I finished it!
Only took staying up until 1 am because the last bit of trim fought me. But it is done, and kiddo was glowing.
I copied a gown from 1865, but changed the colors to suit the "emo Victorian vibe" kiddo was going for. The changeable taffeta glows shocking red in the sunlight, but the black undertones come out otherwise.
Got a lot of smiles walking through San Francisco this morning.
The orginal pink and white lace version, for comparison.
The back of the dress.
Rather disappointed that the bertha gaps slightly in the back. Didn't have enough try ons at that point to make sure I nailed the angles.
Side view of the dress. The skirt is arranged in big pleats that stay folded in soft lines to the hem (this is not easy to accomplish!). Sways of back lace festoon the bottom of the skirt, caught up in big red bows.
The bodice has an extreme point at the waist, and the neckline is wide, open and just off the shoulder, but isn't low cut enough for cleavage. The bertha around the neckline is, intricate with poof of lace behind strips of red ribbon that match the dress. Still yet more lace is gathered into the bertha, hanging down as a ruffle.
A teenager at the base of Market Street in San Francisco, in the morning light. She is wearing a large, bright red, hooped skirt ball gown with dramatic swags of black lace.