Another fabulous collaboration with my dear Donna of Original Sin Design!
I’d gotten this piece of hot pink sari fabric from a costumer’s garage sale and knew it would “pop” against black. But I didn’t know what style of what. Then fabric.com had a sale on black silk shantung, and Donna suggested we both wear fancy bustle gowns to the Costume College ’08 tea. *Ta da* — that’s where the pink would go!
Over most of a year, the idea evolved. I would use the Truly Victorian cage bustle I’d made in a past CoCo class, along with the Truly Victorian vest basque bodice and trained skirt patterns.
We looked for coordinating pink silk but had a hard time finding a match online or in person. We found a darker pink, which was good but not right when used next to the sari fabric. Then Donna had the brilliant idea of adding bright green for another contrast. Thus, the peacock was born!
Unfortunately, Donna had to cancel her plans to attend Costume College, so she didn’t make her own bustle gown. But she did finish mine beautifully, and I wore it at the tea.
I made a little hat to match, covered in the same fabrics and trimmed in peacock feathers and some gold buttons from the Stash. I also ordered hot pink Indian jewelry to coordinate with the outfit.
Finally, at Costume-Con 27, Donna and I were able to wear our gowns together — she as the Wren, and I as the Peacock! So I made her a matching hat, in the same style as mine and using fabric scraps from her gown.
