Belle – Beauty and the Beast (Village Dress Version 3)

Made for: Halloween 2012

Background: I started on this costume way back in 2009! I got the skirt finished, and most of the bodice and shirt, when I got busy and put it to the side. It got stuck in storage while we moved and I forgot about it, and I didn’t pick it up again until December 2011/January 2012.

Journal Entries: Read more at my Belle’s Blue Dress tag

Related Costumes: Belle Ballgown 2005, Belle Ballgown 2012, Winter Belle, Library Belle

Patterns Used:
Unfortunately I don’t remember what I used for the top. I did not use a pattern for the skirt. I think the blouse may have been a highly altered Butterick B5008.

So this costume has a little bit of a funky history. I actually started on it in 2009 – I was making a Belle village dress for a stage production of Beauty and the Beast, and I liked the fabric I found for it so much I went back and got some to make my own. I got it probably a little more than halfway done when I got really sick and set aside for a long break. And then we moved and the pieces got stuck in a box and I just didn’t get back to this costume until 2012. When I did, it was hard to figure out where I left off – I had no notes to go off (which is why I’m not sure on the patterns above), some things were a mess and not done the way I would’ve done them 3 years later. But let’s carry on with what I can remember of the construction!

Bodice:

My first version in 2007 was a one-piece dress, but I never liked the fit of it, so I decided to make this version in 2 pieces, a bodice and a skirt. I used a altered bodice pattern for the top, but as I said, I don’t remember what it was! The fabric I used was a lightweight blend, lined with cotton with minimal flat-steel boning for structure. The finishing of the bottom of the bodice is not my fav – I had to do it that way because I’d worked myself into a corner with the work already done in 2009. And I wish I’d made a panel to cover up the lace up back, but I had misplaced the scrap fabric during the move, so I had to just go with it.

Skirt:

For the skirt, I didn’t use a pattern, just made a basic paneled skirt, lightly gathered onto a waistband with a hook and eye closure. I’d love to make a small slip/petticoat to go with it at some point.

Blouse:

I know I also used a basic shirt pattern for the blouse, (and I’m guessing it was that one I just linked), altered for the collar, fit, and sleeves. The collar is actually just lightly tacked at the center front and not fully sewn on LOL. I really wish I’d made the sleeves more full, but again by the time I got back to this project in 2012, the scrap fabric was long gone so it was either live with the sleeves as they were or start over, and I chose to live with them as they were.

Accessories:

The apron I made out of the same fabric as the blouse – just a square of fabric gathered and attached to a waistband, with a fake bow in the back and a hook-and-eye closure. I had to figure out something for the hairbow, since by the time I got around to making that, no more scrap fabric. I ended up using something KINDA close when I finally took new photos in 2013 — I put off taking “good” photos until I finished my new Belle wig for Dragoncon 2013. But good news, when we moved AGAIN in 2018, I actually found a small piece of the blue fabric from the dress, and I think it’s enough to finally make a proper matching bow. Next time I wear this, I will!

The flat shoes were from my 2007 version, but occasionally I break out the brown suede heels with it – they are vintage shoes I picked up an estate sale years ago, and even though I don’t think heels really work with this look unless they are character shoes, there’s something about these shoes that just give me 40s French vibes which I like for Belle 🙂

History:

I’ve only really worn this once, for Halloween 2013, and for our 2014 photoshoot. (I gave it a test run when I finished it in 2012, but wanted to wait til I finished my new Belle wig to wear it properly, which only took a year LOL.) I have had it out for a few tiktok videos in more recent times.

A 4th version might eventually happen. While I’m decently happy with this one and I love how it looks in photos, I know I could make a MUCH better version now (writing in 2025) and it wouldn’t be all that difficult. I’ve also played around with doing an 18th century inspired version to match my 18th century Something There dress and 18th century Library dress. Only time will tell what happens…

2016 Version: In 2016 I made a new village dress for a stage production and documented the progress a whole lot more than this! you can read about it here!

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