Completed January 2009 – Featured in Cosmode Japan #033

Inspiration
I had planned an AMG group a while ago, but it fell through. (Any takers???) I decided to go ahead with Belldandy, since I had come up with some designs. Since I made the costume around Christmas, I caught the holiday spirit and the costume has a Christmas tree topper vibe. It’s fitting for a Goddess, first class! Plus, I’ve always wanted to make a pair of wings for a costume, so that was a new challenge for me.

Construction
I kept the mermaid dress design that is cannon of Mr. Fujishima’s designs, and added trim, ruffles, and blue contrasting layers to make it extra fancy. All the jaquard trim is from cheeptrims.com, where you can buy by the spool. All the sheer and white fabrics are from the Wal-Mart dollar bin, which saved me a LOT of money! The triangles are gold brocade satin stitched with metallic thread. The bodice and gloves are quilted with blue metallic thread, but it’s hard to tell in photos.

For the bodice, I used McCall’s pattern #M5321. For the upper half of the white skirt, I used Vogue pattern #V2810, and freestyled the ruffles. The shoulders, gloves, and the rest of the skirt I drafted myself. The sleeves attach inside the bodice with large snaps so that they rotate when I move my arms and keep their shape. They are interlined with headliner.

The wig is made of 2 Cosworx wigs I sewed together; I used a long wig that I cut apart for the bangs/ponyfall, and attached them to a short wig. I airbrushed the blue stripes/gold accents on the head kerchief, and it’s one of my favorite parts of the costume. The blue brooch is a seashell pendant that I set in a chair leg cap. The wings are freestanding and don’t need shoulder straps. They are really comfortable and I can even sit down with them! I made a wing tutorial here.

Photos by R.Pai – ACen Chicago; Fansview, daguru, LJinto, Lionel, EBK – Ohayocon Columbus, OH