Marcia Loader


   Check out this beautiful, Swarovski Elements 2028 encrusted, two-piece dance costume for Miss River Raisin Festival ErinnHendricks’ talent presentation at the Miss Michigan 2010 Pageant.


I designed this Swarovski Elements 2028 encrusted, two-piece dance costume for Miss River Raisin Festival Erinn Hendricks’ talent presentation at the Miss Michigan 2010 Pageant.

It started as a yellow, off-the-rack swimsuit. I stiffened the top with sewn-in cups to give me a good base to completely encrust the bust in 20ss light topaz with 20ss AB crystal accents. The midriff strap was stoned to create a "sunset effect" using light Siam, fire opal, hyacinth, padparadscha, sun and light topaz 20ss. I then worked with Riversedge Dancewear to have a custom hand-painted, handkerchief-hemmed chiffon skirt created by Watercolours Dancewear attached that flowed from the yellow of the swimsuit bottom to a fiery red. The waistband is solid 20ss light topaz with 20ss AB crystal accents interspersed. I then used tone-on-tone stones (same colors as in the sunset-effect midriff band plus some Siam, AB crystal and crystal) in the chiffon starting with heavier stoning where the skirt attached, then a reduced number to allow good flow through the skirt. However, the "points" were more heavily stoned front and back as both sides of the points showed. The top straps featured a flower design with 40ss light topaz and fire opal along with 20ss of those same colors. This flower design repeated on the front of the skirt near the waist band to tie the top and bottom together. I also decorated a headband in the same style, but it is not shown in this photo. The earrings are of 20ss fire opal and light topaz built on balsa-wood circles. The handscarves were also created by Watercolours and were sprinkled in tone-on-tone 20ss - same colors as used in the rest of the costume.

Quantities and products are as follows (all are Swarovski Elements 2028):