Danielle's Wine Velvet Ruin Gown
Reference Images
Costume Analysis
This gown is made of a wine or cranberry colored velvet, presumably silk velvet. It is fitted, with no seams other than the back and side seams, and fairly low cut. It is one of the few gowns which are not empire waisted. The waist seam falls just a tiny bit above the natural waistline. There is gold trim at the waistline. In the Seventeen pic, the neckline looks like it is rolled or something - you can see if especially if you look at the shoulder.
The gauntlets are trimmed with gold braid at top, bottom, and with two rows at the gathered center. They are tied onto the gown with thin maroon cord tied with a bow. The sleeves are a light crinkled fabric, and the cuffs are actually smocked. If you look closely at the first picture, from Seventeen Magazine, you can see the smocking or pleating, and the two rows of maroon cord sewn down over them. The sleeves are tied around the forearm with 2 thin maroon cords, and the wrist has a double strand at the edge. The back of the bodice laces up.
Patterns and Construction
Simplicity Pattern 8735 purports itself to be this dress - but the skirt is split and it has a strange V in the front of the bodice that I don't like. It is also empire waisted, which the wine gown is not.
I would sugguest using McCall 2806 as a base for this gown instead. Or modify you can modify the bodice of the Simplicity pattern to get rid of that V and to extend the waistline. The Simplicity pattern does have a very nice rounded neckline. If this pattern is out of print, you might try looking on ebay. Simplicity has a few other similar patterns out that might work. Check here.
Darts in a bodice are there to help it fit better. But this gown doesn't have darts. So if you want the bodice to fit nicely, read Dawn's page on drafting darts out of a pattern and save yourself a lot of grief fitting the dress.
I've finally had a chance to make this dress myself. I modified the neckline of the gown part of the McCall 2806 pattern to give a thinner shoulder strap. You'll want to follow the directions for sewing the lining together from the overgown bodice - basically, this is because you will want the arm holes to be finished, since the sleeves are going to attached such that they look like they are not attached to the dress even if they actually are. Also - I brought the waistline down so it isn't empire waisted. Also, note that the bodice is very tight - the McCalls pattern makes a comfortably loose bodice, like a dress. Even the gold dress does not have as tight a bodice. So size the bodice appropriately. You may want to wear a corset underneath, or a slimmer.
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At left is McCall 2806. The bodice for the blue dress is what I altered. Instead of a zipper in the back, though, I would use grommets and gold cord. |
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I used McCall 2645 for the skirt. It is nice and full. Check out the description of the Gold Dress for more on the skirt. |
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The Simplicity pattern can be used for the gauntlets. However - they use elastic in the lower edge and at the elbow gather, which doesn't look right. I cut the gauntlet piece into 2 parts to make the two puffs. Then I cut a strip of material, sized it for my elbow to get it the right length, then sewed that to the two puffs. It looks less elasticy. I don't think the dress in the movie uses elastic. I did keep the patterns edge piece - the piece you put the grommets in. I made a straight version of this to put around the lower edge instead of elastic. If you look closely at the pictures of the gauntlet, you'll see what I mean. |
Once you have the 5 pieces sewn together (top edge, big puff, middle part, little puff, and bottom edge), sew gold trim on the seams. Do this before you sew the gauntlet into cylindrical form - it will look nicer. Then put two grommets in the top and you are all set.
Also - upon finishing the gauntlets, line them! The velvet fuzz is kind of messy. And also - make the puffs smaller than the pattern piece - they are a little bigger than the ones in the movie.
| I also used the sleeve pattern from this Simplicity pattern for the sleeves. You want nice big sleeves. The sleeves from the McCall 2806 were shorter and not nearly as full as you want them. Again, looking at the Seventeen picture - the sleeve fabric is a bit crinklier than it appears in the movie. Perhaps a crinkle gauze. The wrist looks as if it might be smocked. |
The trim on this dress, particularly the gauntlets, is gold - it goes around the waist and gauntlets. The gauntlets are tied on with burgandy cord. Also, don't put grommets through the shoulders of the dress - use little rings sewn under the shoulders to tie the grommets on. I think it will look closer to the real thing.
You can get very nice snoods that look very similar to this one from
Lady MacSnood.
She has a "Cinderella" pattern that is very close to the one Danielle
wears with the Gold Court dress. She has
several different views of it here:
The first link has two different versions. One with a tighter, closed
center and the other one (Cinderella II) is more open.
She can do it in any combination of beads or thread types.
Metallic Fancy Beaded
She has told me that she can make one to resemble the light grey, beaded
cap Danielle wears with this outfit as well. So if you want one, just
email her!
Here is another source for snoods. I bought one of these myself.
The Snood
Fancy Beaded
| SNOOD headpiece to wear with your renaissance medieval costumes. HEADPIECE is called a SNOOD all handsewn from a sutle GOLD glimmer cord trim.Is NOT crocheted yarn. Has 57 faux pearls sewn throughout on each cross section. Makes a wonderful netting to dress up your hair. Can be held in place with bobbie pins. (*EXAMPLE of snood also can be seen woren in a portrait of Eleanora di Toledo 1545,pic not included). |
These snoods are made in other colors of silver, white, or black.So if you do not see a color listed at this time that you need,let me know and I will try my best to accommodate the color you need. Pricing currently at $24.00 + shp (priority shipping 3.85) Ins opt. Can email me at thytira2@yahoo.com or look for me on ebay, member name of thytira2
I'm going to modify the one I bought from thytira for this costume - I thought I would use this synthetic hair from Doctored Locks (I've used it before for hairpieces), and sew the twisted braids onto the cap itself.
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