Halloween Princess Costumes: Recycle Bridesmaid Dresses for Girls

Do you have a closet full of Bridesmaid gowns like 27 Dresses as seen below? Or even just 1 or 2? Do you have a daughter who longs to dress up everyday as a Disney princess? Do you need a Halloween costume but can't stand to buy poorly made or expensive costumes that actually fit for such a short time? Then below is the solution! This is only one example of a costume that could be made out of a Bride's Maid dress. I've also made a Princess Jasmine inspired by the Disney Aladdin movie. If I can find a pre-digital photo to scan, I will either update this page. Oh, and please don't tell my sister what I did with my dress from her wedding. Costume possibilities are endless with the color and fabrics from these much abused gowns. Black dresses would make easy and fabulous capes for those little Vampires. Red? How about Superman? Oh, and I guarantee, no matter what your are told, you will most likely never... ever... wear these dresses again.

Photo credit: Me! My oldest daughter in one of my Halloween projects. Yup, it's a recycled Bridesmaid dress. And the wand? She wanted to be a Fairy Princess. Well, of course!

I made this Princess Costume well before this movie released, but the movie unending supply of Bridesmaid dresses inspired this article.

For this particular Princess costume:

1. Remove skirt from bodice trying to leave pleating or gathering stitch in place. This will make it easier to alter if needed and reattach to bodice later.
2. Bodice (or top):Re-size by folding in front center with good sides together. Pin. Try on for size. If needed for a better fit, repeat in back using same method on both sides of zipper if present. Pin. Try on again for size. Adjust if needed.
3. Sew new side and back seams using basting (larger) stitch. Basting stitches are easier to remove if necessary. If the fit and appearance passes inspection, restitch using smaller stitches.
4. Try on again and mark waist with safety pins where skirt should be reattached.
5. Sew side and back seams using smaller stitches to ensure wearing strength.
6. Shorten bodice length if needed by following original shape and stitch line for seam guide.
7. If zipper will be shortened, tack stitch by stitching back and forth over the new end of the zipper prior to cutting.
8. Skirt: Girls like lots of skirt so go ahead and use all of the skirt's width.Pin top of skirt to bodice , good sides together, matching side and back seams to seams on the bodice. Pleat or gather skirt seam salvage to match bodice size. Sew using basting stitch. If satisfied with appearance, stitch using smaller stitches.
9. Shorten sleeves if required for length, cut and hem. For the dress shown above I used elastic above hem for a better fit.
10. Try dress on again. Pin to desired length, cut leaving enough salvage to fold over or hem, then stitch.
11. Fini!

You don't have to be a great seamstress to please your children. I made this dress rather quickly using a bad machine before it was finally replaced. The hems are not pretty, and puckered quite a bit. Did my daughter care? Nope, not at all. She wore it for Halloween Trick or Treating, then it was worn by several little girls for dress up during my home daycare years. Then the little sister wore this gown a few years later for Halloween before it nearly disintegrated from too much love.