Costume Craftwork on a Budget

SECTION EIGHT Changing Cheap Clothing into Elegant Garments

There are many ways to alter a modern garment into a period one. Changes made to the original garment depend on its style and condition. The methods of altering modern garments discussed here are those I used on these garments for them to work effectively on stage. (See also Chapter 8 for instructions on altering a modern hat to a period hat.)

Chapter 22 Altering Women’s Dresses

ALTERING AN OLDFASHIONED DRESS TO A 1920s–30s WEDDING DRESS

This dress, first modified for Crazy for You (Figure 22-1), was used again and again for different productions. It was purchased from a second-hand store; then the sleeves were removed and extra fabric was added to lengthen the dress.

Figure 22-1