My Outlander wedding dress

[mxangel1]

Thank you Terry for creating such a beautiful dress! However, I was insane enough to try to make (my smaller, amateur version) of it and couldn’t find anything to replicate the metalwork in the bodice so I used Christmas tinsel. 🙂 It was a pain but it came together fairly well after hours and hours of embroidering. I ran out of time so I didn’t get to add the “dog bone” and my sleeves were slapped together and don’t look like yours at all but it gave the effect well enough. Kudos to you and yours with your dress. It has been so inspiring! I had never drafted a pattern and ran into many structural problems due to the weight of all the pleating even after scaling down the amount of fabric in the skirt so I can definitely see why Claire needed a stool! Anyhow, just wanted to share the dress and let you know how much you have inspired me, not just in this show but throughout your career!

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[sommarblomma]

That’s so beautiful! Did you make your own pattern? I am wanting to make this as well, but I am NOT skilled in pattern making! I’m thinking about trying to find something similar and tweak it.

[ljedwards]

There are patterns out there. I reenact 18th century and make my own clothes. Patterns are “Period Impressions”, J.P. Ryan patterns, Kannik’s Korner (theirs are a little confusing) there are others….just do not use your costume patterns from Simplicity etc. they are not really period correct

[mxangel1]

Yes ljedwards, I love those pattern makers but I didn’t have time to order and mess with altering one so I just made one since none were the right shape in the back anyhow but thank you for the suggestions! I am going to start another 18th century dress and I have a JP Ryan pattern that I will be using. I love her patterns!

Thank you Jeni and Kate, I did do the embroidery work, with christmas tinsel. I wore it to Costume College in CA, it is a fun event where you can take classes on costuming and each night there is a themed party. Its quite fun and inspiring to see everyone’s work.

[mxangel1]

Thank you! I drafted my own pattern since I couldn’t find any close enough to the original design.

[sommarblomma]

Whoa! WTG! I admire people who can draft their own- my sister is a clothing designer and is BOSS at it, but it scares the heck out of me! Did you go to school for it or just figured it out?

[mxangel1]

Thanks! I did not go to school even though I would LOVE to! I started costuming 2 years ago in December, I just kind of taught myself through trial and MANY errors! 😉 I had never made a thing and I started with one commercial brand pattern and then realized they were pretty bad and have since went on to better brands such as JP Ryan and Truly Victorian but this dress was so unique that I wanted to make my own. I just used some muslin and fiddled with it until I had it as close as I could get to the design and made the dress. I did forget that my dress form is larger than me though, so I ended up having to take it in at the sides which was a bummer because it was very nice and neat inside but not so much after! But… it’s done and it was worth the many hours of time and, I’m a little embarrassed to say, tears! It was more complicated than anything I had made before so I ran across many challenges and may have cussed at it from time to time but it is now a dress! So I can’t complain! 🙂

[katejlongo]

You should be very proud. It is truly gorgeous. Congratulations.

[Jeni]

Beautiful work! You did an amazing job.
Did you do the embroidery too?
Where did you wear it?

I’m a self taught costume maker too. I use Janet Arnold’s books and Costume close up, both have great details for the 18th century.

[Author]

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