All On A Mardi Gras Day

Mardi Gras is exactly one month away this year. Me and my friends are usually knee deep in tulle and feathers in preparation of our costumes for either; our participation in various parades or our Mardi Gras day costume. This year I won't be in New Orleans to participate in parades or celebrate the day; however there is a possibility of participation in a Mardi Gras parade in Phoneix this year.

I am in the Arizona Steampunk Society and promoters of the Mardi Gras parade has invited the society to participate. I would like to say that everyone jumped at the moment of hearing this news but- that wasn't exactly the case. I have had bated breath wanting to know if we do participate if will be a theme or coordination of color. The one thing I do know is that there will be a steampunk influence.

I went ahead and started preparation of of a costume- tame as it will be in comparison to a costume for New Orleans Mardi Gras costume- a costume in steampunk style.

I chose fabrics in traditional Mardi Gras colors; green, purple and gold. I found some really great harlequin pattern fabric in cotton calico blended weight. I decided to make a Victorian inspired outfit using this Simplicity pattern.

Like I said above, I am using a cotton not a satin or taffeta like you see in the picture.

I am working on the bustier first and working the rest of the outfit later. Look at all these pieces I needed to cut out. For each pattern piece I had to cut out 2 of each layer; 2 of the front of the top, 2 pieces of fusible interfacing and 2 pieces of of the inside lining fabric (the green fabric).

The bustier also requires featherweight boning and a zipper. It is unusual for a typical bustier to have a zipper in place of corset laces or heavy hook and eye closures.

Since I am still in the preparation stage of this project I will have come back and give an update as my project progresses.