Sewing project: red satin dress

My dance friend is turning 55 on December 11th and we are doing a semi-sexy boa dance. You can guess that the whole concept of semi sexy walking around while holding a boa is so not belly dance, though I admit to doing such a thing at a gothic fashion show a couple of years ago while wearing a leather skirt and a james brown type of top with feathered edges.

But I digress! It has all been great fun and I hope that nobody will ever tape this performance because I will be forced to break in and destroy the evidence. To make things even more interesting, the costume choice is a long red satin dress with half circle skirt. The upper edge could have red feathers along the edge and there will be a black insert in the slit. The hip area will get a ruched red satin part for a small hip accent.

I got the main outline for the dress from Marjan and yesterday I made the bodice (Halterstraps are my addition) and put it on my mannequin so the fabric can hang and I can hem the skirt in a week or so.

It looks rather long in the torso but that is because the weight of the skirt is dragging the bodice down, I have more boobs then my mannequin and also more neck. First time for cutting satin on the bias, and I tell you IT IS HELL. It does drape very nicely though, bodice has no zipper or buttons but can be pulled on over the head. It has a slinky effect that makes it sort of cling to the body without being tight fitting and it is very unflattering due to being all red and shiny and not form fitting but we will look great together on stage.