Masquerade Ball Gown for Halloween 2008

For Halloween in 2008 I created a masquerade ball gown. I used a prom dress from the thirft store, one of my Mom's old black skirts, a white ruffled underskirt that my sister used for plays, black stockings, some old white satin, pearl beads and some leftover lace from a ballet costume.

The prom dress was black with red plaid. It was strapless with a ruffled skirt. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the dress before I started changing it. 

Now, here are the steps in which the prom dress was transformed into the ball gown:

Step 1. The red plaid was removed from the hips and skirt.

Step 2. The bodice was detached from the skirt.

Step 3. The plastic ribbing inside the bodice was shortened and the seams were taken in about an inch to give it a more fitted, baroque-style look.

Step 4. The old white satin and beads were used to decorate the front of the bodice.

Step 5. The two black ruffles from the skirt were taken off. One was sewn around the bottom of the bodice to create a cinched flair around the hips. The other was sewn to the top back and then pulled over the shoulders and sewn to the front to form the back and the ruffled capped sleeves.

Step 6. The shortened legs of the black stockings were sewn to the capped sleeves.

Step 7. White lace was added to the black stockings to form bell sleeves at the elbows.

Step 8. Satin trim was added around the neckline and lace to the front of the bodice.

Step 9.  A strip was cut out of the front of the long, black skirt to show the white underskirt down the center.

Step 10. I plastered my hair into a Marie Antoinette style, decorated a mask and fan, put all the pieces of my costume on and went trick-or-treating!