Cinderella Prom

This princess prom gown was inspired by Carly Rae Jepsen’s Cinderella gown. Inspired-by is key here. As we went along designing, elements changed, up to and including in the last hour!! The corset IS a full corset, despite the lack of seams on the outside. I’ve devised a method of corset-construction that doesn’t lack the integrity of traditional assembly, yet allows for not having those seams. (They’re on the inside lining in a special way.) The rosettes have pink Swarovski crystals in them, and these are special crystals, magic, one might say. See, Haley was in a production of Legally Blonde, and these crystals were left over from that production. I got them from the director and worked them into this gown so that Haley could have a part of Metro with her. She was going to star in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but funding didn’t come together, so I really wanted her to have Metro with her for prom.

The skirt has 200 yards of tulle in pink and blush over a cotton lining. Cotton isn’t as reflective as most satins, and so had the desired effect with flash. All of the fluff is tulle, no other supporting layer. The top layer is split, and draped back. The skirt is what was changed in the last hour. The flowers on the skirt weren’t there, but I was staring at the gown on my dress form, and something just seemed off. Then it hit me. So I grabbed chiffon rosettes and the rest of the crystals I had, and had at it. 🙂

As almost always, more photos are in a Facebook album dedicated to the gown.

Miss Plus Northwest for Miss Plus USA 2014

This gown was top-secret for the longest time! In pageants, you don’t share what you’re wearing. Can’t let the competition know. 🙂 Nora Fosberg Azevedo approached me about a gown for Miss Plus Northwest Brittany Hudson, and it was a no-brainer. YES!! This gown is a collaborative design between me, Nora, and Brittany, and a joint creation between me and Nora. Months of tweaking and fittings, a dozen yards of charmeuse and silk dupioni, several hundred Swarovski rhinestones, and many, many hours later, and this is the result! Brittany made it to the two 10 (Nora and I screamed so loud that the emcee teased us), but did not place. She did, however, with the WeCare scholarship.

More photos are in this Facebook album.