# Victorian costumes - help me pick!



## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

While my party doesn't really have a theme, I'm doing the front office up as a Victorian parlor. I thought it would be good to tie in mine and my husband's costumes but we can't decide what we'd rather go as. Help me choose!


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## the dogman (Jul 8, 2007)

love the idea rikki  so cool


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Thanks dogman!
Whatever we do, make up and special effects need to be kept to a minimum. I need the majority of the costume to be in the clothes. I don't have time to do anything elaborate make up-wise because I have to spend the day finishing food and decorations for the party.


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

I'm thinking Gary Oldman / Winona Ryder style Dracula & Mina. Not how he dresses while at his castle but how he dresses when he's trying to seduce Mina.


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Here are examples of the look I'd like to get. The biggest problem is budget...I'd like to keep each costume under $150 (preferrably much cheaper!). If anyone has any reasonably priced resources for this type of clothing I'd really appreciate your sharing. I've exhausted myself searching the net for them. 



















or










I'd love to do the red bustle dress but I don't think it'd work out too well for party hosting!


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## Malenkia (Sep 5, 2006)

I forget which pattern company it is, but it's one of the ones at the regular sewing stores (Hancock, Joanns) they have a decent set of patterns where you can make the underbustle and a bustle skirt that detaches - which might come in handy if you want to take it off later in the night and have less dress. Just be careful to try the bustle on a lot while you're constructing it, I know with me if it sits wrong on the hips my back is in agony within an hour. Fabric is heavier than it looks *L* The red dress is time consuming, but if you buy fabric roses for the detail instead of making them that cuts out half the time. It is a GORGEOUS dress to recreate.


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Haha, the only problem there is that I can't sew! Whatever I do will have to be bought. If it's a small thing that needs to be done I can take it to my grandmother and she'll fix it for me (as she's done the last two years for Halloween) but I don't want to put a major project on her - especially since there's less than three months to do it in.


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## Annea (Aug 14, 2004)

Hi for the morning suit have you tried ex-hire bridal/formal wear shops.


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

No, actually I hadn't thought of that. I'll have to take a look in the phone book and see what I can come up with. Thanks!


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## Debrah (Sep 10, 2008)

My party theme last year was "Our Love Wil Never Die", hubby and I were Gothic Victorian Vampires.

I'm trying to attach a pic, I hope this works.
I got our costumes online from nightmare factory. I was able to buy them after the previous year's Halloween 'cause I have the next 5 years themes planned.

If you haven't already, check out Victorian and Edwardian Styled Clothing. I have several costumes from them. These are real reproduction clothes, so they are comfortable, very well made and they have stuff on sale all the time.

Good Luck!


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Your costumes look great!
I had looked at Recollections before. They have very beautiful dresses but they are waaaay above my budget. That's been the problem with most reproduction companies. Thanks though!


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## cinders (Oct 12, 2003)

Do you have resale or thrift shops in your area? You could look for suits/dresses in the peplum style and use the elements of several different items to make up one dress. I find hoop skirts and big wedding slips for cheap. Hot glue or iron on hem tape work well on areas that won't get stressed--probably wouldn't want to use it on a crucial seam. I don't know how large your man is, but I've used women's coat dresses for men's long suits. I turned back the front button areas to form lapels and then embellished.

A bustle could probably be made with a length of fabric or curtain scarf/swag and then securely pinned on.

Also look in the lingerie section for cotton nightgowns that may be useful as an underblouse or have ruffled sleeves that may be able to hang down under a jacket, etc.


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

There are a ton of thrift/consignment stores in town. I'll have to go look I guess. I'm so busy with work and prop making that it's hard to find the time to go out browsing. I've been trying to do it all via the internet in my spare time (mostly after 9 when all the stores are closed). Thanks for the suggestions!


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

I just ordered this suit for Aaron's Dracula costume. Still need to get accessories, though.









Now to find my dress! Ugh, the hard part.


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

If you have any theaters in your area, call them up to see if they sell off any costumes or have a costume supplier. 

Don't forget to check any colleges that have theater departments - they might even have some students studying costume design that might be willing to sew your costume for less than the reproduction places.

I worked in my college's theater department and learned to sew from the costumer - and they had a yearly sell off of costumes to clear out the inventory on things unlikely to be reused. And there were plenty of us that made costumes for parties.


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Hmmm...sounds like I'll be placing a call to the Opera House. Thanks FG!


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## Debrah (Sep 10, 2008)

His suit looks great! Could you rent a dress for yourself?


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

That's what I've resorted to looking into. I'd really like to be able to keep it though (I'm trying to grow my costume collection for recycling or to help others out). I'm going to try the suggestions people have posted to buy one before I decide to rent though. Besides, it's a shame to spend $50 - $100 on a rental when I could've bought something else for nearly the same price.


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## Ms. Wicked (Nov 6, 2007)

I love these styles!!!!

In fact, it's what I'm doing for my husband and I this year... using a similar men's style for his Victorian Undertaker, and I will be the grieving widow.

I just posted a pic of my husband's costume; I'll be starting my dress soon.

Just love it - they'll be perfect for a parlor.


http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-costume-ideas/71178-basic-reaper-undertaker.html


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Ms. Wicked, I love your husband's costume! Great job!

I've settled on a dress for myself finally. I checked around the rental places in town and couldn't find anything suitable for the time period that wasn't hideous. Thrift/antique stores had every era after but nothing Victorian. So what I'm going with is going to put me over budget by $50 (plus gloves and boots) but it's the cheapest option that is some what historically acurate and still good looking. It's also custom made so I shouldn't have to worry about whether it'll fit me. What you do guys think?


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## the dogman (Jul 8, 2007)

O_O wow thats an awesome dress rikki, 
worth the price if you chose to reuse it.
you could do quite a few different costumes with that dress
or rent it out to local theater groups, make back what you spent


again great find


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## Annea (Aug 14, 2004)

Lovely dress, well done!


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## Junit (Sep 1, 2008)

Debrah said:


> My party theme last year was "Our Love Wil Never Die", hubby and I were Gothic Victorian Vampires.
> 
> I'm trying to attach a pic, I hope this works.
> I got our costumes online from nightmare factory. I was able to buy them after the previous year's Halloween 'cause I have the next 5 years themes planned.
> ...


Lol  that's a great picture!


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Alright, so I finally got all the accessories purchased for our costumes...I'm just waiting for them to arrive now! What a relief to have it all taken care of! Now hopefully my dress will fit (it should since it was custom made). So here's what we're getting:
Dracula























Plus some round sun glasses, gray gloves, cuff links & studs, a cravat pin, and fangs of course.

Mina
















Plus black gloves and some dangly Victorian style earrings. Oh, and bite marks...assuming that my collar isn't so high that I can't use them.


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## Debrah (Sep 10, 2008)

Looks great! I like Victorian Jewelry - Victoria's Jewelry Box Victorian Era Style Costume Fashion Dress for earrings and broaches. I'm looking forward to seeing a pic of the 2 of you all dressed up!!!


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## doutcha (Oct 19, 2007)

OMG very impressive they are totaly awesome have a nice party


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Thanks Doutcha!

I got my outfit in today! It fits wonderfully and is beautiful but the hat that came with it is no where near as big as the one pictured.  This one looks like someone used a toilet paper tube as the top. So now I have to find a new hat to keep from wearing a wig (my hair is really short and definitely NOT era-friendly so I was counting on the hat to hide it. I hate wigs!). 

What sucks the most is that I'm already waaaaaay over budget and good looking Victorian hats are $50+. I may try to make my own out of a cheap costume top hat but the ones I've seen are all too big for me.


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## doutcha (Oct 19, 2007)

oh poor you about the hat it does suck!!! a toilet paper tube ! have any pics of it anyway seing wath you ve done im sure youll pull it off but i feel sorry for u especially after all that $$$$ it has got to stop somewhere but hey U CAN DO IT best of luck n please put pics of the final outfit !!! cheers


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

Rikki, that's beautiful, can't wait to see you all dolled up. As for the hat, you are inventive and talented, I have no doubt you'll figure something out!


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

I ended up making a hat out of a cheap plastic top hat and a bunch of embellishments. I don't have my camera at the moment but I'll take pictures as soon as I can. I guess it looks okay...besides, people will be seeing it in low light.  It's not what I wanted but it'll have to do.


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## Rikki (Aug 14, 2006)

Again with the crappy cell phone pictures...sorry. Anyway, here's the hat I made. I've got about $5.50 in it.


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

That looks good, great job. Can't wait to see it with the dress!


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## doutcha (Oct 19, 2007)

i knew u would pull it off its a really nice hat great job it will look perfect with the dress that looks like a million $$$$$ by itself my HAT is up to you !!!  happy halloween !


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