Princess Peach Reworked

Years ago when I first started performing in San Francisco I had the idea to do a Mario Bros number where I would play Princess Peach. I was so excited about it that I bought a red wig, crown and blue rhinestone necklace immediately. I was on the right track because that same week I found the most hideous pink princess dress at Thrift Town. (It's much more challenging to find outrageous clothes at thrift stores in Portland. There's more sequins in the SFcast-offs.) The label said it was from Guam and I'm sure it was intended as a tween pageant dress. It was incredible - fake flowers spraying off the puffed shoulders...it resembled that miserable prom dress that Molly Ringwald makes in Pretty in Pink. 

This is the adorable vintage dress that she's given.

And this is the freakish Franken-dress she creates. 

(Side note: as baffling as her ultimate creation is that scene was one of the most influential in my young life! Why is this sewing montage not on Youtube?!?! I think they meant for it to feel like Cinderella, but it's more Frankenstein.) 
Anyways, as soon as I saw that pink monstrosity my eyes lit up, and just then a nosy stranger said, "That's the ugliest dress I've ever seen, what on earth are you going to do with it?" Undeterred, I happily claimed my prize. 
There is something especially satisfying about finding one of fashion's sequined misjudgements and transforming it into something stage worthy. 
Well, then I moved to Portland and the dress sat in my closet until someone told me that some other performers had a Mario Bros number. Instead of stuffing the idea I asked them if they wanted to add a Princess Peach to the mix, and they did! It worked out perfectly because I am taller than both of them just like in the game, ha! 
I pulled out the old dress and ripped it apart. I made a new bodice from a Princess dress pattern and used the ruffled skirt and puffed sleeves from the old dress. The sleeves pull off, then the bodice, then the skirt to reveal a gold coin bikini. And when I shimmy coins pop out!

Here is the original monstrosity.  Those sleeves...

Here is the full beast. That skirt...

Princess Peach Tear-Away Burlesque Costume!

It was a childhood dream come true, Pretty in Pink and Cinderella all at once. 

Here's another inspiring sewing scene :