DISNEY HAUNTED MANSION MAID’S DRESS

Last year during the summer of 2023 I got an idea for a costume to make for a movie theme at Costume College, since the main theme was Costumes of Stage & Screen.

I came across a photo on Pinterest of the maid’s outfits that were worn at Disney’s Haunted Mansion. I also had a friend, Cat, who used to work there, and she shared photos of her in her costume to help me with my design.

I found a couple of different versions you could buy on Amazon but I was leaning towards more of a historical-style dress and I wouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel in making it. There are many different versions for sale on etsy from short to long, even a child’s which would make a cute “Lolita” version.  I did like the full-length version of the first one the best. The last photo is a more recent one worn there at Disneyland but I wanted to make mine in cotton and I liked the stripes.

  

I started the fun part of fabric shopping online and did a search for black and green stripes. When I came across this particular one with bats included, that was it! Except they only had 4 yds 58” wide, which was only enough for the bodice and apron. So I also continued searching for a solid green for the skirt, which it turned out wasn’t easy because it has a bit of a bluish color to the green and nothing in the three stores I went to had anything close to it. So I decided just to wear a solid black one with it and maybe in the future I might find a green for it.

Patterns were an easy decision. I wanted an open neckline so I could add lace along it. I liked the neckline on Truly Victorian’s #422 1881 bodice but squared off the back peplum since it was going to be tucked in under my skirt and apron. I used the apron portion of Truly Victorian #208 to make my maid’s apron, just adding ties to the waistband in the back with a big bow. My black cotton skirt was made a few years ago, using TV #221.

 

When I started on my accessory maid’s cap, I planned to make one similar to the ones worn at Disney with the white pleated lace and bat wings on it. Cat even sent me detailed photos of her cap for inspiration. But then I found this on etsy! Similar fabric to mine and it has mouse ears! Even better to tie my outfit into Disneyland! And I didn’t have to make one more thing when I began to run out of time.

I also wanted to have a proper name tag like they wear at the Mansion and found three I liked on etsy but thought I could make one myself. Except in the end, I didn’t have time, and totally forgot. Stupid, I should have just bought one, which I probably will now, since I want to wear this for Halloween this year. I like “Foolish Mortal” the best.

 

I began construction of my dress in September of 2023, a bit close to Halloween but as always, I had my ghost bride outfit as a backup just in case. I sewed a self-fabric ruffle around the hem of the apron, and added some white lace that I cut off a much wider one I had that had a blue ribbon and a smaller ruffle on its opposite side. I pleated the portion to go around my hem, then cut it down some more for the sleeve cuffs and neckline trim.

 

 

 

 

That was as far as I got because my Mother’s health had been going downhill for a while, and I was distracted from sewing. Sadly she passed away on Halloween, so I went with Plan B, and set aside my maid’s outfit to finish for Costume College the following year in July.

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I pulled my dress out of my closet in February 2024, thinking I still needed to add the sleeves and lace, but was surprised I had already sewn the sleeves on last time I worked on it. So I only needed to add the lace to the neckline and sleeves, and then all that was left to do was the buttons and buttonholes. I thought antique black glass buttons would be very appropriate for this bodice and used ones from my stash. I only had 5 buttons but the portion below the waist didn’t need them.

 

I only wore a petticoat under my skirt since this was a maid’s outfit and didn’t need a bustle, even though the pattern had a peplum for one, and my skirt had some gathering in back to accommodate one. It was fine without one.

It turned out to be one of my favorite outfits I wore to Costume College this year. I had lots of compliments, especially when someone recognized the mouse ears. I wasn’t able to go to the Photographer’s Studio for a good photo because even though I was 8 weeks post-knee surgery, I can’t stand for long and the lines there were long. So I depended on friends to take some for me. Now I can’t wait to wear this for Halloween this year, and am thinking of putting pale white makeup on with black circles around my eyes. And I just ordered that “Foolish Mortal” name tag on etsy.