by Debbie Reid
My all-time favorite movie has always been “Singin’ in the Rain.” I especially love the dance scene between Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly and thought that someday I should copy the green dress she wears.
Every New Year’s Eve we go to our friends’ party which is often a costumed affair. Last spring they told us that since this would be their twentieth (and last) New Year’s Eve party and because we are now in the twenties, the theme would be the Roaring Twenties. Of course, it was time to make that dress! I found the dance scene on YouTube and made screen shots to get the details of the dress. I first made the decorated panels for the skirt and around the top of the bodice. I marked the designs using stencils I made on my Scanncut. I sewed thousands of sequins, one at a time. Each of the skirt panels took 6 hours.
Next, I used my sloper (developed with the help of the Designing Divas) to make the body of the dress and added all the panels.
I added a second layer of plain panels underneath the decorated panels of the skirt and added the decoration around the hips. I also made a pair of tights to wear under it and decorated bands for my neck and arms.
At the party, I won the prize for best costume! I also plan to enter it in the costume category at the state fair. Now I just need to find an excuse to wear it again!
How fun! What a great project! Turned out great!
You made the dress. Great job. I am also a ‘singing in the rain’ fan , and I love the costumes they wear in the movie. That green looks great on you. I am impressed, it looked hard to make.
What a fantastic accomplishment, Debbie. The dress looks wonderful and you look spectacular in it. This is a true labor of love. Hope you find that place to wear it soon. 🙂
Congratulations on your stunningly beautiful achievement! I love your dress and hope you wear it many, many times! Well done!
Stunning job!!
Wow, you duplicated that dress beautifully! I think that is quite an accomplishment.
Wow! You look fabulous!
This is amazing! The dress is fantastic and fits you perfectly-wow, the things we can do thanks to this super power called sewing!
OMG, What an amazing costume! And what an incredible amount of work! You have to wear it to the Jazz Age Sunday Social, March 27 at Dallas Heritage Village, a.k.a. Old City Park. The perfect party! Matt Tolentino and his Singapore slingers will be playing music from the 20’s, absolutely my favorite band, you have to go, in that dress you will be the star!
I will definitely look into that! Thanks!
OMG, Debbie. The dress is fantastic & you look fabulous in it!! What a stunning creation & all your hard work certainly paid off.
Oh my, that is cute and you look like you are in your 20s!
Being one that feels that you should use the good china and silver for everyday meals instead of saving them for “special” occasions-few and far between
I would wear that dress to go bowling
or even a date night at home
Absolutely fabulous recreation of one of Movied0m’s best dresses
That’s great and it looks fantastic on you. Hope you win at the fair.
I think you look better than the original actress! Fabulous work!
Gorgeous dress.! You know the perfect setting for your dress would be the Sunday Jazz Social at Dallas Heritage Village, a.k.a. Old City Park, March 27. Matt Tolentino and his Singapore s
Singers Orchestra will be performing 20s music and you dancing with your handsome hubby and in that fabulous dress will be the toast of the town!
Other days to wear your fabulous green dress: St Patrick’s Day, Arbor Day, Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s Eve (and Day!), Thanksgiving. And definitely on your birthday! Thanks for the fun post. Well done!
I do so love copying clothes that I could never afford and this dress of yours just wows me. I once copied A Bob Mackie so I know all about sewing all those sequins on one at a time. You just look truly spectacular and I do so hope that you will find other places to wear it but you can always wear it for dinner with just you and your husband, heck you can just hang it in your sewing room every now and them so you can look at it and remind yourself of how amazingly clever you really are.