It’s finally done! This was started pre-Covid for a wedding, but with all the lockdowns the wedding was postponed twice, it’s now happening in August.
I started this over two years ago, but moved house in the middle, so there was a long long hiatus, but I’ve been working away at it for the last month or so.
I made the stripy skirt, the red tulle underskirt was from my wedding, I’ve just gathered it up at the front. For a nifty touch I’ve sewn a thin led strip around the bottom of the skirt and around the bustle. It’s not dark here yet, so this isn’t easy to see in this light
The black lace blouse was thrifted, I cut it up the front and added the stand up collar. I shortened it and used the offcuts for a frill on the sleeves. I already had the corset
Before;
The jacket was also thrifted, I cut this into a tailcoat, lined it with some fabric I printed, and then printed it all over with more gears, added shiny buttons.
This sits over the bustle. With slits in the sleeves so that the lace sleeves of the blouse can poke through.
I painted the crow for the hat, and added lots of feathers and a lace fall for the back. I also decorated my husband’s hat with feathers, and a solar lightbulb which should look great at night (and I won’t lose him!)
The boots were cheap and on sale, so I put copper leaf on the toes and heels and made some spats to wear with them.
I’m going with a kind of witchy sorcerer vibe, so I got this stick on a walk in the woods, it took a few tries to sculpt the crow skull, but in the end Papier mache pulp worked. Painted and added some red LEDs with some glass chips, so that the eyes light up. It’s glowing white in these photos, but it’s actually red, added some real crow feathers.
The bandolier was a thrifted belt to which I added a thrifted purse handle, riveted on elastic to take various bits and bobs, a fan, pouch, cellphone
I made another pouch to go on the back, that will carry a light whip. I’m not sure how I’ll wear it after dark, maybe just draped over like this.
And the final touch will be these steampunky guns made from dollar store ones.
There are other little details, I copper leafed the buttons on the spats,
caught in the led on the bustle with ribbon and added little gears as fasteners. I’ve round red glasses and gothic/steampunky crows skull jewelry to wear with it.
No action shots as the whole thing is a complete faff to get into, the corset is a complete PITA to fasten, but when I’m finally fully dressed, I’ll get some photos
Edit this is what it looks like in the dark, just the lights on the skirt: