Need help-Converting Wedding Dress into a Court Dress

[LadySeasan]

Hello All!

I have learned ALOT about creating my own garb, and in the past year I have made vast improvement on my skills. Now I am put to the test.

I want to take my sister in law's wedding dress and convert it to a court dress. Here is a picture of it so you can get an idea:





Now a couple of notes:
This is a A lined dress, but I do have a hoopskirt, which makes it fuller just like a court dress would look like.

There is no seperation from the bodice part of the dress to the bottom, it is all one full dress

the bodice part does have some bead work done on it

The color is ivory, and as you can see this is a strapless dress

Now what i wish to do with this is turn it into a court dress. I plan on getting velvet royal blue fabric to do the dress in, with black and silver trim, (at least thats what I am hoping)

I have sort of a plan, to work on the skirt part first, basically add the trim to the fabric i am going to get, pleat the back a little, and then sew it onto the skirt

The top part, i would do the same way, add trim and design, then sew it to the bodice, but have at least a 2 inch trim on the bottom to cover the seam from the skirt to the bodice that i will make

But if you have any suggestions PLEASE give them to me I will be very thankful.  You all have helped me so much in the past

[Muffin]

What a great idea!! I am curious to see any suggestions as well.. I just happen to have a wedding dress collecting dust in my basement, that I just don't know what to do with.... 

[LadySeasan]

well I was supposed to do this last year, just never had the time. i do plan to work on it this year  

[Lady Caroline]

Wow, what a great idea! (as women everywhere raid their attics and basements for their wedding dresses) I haven't looked at mine since I boxed it up.  Please keep us updated on your progress

[LadyStitch]

Funny enough my first royal own was my wedding dress.  Yay for themed weddings.  That is a great idea.  Are you going to use the dress as the pattern or build on top of the wedding dress.  I'm a little confused.

[LadySeasan]

Funny enough my first royal own was my wedding dress.  Yay for themed weddings.  That is a great idea.  Are you going to use the dress as the pattern or build on top of the wedding dress.  I'm a little confused.

I am going to build on top of the dress I love the way it fits and the color ( a light ivory) and in my head i think it will look great lol

[isabelladangelo]

Rather than building on the dress, I'd take the dress apart.  Cut out the front of the skirt to make a forepart (you can attach that to muslin to make a fuller skirt to go over the hoops.  This way, with the blue velvet over it, you will only see the forepart).  Take the rest of the fabric to make false undersleeves and use as a base trim (you can put lace over it so that you have a basic white satin with lace on top of it, edging the blue velvet).   Although the dress may fit nicely for a modern silhouette, the best way to make it Renaissance is to just take it apart and to put it into the patterns used during the Renaissance.  You might even have enough fabric to make a lovely satin Elizabethan corset.

[LadySeasan]

i do think that by taking the dress apart it would be a bit difficult especially for my skill level, i have learned alot but i am no expert lol.

so i figured if i built over the dress (because i do have a hoopskirt which makes the dress puff out) it will probably be much easier for me

[isabelladangelo]

In order to make the dress look anything like the 16th century (aka Renaissance), you'll have to take it apart and use it for fabric.  If you are "building" over it, you'll need a pattern for a bodice and overskirt (at least the bodice).  Typically, an overgown without sleeves for a noble dress is about 5~6 yards of fabric.  Most of that yardage goes into the skirt. 

If you are willing to make the overdress, using a pattern, out of the blue velvet, taking the wedding dress apart will be very simple.  The forepart is nothing more than a gigantic triangle for the front of the dress.  If you want, use the noblewoman's sewing pattern you have and place the skirt front down on top of the wedding dress skirt to cut it out.  The false undersleeves are just big, half circles with a strap at the top to secure them to your arm.   

I honestly think you'll be happier longer if you take the dress apart to make it look like a 16th century noblewoman's gown rather than wearing your modern wedding dress to the Renaissance festival.   You'll feel more in place and look amazing in a well done gown.  If you don't have a sewing pattern yet, I'd try for the Simplicity Elizabethan one.  It has decent directions and excellent lines.

[LadySeasan]

Ok I am willing to try, but this is definitely going to put my skills to the test

[gem]

I'm with Isabella on this one, mainly b/c it's almost always easier to start from scratch and make something new, than it is to try and rebuild something.  You made a lot of things for the first time last year--this will be a great chance for you to show how much you've learned!

I would start by planning the finished product--what do you want your new gown to look like?  If you need inspiration, Sempstress has a neat little design tool called "Dial-a-Dress" that you might want to check out.

The pattern that Isabella recommended is Simplicity 3782.

***
All that said, you might look into other periods besides the English high Renaissance.  Many of the earlier Italian fashions, for instance, are quite a bit easier to construct.  Check out websites like Festive Attyre, Kat's Purple Files, and Florentine Persona for inspiration and techniques.

Good luck!

[LadySeasan]

thank you so much for the advice.

i do know how i want the dress to look, ive drawn it out
its just a matter of working on it.

the simplicity pattern that you both suggested (isabella and gem) that is almost exactly how imagined the dress, the layout is exact, but the colors will be different of course

[Syrilla]

My newest gown was made from most of the wedding dress.  I had silk that matched the wedding skirt and sleeve parts so I made a new period bodice and cut up the sleeves for trim.

Good Luck

[LadySeasan]

oh wow that is a beautiful dress!

at this point i am still waiting for my check to come in so i can get my fabric and such
i cant do anything with no money or no fabric lol

[LadySeasan]

Syrilla, that dress is amazing! Im still in awe about it

OK everyone, i got the fabric! I am sooooo happy, i found it at the last minute just when i was losing hope on finding the perfect fabric that i imagined for my dress! i was in the fabric store with my friend jumping up and down with excitement

my friend is sewing glass pearls onto my snood, i found the perfect headband that i adore and love. i have the perfect fabric for my sleeves. and the trim almost made me cry lol

i cannot wait to start working on this (as soon as i get out of bed)

to track my progress, visit my dress diary

http://mydressdiary.wordpress.com