Once Upon A Time...

Once Upon A Time is a fairytale drama from Edward Kitsisand Adam Horowitz, the team behind Lost and Tron: Legacy. Emma Swan knows how to take care of herself. She's a 28-year-old who has been fending for herself ever since she was abandoned as a baby. But everything changes when Henry - the son she gave up years ago - finds her. Henry is now 10 years old and in desperate need of his birth mother's help. He believes that Emma comes from an alternate world and that she is Snow White and Prince Charming's missing daughter. According to the book of fairytales that he was given by his teacher Mary Margaret, they sent her away to protect her from the Evil Queen's curse, which trapped the characters of fairytale world forever and brought them into our world. Emma instantly dismisses Henry's theory, but when she brings him back to Storybrooke, she finds herself drawn to this unusual boy and this strange town. Concerned for his welfare, she decides to stay for a while longer, but she soon suspects that Storybrooke is more than it seems. It's a place where magic has been forgotten, but where fairytale characters are alive, even though they don't remember who they once were and where the Evil Queen, known as Regina, is now Henry's adoptive mother. In order to understand where the fairytale world's former inhabitants came from and what led to the Evil Queen's wrath, you'll need to take a glimpse into their previous lives. But it might just turn everything you've ever believed about these characters upside down. Meanwhile, the epic battle for the future of all worlds is about to begin. For good to win, Emma will have to accept her destiny and fight like hell.

In light of the final episode of Channel 5's Once Upon A Time, I thought it only fitting to express my love for the programme, its amazing story and of course it's costumes, which were designed by Eduardo Castro. By far the biggest clothes horse of the programme is The Evil Queen, Regina. Below are just a few images of her costumes and the costumes of the other characters, I particularly like the Queen's red riding jacket, the collar and detailing are exquisite, although the picture is not brilliant.
Regina- The Evil Queen...

 Snow White...

Charming...

Red Riding Hood...

Red's costume was another of my favourites, the fabric of the cloak is stunning and works really well with the bodice and gown underneath. 

Granny...

Rumplestiltskin & Belle...

Rumplestiltskin has to be my favourite character, Robert Carlyle play's him brilliantly and I loved the twist on beauty and the beast to include him. His costume is a mix of different leather's he appears almost worn, scaly. The juxtaposition of Rumple and Belle works really well and enhances the storyline. Belle's yellow costume (another ode to Disney) is exquisite especially with the beading and the blue everyday costume has amazing detail, if you look closely at her chemise. 

The Huntsman...

Cinderella...

Hansel & Gretel...

The Witch of the Gingerbread House...

The Seven Dwarves...

The Mad Hatter...

Geppetto & Pinocchio...

Abigail...

18th Century Sack Back (robe à la française) ...

The sack-back gown or robe à la française was a women's fashion of the 18th century. At the beginning of the century, the sack-back gown was a very informal style of dress. At its most informal, it was unfitted both front and back and called a sacque or contouche. By the 1770s the sack-back gown was second only to court dress in its formality. This style of gown had fabric at the back arranged in box pleats which fell loose from the shoulder to the floor with a slight train. In front, the gown was open, showing off a decorative stomacher and petticoat. It would have been worn with a wide square hoop or panniers under the petticoat. Scalloped ruffles often trimmed elbow-length sleeves, which were worn with separate frills called engageantes. The loose box pleats which are a feature of this style are sometimes called Watteau pleats from their appearance in the paintings of Antoine Watteau. 

Re-creating the look...

To re-create this look the best option is to pattern cut on the stand. With this type of dress flat pattern cutting is possible but with all the pleats I personally find it easier to drape and see in 3d how the garment will take shape.

First mock up an 18th century boned corset to create a base, this will allow you to get a good shape for your stand. You can buy patterns online for this. 

Cut a piece of calico, or any other preferred fabric and pin to the stand, making sure the straight of grain is completely central and the fabric is large enough to hang over the shoulders. From there pin in your bodice seams, one at both the front and back, but you can add a side seam if you wish although that is not strictly authentic. To create a bit of ease going over the hips cut triangles into the calico, making sure you have enough fabric for your chosen shape, don't cut too much away as this can prove difficult later. You want to make sure the calico is as flat to the stand as possible, but avoid over stretching the fabric. When your happy cut your pieces out and using a pencil, mark in your seam lines and your desired neck line. Follow the same process with your back and shoulder seams. Using a pencil mark in your armhole, this garment has a more defined shape than modern clothing also the armhole is set further back. When happy, take the pieces off the stand and trace onto pattern paper, from there you can make up your bodice.

 Next...

 

Giulia Farnese, The Making of...