Kylie Minogue Aphrodite
Last year I moved to a wonderful new job in which I get to see performance costumes up close. It is such a special privilege and a role that I enjoy. The detail of the costumes and the craftsmanship means that every time I am handling one of the pieces I am inevitably boring one of my colleagues with ohhhhs and ahhhhhs about the construction of the garments, craftiness of the accessories and just how damn beautiful these costumes are.
In March of the year 2000 I turned 18 years old. That meant I was hitting da club (I cant pull that off but I am going with it). In June of the same year Kylie Minogue (aka the ORIGINAL Kylie) bestowed upon us the gift that was Light Years - a studio album containing Spinning Around, On a Night Like This and Kids. COME ON. This was a good year to be 18. She backed up this album in 2001 with Fever - which included Love at First Sight, Can’t Get You Out Of My Head and Come Into My World. AHHHHHH KYLIE STOP - YOU ARE AHMAZING. These songs and videos have impregnated my dawning adult years with some heavy set pop glory.
The first sign of gold fever was Bar Kylie - Golden Tour Party. I have previously been to their Bar Yonce night to celebrate my queen Beyonce - so I knew a Kylie night would not disappoint. I recruited my beautiful Kylie and Beyonce loving friend Justin and we snatched up our tickets early.
I became obsessed with the notion of wearing a Kylie costume - but I didn’t know what to make. There were so many Kylie’s to choose from!! Of course I would love to wear something gold to match the tour theme. Kylie had been getting snapped in all these beautiful gold dresses. I also wanted to pay hommage to an iconic Kylie. There are so many outfits that scream Kylie - the white jumpsuit , the gold shorts, the tilted hat with hair through the top… But I also wanted to recreate something from the costumes I had been working with: Aphrodite, the Black and Silver showgirl, the Blue Showgirl, the Pink Showgirl…
Due to car troubles I found myself picking up my car in Dandenong at 4pm which was just enough time to check out some local fabric stores. My hunt was over in Super Cheap Fabrics which had the most glorious golden fabric that moved like liquid gold and was a steal at $8.00 per meter.
When I got home I rummaged through my patterns and found something that would look semi-decent as a gold dress and I found the answer with Simplicity Jiffy pattern 1059 R5. The pattern did not recommend stretchy fabrics but I went for it and commenced a very painful and arduous mission to sew my dress. It was painful because my thread kept breaking and the fabric was jamming. I couldn’t tell if it was the thread, the machine, my stitch choice or the fabric causing the problem. For this reason alone it was not a fun dress to make.
I made a series of alterations to the pattern. I widened it at the hips so I could have more drape and fall in the fabric. I sewed the shoulder darts on the outside of the dress to give the fabric more movement. The finishing method for the neck and arm holes was not going to work for this fabric, so I created facings that had to be stitched discreetly at anchor points. I also shortened the plunge of the neckline as I didn’t have a bra that was cut low enough.
I had my golden dress!
I had purchased a number of bits and bobs to make the Aphrodite headdress but wasn’t convinced I would go through with it. The night before Bar Kylie I decided I simply must have the Aphrodite headdress to wear. I pulled out my hot glue gun and got down to business. Here is how I did it.
APHRODITE HEADDRESS - not for vegans
EQUIPMENT
Headband
White felt
Card stock
String of peals (probably fake)
Two packets of white craft feathers
Gold glitter
Gold gems
Pearls (probably fake)
Hot Glue Gun
Scissors
MAKE THE WINGS
Draw a curved egg shape on the card stock and cut it out. Check the size against your head as this will form the base of your two wings. Kylie’s are super huge - I went for a more domestic scale. It is makers preference.
Cut another egg shaped wing and place it so it mirrors the original wing.
Cut the same shapes from the white felt but around 5mm bigger. You will need four of the felt wings.
Layer the card between two pieces of cut felt and on the inside glue around the edges to seal it. Repeat for the other wing.
You can now start gluing the feathers to the wings starting at the tip. Lay down a row of feathers at a time to check that they were following the curve of the wings. You only need to glue the feathers at their end point. When you get half way down the wing you may need to shorten the feathers. You can do this by pinching the feather fronds where you need to shorten it to and pull them down towards the base of the feather. Repeat for the other side. Trim the end as needed.
When you get to the end and cannot fit anymore feathers dollop the glue on and sprinkle with glitter, pearls and gems.
CONSTRUCT HEADPIECE
Wearing the headband I held the wings in the position I wanted them and marked the angle. Positioning is personal preference
Use a good dollop of hot glue to attach the wings to the band. Wait until glue is dry before trying the headband on!
When glue is set, place the headband back on. Hold up the string of pearls and mark where you want to attach them. Kylie has three rows but I just went with one.
Glue the string of pearls in place and wait for glue to dry.
DONE! Hello Aphrodite!!
The Finished Product
My Final Word
I have to say I felt divine in my gold dress and headpiece. I received so many compliments from the ride or die fans. Justin and I danced the night away. Millie Minogue performed, we danced on a crowded, sweaty dance floor and it was spectacular. On a night like this I wanted to stay forever (although the cardboard wings were not breathable and my head felt like it was melting).
