[x]

Browse More Like This

More from ~FireLilyCosplay

View Gallery · View Prints

Featured in Groups:

#firefly
Can't stop the signal.

#Cos-Club
Cosplay Club

#Needles-and-Thread
Sew What You Wear

#DD-Catalogue
The Home of Daily Deviations

#ACParadise

#custom-clothes

#Craft-Cafe
Artisan Crafts & Traditional

Details

Submitted: November 24, 2009
Image Size: 578 KB
Resolution: 1020×760

Link

Thumb

Statistics

Comments: 435
Favourites: 994 [who?]
Views: 33,705 (2 today)
Downloads: 1,083 (0 today)

[x]

Kaylee's Layer Cake Dressby ~FireLilyCosplay

Artisan Crafts / Costumery / Costumes / Character & Theme

Photographers: David Dunn, Junior from Refractor Productions

Ever since my friend and I decided to make Kaylee and Inara's dresses from the episode "Shindig" of Firefly, I had been planning and plotting just how to go about making it.

There were a few problems with the costume to start with. First, the costume designer actually used vintage sari fabric from India to make up the bodice of the dress. Not exactly something I can come by very easily ^.^ I decided to start with a plain white dupioni silk and stamp the entire fabric with pink and gold star and paisley designs. After the ruching and button-covering and ruffling, the bodice was pretty much ready to go.

I used a Flamingo pink (you'll get the reference if you know a lot of behind the scenes Firefly trivia!) silk dupioni for the ruffles, belt, sleeves, and bow, all covered with hand embroidery. The pink sleeve lattice lace was hand knotted and the gold and pink tassels were hand made. The buttons were also hand covered.

The second hard part was the skirt - although the costume was said to have used pre-made silk chiffon hoops, chiffon is entirely too flimsy a fabric to get the correct drape for the ruffles, in my opinion. I opted to use a white sheer voile fabric and dye the peach and pink layers. Each layer of ruffles is edged with rolled hems that I had to run through my sewing machine twice using a zig-zag stitch (omg took forever!). I then sewed each layer onto a plain cotton sheath skirt and attached it to the bodice.

The dress sits on a hoop skirt (bought) and petticoat (made by me) and corset (also made by me). The purse is made from pink cotton and covered with little pink rhinestones that I stuck on the front. The gloves were purchased on Ebay, vintage, and dyed light pink. And I used my real hair - I just straightened it a bit ^.^

It really was so much fun wearing this dress!! I absolutely love all the ruffles and everyone had fun petting them. Most of my friends still think I'm nuts for the amount of hand detailing I put on it, but I think it came out very nicely and more authentic looking ^.^

Daily Deviation

Given 2010-03-27

Kaylee's Layer Cake Dress by *FireLilyCosplay is a stunning cosplay dress with a LOT of hand detailing. I do encourage you to read the artist's description to get an idea of the work that went into making this gorgeous dress. ( Suggested by !Sarah-L-B and Featured by `MyntKat )

love 11 11

joy 9 9

wow 5 5

~~mad 0 0~~

~~sad 0 0~~

~~fear 0 0~~

~~neutral 0 0~~

~planxtafroggie Apr 18, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

That is a nice dress. I'm almost too into it... Oo;

~OrphanOfTheStars Dec 1, 2011 Hobbyist General Artist

Great job! If I owned that dress, I would wear it everyday

~Spirit-Lily Jan 3, 2011 Student Writer

I love the little tassels on the sleeves.

~meowzer13 Oct 12, 2010 Student Traditional Artist

This is AMAZING!!

~magesticbrat01 Mar 28, 2010

Yeah what everyone else said! /agree! I too am cosplaying as Kaylee for Sakura Con in Seattle in April. However I'm doing her normal mechanic's outfit. I don't have guts like yours to make a costume like that. More Power to You!!! Wonderful job-wishes I will someday be able to be that good with my costumes.