The Age of Innocence

For my Final Individual Project at the end of my second year I made a dress for the character May in the film 'The Age of Innocence' working from  the original design. The film is set in New York in the 1870s.

I'll show you the costume underwear first.



The corset I made is based on 1870s corset patterns, made from two layers of cotton and spiral wire boning and it has lace sewn down the front.



I made a bustle to give the skirt it's shape, it's made of cotton drill and steel boning.

The bustle had to be covered by a petticoat to make the shape smoother, add more volume and to protect the skirt. It's made of cotton drill like the bustle.

The design had embroidery down the front of the bodice....these are working pictures. I embroidered the first panel freehand then mirrored it on the other panel.

The bodice is made of cotton velvet and chinese silk backed with cotton, the skirt is made of chinese silk with ribbon sewn  to the pleated fabric around the bottom.

 The ruffles were sewn to a cotton base to keep them where they are.

My model Fran hard at work while the lights for the photoshoot were cooling down.