Haunted Mansion Ballroom Dancer Costume
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My costume is an early 1860s hoop gown, designed to look like one of the female ballroom dancers at Disney's Haunted Mansion attractions. I created the whole costume, including ribbon rose decorations and my handheld mask, myself! Prep Time: 25 hours
What you'll need
- Several yards of silk taffeta and white cotton lining (for skirt and bodice)
- Tulle (for the collar, bodice and sash)
- Wire-edge ribbon (for rose decorations)
- Ready-made trims (to dress up the bodice)
- Boning (for inside of bodice)
- Corset
- Longstem fake rose and a mask frame (to which I hot-glued fabric to match my dress!)
These pieces can be quite intricate, and take lots of time to complete, but the results are impressive!
How to make it
Period costumes are very personal; there are a number of patterns, resources, and techniques you can use to make them. There are many good, relatively easy commercial patterns available to help you make an 1860s skirt and bodice (the ones I used were from Past Patterns).
Ready-made hoop crinolines are available online.
You can purchase a period-correct corset to wear under your gown, make one yourself from a commercial pattern, or simply opt not to wear a corset at all.
Once you have found a pattern you like, follow the instructions to purchase your materials and make the garment.
