Little Miss Muffet - The beginning

Well, here begins the record of my epic struggle with Little Miss Muffet (my costume for Enken's Fairy Tales party), which is really just a thinly-veiled excuse to make an Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) dress. I've been wanting to make one forever, but (for the usual reasons - cost, and body/age-appropriateness being foremost of these!) I've never gotten around to it. I recently interviewed a group of lovely Australian lolitas for a story I was writing about the Adelaide Anime and Video Convention (AVCon) and I was struck (again) but just how adorable, feminine and flattering their gorgeous brand dresses were, and it made me want to go nuts and frill it up big-styles. :D

So my plan is to make a dark tartan lolita dress from a Gosurori (Japanese lolita fashion magazine) pattern. I could be wrong (and it's SO easy to be with EGL) but I understand that if you're not buying actual 'brand' (which many lolitas consider to be the most desirable scenario) a dress made (well!) from a Gosurori pattern is the next best option. I've chosen this one, and I am completely enamoured of everything about it - the trim on the hem of the skirt, the apron, the collar... totally gorgeous and perfect for the costume*.

I was hugely lucky to find a gorgeous tartan suiting half price at the Lincraft sale... but that's about all I've saved money on! There is NOTHING worse than a lolita dress made with cheap lace and fabric, and even if I'm not wearing this for everyday, I'd still like it to be the best it can be. So I went all-out on buying lovely cotton lace (with thread-though ribbon) and a beautiful white quilter's cotton for the apron, collar and mini mob cap. May as well do it right (but ouch for the Hello Kitty wallet!! :s)!

Anyway, I'll make separate posts for each element of the costume, then a final one with pictures of the end result. Cross fingers for me! :)

*To the lovely EGLs out there - I am fully aware that lolita is most decidedly a fashion and not a costume, but as I am using this 'fashion dress' as a basis for a costume I feel I'm okay in calling it just that. To base a lengthy disclaimer on semantics is a bit silly - suffice to say I am respectful (and envious!) of those who wear lolita in their everyday lives, and recognise its validity as a fashion. 'Nuff said! :)