If you are a fan of Scarlett O’Hara, then go and dress up as
a Southern Belle in your costume party. The regular southern belle costume is
usually an elaborate gown made of luxurious fabric, with head gear and accessories
to match. However, if you prefer not to wear something as fussy as a
full-length gown, you can put together a short, sexy Southern Belle costume
that is cheaper and simpler to make.
Things you will need:
- An off-shoulder mini dress
- Knee-length skirt
- Four metal clothes hangers
- Ribbons
- Bows
- Lace
- Safety pins
Step 1: A Southern Belle dress usually consists of a
base dress and a hoop skirt. For the base dress, you will need a mini dress
with off-shoulder sleeves. The dress should be tight and short, and made of
silken or shimmering fabric. It is best to go for blue, lavender, pink, or
yellow dresses, since you are going for the southern belle fashion.
Step 2: You need
to put shoulder straps in your mini dress. The best way to go about this is to
wear the dress so you can estimate where the straps should be attached. You can
place bows midway where the front part of the strap stretches from the armpit
to the outer arm.
To mark this spot, put a black dot on each strap. This won’t
be visible later on since it will be covered by the bow. Now take off the dress and pin the bows to
the marked spots using safety pins. Another alternative is to turn the straps
inside out so you can sew the ribbons in place.
Step 3: The next
step is to make the hoop skirt. Get the metal coat hangers and unfold them.
After the wires have been straightened out, refold them to form circles. The
first circle should be two inches wider than the widest part of your thighs.
The second circle should be one inch wider than the first circle. The third
circle should be an inch wider than the second circle.
Step 4: Turn the
knee-length skirt inside out. Place the first wire circle two inches down the
skirt. The circle should go around the skirt. Attach the circle to the skirt
using safety pins. Place the second wire circle three inches below the first
wire circle. Then place the third circle wire four inches below the second wire
circle.
After making sure that the wires are fastened securely, turn
the skirt to the right side. This is your hoop skirt.
Step 5: Take a
ribbon and run it around the first hoop of the skirt. The ribbon seam won't be
seen later on since it will be covered with a bow. You can sew the ribbon on
the skirt or pin from the inside. Make sure to leave some excess ribbon between
the stitch marks or pinning for a beautiful, draped look.
Repeat the procedure for the other hoops. For a frillier
look, you can sew lace around the ribbon.
Step 6: Now put
on your mini dress again then wear the hoop skirt over it. Make sure it fits
perfectly.
And if it all seems like too much work, you can always see
if we carry a Southern
Belle costume that suits your fancy.