Costume and fashion designer Joshua Hart has a grand portfolio – grand is the best word for it. Hart has created the sort of dresses and outfits that seem like they should only exist in fairy tales. Hart’s latest creation is actually from a fairy tale: Cinderella’s ball gown. I’ve featured the voluminous blue dress from the live action Cinderella movie before because I can’t get over cosplayers who tackle replicas of it. It seems like a dress that could only be made by an entire costume department.
Hart doesn’t seem to be having any problems though. He built the cage crinoline first and as he explains, it’s a little different than a hoop skirt:
The cage crinoline is a wonderfully supportive garment that is used to provide lightweight shape to full skirts. Different than a standard hoop skirt, a cage crinoline is created from horizontal metal bones that are suspended on vertical strips of ribbon (preferably grosgrain/petersham). The openness of the cage allows the fabric to sway and move gracefully, while standard, fabric-covered hoop skirts tend to move stiffly. The fabric at the bottom of the skirt is called a “bag”. This is paramount to the safety and durability of the hoop skirt as it prevents the wearer’s feet from stepping between the rungs while walking up stairs, dancing, running, sitting, etc.
He acquired over 260 yards of fabric for the skirt and at one point, turned 66 yards of that fabric into 300 individually cut eight inch strips for the ruffles. With nine petticoat layers done, the skirt currently weighs in at almost eight pounds.
Petticoat Fabrics:
1. 105 yards of White Organza
2. 35 yards of Turquoise Opalescent Organza
3. 30 yards of Turquoise Crystal Organza
4. 25 yards of Orchid Crystal Organza
5. 30 yards of Cornflower Iridescent Crystal Organza
6. 7 yards of Turquoise Poly/Lurex Jacquard
Much better than glass slippers:
Keep tabs on the progress of this costume at Facebook.