Beheaded Marie Antoinette Halloween Costume

I have always wanted to make this costume. It took a lot of time thinking things through but I think it came out better than I thought it would in the beginning. Thanks to friends and family it worked. Now everyone is wondering how I'm going to top this costume but that's what they said last year. I just say you have to wait and see.

Step 1:

Step one: I started with the making of the wig. A good friend of mine suggested that we try spray installation foam as the base of the wig. I put my hair in a bun on the top of my head, I have really long hair and by doing this I did not have to use bobby pins to keep the wig on. We then put a wig cap on and a piece clear wrap just so I would not have foam in my hair. She sprayed the foam in rings around my head and let it dry. This took two and half hours to dry to where I could pull it off the top of my head then over night it dry completely. So plan ahead, she was a good friend we had lots to talk about. This is the base to the wig.

Step 2:

Step Two: I got home and added more foam because I knew it had to be big hair.Total cans of foam used was four. I used the kind of foam that has a straw that bends back so you can close it and use it later. Use rubber gloves and wear old clothes, the foam is sticky and does not wash off well and stains.

Step 3:

Step three: As it got tacky I would turn it upside down so the foam would not slide down the form. Gravity seems to pull it down while wet.

Step 4:

Step four: There are two straight wigs and two Marie Antoinette curly style wigs used in the construction of this wig. I cut apart the two straight wigs and hot glued part of them to the base of the wig. I went inside the base and then came up onto the outside of the base to give it a big curl or bun look in the front.

Step 5:

I thought I could make curls with glue and pink curlers. I did it, but they were not big enough. So I got another wig.

Step 6:

I cut apart one curly wig and hot glued it to the top and bottom backside. I decided that I needed more curls for around my face and just pure impact.

Hint: I also added a felt scrap piece over the hot glue on the inside of the wig for comfort against my forehead. I found a couple of pressure points when I put it on but the felt took care of this. I used tacky glue for securing the felt.

Step 7:

I took the completed wig outside and spray painted it with gray paint and then white paint. It took three cans of gray and two cans of white. I bought feathers and a barrette to put in the wig for accessories. I did not glue the feathers so I could pack the wig up. (Our Halloween Party is Maryland and I am in Missouri.)

Step 8:

I then added the fake breast piece also found on ebay secured with packing tape.

Step 9:

I found the instruction for this on Instructables. My sister was my model, she had fun doing it.

Step 10:

The fake chest is filled with spray foam this also holds the PVC frame up inside the body. The arms are packing tape from Staples, stuff, and a wire coat hanger. The hands I found on EBAY the wire coat hanger is attached to the wrist then runs up through the sleeve of the turtleneck of the chest piece. The sleeve is stuffed and the packing tape goes on top to help keep the shape. I wanted it to look like there was skin on it so I covered it with knee Hi's pantyhose. Put the dress on.

Step 11:

The dress before hemmed. I had to put the whole thing together before I could hem it do to the height of it.

Step 12:

As in the wig the dress needed to be lightweight also so I stuck with the foam and also with PVC piping. I started with getting a cyclist water backpack and took the bladder out. You will need the smallest PVC pipe you can get and six corner joints and four t-joints.Then measured from the bottom of the backpack up to where I thought the neck should be, about 42 inches for me. So that is the measurements for the sides of PVC frame. The cross bars in middle for the frame depends on the size of your backpack. Just measure the width between the opening at the top of the backpack and this is the size you need for the crossbars.This is where you use two of the t-joints and cut the side PVC pipes according to where you want the cross bars at. I used the same measurements for the top cross bar add corner joints to ends. The cross bar at the bottom on mine was smaller but I measured the backpack area where it was going to be add corner joints to ends. The frame ends up looking like a ladder is coming out of the backpack.

Step 13:

You will need two petticoats. The other two of the t-joints are for the petticoat to hang on instead of you wearing it. I found I got to hot with all that fabric on. And it also help hold the petticoat out better. Depending on where your backpack hits you and the waist of the dress you will need to cut the frame to insert the t-joints and a small piece (10-12 inches) of PVC and a corner joint. You can make the petticoat or you can buy them at vintage clothing stores. I was lucky to find mine at a store both for $52.00. I knew I couldn't make them for less.

Step 14:

The veins and bone were made with caulking in a tube, Easy caulk. Then I painted the neck with acrylic paints. My Mom can't look at it from this point on, she's to grossed out. Also I restrung a necklace on wire then hooked it to the dress. The dress is a lot a fabric on the back and seem to pull back so by doing this the necklace holds the dress up by the neck.

Step 15:

Make a trip to a Halloween store and get a fake cut for you neck and all the stuff for it, blood, gum spirit, gum spirit remover. You must pick up fake skin too,unless you are allergic to latex, that's how I got the holes on my face.

Step 16:

The finished costume you wear the second petticoat around you chest under the dress petticoat that ties around your neck. I know it looks like my neck is tilted but I am standing straight. She was very comfortable to wear and I learned a lot by making her.