Padme Cut Senate Scene Gown - 01

I am making this gown to premiere at Dragon*Con 2011. This gown was worn by Padme in Star Wars: Episode II; Attack of the Clones. It's technically the 2nd costume of the movie, but that scene was cut from the movie and can be found on the special features.

The gown was based on Tudor/Elizabethan lines, and I have designed the foundation garments accordingly. To achieve this shape, a corset and hoopskirt is needed, and I also designed a chemise so I had a launderable layer.

The first thing I made was this chemise.

The chemise is made out of cotton lawn fabric. I thought by pleating it, it would lay nice underneath the corset. I tried a technique new to me, I used shiny rayon embroidery floss and couched it on the front in a design mimicking some of the beading on the gown. The thread's not the easiest to work with, but I think it went ok for a first try. For the collar and the sleeves I did a very fine pleating and used a false blanket stitch from my sewing machine in a dark purple, and repeated that on the hem. The back was too loose so I did a simpler design on the back, chevrons like on the skirt front over white. And it's going to be completely covered up by 3 different layers! Crazy, right? ;)

Next up is the corset.

I wanted to keep it somewhat historical so I could re-use it for historical costume purposes. I designed it after the effigy corset in Norah Waugh's book "Corsets and Crinolines". I liked that the chest wasn't boned over, more comfy for me and a softer silhouette. I used cotton coutil to line it, and the outer fabric is a poly/cotton moire fabric, which is what I am using for the underdress. I put steel bones in the back and a steel busk in the center front, and the torso boning is all reed.

The last undergarment piece is the hoopskirt. At this moment, I actually have it nearly done, I just have to hand-sew on 3 rows of ruffles over the bustle cage.

I am hoping to have pictures tomorrow. I wanted the front as smooth as possible, so I quilted it, and put ruffles on the back to soften the lines of the hoopsteel. I included pockets but I'm not sure if they'll work yet. I'll post more info on the skirt as soon as I get pictures taken to post.

Before I had any hand-sewing to do, I managed to clock one stocking! I'll eventually get to the other. At the moment, I have the beading for the neckline started, and I have the bodice assembled and waiting for the skirt to be connected! Deadline August 31st 2011.