Steampunk Outfit - Top Progress

Today was an amazingly great day for creating :) Maybe that exhibition from yesterday really did do the trick! After days and days of contemplating on how to fix the skirt, today was decision-making day. After all, next weekend I wont be able to work on this outfit and after that I only have 2 more weekends. So time to get cracking.

After making some painful decisions on the skirt (more details later when I have a post named 'progress on the skirt' LOL), I started working on the top on Friday. For a pattern I used McCall's 3797, pictured here (it's not my picture, I hope no one minds):


A long long time ago, I found an eBay seller who offered 50% off shipping from the US and I bought a number of patterns. I used the pattern for the jacket in the middle. Not very steampunky I know, but with the right tweaking not so bad. I didnt want to end up with a corset that would a) take forever to make, and b) be super uncomfortable.

So I got out my fabulous gold metallic fabric (for which I have completely forgotten the name, but it's thick and plastic-y), and started cutting. I used beige poly-cotton as lining for this, since I still had lots of it after a Star Wars costume being cancelled. The gold I had bought a few years back in a cute little shop in France that sold fabric by weight instead of meter. Quite amusing and I got some great deals! I also still had some buttons that I had bought years back in Holland when I first started planning for this costume, and some gold lace that I found on a medieval festival for only £1 for 2 meters. Put everything together, edit the pattern a little, add some ruffles in the back to hide the edge of the bustle, and here we go:


The bit under the lace has two colours as I was cutting the fabric of the front bit very late at night and of course messed up and had one piece inside out. Woops... I added the darker fabric on purpose as this bit was meant to be smaller, but I think this works also. I might add something later to make the transition better. To make sure it all stays put, I also added some press studs on the inside. I didnt show the top on purpose as this is a very particular fit and it just doesnt look right on the doll.



After seeing a picture online somewhere of a jacket with lace on the sleeves, I had to do this also. Copy you say? Kind of yes, but it was just too cool :) The shirt is the one I found at the charity shop a while back. The sleeves look better with a person in them, but hopefully I will have pics when the whole thing is done more.


For the back, I added this cute corset-y detail. I still had the leather with the holes in from my second EFF costume and it matches this one perfectly. The ribbon was leftover from a fairy dress that never happened. I love the ruffles, it is just the same gold fabric, except it is not lined or anything.

The bf is also preparing his outfit, and went online for some badges etc. He loves Battlestar Galactica, and found their pins on eBay (Blue Tiger Trading, I can highly recommend them. They have any movie related patches, badges or pins you need. I got the patch for the Harry Potter cloak here also). He bought too many and as it happens, the two spares look great on my shirt :)


(when I took the picture one of them had just moved after I had adjusted something but normally they both look the same LOL). So all inn all it was a good day. I'll probably end up looking a little chubby in this outfit but it has sooo many layers, it is hard not to.

The skirt is being worked on as well, as soon as I have more progress I will post more. I just bought some chain today to add to it, the first thing I bought in a while which is great :) Watch this space!

Comments

  1. Wow I love this. My steampunk outfit is only in its beginning stages. But I think these things are always a work in progress--right? I really like how you have it cross over in front.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great job on your costume! Wow!!! Thank you so much for linking up!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Leave a comment, make my day!

Popular posts from this blog

Scissor Sock Tutorial

Fabulising February - Men's Shirt Dress

My Neighbor Totoro Project #2: Catbus