How to make a 'showgirl' costume?? Have now made it - with photos!!

16th April 2009 at 22:10

Hi I was hoping some of you could help me, it's my birthday at the start of
May and for my celebratory night out at university I wanted to think of a good and original theme, and I've thought of - Showtime! - as I am a self confessed very theatrical girl... and I thought I can ask people to be performers of some kind, famous musicians and singers or stereotypical magicians, clowns, so they can do as much or little as they want for the outfit... and I thought I could be a very sequin feathery showstopping showgirl well that's the idea... a bit like a carnival dancer type of thing... although are they just in very sparkly underwear? Haha.. as cool as it might look if I did it well, I don't want to look like a big slag!
but other than sewing fringing and sequins onto a bikini or a dress I'm not really sure? Any ideas? Especially for those feathery hats/headdresses they have as I would love to make one of those! Although how easy it is to get hold of massive ostrich feathers in the UK, I'm not sure
Thanks if anyone can help me, sorry it's a bit random!

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5 replies since 16th April 2009 • Last reply 16th April 2009

Expired Sanity

Reply #1: 20th April 2009 at 19:07

Bustles are always really cool, and I imagine something like this one would be simple enough to make:

(that one is for sale actually here:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=23513580 and there are more bustles in the shop if you want some more ideas)
Some other accessories are: gloves, cuffs, stockings, shoes, extreme make up, chokers,corsets, boas.
Also an alternative to ostrich feathers is peacock feathers which are a bit more common. I always see a ton of them at farmers markets and fairs. (I live in Canada though so I don't know about the UK)

Or you could make something a little simpler like this:

There is tutorial for something similar to that here: http://www.threadbanger.com/episode/THR_20080926
I also found a tutorial for how to make a fruit headdress: http://www.pontanisisters.com/project_1_fruit_headdress.html

In this article: http://www.ehow.com/how_5648_create-showgirl-costume.html it recommends "Pin ostrich feathers to a rhinestone tiara or cascading lilies to your upswept hairdo."
That tutorial also has some pretty good other tips.
Hopefully this was a little helpful, good luck and happy birthday.

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michelle G.

Reply #2: 20th April 2009 at 22:10

get fishnet stockings and a corset, a cute pleated mini skirt, make a bustel out of shear frabric, nice heels

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StarryFerrari

Reply #3: 4th May 2009 at 13:01

Thanks for your help ladies! I managed to whip up a costume that I was very proud of, working on it in my spare moments for a week And my birthday was on Saturday, here's some photos -

as we left the flat, my full outfit

my feather headdress

my dress/leotard thing

dancing with Frank Sinatra

my ratpack boys

Lara Croft

a silly picture but you can see the back of the sequins and fringe

with some of my flatmates

photo from the club

I made my outfit - bought everything from eBay - a red swimsuit, I sewed the layers of fringing on, and then sewed red strung sequins on top, and for my headdress I used a red satin headband and stuck the feathers together at the ends with red gaffer tape! I got 11 inch red ostrich feathers on ebay then I covered the join with sequins and sewed sequins down the sides of it sadly it rained as we waited for the bus home and my feathers are not as beautifully fluffy as they were!