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Sunset Tears Gown

Ann wears her most beautiful gown while filming a dramatic scene against a absolutely scrumptious sunset. The actual context of the scene is never reveled... but it appears she's having more trouble with her love interest than with Kong.

She runs into the shot, dropping her chiffon wrap, but still clutching the "train" of her evening dress. She stares into the sunset and then turns tearfully emoting great loss... at least until she see Jack and then her face lights up spoiling the shot.

Gown Index

	Overview shots
	Bodice Study
	Strap Study
	Jewelry
	Movie Magic
	Recreating the Gown

Overview shots


Here's the coloration from the movie. Note the wide band of decorative trim in back. Copper beads on dark net. Note: trim is only attached at the bottom, is loose and bells out just a tad at the top edge	Here you can see the dress a little better. Note how the dress hangs heavy and clings to every curve at the same time.

Facing front, you can see the cowl neckline. Also note the bronze decoration on the back ends in a diamond decoration at the end of the straps in front.	Again, note how tight the dress is, how it cleans to her leg. Two way stretch, with metals or beads to make it this heavy.

(high rez) Publicity Photo. Look at the fabric beads, bugle beads in the crazy pattern	(high rez) Publicity Photo. Note the bust stitching. Seams, and the band how fabric is tacked down

Large publicity photo	Note the color change on these photos vs. the actual movie scene.

This dress shows even better when seen moving. Check out the official website. Select Media > Clips > Clips > "Jack interrupts Carl filming on deck"

Bodice Study


Only the front part of the dress is two pieces, the back in one swooping piece.	See the bugle bead pattern. Note also, here is the bust where her arm is not raised. 2nd row of tacking below the seam

The fitting is accomplished with 3 tucks on the bodice. Note that they are all on the underside of the shoulder strap.	The tucks are marked in pink. The seams in blue. the top of the cowl neck is tuned back under 1"

Right side-view of bodice. Zipper starts about 4" down and goes to low hip. Zipper seam goes back slightly.	Sketch of the lining fabric, an "organized" crinkle. Half dozen/dozen lines per inch. This would give a non stretch fabric horizontal stretch.

The bodice piece is only for the front. Note how the seam curves up in the center front. There is no pull on the 3 side tucks, so... that means that there is a more formal fitting on the bodice lining. It is probably non-stretch on the lining.

The rest of the dress is lined with a crinkled/micro-pleat fabric. This gives a horizontal stretch so that the top fabric shows no pull when she bends and vamps. The hem almost looks bag lined... but rolled back up about 3/8 of an inch, so it could be a fancier hemming. (2nd is more likely, else there needs to be a seam somewhere on the lining)

Strap Study


Strap are very detailed full of tiny seed beads



bronze seed beads and a few bugles	same pic, lightened



Strap blown up about 400% to show the the way the bronze beads spider out.	Even blown up this much, you can still see a bit of the texture of the bead weaving (sketch to right)

Thanks to the Kong is King website for the publicity images. See http://www.theonering.net/scrapbook/group/1852 for the full pictures of this gown

Jewelry

This is the only time we see Ann wearing jewelry. Her earrings are simple crystal faceted tear drops hooked to an ear loop. The wrist bracelet is hard to see exactly but appears to constructed of medallions of sparkly bits set in antique bronze.


Note the color of the metal, looks like medallions of antique bronze tone metal. There is sparkle there too.

Little gold rectangles with a small round gem in the center - either garnet or jet. Rimmed in gold.	Teardrop crystal on a gold earring finding

	Hair styled at caught at the nape of her neck - from pub photo

Movie Magic Bits

Color grading makes a difference. Note how the tone and beauty of the scene changes.

What's going on with this dress????


What the heck are we seeing here???? Movie magic attaching a "train" and flaring the back????

Here she's posed so you can just see the tail. (Tail has been confirmed at exhibit.)	Red circle - side zipper visible; green circle - the tail is lined in what looks like a taupe china silk, blue circle - is that some kind of crazy seam around the whole dress, or an artifact of too many saves of a jpg. Guess, artifact.	What the tail insert looks like in the center back. 3"-4" wide, 2" deep.

Recreating the Sunset Tears Gown

This can be easy or tough... depending on how "close" you want to get to the original. The original uses what looks to be a very experience fabric. It's two way stretch with lots of metallic threads or beads. (Can't tell which... will have to wait for exhibits.)

There are numerous patterns out on the market that have an empire waist formal gown that you can adapt. The trick is the disappearance of most of the seams. Maybe we'll see the real thing at FIDM this year and will be able to address that.

As mentioned in the bodice section, make the lining without stench and place the fabric over it to get those please on the side. You may need to tack the under side of the pleats to the interlining.

It's easy to move the zipper placement from the back to the side so that the bronze trim is uninterrupted.

The bronze time and straps are most likely non only non-stretch, but reinforced. The beads could be added over the basic piece of the garment.

To save on beading so you don't have to cover the whole thing, use a shiny bronze metallic fabric and bead/trim it.

Regardless, you're not going to want the weird added fish tail on the dress. But many patterns do have a design called a mermaid tail. It's close and very beautiful alternative to their add on.

Do not even think of wearing this dress unless you're planning on wearing support garments... like control hose and a high waist or some kind of a body slimmer. Actresses have perfect bodies that are sculpted to this point... we do not. Get rid of the budges and jiggles and have smooth lines and this gown will be able to be worn on numerous sizes.

Later I'll go into how to fit the princess seams to get that under the butt tuck for those that have a figure that can handle it. Also we'll talk a bit about fan and mermaid train tails.

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This site was last updated 02/14/06

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