Spray painted lace

Huh?

Yes, you read that correctly. Spray. Painted. Lace.

A friend of my younger son's is a musician in a few bands. One of the bands performed this past weekend at a party in Detroit known as Theatre Bizarre. It is an annual party that I have never attended but I would say it has a New Orleans--Circus--Day of the Dead--other worldly feel to it. I would go, if for nothing other than to people watch, but staying out late is no longer my thing. My "thing" is admiring those who are creative, kind and having fun. Billy's friend has always met that criteria.

Everyone, both party goers and musicians, had to be in costume at this event. The band decided to dress as baroque animals. Baroque animals? Well, of course!

 

Are you having trouble identifying baroque attire? Here is one example:

Billy's friend wanted to adapt this look to her personal style and incorporate the band's colors which are black and gold.

She began with her high school prom dress. The dress was lavender which would not do at all. She attempted to dye it black but the fabric was acetate and would not dye. What to do? Why, grab a can of matte black spray paint, of course! Not only did it cover well, it didn't rub off.

A trip to a used clothing store netted her a polyester evening gown that was white with silver trim and a few rhinestone buttons. It zipped up the back with a V neck in front and a high walking slit in that center seam. Wanting to make a coat out of it (much like the green part of the dress above), she cut open the center seam. Now all she needed was something to frill it up.

Enter yours truly, frill mistress to baroque piggies.

We went to Joann's to look at trims. One that we both liked would have cost $60 to go up one side, around the neck, down the other and around the two narrow sleeves. That wasn't a practical expense for a one-night costume. Hmmm, if spray painting the dress worked, why not spray paint lace as well? We went with black since she wanted some of the black to show through.

She took it home that evening, laid it out on tarp and spray painted the lace with gold paint. The next day I got the bolt of lace and the dress.

We also bought an inexpensive white lace that was edged in gold. I sandwiched that between rows of the spray painted lace, spacing them a bit to hopefully get more bang for her buck.

The white with gold lace catches light and draws the eye in to the dark lace, don't you think?

Here is the Barbecue...er, I mean Baroque Beauty as she appeared in full costume.



Miss Piggy would be jealous!