The Swim dress |
What you see to the right is the sketch drawn by the artist David la Vey for the Swim dress. For one reason or another the dress ended up looking much different in the finished movie. I have not yet attempted to make the garment so many know from the motion picture, because of the high material costs involved. A multi layered dress like this should be made with the materials used in the film, silk georgette. This fabric however is rather expensive and the fact that the gown eats up many many yards is not exactly helpful either. I made a version that strives after the sketch however and have sold it on ebay. You be the judge on how close I came!! This dress can be made in different, less expensive materials. My fee to make this version of the Swim dress is $ 300, materials and shipping is extra. |
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A Swim dress re-modeled... |
My customer Jamie bought a film version Swim dress on ebay and even though the sizing in the auction description stated it would fit her to a T, she was very dissappointed when she received the dress. She wrote to me: " The entire thing is too small and too big at the same time. The skirt makes me look like I'm expecting triplets. The bust is too low and the entire dress needs major help. HELP! " |
The picture above shows Jamie modeling the dress for her husband, who took the pic. You can easily see that there's something majorly wrong going on. The pic to the left shows the dress after I was done "remodeling". I basically took the entire dress apart, re-cut the skirts, made a new bodice and added a |
third color,ivory,for the sleeves. The original blue sleeves could not be saved, as the rest of the chiffon on the dress used, the pieces where cut totally crooked. I couldn't find any new blue chiffon, so I added a 3rd layer of ivory chiffon to the skirt, which justified using the same color for the sleeves. After I had re-cut the white chiffon, it was not long enough to meet the white satin base skirt at the hem, as in the original dress, so the ivory layer does that now instead. I think overall I was able to turn this sinking disaster into a floating dream. So if you have one of those awful and horrible bridesmaids dresses tucked away in a corner somehwere, you might want to give me a buzz, it might actually look very decent by the time I'm done "remodeling" ! |
Amy's Swim dress |
Another successful Swim dress project. Amy from Maryland is an avid Titanic and Regency clothing fan who loves to wear her dresses whenever she can. She told me she has 2 of the swim dresses movie-style but would love to have one according to the sketch. So I set out to create the dress in white and light pink double georgette, with a hot pink colored sash, 3 skirt layers in all, and some very nice pearl and white bead beading on the white overskirt. She also ordered some Regency day dresses and a white satin Regency ball gown, which you can see on her personal page. She plans to wear the white ball gown when she has her portrait painted in oil, an idea which I find so very romantic. There's just nothing like it, no photo studio could ever give that feeling! Amy is also only about 5'11" tall, so this will ensure that the dress is going to look extra stunning on her. I wish I could see it in person. |
Jamie finally had a minute in her busy schedule to take a pic for me. Isn't she lovely??? |
Ashley's Swim dress... Ashley contacted me 2 weeks prior to the beginning of her cruise with the request for a dinner dress from "Titanic". After I had explained to her that this would be impossbile to do in such short time, she went for Plan B, the Swim dress. Here it is. She'll probably send it back in the future to have more beading applied. I'll add a picture of Ashley in her gown after she returns... |
The bottom skirt layer is made from a light pink double georgette, the top 2 layers are made from the same material in white. The sash is a lilac color. The dress has a back zipper and bead and pearl trim around the neckline and kimono sleeves. |
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Here's a pic of Ashley wearing her fabulous dress on the cruise she went to. She even got a butterfly haircomb to match the dress. AWESOME! |
Patsy's Swim dress... |
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Patsy and her husband are from the UK and her daughter is getting married in Liverpool later this year. Patsy's daughter will have an Edwardian themed wedding and Patsy told me that a lot of the male members of her family used to work for the White Star Line, the one that built the Titanic. So Patsy thought it would be ideal to wear a version of the movie's Swim dress to the wedding. She opted for blue, some additional beaded fringe at the lower end of the sash and some extra beading on the skirt hems. The blue sheer part attached to the sash over the bodice comes completely off. |
A view of the lower front hem reveals the beaded trim for each layer. |
Heather's Swim dress... |
Heather was asked to attend a bridal party this August and the bride will wear a dark purple antique 1910's dress. She asked her attending women to wear dark colors, but left them free choice otherwise. Well, Heather saw it as her chance to wear a dress styled like the sim dress from Titanic, since she loves the flowing multi layered skirt. I don't think this boat is going to sink! |
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The beading was done in silver seedbeads with large black bugle beads. I added little tassels to the top skirt layer on the corners. |
This version follows the original color scheme of the film costume much better, but I left the sash off, using a belt version instead. The pink satin belt runs under the top akirt layer all the way around, the exposed front piece is beaded with dangles. I made this for myself to wear to the 228th US Amy Birthday Ball here in Fort Carson on June 12-04, but have since found a new fabric I think I like better. I'm undecided. Go surf ebay, you just never know if you'll find it there! |
