Floorshow Boas!

Okay, here's what I've learned after dicking around with these things for a few weeks...

The boas are long. Really long. I make mine almost 10'.
The box-pleats use fabric at a 3-to-1 ratio... so if you want to box pleat 9' of organza, you'll need 9 yards (18 feet!)

Sue's seem to be mounted on some black twill tape, but I just used 3/8" grosgrain ribbon. I don't recommend satin ribbon; the organza will slip and slide all over that.

Materials: 
1 10-foot strip of twill tape or grosgrain ribbon
1 9-yard (18-foot) strip of Black Organza (10" wide)
1 8-yard strip of Red Organza (10" wide)
1 8-yard strip of Yellow-Green Organza (10" wide)
2 WOF (Width Of Fabric) strips of Black Chiffon (10" wide)
2 (or 4) Black Tassels
Black Serger Thread (and obv. a serger)

If you don't mind piecing your organza together, you can just buy 2-yards and sew the 10" strips together to make one long strip.

Prepping the Fabric:
I cut 10" wide strips of the Organza and chiffon and serge all the long edges. If you want to use a rolled-hem foot on your serger, you may want to cut your fabric strips 1/2" wider to accommodate the hem (1/4" each side). I don't bother to serge the short edges, but you can if you want. 

Getting Started:
I fold about 1" of the ribbon up to make a loop for the tassel. Some tassels have stupid-long loops for hanging, so I shorten those to about 2".  I box-pleat the chiffon to each end straight down the middle - just sort of a loose pleat-as-I-go technique. I can see the ribbon through the chiffon. Make sure you attach both ends of the chiffon to the SAME SIDE of the ribbon! My pleats average about 1-1/4" deep.. back and forth alternating their direction (that's what makes it a box pleat). If you prefer you can pleat them all going the same direction and it should look beautiful, too.

Pleating the Organza!
Continue to attach all layers on the same side of the ribbon. This will help with the twist when it's hanging.

I attach the red first... slightly overlapping the black Chiffon ends. Not all of the boas have all of the colors running the full length, but I prefer to keep it simple and just go all the way across. Then the green/yellow - which I started and ended a little further in from the red. Then the black I started about 6" from the beginning of the ribbon - it overlaps a lot of the Chiffon. 

You absolutely want to do the black organza last because it's the hardest to see through. You need to be able to see your ribbon/previous stitch line on each successive layer. It can be a little tricky with the black on top of the black ends. Just go slowly and keep your pleat layers spread as you work. 

Commissions:
If you decide you'd rather just buy one I'd be glad to make it for you!  Based on the materials I currently have available (see top photo) I am charging $125.00 (materials + labor).  

Floorshow Boa Research

There are two known, extant boas:
1. The King's Road Boa owned by Ruth (and possibly used by Rocky in the film)
2. Columbia's Boa owned by Larry

They have a lot in common and appear to be made from the same materials, however the order of their layers is different. They both begin with a length of black twill tape (grosgrain will work well, too). Both boas also begin with pleated chiffon on the ends - it's a little droopier and gives the boa a more tapered appearance. Both boas have multiple layers of pleated (most likely) Organza, but the lengths and positions of the Red and Yellow are reversed. The tassels appear to be the same.

Pride Boas

I made a set of Pride boas for the local casts I perform with, and as a pre-cursor to (eventually) making some screen accurate floorshow boas (Organza fabric has been ordered!)

For these, I used Tulle-Organza. It's like a fine-weave tulle with the shimmer of organza (but doesn't shed glitter!) I used a 10' long ribbon down the middle and box-pleated 4 layers of 11" wide tulle. Which is pretty wide, you probably wouldn't want your regular floorshow boas to be that wide, unless you just wanted them to be "extra". Each layer was applied individually, and I just pleated as I went.  The dark purple ends are chiffon (and those edges are serged). 

This makes a very cost-effective boa - which is great for theme shows (think Pride, Halloween, etc.)  Anyhow, the Organza ones are coming soon(ish)!

Floorshow Garter Belts

My best guess is the metallic red ribbon is attached with a zig-zag stitch to some elastic while it's being stretched.  This will make the entire garter strap curl up on itself, but you might be able to flatten it with an iron. Definitely test your ribbon/method with some scrap pieces first. 

Columbia's photo shows that the middle/side strap is attached on top of the garter belt (the other straps are likely sewn into the designated seam).

Rocky's garter belt gives some insight on the fabric - definitely stretchy (not a plain satin). 

Frank's Floorshow Gauntlet (Research)

I was messaging with my friend Scott V. today about Frank's floorshow gauntlet and realized I never made a post about it. Definitely seems like the sequins were applied (in a continuous, meandering pattern) to the fabric before it was closed up. He also loses most of the feathers in the pool (but y'all know that). Not certain, but it looks like the split may be on the side of the wrist - or it could just be twisted. Never found a better view of that to confirm.

Click for full size image

Floorshow Boas

 Ruth's Anal Retentive Rocky Horror Costume site has some amazing, detailed photos (taken by Sarah K. of Chicago) of Columbia's floorshow boa (from Larry V.'s amazing collection).

Boa detail (photo by Sarah Kucera)

Floorshow Corsets (Research)

This is shared with permission by Stefan from the RockyHorror.org forums.  He debunks a long-held myth that the floorshow corsets were worn upside-down and backwards to get their unusual style.  Stefan did a mock-up of what he believed were the hook and eyes up the back (not a busk), which would imply they were custom-made for the film (not bought off-the-rack) and his image lines up beautifully with screen-shots of Columbia's corset; see for yourself-

Okay, this is the mock up I made.

It's not exactly the same hook and eye tape as I mentioned before, but it is very close. And it's black with chrome square eyes.
I sewed the tape onto the fabric pieces in the most simple straightforward way. I added some multicolor sequins to the mock up for size comparison to the original. These are the standard sized 6mm flat sequins.

I closed the two pieces together with the hook and eye tape and pinned it on a doll, making sure to put a little bit of tension on the mock up, simulating the tension of a bustier/corset. While I took the picture I slightly moved my camera a bit to recreate the tiny unsharpness of the motion blur we see in the original photograph

Using photoshop I posted the picture next to the columbia picture. All I did with altering the picture, was brightness, contrast and some color changes, cause the fabric came out a bit redder on the picture than colombia's did. I then scaled the picture (while maintaining the original dimensions (no stretching the image) and then rotated it slightly to mimic the diagonal of the original.

I personally think it is a very good match. Both in look, proportions, and spacing. But see what you think.

Modifying Store-Bought Garter Belt

Modifying an off-the-rack garter belt is one of the easiest costume projects to tackle, so there's really no excuse (insert angry cast director or costume mistress rant).  Our cast's minimum standard only asked that floorshow corsets and garters be solid black, but it looks so much better when the performers go the extra mile with their garter straps and sequin gauntlets.  A spot-on kickline is killer.

The shape of the garter belt is a traditional 4-strap style with two side straps added.  And since all the straps are covered with red crinkly stuff it doesn't even matter if the added elastic matches.  You can order extra garter clips on eBay for cheap.  Make sure you secure your strap lengths before applying the red crinkly ribbon (wired Christmas ribbon works great and it's easy to find).

Floorshow Corset

Here's my first proto-type floorshow corset.  I used cotton coutil covered with a bottom-weight (heavy) satin.  The edges are bound in double-fold satin bias strips.  13 grommets (set with an industrial setter) and a zipper in the back. It has poly-boning and is not intended to be tight-laced - as a zipper simply is not suitable for the strain of a tight corset.  The poly-boning is what you'll find in most store-bought bustiers - it's easy to find in mainstream fabric stores and easy to replace when it wears out.  You could also use flat steel boning - but with a zipper it would still be unsuitable for tight-lacing.

Columbia's corset ties at the top (pictured), though everyone else's ties at the bottom.  I used an assortment of flat and faceted sequins - though I'm glad to accommodate anyone's preference on the matter.  The sequins are glued on with jewel-it glue, though some people may prefer to sew theirs on themselves (that's a bit beyond my level of patience).  

Buying Corsets

Corsets have exploded in popular culture over the last 2 decades and it seems like everyone and their sister began making them to sell online. I've taken issue with a lot of these products so I figured I would give the run-down on what to look for (or ask about) since price is not an indication of quality.

Fabric

Corsets can be made with any fashion fabric on the outside (i.e. Satin) but should have a suitable strength layer.  I prefer coutil, though a high-end twill or drill is also sufficient.  That being said, good luck finding a high-end twill at your big-box fabric store that doesn't stretch out like a pair of tight jeans from dryer and feels baggy 30 minutes later.  Most professional corset makers will use coutil.

Boning

You have 3 types of boning:  Rigilene/plastic, steel, and spiral.  You can buy the Rigilene stuff at your local fabric store and it's generally intended for bodices and strapless dresses.   Under pressure the Rigilene will bend and warp, but it's also easy and inexpensive to replace.   The flat steel stays seem to be the most common in commercial corsets - but I've seen those become permanently flexed in a short amount of time.  Spiral bones are the best, but are the most expensive and require special equipment to cap the ends before using.

All that being said, once you drop a zipper in the back of a floorshow corset it doesn't really matter.  Zippers are not designed for horizontal stress any more than the aforementioned Twill fabric.  So now you pretty much have a lace-up bustier.  And if you're going to drop a zipper in a corset you may as well use a cheaper fabric and plastic/replaceable boning that's cheaper (and easier to dance in).

Fitting

This one haunts me in my sleep.  If the lacing gap exceeds 3 or 4", it's too small.  Your seams won't line up where they should on your body. It will probably be uncomfortable to wear (and perform in!)

Also worth noting; figure-modifying corsets (usually with a busk closure) are sized 2" less than your natural waistline.  So if you have a 26" waist you would buy a 24" corset. If the gap is more than 3 or 4" your corset doesn't fit you. The seams are designed to lay against the body in specific places, accounting for the curves of your front, back, and sides. If the corsets back is creeping around to your sides, it's not giving you the proper support it's designed to.

Finally

Know what you're paying for.   If you're buying a professional-made corset you want to make sure you are getting your monies worth.  If you are making your own costume for floorshow it's fine to use affordable options so long as you understand the corners you are cutting.

Floorshow Garter Belt

I used a heavy (bottom weight), 2-way stretch satin for this. There are two elastic straps in back - it just pulls on. The garter straps are 1/2" elastic with pleated, wire metallic red ribbon - and they still have a little stretch in them. I'll have a couple to sell at con.

Garter Belt (Research)

I suspect the garter belt is some sort of (semi?) spandex satin. It doesn't look as stretchy as swimwear, but it's not the same satin as the corsets. I've seen another photo of Columbia in floorshow where hers looks stretched, too.

As for the straps, my best guess is that the red is pleated before being sewn onto (what is presumably) elastic. At least that's the method I'm going to experiment with first. I have a few more screen caps from the pool scene, and those definitely look pleated.

Columbia's Floorshow Corset (Research)

There appears to be 14, maybe 16 segments (7 or 8 on each side) of the corset - though my personal experience making corsets suggest it's probably only 5 panels, and the additional boning channels give the appearance of more seams.

I've heard the corsets were worn backwards/upside down - and you can clearly see the metal busk on Columbia's back.

Her corset ties at the top, though the others all tie at the bottom.

Floorshow Gauntlet

There are a lot of stretchy-sequin fabrics that look great. I used the taffeta-backed stuff with a satin lining. The top is your bicep measurements +2" and the bottom is the measurement around your hand (not fisted) +1". With a ¼" seam allowance you'll have just enough ease for a snug gauntlet that you can move in. I split the opening about 2" and added a hook & eye to make it easier getting over the hand. I use bias tape to make the elastic casing at the top (hidden by the feathers). The feathers are just tacked on in 4 separate places - they do not need to be sewn all the way around - leave some slack between points of tacking.