Eowyn Shieldmaiden Dress: Part I

 Here is my Eowyn dress. 

I have long been wanting to post these pictures and Thanks to my good friend Anna from The Art of Clothes, I have finally done it for the 2012 Costume Challenge. I did not work on this costume in February, but for me, posting it is finishing it. Hope that's ok... :)

Here is the original dress with a vest over. *sigh*

 And my interpretation.

 

  We couldn't have asked for a day with more perfect "Rohan weather". It was very windy. The pictures were also taken in the beginning of Fall so that helped. :)

 Aren't those clouds so amazing? My talented sister took all the pictures. Thanks Genevieve!

I used the same pattern as for my Medieval traveling dress, Simplicity 4940. But I had to change a few things. Here are the pictures I used for reference.

 

 

 

  Here are some detail shots...

 For the yoke I just added fabric to all sides of the pattern piece (except the neckline) before I sewed the pin tucks by hand. On the original dress, the tucks are closer together and the neckline is wider and has some sort of hooks to close the middle. I even hemmed the neckline on the outside like the original!

 I made removable sleeves, so I could change them to just plain, fitted sleeves if I want to change the look. I didn't have to change the pattern; all I did was finish the top of the sleeve and the arm hole with a binding, then crocheted a chain to use for the loops and laced it with cotton string. (And don't laugh at my off white string, it was all I had at the time! ;)

 

I also gave them a point which is opposite from the original.

The fabric I used is a lot heavier and stiffer than the original. I believe hers was a very drapey satin/crepe. Mine is a very rough, stiff, old sheet that we had in our attic. I really love it because it looks medieval and tough and more like Eowyn to me. But the problem with it is the sleeves are a little more poofy than I imagined them to be. But that's ok. 

I even did the little loops that gather up the sleeve at the opening! See?

 The original dress either slips on or has a zipper. The vest has one anyway... Shocking isn't it? I couldn't make myself put a zipper in a medieval dress. Sorry, can't do it. Instead I did 44 hand sewn eyelets. hee hee! Remember Anna? ALL those eyelets on your corset? Yes, you were my inspiration!

I also added boning to the back so the lacing wouldn't bunch. 

The belt was a $10 find from WalMart! It looks like the "scale" armor that the Rohirrim wear and has a pretty scrolly buckle with sparkles. Yay!

 

  The idea for the belt came from these she wears with other dresses.

The shoes I found at Kohls a few years ago for $7! I wish I had bought 10 pairs! I love them so!

I hope you liked this post about my Eowyn dress! I will put a few more pictures in upcoming posts, because there were so many fun ones I couldn't decide!

Love to you all,

Marguerite