Michelle Nielsen

Michelle sent me a picture of her adorable Halloween-themed Elizabethan gown last winter, and I've been holding on to it and looking forward to October ever since! It's really fun to see costumers express their creativity by adding a twist to traditional historical costumes, and I'm sure this outfit is quite a hit for the holidays! You can read more about Michelle's gown below the picture, and you can contact her at crazyladymichelle(at)msn(dot)com.

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This year I played around with the Simplicity pattern 8881 and created my own gothic version in black and purple. The bodice was made in satin lined with muslin with chiffon and a lovely fabric I found at JoAnn's called Silk Essence on the sleeves. The added flash is from the amethyst rhinestones that are centered on the squares. The skirt is also done in satin with a silk essence underskirt and the forepart was accented by a spooky glitter velvet bat print mesh. The piping that frames the bodice I also found at JoAnn's. If you look closer at the sleeves, you'll notice that they end in a point over the hand (a simple addition to the sleeve pattern). Also the cartridge pleats of the skirt has a small gold bead tucked between each pleat.