Cotton Candy Inspired Outfit

It's Project Run & Play Week 2!

This one was a tough one at first for me. Candy Inspired. Hmmm. I've had candy on the brain a lot lately while making the Halloween Treat Bag pattern (releasing this week!!), but I didn't want to sew something Halloween-ish for week 2. I really wanted an outfit that was clearly inspired by candy...but would work as an everyday outfit for one of my girls.

And here it is...the cotton candy inspired outfit.

I looooooooovvvvvveeee cotton candy! Spun sugar. Yum! It's also just so pretty and usually is pastel which was perfect for a girly look. I started looking for inspiration with a simple Google Image search for 'cotton candy' and here's the image that inspired the look the most (the link to it wasn't right so I don't know the original source - but it's SO cute):

My 5 year old, Emerald, loves anything pink so I knew this would be a look perfect for her. We even made a big fabric cotton candy for the pictures (it's just pink fleece wrapped around batting). She loved it!

My overall look is sort of an inverted cotton candy. Big, pink, fluffy skirt on the bottom and a white wrapped shirt (just like the paper cone) on top. I had some pink and white striped fabric on hand and cut it on the bias to make the long belt so it had stripes just like the inspiration picture.

The skirt is actually something I made for Emma last Easter. I just tucked in the lace outer skirt so you could just see the pink tulle underneath. The leggings are just like the ones I made for my daughter Isa here and are from the Ellie pattern by Violette Field Threads.

The top (the wrapped 'cone' for the cotton candy) is Look Number 9 from Five and Ten Designs' new pattern, the Volume One eBook. (a great set of patterns to have...so versatile!) Look Number 9 is actually a dress, but since Emma wears a uniform at school she can't wear a dress...but she can wear a cardigan on top of her school shirt. So the dress turned into a wrap top!

Here are the modifications I made to the pattern (in case you want to make one too - it's so easy!): I cut the bodice according to the pattern directions. But then I cut the lower pieces 8" long instead of the full dress length. I didn't use a lining (or skirt) at all and just serged the seams so they were nicely finished inside. Then I drafted a long sleeve to the size of the armhole opening. Instead of attaching the sash pieces to the actual garment, I made it as a standalone 'belt.'

The thing I love about this top is that it's cute theme-y and dressed up with all the pink, but also will work for everyday casual outfits.

I'm thinking of adding a button to the side so she can keep it closed when she wants, but it looks cute open too.

So there you have it...a cotton candy inspired look.
What's your favorite kind of candy?