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[B.O.M.]

I'll be making this and am trying to decide what color I should go with (the pattern came yesterday, yippee!).

Blacks would be super easy to locate, but bats are greys or brown. This is going to be for a mourning party. What colors would you use?

1887 Bat Costume

[Desse]

I think it'd look awesome in a charcoal grey? Maybe the shawl/wing things in black since they're distinctly darker in the original Drawing, then the dress and corset in dark greys.

[MoradoFlower]

I agree with Desse

[alpha_helix]

I agree that black/grey would look lovely, but since you mentioned mourning, some dull shades of purple are also appropriate for Victorian half mourning. Yep, that classic goth color combo came from somewhere (admittedly though, historically half mourning grey and purple would not typically be worn with full morning black, but you get the picture).

Oooh! I have a vision with the wings in black, the body of the dress in grey, and purple accents, either in embellishment or maybe some jewelry or a corsage? White calla lilies when used as the star flower in an arrangement are typical funeral flowers (my mother does the floral arranging at her church and calls them "death lilies"). Fake ones can be found easily at craft stores, and a purple accent flower would tie in perfect. Fashion plates of the late 1880s show a corsage at the neckline, hip, or hair, so it doesn't have to look prom-y.

Um, sorry if I got carried away, but I love this idea! Basically, if you want to go realistic bat, black and grey (all one tone is hard to pull off), or black, grey, and a splash of purple.

Please share pics when you're done. I've know of this fashion plate for a while, and I'd love to see what you do with it!

[B.O.M.]

I love these ideas! Several that also do historic costuming suggested purples. I'd like to stay away from black, unless I can get a black fabric that has a purple sheen to it. I'll keep these in mind when I go to the fabric district after A-Kon.