Belle – Beauty and the Beast (Village Dress Version 3)

Made for: Halloween 2012

Background: I started on this costume way back in 2009! I got the skirt finished, and most of the bodice and shirt, when I got busy and put it to the side. It got stuck in storage while we moved and I forgot about it, and I didn’t pick it up again until December 2011/January 2012.

Journal Entries: Read more at my Belle’s Blue Dress tag

Patterns Used:
Unfortunately I don’t remember what I used for the top. I did not use a pattern for the skirt. I think the blouse may have been a highly altered Butterick B5008.

Bodice:
My first version in 2007 was a one-piece dress, but I never liked the fit of it, so I decided to make this new one in 2 pieces. I used a altered bodice pattern for the top, but as I said, I don’t remember what it was! (the problems of moving and not finishing it for a few years..). The fabric I used was a lightweight blend, lined with cotton with minimal flat-steel boning for structure.

Skirt:
For the skirt, I didn’t use a pattern, just made a basic paneled skirt with a waistband closure. I’d like to make a small slip/petticoat to go with it at some point.

Blouse:
I know I also used a basic shirt pattern for the blouse, (and I’m guessing it was that one I just linked), altered for the collar, fit, and sleeves.

Accessories:
The apron I made out of the same fabric as the blouse – just a square of fabric gathered and attached to a waistband, with a fake bow in the back and a hook-and-eye closure. I had to figure out something for the hairbow, since I had no scraps of this leftover to make one with! I ended up using a scrap of sort-of matched fabric when I finally took new photos in 2013 — I put off taking “good” photos until I finished my new Belle wig for Dragoncon 2013. The shoes were from my 2007 version.

History: I’ve only really worn this once, for Halloween 2013. I gave it a test run in 2012, but wanted to wait til I finished my new Belle wig to wear it properly, which only took a year LOL.

2016 Version: In 2016 I made a new village dress for a stage production and documented the progress a whole lot more than this! you can read about it here!

Progress Photos:

                       

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