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Lettie’s ocean
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
This costume is inspired by the book by Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Namely the character Lettie, who sacrifices herself for the main character, her friend, and is put into the ocean behind her home to restore her powers.
The story of the book follows the unnamed main character, who returns to his childhood home and starts remembering an episode of his childhood where he accidentally let into the world a creature from a different dimension. His neighbour, Lettie, helped him fight back and protected him from the harmful magic of the creature. Lettie, who lives with her mother and grandmother, seems to be a witch or something similar, as the way she speaks of the world is much older than she appears to be. The main characters arrives at her house and speaks with her grandmother, who tells him that him remembering and coming back regularly is just Lettie checking up on him from the Ocean in their backyard. As he leaves, he starts forgetting again.
The image of Lettie floating in this small pond that is an ocean stuck with me. This costume is supposed to represent how I imagine her in that state of magical restoration, and how she could appear to the main character in a vision should she have wanted to. The skirt is therefore supposed to remind of the water of a calm ocean, while the corset is to hint at the unnamed power of the character.
Outline the construction…
The gown is made out of a separate skirt, corset, and petticoat. The skirt is made out of 1 layer blue poly satin, and 4 layers of two different shades of blue poly organza. All 5 layers are constructed out of 7 panels, with the back panels going into a train. All seams are finished as French seams. The skirt closes with a zipper. The waistband is simple and is made by joining the foundation layer and the top layers in reverse, overturning it and them securing the fabric together with a top stich. Most of the seams and the hem on the satin layer were made by machine, the zipper was attached by hand. The hems of the organza layers were treated with a heat tool.
The petticoat is made out of simple black cotton fabric. The frill is made out of 6 meters of pleated fabric, with a double machine stich to secure it to the bottom of the petticoat. The waistband is held by inserted elastic.
The corset is made out of two layers of black cotton twill, and the top layer is blue poly satin. The construction method used for the corset is joining the two cotton fabrics wrong sides together, and securing along the seam lines, and then adding boning channels. The corset is boned with plastic bones. The edge is secured with a row of stitching and satin bias tape, and decorated with black lace appliques. The corset pattern is self drafted.
The ocean was the first thing your skirt reminded me of, so job very well done on portraying it! I don’t know the story itself, but judging by your description I find your creation to be very fitting.
It looks stunning !!
You realised your vision of a dress evoking the ocean beautifully. Good luck x
This is intimidatingly beautiful. Big princess of the world vibes. I love the effect of the different colors and the shape is gorgeous. The appliqué lace on the corset is *chef’s kiss*
I love how the skirt has the depth of color that the ocean has. It really looks like water reflecting the light. Gorgeous work!
Your layering of the skirt really creates that translucent through the sea look. This is enchanting and evokes the otherworldly feel of Letty and her ocean.
The sun sparkling on the skirt, it looks like water. Beautiful dress!
Gorgeous! I love the sparkles!
Oh, my goodness, everything about this is just elegant and magical. You captured your concept perfectly, and the effect is stunning!
Beautifully done! Great fabric choices, too!
My first thought upon noticing the appliqué lace design was “that would look like seafoam if it were white.” I don’t know if that’s intentional, but it’s certainly quite appropriate.
Also– that fourth photo, the more forward-facing full body shot, shows off the overall effect particularly gorgeously. The way the skirt shimmers, the streaks of darkness and light, all sorts of subtle intricacies. Congratulations to the photographer for getting that particular shot, and to you for putting together a dress that would do that in the first place.
Absolutely fantastic job on making the skirt look like the ocean! The appliques on the corset are a nice touch, as well!
Wow, that organza really makes this outfit. I love the corset, very neatly done. I love this, thank you!
I can definitely see the ocean in the skirt. It ripples like tiny waves in the sunlight. Beautifully sewn and tailored.