Buzz
Get ready for Halloween or cosplay with an easy-to-make Sally costume! Ditch the typical costume shop options and craft your own custom Sally dress using patchwork fabric. Add black paint to mimic stitches and don't forget to style your hair in her signature red locks. To complete the look, apply makeup to achieve Sally's pale blue skin and accentuate the black stitches on her face. You'll be the talk of the town with this spooktacular ensemble!
Steps
Sally's Dress
Choose a sewing pattern for a knee-length dress. Look for a pattern with a V-neck and decide if you want short sleeves like Sally's dress in the movie. An A-line knee-length dress is ideal for Sally's style. Don't have time to sew? No problem! Find a knee-length dress to repurpose. Raid your closet or hit thrift stores for an affordable option. Then, simply attach fabric patches to transform it into a costume.
Create unique shapes by cutting the paper pattern. Adjust the paper pattern to your size, leaving a 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) seam allowance. Cut out the pattern into distinct shapes, ensuring they fit together. The shapes don't need to be specific; just ensure they match the original shape. Refer to a picture of Sally for guidance.
Trace and cut pattern pieces from various fabric colors. Select a variety of fabrics resembling Sally's dress from the movie, such as faded yellow, green, and pink with black polka dots. Place the pattern piece on the fabric, pin it, and cut it out. Repeat this for each pattern piece, ensuring you have one fabric piece for each paper pattern piece.
Pin fabric pieces together following the pattern. Arrange fabric pieces with the wrong side up, pinning their edges together based on the paper pattern. Stack the fabric pieces over the pattern pieces if needed to ensure a proper fit.
Join fabric pieces with straight stitches as per the sewing pattern. Use your sewing machine to sew straight stitches, maintaining a 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) seam allowance. Consider sewing patches on a single pattern piece before connecting the patterned edges to form the dress. Once done, turn the dress right side out and make any necessary fit adjustments.
Enhance some patches with black fabric marker designs. Look closely at Sally's dress for inspiration. Add large black circles, straight lines, or swirls to selected patches using a black fabric marker. If unavailable, a permanent marker works too.
Add x-shaped stitches with black fabric paint along the seams. Achieve Sally's iconic patchwork appearance by emphasizing the seams. Using black fabric paint, create x-shaped stitches along the seam lines in various sizes to mimic hand-stitching. Allow the paint to dry for at least 4 hours before flipping the dress to paint the other side. If black fabric paint is unavailable, a thick black permanent marker can be used instead.
Hair and Accessories
Purchase a long red wig made of synthetic hair or red yarn. For a lifelike Sally look, opt for a synthetic hair wig in bright red, at least 18 inches (46 cm) long. Alternatively, choose a red yarn wig for a rag doll style. Consider the shade of red carefully, as bright red can enhance Sally's character, while rust-colored red may create a darker or moodier appearance.
Create custom gloves from light blue tights to replicate Sally's blue arms. Trace your hand onto cardboard and cut it out. Insert the cardboard into the foot part of a pair of tights and sew around it in a zigzag pattern to create finger spaces. Remove the cardboard, trim excess fabric between the fingers, and repeat for the other hand. Cut a 4 in (10 cm) hole in the crotch area to accommodate your head. Slide your hands into the sewn tights and pull the hole over your head and down onto your shoulders to wear the gloves.
Wear light blue tights that match your dress size. Choose tights in the same shade of light blue as your dress and wear them beneath your dress. Ensure the tights match the color of the gloves to create the illusion of Sally's pale blue skin.
Wear simple black shoes to complete your Sally look. Sally sports plain black shoes with a slight heel and closed toes in the movie. If heels aren't your style, opt for comfortable black flats or any closed-toed black shoes. Consider black oxford or mary jane shoes as alternatives.
Makeup
Apply light blue cream makeup all over your face and neck. Use a light blue cream makeup or mix blue eyeshadow with white cream-based makeup. Apply the makeup evenly to your face, including your eyelids, ears, chin line, and neck. Allow it to dry completely before applying additional makeup. Ensure that you apply makeup to areas visible once you're dressed.
Create sunken eyes with dark blue eyeshadow. Blend dark blue eyeshadow with a little black eyeshadow using an eyebrow pencil. Apply the mixture to the hood of your eyelids and along the length of your eyelids. Use white eyeshadow along your lower lash line to enlarge your eyes. You can also use dark blue eyeshadow on your eyebrows for a bone-like effect.
Add patchy skin tone with dark blue and white eyeshadow. Apply dark blue eyeshadow to your temples, cheeks, and the sides of your nose. Then, use white highlighter on the top of your nose, under your eyes, and on your chin. While optional, this step enhances your character's appearance.
Apply dark red lipstick. For a dark, moody look, choose a rich burgundy shade of lipstick. Opt for a brighter red for a doll-like appearance or for a kid's costume. Matte lipstick works best to match Sally's lips in the movie.
Add long, black false eyelashes for a doll-like effect. Enhance the size of your eyes with long false eyelashes. Choose lashes with extra length and follow the instructions to apply them to your lash line. For more emphasis, apply black mascara over the false lashes or use double layers.
Create stitch lines using black liquid eyeliner. Complete Sally's makeup by drawing long curved lines on your forehead above your right eye and from each end of your mouth. Draw dashes and x's along these lines to mimic stitches. Extend this to other exposed skin areas, referring to a reference photo of Sally for accuracy.
Tips
- When making a costume for a child, use bright-colored fabric patches and a vibrant red yarn wig. For adults, opt for muted colors and darker wig hues.
Materials Needed
Sally's Attire
- Simple knee-length dress pattern
- Sewing pins
- Patches of various fabric styles
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Black fabric paint
Hair and Accessories
- Red wig
- Two pairs of light blue tights
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
- Cardboard
- Plain black shoes
Makeup Essentials
- Light blue cream makeup
- Makeup brushes
- Eyeshadows in shades of blue, black, and white
- Mascara
- Dark red lipstick
- False black eyelashes
- Black liquid eyeliner
