A truly interesting outfit for a ballet dancer at this time in the Victorian age, but this is a movie, so we have to forget that. Christine, and the other ballet girls, wear this during Hannibal, in which Christine first sees Raoul, but Raoul does not notice her.
Pattern Suggestions and Other Helpful Websites
Simplicity 5359 - Misses Belly Dancing Costume
Joy of Belly Dancing: Complete information on a Belly Dancer's Outfit
Bodice:
Relatively simple shape which ends benath the bust line. Let's start with the yoke (or collar, but I'll call it a yoke). It is entirely one piece, I have determined so far. The yoke goes all around the top edge of the bodice. The fashion fabric is of a simple leopard print. The top and bottom edges of the yoke are trimmed with a robin egg's blue scalloped trim, and then with gold or copper fringe.
There are seven medals (as I will call them for now) on the front of they yoke. The biggest one is in center front is a circle shape which has a flower petal pattern in the middle. The next ones on the right and the left are oval with a large stone in the middle. The next ones (I'm going up the yoke here) are also circular with a small blue stone in the middle. Then come the last of the medals all the way by the shoulder seam. It just gold with a design on it.
There are two smaller medals with a black stone in the middle in the back of the yoke on both sides. The pointed edges in the back are finished off with another gold fixture which is attached to a golden rope braided rope. On the edge of both chords are finished off with a rather interesting blue tassle.
The rest of the bodice is lined with gold metallic trim which almost looks silver in some pictures. There are two gold medals with tassles on the side seams.
The actual bodice is lined, as it usually would be. It also has a petersham which goes beneath the dancers bust.
The bodice closes with hooks and eyes in the back.
Skirt:
The skirt has a yoke similar to the bodice, except it has a lions head instead of medal in the front. Other than that, it is very similar to the bodice yoke. There are seven golden balls are sewn onto the front of the yoke, which is also trimmed in the metallic colored trim. It appears that one has fallen off of brooke's costume.
There are two different (satin?) fabrics lining the edge. There is the deep read, and the pale pink, or peach. Not that the lighter color is iridescent, from gold to pink. The fabric is edge with beading, pleated in teh center (I believe it is a box pleat).
In the back, the pink satin continues straight till the side back, where it is then pleated from the side backs all the way to the center back closure. If you look very closely at the pleating in the back, you can see that it is lined with red fabric also. The skirt closes in the center back, with two medallions on each side. There are also four little decorative gold balls, two on each side, near the center closure. The rope which laces the back closed is wrapped in blue fabric almost like a tassle at the edges.
Regarding the back closure, it does have a panel of fabric beneath to go beneath it so that when tied, no one can see whatever it is you have under there.
The skirt does have a pair of white dancer's underwear beneath, with an intricate gold lace design over it to make it less visible.
It is currently unclear how many skirt panels there are, but we know there is printed design on the bottom.
The skirt fabric is made of a fine netting, and appears to be trimmed by a very small gold rope braid at the edge. Either that, or serging would do.
Here is a description of the costume sent in by Brooke!
Hannibal top
3 bra hooks on the back.
Gold netting with cranberry velvet pieces for design is the main fabric. An elastic type material is attached to the gold netting. To keep the netting from fraying I think.
The front of the inside is lined with flesh toned stretchy material. The bottom of the inside is line with a thick non-stretchy flesh toned material that goes underneath the bust. On either side is an elastic strap with a big silver hook on either side for support like a bra. The bottom is also lined in the same stretchy material as the top to keep the stuff from fraying. At the shoulders are two elastic straps connecting the front to the back. The collar has a leather or skin feel to the underside of it. The top feels like real fur. At the back of the collar is a small strap to connect the two end pieces together. It is fastened with a small snap. The bottom of the gold string is wrapped in turquoise colored leather like tape. The scalloped green part of the collar is the same material I think. All the green on the medals are painted. The are 11 medals. The last two on each side has a brown crystal in the center. The two medals at the armpit section are the same as the ones closest to the center medal just without the green. The frayed ribbon (it seems more like wire) at the top of the collar is cooper the one at the bottom is more of a faded gold.
Hannibal skirt
The base of the skirt looks like a pair of workout or dancer panties. The tag says Sioggi Sensual. Color is sensual tan. Everything is built on to there. There are 9 medals on the belt. The center one looks like a bronze "green man" like face. The medals next to it look like a gold flower coin. That is the best I can say. They are not on the collar of the top. The next three on either side are the same as the collar. The same green leather like material is used at the same places as the top. There are little balls that look gold with a touch of silver in color. There are 11 total. The two layers of red and rose color fabric are flipped. The red has rose on the bottom and rose has red on the bottom. They are lined in beads that are bronze colored. It also has the same gold colored frayed wire trim. The skirt is held closed by two big snaps in the back behind the gold rope that you use to lace it up. Underneath the skirt on the back half is gold lace. It covers up the butt of the panties. It starts at the hip and goes down to it lowest point at the bum then goes up to the other hip. The bottom part of the skirt looks like a dirty bronze or copper color. The front panel has gold paint at the bottom. It looks like a flower detail hibiscus maybe. There are 8 crystals matching the skirt color on both sides going down. They start close to the top of the gold paint. Back part of the skirt consists of 7 panels. 3 of them are a slightly different material. They look more gold like not shiny gold but a dull gold. It goes copper, gold, copper, gold, copper, gold, copper. Each copper part has the gold paint. There are crystals like the front but only at two places. The ends of the back skirt like at the front. The gold rope tying the back is like at the top with the leather like tape.
Images:
Note: Some of these are hi-res, and may take a bit to load, but trust me, it is well worth the wait!
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Submited by Brooke:
