Contessa Valerie Brewer

I DID IT!!!!!! : D      I got the dress done last night just in time for the big day. I hope you enjoy.
This is my 1873 inspired look. The belt and shirt are authentic in cut and style. The trim around the neckline and hem are also historically accurate.

The pleating on the hem took 9 yards. That was a LOT of hand stitching for all those points!

It took me an hour to get my hair done. I made the fascinator that morning. I was giving it a final once over and though I needed a little something in my hair.

 I love how some mirror shots turn out! This is so "Mirror, Mirror on the wall..."

And this looked like there was a ship behind me and I was stuck in a mirror!! How cool is that?!?

 I love our expressions here!! That is my friend that was Pitch from the movie Rise of the Guardians. She was FABULOUS!!!! She nailed it!

Just a pose I though would lend itself to the look of the dress.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing this time with me! I hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as I did getting ready for them!  

Corset and corset cover.

I just made a corset and a corset cover. It was definitely a learning experience!!! I altered the  pattern so much I could probably sell it as a new pattern and not get in any trouble for it. The corset was made from an old dress I had laying around for such an occasion.  I've had the lace for years just waiting for a corset. The lace is now very happy! : D  There are mistakes but that is alright because they won't be there  in the next one I make. One such mistake problem is that it should have been at least 2 inches smaller. When I lace it up it closes in the back instead of leaving a space as it's supposed too do so I'll know to fix that for next time.

The corset looks a little funny in this picture but that's only because she doesn't squish the same way I do. It looks just fine on a squish-able person.  Yeah.

 This is my corset cover. I actually kinda like it. I know it's not completely historically accurate but I'm sure they experimented with the design and fit back then so I'm just keeping in that spirit. :P It was made from an old curtain (regular Scarlet O'Hara). It makes me smile...

 Wow!! That makes my shoulders look broad....oh well. :D

                                 Next step is to finish my dress before Halloween....one week from                                                       today........HAHAHAHAHA!!!!