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You don't have to be an expert seamstress or fashion designer to make your own Greek goddess costume. Whether you're planning to dress as Aphrodite, Hera, Artemis, or one of the other famous Olympian deities, the costume is simple to make.
Making a Greek Goddess Dress
The graceful draped style of most goddess dresses means you don't need a pattern for this costume. However, you should take care to select a fabric with great drape. A synthetic blend is a good choice.
Things You'll Need
Four yards of thin white fabric
Two yards of gold braid or wide gold ribbon
Eight yards of gold trim
Sewing machine and matching thread
Tape measure
Scissors, pins, and dressmaker's pencil
What to Do
Measure yourself or the person who will wear the costume from the top of the shoulder to the floor. This will be the length of your costume.
Cut the white fabric into three rectangles, each the width of the fabric (usually 45 inches) by the length of the costume. You don't need to add seam or hem allowances, since you don't want the costume to reach quite to the floor.
Fold one of the rectangles in half lengthwise to find the center point of one short side. Mark the center point. Measure four inches out from each side of the center point and make a mark.
Use the sewing machine to gather the fabric on each side, sewing from the mark you made to the edge. Adjust the gathered areas to be three inches each. These will be the back shoulders of your costume.
For each of the two remaining fabric rectangles, gather one entire short side. Adjust the gathered area to three inches. These are the front shoulder pieces of your dress.
With the right sides together, pin one of the front shoulder pieces to one of the back shoulder areas. Sew in place with a half-inch seam allowance. Repeat with the other side.
With right sides together, align the front and back side seams of your costume. Sew up the side seams, stopping ten inches from the shoulder to create an armhole.
Turn in the raw edges of the armholes to finish them.
Apply gold trim to the front and hem of the costume to give it a finished appearance.
To put on your costume, simply slip the dress on like a vest. Adjust so the two front pieces overlap, and then tie at the waist with the gold braid or wide gold ribbon.
Making the Goddess Accessories
No Greek goddess costume is complete without the appropriate accessories. Add a laurel hair wreath and gold armband to finish your look.
Laurel Wreath
Making a laurel wreath is easy. All you need is some artificial foliage from the craft store, some floral wire, and some gold spray paint. Here's how to do it:
Spread out the artificial foliage and wrap it around itself to form a crown. Depending on the length of each piece, you may need to add multiple branches.
Attach the foliage to itself using floral wire. Be sure to bend the ends inward so they don't snag on anything.
In a well-ventilated area, spray the wreath with the gold paint. Wait for it to dry, and then spray the other side.
When the wreath is dry, you can pin it to your hair using bobby pins.
Arm Band
A gold arm band really enhances your look, especially when worn above the elbow. You'll need a small piece of elastic, some gold trim leftover from making your dress, a measuring tape, and a sewing machine. Here's what to do:
Measure your arm at the spot you plan to wear the arm band.
Subtract one inch and cut the gold trim to this length.
Cut a piece of elastic that is two inches long.
Overlap the gold trim and the elastic by half an inch. Sew in place. Repeat with the other side.
Slip the arm band on, and turn it so the elastic is hidden on the inside of your arm.
The Most Flattering Costume
Romantic and sexy, a Greek goddess costume is the perfect choice for a party, play, masquerade, or other fun dress-up event calling for an Ancient Greek look. When you make your own costume, you can choose the materials and adjust the fit to suit you, giving you the most flattering costume of the night. Have fun getting creative with this beautiful outfit.
