Carlotta Giudicelli- Phantom of the Opera *Part One*

For PHXCC, we're cosplaying as a group, which is always awesome, as Phantom of the Opera. I'm going as Carlotta Giudicelli, more specifically the costume she wears in Prima Donna (the pink and purple one).
There are almost no reference pictures of this costume in the movie; finding a shot of her costume full-length without it being blurred is extremely rare, so I can have a little more creative license here to make it how I want it.
Her dress is what looks like a wide pink skirt, with a purple jacket buttoned over top of it. She also wears a hat and some gold jewelry. No idea what her shoes look like, and as it's a floor length skirt with a train, I can really wear whatever would be comfortable to walk around all day in.

I started with a really hideous bright pink prom dress that I found at Saver's for $20, and a purple jacket from the same place. I then had to go match the fabric, (which took absolutely FOREVER). I bought an additional three yards of pink cotton that matched the dress, two yards of purple crepe that matched the jacket, a yard of carnation pink cotton for the neckline, and a yard of pale pink chiffon for the hat. I also ended up buying a spool of white lace, some black and white feathers, and some purple flower-shaped buttons.

And then promptly made a huge mess. 

I put the dress on my mannequin and had to pin it up, it was so big. 

I then cut the jacket into the points on the front, cut off the lapels and collar, and folded them over and pinned them so they could be hemmed. Also had to be pinned up on the mannequin to be taken in later. 

I then made a 'tail' out of the matching purple crepe and pinned it on the back. 

I made a ruffle by pinning strip after strip of hot pink fabric together end to end, folding it and pinning it into the ruffles, then sewed it up with a strip of burgundy ribbon over the middle. 

I used the same process to make a ruffle from the pink cotton, then machine sewed it to the neckline of the jacket. 

I also sewed the hot pink ruffle to the skirt of the dress using a wide (and very tedious) hand stitch.

Now I have to do the detailing and cuffs on the sleeves, make the giant ribbon bow/flowers for the skirt and bustle, add the flower buttons and a new closure to the jacket, make the hat and jewelry, and style the wig. I might end up adding a second ruffle to the skirt because hers is wider, but I'm not sure on it yet. I'm hoping to have this one done by next week and then move on to the FanX costumes- more specifically Evie Frye- because that one needs to be done by the end of March. But I'm having a lot of fun with this one in the meantime, I really love how it's turning out.

~Michelle