Construction Details:

Over robe is satin. I designed it in panels, knowing how wide my shoulders are and how wide my hoop was, plus how far between them and how long I wanted the robe to train. Blank, it looked like a giant red graduation gown--sadly, I didn't completely realize that when I was making it, or I could have used a pattern. Tons of beads on the shoulders and sleeves, and lace trim and flowers at the edge. I also made the bottom edge into a sort of cushion to try to control the tendency to collapse unattractively when I walked. It was mostly successful, although one section in the center tended to curl up instead of lie flat or roll under, which was annoying.
The skirt and bodice were made of taffeta. I did the skirt as a complete brighter red skirt covered with a partial in dark red, leaving a cut out in the front. I just didn't want to be one single shade of red from head to foot. Again edged in gold lace trim and gold and scarlet braid. The bodice didn't sit quite right over the top tier of the hoop, so it bunches and makes me look seriously dumpy. Arg.
Headdress is mostly wonderflex with transpa-art gems painted with red nail polish, some beaten brass hemispheres, and worbla hemispheres painted with gold leafing paint. I was initially going to do it all in brass (except the gems and body of the headdress), but decided that would just be way too heavy. Unfortunately, it decided to sit strangely on my head, so if I hadn't adjusted it in the last 10 seconds, it was crooked.
The necklace was beaten brass hemispheres and a pendant I found on sale.

Personal Thoughts:

Worked my butt off for this one. I love the flower detailing on the back of the robe. I hate how the headdress turned out. My first ever use of a hoop skirt! Also my first time beating on brass (for parts of the headdress and necklace). Also my first time beading onto fabric (before I was a cosplayer, I beaded jewelry--the smaller the beads the better). This one was a special challenge because there is only one picture of Wanda in the outfit (as far as I've been able to tell), and it doesn't show the back or really much detail at all. So I had to do SOMETHING to elaborate it so it wasn't just a solid brick of unrelieved red. So I used gold beads across the shoulders and yoke, and also on the swinging ends of the sleeves. I added gold lace and a nice gold and scarlet braid. Then I covered the back with 80-100 kanzashi flowers made of satin, taffeta, and organza (stiff organza worked like a dream). I was really trying to capture the fact that she's basically royalty in this little universe.

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