Sew Weekly Challenge: Kirtle?!

As you can see, I managed to get pictures in my finished Ren Faire garb! I'm wearing just the chemise and kirtle here, though, and not my petticoat or pair of bodies (or my hat and caul and other accoutrements). After checking the weather report for tomorrow, I've decided against proper underthings (I know, how scandalous!) since it will be just too many layers. My torso will just have to be unattractively un-conical. 

Hmmm, am I still fit to see the queen?

I've already mentioned the hand-sewn eyelets, but I did want to make a couple of other construction notes. This is the first time I've ever cut and sewn an entire bodice all from one flat pattern piece! That's right, the back, straps, and front are dart and sideseam-less; I obviously had to sew the shoulder straps together and the front opening has a modesty panel added in and all, but I never would have expected a pattern like this to fit so well without any shaping. I know it's only possible because I, errrr, have such a small apple dumpling shop, but that had better be good for something, right? Anyway, it looks properly conical over the pair of bodies. The skirt portion is just a giant tube very tightly gathered (I was so scared my gathering threads were going to break!); I didn't feel like, nor have time for, cartridge pleating. 

And in case you're thinking, gosh, that blue-on-white combination looks awfully familiar, let me show you my outfit in another context.

Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar/ I wonder if she's feeling well/ With a dreamy far-off look/
And her nose stuck in a book/ What a puzzle to the rest of us is...

Yes, that's right, I deliberately chose to make my garb look like Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I'm pretty sure that the organizers of That's Sew Cinematic didn't have cartoon characters in mind, but hey, when I make impractical clothing, I really make impractical clothing. Go big or go home, right? Anyway, this falls into the "Frocks from the Flicks" category. How did I even decide to do this? Blame it on this example of a kirtle that caught my eye from Google image search, and combined with these historical Disney princess art pieces, my brain somehow spit out "hey, make your garb look like a Disney princess." I am aware, of course, that Beauty and the Beast supposedly takes place in the 18th century, and my garb is more appropriate for the 16th century, but hey, Belle's little town is extremely provincial. Like two-centuries-behind provincial.

Okay, that's all well and good, but how does this have anything to do with the Sew Weekly challenges? Well, last week's (yes, I know, I'm behind) Sew Weekly challenge was supposed to be inspired by a childhood photo/outfit. Here is my first inspiration photo.

I'm the one with the scary 80s-era eyeglasses.

Hmmm...cornflower blue overdress with a poofy-sleeved white shirt underneath? That works awfully well for what I was already toying with...and hey, a few pictures later:

Tie-dyed sweatshirt with Belle and Mrs. Potts. Oh dear.

Yeah, so, apparently I really loved Belle. And no wonder, as she's the nerdiest of the Disney princesses.

That inspiration was the main reason why I chose to make a collared shift, and not the square-necked
or drawstring-encased one that seems to be more common.

Summary:
Fabric: A twin extra-long bedsheet from my college dorm years was barely sufficient for making the entire kirtle. When I was drafting my pattern, I quickly realized that if I wanted my skirt to be sufficiently full, I wasn't going to be able to afford any seams on the bodice, nor even any attempt at paying attention to grainline. I lined the bodice with that stiff linen-rayon blend that I had originally bought for the chemise.
Notions: Two plastic cable ties for the bodice opening, a hook and eye for the skirt opening.
Techniques: Drafting an Elizabethan bodice pattern
Hours: Seven, but that's including all the eyelets. I listened to several months' worth of Radiolab podcasts.
Will you make this again? Unlikely. How many such outfits does one need?
Total cost: The blue sheet I've had in my stash for at least a decade so I'm counting it as free, and the eyelets and lacing were made with a $0.39-skein of embroidery floss, so with the cable ties and lining, I'll say $3.
Final thoughts: I really, really, really love dressing up. I really hope my kids like dressing up one day, because goodness knows, Walnut doesn't.

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere...

It looks a little bit like I might be flying here.