After sewing up a pair of Zombie Halloween Monkeys, I thought it might be nice to show something Halloweenish for my American Girl doll as well. My 1860s Addy doesn’t do zombies (she’s the fashionista in this doll family), so we compromised with a fashion plate or two and created an 1860s Halloween Ensemble for an American Girl Doll!
I rather liked the skirt trim in this fashion plate from la Mode Illustrée –
And the bodice in this one.
For the basic pattern, I used the American Girl Addy School Outfit pattern from Pleasant Company.
I sewed the blouse from Swiss cotton, and mixed it up a little with embroidery down the front. A Halloween skull earring made a seasonally appropriate brooch.
The skirt and bretelles were sewn from a chequered orange silk – a worn-out pair of fabulous trousers my sister wore in the mid-90s – and trimmed in a soft satin ribbon.
I had wanted a longer jacket, like this one from la Mode Illustrée –
Unfortunately, my velvet had been stored folded and i didn’t have a steamer. Between the creases I had just enough bits to eke out the regular zouave jacket from the AG pattern.
The electric orange soutache trim on the jacket is all that I could find in the Wyalla Spotlight store before we left Australia. Sure, it’s only a SCOOCH on the demure side of neon, but it simply screams Halloween.
As for the hat – behold the rehabilitated cracktastic hat of 80’s doom!
Isn’t accessorizing marvelous ? All it took were a crystal spider and a gold skull and that fashion-nightmare of a hat has gone from bridesmaid horror to October chic! It’s the perfect accessory for a VERY orange 1860s Halloween ensemble!