Buffy's dress.

  • Thread starter Thread starter JCC
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Firstly, I think it's a gorgeous dress. I love it, and would totally wear it if I could. Secondly, I agree with all the symbolism going on.

Now, to address the issue of expense that had been raised. (Erm, yes, I'm a costumer/seamstress... why do you ask? ^_^)

It looks simple, yes. And it probably isn't that hard to make. I haven't studied the photos extensively, but let me put it this way. I would know *how* to recreate it easily. 😉 An empire-waisted, sleeveless gown with an a-line skirt. Alright, it's not quite a-line, but it starts out that way where it's attached at the waist (note the seam is covered by a strip of ribbon, love that touch... it helps to diminish the pregnancy aspect of Regency style gowns... and yes, I do spend quite a bit of time watching Austen and Austen-era films, and have recreated some Regency gowns), before being cut very full by the time it reaches the bottom.

The skirt is made out of several layers of silk chiffon, because pretty much only silk chiffon will hang in such a way as the skirt does. This adds to the expense. I'm gonna put in a guess of two chiffon layers, and one lining layer for the skirt. I'd have to check a higher res picture, but I think there may be one layer of silk chiffon over the bodice.

The higher hem in the front is great for Buffy. It's very practical, less easy to trip over, and certainly makes Slayage easy.

So, you're probably talking about 3-6 (depending on how many layers are present) yards of silk chiffon for the skirt, probably half a yard for the bodice, plus about 3ish yards of silk for the lining for the skirt and bodice, plus another lining for the bodice. That does not include ribbon or beading. Another way of adding to the expense is hand-beading, which is quite possible that the dress could have had. Now, add up the price of the silks, the beading, the trim, the notions, and the time spent creating it, plus stuff for a suitable profit, and one very simple dress can easily be seen as expensive. (Of course, if you wanted to reproduce it, you could do it much cheaper using poly-chiffon etc.)

That said, I would someday love to make both this dress and her prom dress for someone... 🙂

And now I'm going to stop showing my costume geekery and bow out. 😉
 
caitaintdead
caitaintdead
I wish I had the talent to make these dresses!
F
Five
Very interesting! =)
I loved the dress she wore in Prophecy Girl... It was very simple, yet so elegant and still so Buffy. 🙂
My favorite, though, was her prom dress in Season 3. 🙂
 
The dress was hardcore overrated...it made her look chubbier...just the way it hung on her...
 
aw, I liked the dress. I especially liked what it represented for her in the episode. It was a big step for her in the non-slayer world and that is a big deal! I liked how they played on that and a lot of the characters commented on it throughout the episode.
 
I don't like it so much.

It's ok, but maybe to simple. Boring. But Buffy is amazing in this dress, as always 🙂
 
I think it looked like...crap. Boring dress. Bad cut. Didn't like it
 
I always thought it looked like a bad wedding dress or a nice bridesmaids dress lol
 
Meh.... she looked like she was going to be a really cheesy clash of the titans remake virgin sacrifice, but for a 16 year old in 97 it was the shizzle. That being said, she loved it because it was un-expetedly bought for her. I have daughters... believe me if it is new they are happy ~ for a day or so.

Love the addition of the jacket and cross-bow though never did get the shoes...
 
L
Lou
HA HA HA! Great visual!
I'm not a massive fan, but mainly because I don't do puritanical white dresses - and because I would look awful in something like that!
That said, the symbolism behind the puritanical whiteness is important, I think - and I would love to have a dress bought for me!
 
Well compared to the dresses girls wore at MY Proms, I thought Buffy's dress was very plain, but it was pretty and it looked beautiful on her. 🙂 And I think the skirt was very practical for Slayage... She needed that graduated hemline so she'd be able to kick some Master ass. 😉
 
Buffy in the white dress was nice and simple, she was going in to fight the master, i don't think that a very detailed dress would have been appropriate, even if her mother had other intentions for that dress.

What about the idea that buffy in the white dress showed a sort of vulnerability? Especially when she was essentially killed by the master. sort of like a white dress stained by blood, from being bitten in this case.
 
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