Sew a Princess Peach Dress for Cosplay and Renaissance Faire

Princess Peach Dress by Kathryn Sturges

If there is one thing I look forward to the most in Summertime, it is the local Renaissance Faire! I’ve been noticing also how Cosplay is giving people the chance to dress up to honor the characters who represent characteristics they love. It is so easy to whip up a Princess dress. Just add a princess crown and staff, and some boots and you will be ready to rock the Ren Faires and Cosplay conventions!

I started with a pink top that I had gotten from Torrid a few years ago. You don’t have to go with pink though, however pinks or neutral tones give more of a Princess feel. I was thinking more “Princess Peach” from Mario when I did this dress. However you might have a different inspiration for your own make. I also used white unicorn fabric for the sleeves! I sourced the fabric in a secondhand fabric bundle from Etsy last year.

Here’s how I made this dress!

Materials: crop top that you want to upcycle, two to three yards of fabric depending on your waist/hip measurement, and a contrasting knit for the sleeves

Step One: You don’t have to go by exact measurements here, but make sure the fabric is 1 1/2 to 2 times longer than the bottom hem of the crop top. To make the skirt, fold the fabric in half wrong sides together, and stitch the long ends together with a straight stitch. (The fabric I used was sheer, however you don’t have to double up the fabric if you don’t want to.). Next, gather the fabric along the raw edge to create kind of a giant ruffle. Adjust the gathers to fit the crop top, then sew the vertical seam of the fabric to form the skirt. Attach onto the crop top with a straight stitch.

Step Two: Remove the sleeves off the crop top. Estimate how long you want the sleeves to be, and measure the opening of the sleeve area on the top, then cut out two pieces of fabric rectangles that match those measurements. My sleeves were cut at an angle, to give a more Princess feel. Fold one of the rectangles in half, with the open seam at the bottom. Then lay the sleeve opening on the top at the top edge of the rectangle, and trace the opening onto the fabric rectangle. Cut out the shape of the top of the sleeve, then sew the long edge of the sleeves together with right sides touching. Attach the sleeves to the top and hem the sleeves.

Step Three: Embellish the dress however you like! Add lacing detail down the front or trims. You could add a button placket to the middle of the front, or an applique design. My top already had a heart cut out, so I left it as it was.