as cap sleeves.

The skirt of the periwinkle dress was split open and added over the base skirt to create a layered effect.  Stock trim was added to both layers with pleated green fabric added to the periwinkle layer.  The shawl from the periwinkle dress was added as a front swag, with the addition of beading.

The bustle was created out of the shawl of the green dress and flowers were sewn on to add volume and a softness...

Kelly as 'Ida'

For Kelly's dress, we started with this black & white concoction.  The white was removed and copper and gold beads were added the length of the bodice and right side of the skirt.

The under skirt was built with sock fabric, as was the bustle.  The highlight of the bustle, is the gathered brocade fabric on the sides...

Katherine's Dress

With Katherine's gown, the 2-piece dress, on the left, served as our starting point.  The bodice just needed straps, so we took a bit of the detailed layer from the party dress, on the right.  After adding some simple buttons and some bling to anchor the straps, the bodice was ready to role.

For the skirt, we started with the under layer from the cream 2-piece, 2nd in from the right.  Stock trim was added to the bottom.  Then we used the taupe skirt, that matched the bodice, to act as the over skirt.  It was gathered to create a swag and black fringe was added to create movement and drama.

For the bustle, the rest of the beaded layer from the party dress was utilized over an iridescent cream fabric.  More black fringe was added, as was a giant black bow, created from remnant black fabric. Finally, the cream brocade dress, 2nd from the left, was cut up and utilized as the train... 

Cory's Dress

For Cory's dress, we once again, started with the wonderful fashion statement that is the 1980s wedding dress.  Once the sleeves were popped off, the beauty began to shine through.

Like Molly's, we dyed the dress--first with yellow, then with a light brown.  SO much better with color on it!!  What is so great about this process, is that the satin picks up the dye differently than the lace, due to the different fibers used, o the detail really stands out.

From there, stock fabric was added as trim and the bustle and darker beads were applied to the bodice to add depth...

Abby as 'Adele'

For Adele's gown, we started with the dress on the left.  Rhinestones were added to the bodice to make it sparkle under the lights.  Lace trim was added to the straps to form cap sleeves.

The skirt just needed some white lace trim around the bottom.

The bustle started with the skirt of the dress on the right.  Then some stock fabric was used to fill in.  To create the top layer, a short sleeved jacket from a Mother-of-the-Bride dress (not pictured) was refashioned with the addition of beaded fringe and fabric roses removed from a wedding dress.  A piece of cream stock fabric was added as the train. Finally, flowers were added to one side to give an A-symmetrical style... 

Laura's Dress

The teal dress had great details to begin with, so we didn't want to cover it up, too much.  First...you guessed it--we made it into a 2-piece. For the bodice, we just needed to add some simple lace as cap sleeves and some tassel trim to the bottom.

For the skirt, we removed the black skirt, from the dress on the right, and made it the base skirt.  Then, the shear layer, from the middle dress, was swagged across the front.

For the bustle, a piece was made with stock lace of pink and plack and then it was decked out with flowers!!

Jaime's Dress

For Jaime's dress, we started with a long sleeved wedding dress.  Dyed beige, it became very beautiful. Then, we removed the sleeves to make it more delicate.  Small rhinestones were applied to add some subtle bling.

For the skirt, we used a stock piece that was dyed beige to match.  Lace trim was added at the hem to add some subtle detail.

The skirt, on the right, came to us without a bodice.  Cut open at the back seam, it became a perfect base for the bustle and a splash of color.  As a mid-layer,  stock fabric was swagged across the front and gathered in back.  Finally, the sleeves from the wedding dress were utilized to create a light poof to bring the lace detail to the back...

Jordyn as 'Rosalinda'

Rosalinda's gown started with the the gown in the upper left corner.  It was, first, separated into a 2-piece.  Then, we removed the skirt from the black dress in the upper center.  We used the black skirt as the base and layered the burgundy skirt over it.  The black lace from the 1980s prom dress in the lower right corner was added as trim.  A final front swag was made from stock fabric.

The bustle started with the bodice of the gown in the upper right, then had the red shawl from the lower left added.  Trim from the lower middle was applied to the ends of the shawl.  The skirt from the upper middle was, also, used as the train.

To the bodice, we added shoulder straps and covered them in amaryllis petals that came from a super clearanced Christmas wreath. (you never know where you'll find your materials!)

Finally, rhinestones were applied all over the gown, straps, and bustle....

Megan H playing 'Ida'

Megan's dress started out as a black and white one piece dress.  First, we separated it at te waist line to make a bodice and skirt.  You may remember seeing this dress, earlier, when we demonstrated that we used a green fabric marker to color in the embroidery.  

Then, green fabric was used to cover the white band across the top of the bodice and the bottom of the bodice.  Luckily, there was a lot of green fabric left over from the Stepmother's dress from, last season's, Into the Woods.  The green fabric was built into the bustle, train, and shoulder straps.  Finally, beaded trim and rhinestones were added to finish the gown...

Molly's Dress

Take this wedding dress bodice--remove the sleeves.  Then take it and its corresponding skirt and train and dye them--first in green, then in blue.  Add a layer of stock fabric as a swag, then finish off with some flowers, and get....

Surging Forward

Does anyone else get extreme gratification from surging?  I do.  Seeing that unfinished edge get sniped off and replaced with a bound edge of thread.  Therapeutic?  Kinda!

Oh Christmas Tree....

Check this ugly tree skirt out...Yeah,
we're takin it and gonna make it pretty...
or something.

Of course, it is perfect, since we joke that, all we're doing is decorating Christmas trees...

Can't Do Much Without a Great Team

Below are pictures of some of the costume shop staff and students helping to get this show off the ground!  Thank you to the dedicated few who consistently do good work and have a smile on your faces while doing it!!  We, really do have a lot of fun, together!