I draped my own pattern and made 3 mock-ups to get the fit right. Regency silhouettes can be tricky, so I went with a longer bodice for a more flattering shape while still honoring the design. The dress is three layers: a green/copper color shift metallic satin, a teal mesh, and the topmost is a dark blue mesh, & I dyed the mesh layers to get the colors just right. I sewed up bodice, added a triple bust dart, and made piping for the neckline & sleeves. Once the bodice was done, I patterned the vine embroidery pattern for the front and back.

For the embroidery I studied references and used them to draw the design in Adobe Illustrator. I didn’t have embroidery software at the time, so the digitization was commissioned from Etsy. The skirt took 56hrs: 4 panels, 9 hoops each, 14hrs per panel. I used threads & stabilizer from @wonderfilspecialtythread and their products were a dream to work with! I used a water-soluble stabilizer that I washed away with no residue on the fabric. 

After installing the zipper, I added a bow, hand-sewed the embroidered vines to the top, & finished the sleeves with feathers and embroidered applique. Then came my favorite part: sparkles! I beaded the bodice using multiple colors of beads, copper sequins, and rhinestones. I also added sequins to the embroidery on the skirt. My lacefront wig is from Amazon, and I styled it with pin curls, sculpted baby hairs, and Hollywood waves. I added a feather & rhinestone comb I made myself!