Scarlet Witch Avengers 2 – Dress Construction

So back to Scarlet Witch’s black dress from Avengers 2.  In the previous post, the screen captures help outline the observable details, so let’s put all the notes together into a sketch to help better illustrate the dress’s basic construction. In addition, there are some thoughts at the bottom of the post on some patterns to help the construction process along.

Illustration of Scarlet Witch Avengers 2 dress construction

Illustration of Scarlet Witch Avengers 2 dress construction

Set photo of Scarlet Witch from filming of Avengers 2: Age of Ultron

I should preface all this with the statement that I am by no means a very good artist.

Above are 2 different croquis sketches created to map out the seams and stitch lines for the dress without the jacket.

Notes

Here is an annotated version of the sketch which highlights the different details we’ve been following with links to the supporting screen captures below:

1. turned out collar (a | b)
2. black inner seam (a | b)
3. single exposed button (b)
4. stitch line for enclosed buttons (c)
5. inset dropped gathered waist (c | d | e)
6. embroidery at shoulder (b)
7. blue polka-dot lining (a | b)
8. glimpse of red bra (b)
9. unknown sleeve style
10. gathered seam scoops down (d | e)

Enlargement of Details

Turned collar, blue lining, inner black seam

Single button, turned collar, blue lining, shoulder embroidery, inner black seam

Seam line for hidden front closure buttons

Seam lines for inset dropped gathered waist

Highlighted seam lines for dropped gathered waist

Pattern Ideas

For those of you not willing to forge into the realm of construction without direction, we’ll look at a couple possibilities for patterns. The chances of finding an exact pattern are slim, so we’ll focus on finding one that provides a good basis that you can alter.  Any dress pattern that has the following criteria will work:

• full length button-front closure
• no in-set waist seam (since we’ll add our own around the hips, we need a smooth waistline)
• no princess seams (the side curving seams that usually go up to the bust, or beyond)

Oddly, there seems to be a huge deficit with regards to this kind of dress on all 4 major pattern companies.  Perhaps it’s not in fashion right now.

Vintage vogue1589 pattern from 1996 for creating the dress for Scarlet Witch Avengers 2

MacCalls 6520 pattern for creating Scarlet Witch Avengers 2 black dress

MacCalls 6520 pattern for creating Scarlet Witch Avengers 2 black dress

In my own stash, i have old pattern from Vogue circa 1996 (Vogue 1589) that would work brilliantly with some adjustments on the sleeves (too wide) and the neckline (too low), however searching for this pattern on the internet revealed that even this obscure pattern is not being currently offered by any collectors.  Perhaps some time down the road, I’ll whip this pattern out and see how ‘usable’ it is with the intention of publishing the pattern pieces online.

Alternatively, there is a pattern from McCall’s that fits our criteria and would probably be a good place to start.  McCalls’s 6520, which features everything we’re looking for – front button closure, smooth waistline, no princess seams.  Definitely go for view C (short sleeve) or D (long sleeve) and NOT view A or B, as these have raglan sleeves and a too wide a collar.  View C and D does feature a folded collar, however judging by the sketches, it would be quite easy to make this dress omitting this collar since it’s a separate piece, leaving a perfect high banded collar in it’s place.  The only other steps to take would be inserting the dropped gathered waist at the hipline.  In a future post, we’ll discuss how that’s done for anyone who might be unsure on the method.  You will also need to change the sleeves a bit, unless you’re willing to roll the sleeves up to not be seen from beneath the jacket.

Alas, exhaustive searches through fabrics have not yielded a single black chiffon with the right pattern/texture to emulate Scarlet Witch.  We’ll keep looking, but if anyone else out there has any ideas, please let me know.