This gown was on a clearance rack at Champion Party Supply, a party and costume store in Seattle. It cost me all of $18. It's cream satin; the sweetheart bodice is lightly boned and has narrow velvet straps for extra support. The skirt is very full and bell-shaped, gathered vertically all the way around, and then gathered in "swags" to get this poufy effect. It also has an attached full petticoat with six inches of lace at the bottom. For $18.

This didn't need much added. I bought the cream opera gloves at a vintage store, and the feathers at a costume shop (they're tucked into a French twist). I have on small silver satin slippers under the skirt. The jewelry is nearly as spectacular as the gown--vintage Edwardian "paste" jewels that belonged to my great-grandmother. The fan is a cheap sandalwood-scented wooden fan that you can find at many novelty shops. For makeup, I kept it subtle and just a little shimmery, to approximate the prized "porcelain" complexion of the era.

Sadly, I only wore this precise costume once, as I gained weight and the bodice no longer fit. But keep going--you'll see this gown again.