Burlesque Costume Ideas

Why not sew a Burlesque Costume, Cancan Costume, Saloon girl costume for your next costume party or Halloween party.

Burlesque dresses were colorful, lavishly embellished and considered to be risque for the times. It is fun to sew. You can really use your imagination and embellish your costume to feel just like you are in a time warp entertaining an audience the way they did 18th and 19th centuries.

A little History

More Interesting Burlesque Websites

I found some interesting web sites that give insight to this profession.

www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-PaintedLady .

www.musicals101.com/burlesque.
www.musicals101.com/burlesque2.

The Burlesque Costume

I made three of these burlesque costumes for the theater production "Oklahoma" and they were all slightly different. This is a photo of one of the costumes completed using Simplicity pattern 2851.

How It Turned Out

• The Simplicity pattern I used was easy to read. I would stress looking closely at the photo of whichever style you choose. It helps to understand the instructions when you’re putting it together.
• I did omit some steps, for instance the boning I didn't find necessary and I was in a time crunch. Some of the embellishments were also omitted. The pattern calls for you to make your own piping, and sew the piping into the front seams, because I had limited time to make these costumes I used a ribbon instead.
• Sewing trims and embellishments are very important to incorporate into this costume. Use the ideas you see in the pattern or look online at the sites above to get ideas for how to embellish your costume. Here are some examples of different costumes. You can use them as inspiration for color and ideas of how your costume should look.
  

• What is great about this costume is you can embellish it the way you like, just use your imagination.
• The fabric is green satin for the top and the skirt is black crepe backed satin. You used either the shiny satin side or the matt side. I used the satin shiny side of the fabric.

More Burlesque Costume Patterns

The Accessories

Typically, the skirt would have a crinoline/petticoat worn under it. The theatre group had their own crinoline skirts however, so I wasn't able to show the costume with them underneath the skirt. The crinoline to the right would be a good example of an easy crinoline.

Stockings and frilly pants are a nice touch. Stockings and burlesque under garments, are really a big part of this costume. Burlesque was about showing off what was considered taboo.

The instructions for gloves are available in this pattern.

A number of headdress styles were worn this pattern does provide instructions for making a headdress. The photo to the left, is just one more style idea.

For more costume ideas leave Burlesque Costume and go to homemade costumes page..