Barefoot costume

This is another make from 2015 but one I still want to post about.  It turns out that this was the last costume I would make for Locket for competitions. So a bit of nostalgia.

I don’t have any photos of the making as they are in “the lost lot”  – again I was able to salvage some from Facebook.

Miss Lisa was quite specific as to the colour for this costume – blood red! Luckily she showed me an example of what she meant – a crimson – maroon shade of red. Miss Lisa was also specific as to the design. The music for this dance was Pie Jesu sung by The Ten Tenors.

The basic idea for the costume was a leotard with a boyleg legline with an attached overdress that split at the sides. That wasn’t so much of a challenge.

The bigger challenge I thought would be to find blood red fabric. I went down to The Fabric Warehouse (TFW) to have a look at what they might have. Lycra was needed so I checked out that section. Pulled out a bolt of what I thought was a blood red and checked with a staff member. Yes! There were a few other shades close so I got samples of them as well. Miss Lisa’s idea was for both the leotard and overdress to be of the same lycra. My eyes were roving over the shelves when I spotted a lace – a stretch lace! – in almost the exact shade as the lycra. Immediately I could “see” the costume in my mind’s eye. I thought the lace would really lift the whole costume, give it a bit of class, richness, elegance . . . just lift it. So I grabbed a sample of that too. Since I was pretty confident what I liked would be approved I didn’t look in any other shops. I did what I usually do which is to show the card with the samples to Miss Lisa, with no comment, to see which ones she would choose.

As I thought Miss Lisa pointed to the two I liked when she saw the fabrics ? So back to TFW I went to get the fabric. I think I used one of my lining patterns from the Jalie pattern I have but I’m not 100% certain . . . and too lazy at the moment to go upstairs and find the pattern! Anyway it was just the base pattern as I created a new legline, and then draughted the overdress pattern. A bit of guess work involved there but I got there in the end. Then it was on to construction.

Here are a few photos of the finished product. 

 
I think this one was from the first time Locket danced in the costume in 2015.

Similar photo, slightly different angle, which shows the boyleg legline a bit better. The only place the overdress is attached is around the neck and arm lines. This also shows the lace a bit better, though Locket was not impressed with the shadows.

This is just to show the back of the costume.

Photo credit Ross McMillan

One last photo which especially shows one of the reasons for the design of the overdress. This is Locket performing at the studio recital. It was her last time performing this dance as she decided not to continue with competitions.

As Locket performed her solo there was utter silence from the audience. Always a compliment in this kind of show. It’s quite something to watch the transition of a child from a shy preschool dancer to a teenage student who is a confident performer. It was a beautiful performance. Am I biased? Of course I am! This is my baby girl ?

Locket is still dancing but not nearly as much as she was. Different phases of life.