| Glinda The Good Witch A Costume Study |
| A study for the Glinda The Good Witch Costume worn by actress Billie Burke in the film The Wizard of Oz. Costume Designer: Adrian Visuals/Photos: Wizard of Oz Album The Costumer's Guide to Movie Costumes Wizard of Oz Do a search on eBay using the terms, "wizard of oz or glinda AND lobby card or standee" Doll Versions of this gown: ~My Glinda Gown for Sasha ~The Tonner Glinda Doll ~Mattel Barbie as Glinda Doll ~Mattel Barbie as Glinda Doll (older version) ~Mattel Kelly as Glinda Doll ~Madame Alexander Glinda Doll The Special 3 Disc DVD release (2005) My Study: As always, and I will repeat this to you frequently: If you disagree on a study point strongly, please email me. I want this information to be as accurate as possible, and I am always open to other's opinions on a costume study. Some of the elements are only guesses, for example I STILL am unsure about what the front, sides, and back of the underskirt have going on there. I can only guess. And, we never get to see Claudia in the process of dressing to be able to see what type of corset(s) or undergarments they designed for Kirsten at that age. We never get to see her feet either, just a tiny peek. So much guesswork happens on this one. All my very best favorite costumes seem to be like this for some reason. The Costume Elements: I think that the bodice and the skirt(s) are one. That the gown is an all-in-one with the skirts pleated and gathered to the bodice. The Bodice of the Gown: I cannot tell if there is a seam on the center front or if it's cut on the fold. The side front/front meets at a princess seam. I think I spot one more tuck to the left of each princess seam. The center front has a "v"..The seam between the skirts and the bodice is trimmed with clear rhinestone chain. The trim goes all the way around to the back. The bodice pieces have an overlay of organza or netting that has been accented with stars, rhinestones, embroidery in silver and glittery sparkle. The neckline is a "v". The neckline has a gathered trim of tulle netting. The center front of the bodice is gathered between the breasts. On top of that, it looks like a silver appliqué made out of beads or rhinestones and silver thread. The appliqué has a lattice background and a large pearl drop at the bottom center. Two smaller drops on either side of the appliqué. There are 4 butterflies on this gown. 1.) On the right shoulder a large (10-13") wired organza or net butterfly. This may also be a fine sheet of metal punched out. I have seen delicate metal butterfly hair clips and the wings are fixed on springs so they flutter. Might be something like that. 2.) On the right of the bodice front is a small butterfly. The small ones might be appliqués. 3.) On the left sleeve point a small butterfly. 4.) On the right sleeve point a small butterfly. I think that the bodice and skirt close with perhaps a hook and eye at top, and a hidden zipper down the back. Whatever closure there is, it's not very prominent. I am unsure if the side back/center back are cut curved or not. When I made my version I cut them with a curve. There may be a secondary tuck to either side of the side back/center back seam. The sleeves are as follows: A under sleeve of perhaps silk taffeta, a solid fabric. An overlay on top of that of either organza or tulle netting which is embroidered and beaded and spangled with stars and glittery trims. The over sleeve is a big gathered puff of tulle or organza which is studded with stars as well. Out of all the elements of this costume, I was most confused by how they were cut. I made the top of the sleeve curved to match the under sleeve head, but I made it twice as wide. I made them twice as long as the under sleeve pattern. I know that you cannot just make them longer, you also need extra width. To get the sincere puffiness shown here. It was also very hard to get the excess into such a small area gracefully. I ran a gathering stitch the top and gathered it up so that the overall width met up with the under sleeve width. Then turned the sleeve over on itself so I could stitch the hem into the sleeve cap as well. I stitched both layers of the sides together with a gathering stitch and brought them up to the sleeve cap area as well. With everything tacked down, I stitched it to the bodice. The hem of the under sleeve is pointed and it has been embellished with more clear rhinestone chain trim and each sleeve has a butterfly. I think that I spy a 4-5" opening on the underside near the hem where there is either a hidden zipper or some like fabric covered buttons. The sleeves are quite tight to the wrist. The only way you can get that is with either stretch fabric or leaving an opening in them. The Skirt(s) of the Gown: The skirts are probably made up of at least 3-4 layers. The under most layer being a solid fabric such as silk taffeta. The outer most layers being of either tulle or organza or both! The very top layer or perhaps the top and one just below that are decorated in the same manner as the bodice, with silver thread embroidery in the style of snowflakes, sparkles and rhinestones and stars. The center of the snowflakes might be beaded. The skirts are cut very wide to accommodate the undergarments. Pleated to the waist. The waist is stitched to the bodice. It doesn't look like the out layers are finished in any way..you can definitely get away with not finishing the edges using tulle. Organza will fray. There is no indication of a large or narrow hem on the underskirt. The pieces are probably cut as a front on fold, the back cut on grain. The seams are at the sides and at the center back. The center back is longer than the rest of the skirt pieces so it's slightly trained. The hem of the skirt touches the floor. The Undergarments: Historically, in the 1930's-40's women wore -bras and underpants or all in one girdles with garters for stockings -slips, camisoles, and tap pants -stockings with garter belts I can tell by looking at these photos above that the gown is being supported by large hooped petticoat or paniers. You can see where the hoops end probably just past the knees. The view from the front is quite wide just like an 18th century gown. The Accessories (Crown, Necklace & Scepter): The Crown is very tall, and I am unsure of what it is made of to tell the truth. If anyone out there knows what the crown was constructed of, please contact me! My guess is: buckram covered in organza or tulle. Cut out and highly decorated with glitter, rhinestones, beads, and sequins. It's obviously light weight, sheer too. You have to remember, this was the 1930's when it was created so plastic and all the fancy materials we have today may or may not have been around then. I assume it was custom made for her head and that it fit like a glove. The center front has some large silver decorations, which look like stars and grapes to me. The tops are stars and underneath the stars streamers of glitter or thread. It looks like rhinestone chain trim around the band. The Scepter is very long, at least 4-5' in length. It is at least 3/4" in diameter on the handle. Silver metal. On top a star in silver covered in rhinestones. Everything was probably soldered together here. The Necklace is made of clear rhinestone chain and a silver butterfly is attached to one side. This butterfly looks like the butterflies on the gown. The Shoes: Hairstyle & Makeup: Glinda's hairstyle is a medium length wavy style parted in the center. I am sure they would not have wanted to go too elaborate with her hair because of the crown, for fit reasons and so that it did not outshine the "star". It is very natural and it falls past her shoulders in the back. A beautiful strawberry blond or reddish blond color. No bangs. Glinda's makeup is very typical of that era. Eyes have false lashes, lots of mascara. Eyeliner and shadow. It looks like a soft pink color with a lighter vanilla color above it. A slight pinky-rose blush on the cheek bones. On the lips a reddish coral lipstick. The eyebrows have been thinned out and penciled back in. Some sort of base foundation is most likely worn. Pancake or the like. Costume Fabric Suggestions: Peachy-Pink Silk Taffeta Peachy-Pink Silk Organza Silver Starflakes, Snowflakes, Stars, Beads, Butterflies and Ultra Fine Glitter Peachy-Pink Tulle Netting Ballet Pink Imperial Batiste Ballet Pink Knit Silk Taffeta or Taffeta Acetate Silk Organza or Poly Organza Tulle Silver metallic thread from Sulky Rhinestone Chain (this can also be found at your local fabric store in the bridal trims section) Austrian Crystal Chain Rhinestones, More Rhinestones Millinery Wire (for making wired butterflies use smallest gauge #23) Ultra Fine Glitter, Sequins, Butterflies, Beads, and things Some lovely appliqués found on M&J Trimming website 1, 2, 3 Books To Help You Make This Costume: How to Make Sewing Patterns by Don McCunn Pattern making for Fashion Design (4th edition) by Helen J Armstrong Draping for Fashion Design (4th edition) by Hilde Jaffe & Nurie Relis All About Silk: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatch book (Fabric Reference Series, Volume 1) by Julie Parker The History of Underclothes by C. Willett Cunnington Corsets & Crinolines by Norah Waugh Bead & Sequin Embroidery Stitches by Stanley Levy Construction Hints, Patterns & Tips Found:) How To: Make a Organza appliqué and a Wired Organza Butterfly: 1.) Determine the size and design of butterfly you want to make and pick the appropriate sized embroidery hoop to hold the width of fabric. In my example I am making a small, 3 1/2" wired butterfly for a doll. I am using silk organza as the base. A single layer. It's helpful to print out a photo to copy freehand, or to copy by holding the sheer fabric above it..you can see right through it to the design. If you cannot see through the fabric or don't feel comfortable just free hand drawing the design, you'll need to get some temporary marking chalks or disappearing ink pens to draw your design on the fabrics. Put your piece of fabric into the hoop and pull at the fabric to tighten it once it's secured in the hoop. For my design, you will also need fabric glue, water, a plastic or paper plate or painting tray, various rhinestones in the colors and shapes you choose, millinery wire in either white or black (depends on the fabric color you're using, all light fabrics should go with white wire), tweezers for placing rhinestones into glue, metallic thread or fabric matching thread, ultra fine glitter and fine small paintbrush. 2.)I decided to just freehand draw the shape of a butterfly based on the butterfly in the photos of this costume. I took sobo glue, a fabric and trims glue which dries clear and diluted it with a small amount of water so that it flowed smoothly on the organza. I drew the outline of the butterfly onto the organza and then pulled some extra glue in dragging motion from the outline towards the center. Not too much unless you want the glitter to be very thick. Use a small amount of glue on your paintbrush. Too much glue equals too much clumpy glitter. I then sprinkled ultra fine glitter over the entire design in a thick layer, covering all areas of glue so that I no longer could see any glue. I poured the excess off the organza onto a sheet of paper, curved the paper and poured the excess BACK into the glitter pot. Waste not, want not. I added tiny drops of non-watery glue on top of the butterfly in certain places so that I could add rhinestones to it. I used the tweezers to drop the rhinestones onto the butterfly. Let the organza butterfly dry completely (at least a few hours) before doing anything else to it. 3.)Once the butterfly is completely dry (touch the back side..if it is dry the rest should be dry too), I removed the butterfly from the hoop. I cut away the excess fabric leaving at least 1-2" around the design. Gather together the rest of the tools needed to wire up the butterfly. You will need small snips to cut the millinery wire, wire in gauge #23 (fine gauge), thread, thread snips, a fine sharp needle, fray check (fray block will turn white on silk organza, fray check stays clear) scissors. Take the wire and bend it around the back side in a general shape of the butterfly, so that you know how much wire you need to snip off, leave yourself at least 1/2" past that just in case. Begin sewing the wire onto the back of the design, bend the wire to follow the shape of your butterfly and stitch it on so that the wire hides behind the glitter, so you do not see it from the front. Knot your thread and begin in the back, go up through the fabric and come right back down wrapping the wire with thread. Don't pull the tension too tight otherwise the edges will wave. You basically just want to secure the wire too the fabric by wrapping it with thread all the way around. After the wings are wired up you will notice the center will cave in or sag. To get rid of this, cut a straight piece to fit behind the center. Sew that one on in the same way. Take your fray check product and trace a think line of if around the outside edge of the butterfly and let dry completely. Trim away excess fabric leaving about 1/16th of an inch. Bend the wings to suit your design and sew it onto your gown! In the last photo above, I also made a sew on appliqué (in the center of the bust) in the same manner, but I did not wire it up. I used ultra fine glitter as a base design, glued several sizes of clear acrylic rhinestones on top and then finished it off with some hand beading with small 8/0 sized clear/silver lined rocaille glass beads. I then treated the edges with fray check, trimmed away excess and sewed it onto the gown. If you are going to do larger appliqués with heavy beading or pearls, I recommend that you do TWO layers for extra support. You can also find detailed instructions on making organza appliqués in this book: Designer Bead Embroidery: 150 Patterns and Complete Techniques Working With Silk Taffeta Working With Silk Organza Sewing With Metallic Threads Patterns Found: Simplicity 4136 (OOP) Simplicity 4139 (children's) Simplicity 7808 (OOP) Make your own patterns from slopers: Butterick 6092 Home Email me your thoughts! cinema dot fantasy at yahoo.com |
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