Recreating Lydia's Dress

This Halloween I was commissioned to make a wedding dress. Not just any wedding dress though, I was asked to recreate the Red Lydia Wedding Dress from Beetlejuice.

Lucky for me, I didn’t have to do it from scratch. My client provided me with a skirt she had found at a thrift store. Now, this project had become an upcycle project – MY FAVORITE!

The first step to turning a skirt into a dress is to add a bodice. The good news was I happened to have a red blouse that I could contribute to the upcycle project.

Once I had the top attached, it was time to add the details…

I added some left over crafting tulle (more recycling), and a high collar neck, like the one featured in the movie.

And before I knew it I had a dress that was creatively mine but still distinguishable as the famous Lydia Red Wedding Dress…

I am so proud of this project, not just because it turned out beautiful and my client loved it but because I was able to reuse materials I already had and give new life to neglected clothing.

This article was orignally published November 3, 2021