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This Beetlejuice Lydia Deetz costume is my favorite costume I have ever made! Our re-creation of the black dress worn by the character of Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice The Musical is the ultimate cosplay outfit or DIY Halloween costume for teenage girls.
When Julia told me a couple of years ago that she wanted to dress up as Lydia from the Broadway version of Beetlejuice, I begged her to change her mind because I knew re-creating that intricate dress would be so much work.
It took us ages to make this dress. I spent hours examining screenshots and photos of the Beetlejuice black dress, shopping for fabrics, laces, and trim, drafting my pattern, and trying to sew the best Lydia dress I possibly could.
I finally finished the dress, and Julia and I both absolutely love it! She wore a black wig, black Dr. Martens, black patterned fishnet tights to create this fabulous DIY Beetlejuice Lydia Deetz costume.
This dress was the hardest, longest sewing task I have ever attempted. But it was by far the most rewarding.
Our Lydia Deetz Costume Creation Process
I started making this Beetlejuice Lydia Deetz dress for Julia in 2021, and I barely managed to get a version of it sewn together at the last minute for her to run out the door to a Halloween party. But I didn’t have any time to take photos of her wearing it. Later, I finished the dress and she wore it for Halloween in 2022. But, I didn’t even post about the costume here on the blog until now – just ten days before this year’s Halloween.
So what took me so long to make and write about this costume?
The reality is that I am always running behind schedule and sewing falls to the bottom of the URGENT to do list. Then, I have to sew like crazy at the last minute to finish the project.
By the time I am finished sewing I am already behind on the rest of my URGENT task list and I don’t have time to create the sewing pattern and tutorial for the blog!
You see… the main reason I am always so behind on my to do list is that I live with a severe chronic illness. I rarely tell people about it and I didn’t even mention it here at 5 Minutes for Mom for ten years. Honestly, it is really hard to admit how sick I am and how debilitated I am. But, my reality is that I am living within very tight limitations about what and how much I can do. So, while I desperately WANT to keep working and get everything done that I want to do, my body does not allow me to.
Therefore, once again I find myself in the same predicament. Halloween is ten days away. I haven’t finished the tutorial for this Lydia dress. AND I have two costumes I still need to sew for THIS Halloween!
So, this is my plan — I’m sharing some photos I took of Julia last year in our Beetlejuice Lydia Deetz costume from the Broadway Musical AND if you want to learn more about how I designed and created this dress PLEASE let me know in the comments.
If there is enough interest, then I will create an in depth tutorial with all the details and instructions so you can sew a gorgeous Lydia Deetz dress that is inspired by the black dress worn in Beetlejuice the Musical.
Our Halloween Costumes Through The Years
Be sure to check out some of the other Halloween costumes that I’ve made and how stunning our girls looked dressed in them for Halloween over the years.
- In 2014, when Olivia and Sophia were 7 years old and Julia was 9 years old, I made these adorable black cat costumes perfect for little kids.
- In 2015, all three girls wanted to be black bats. I created these easy to make bat costumes and they had so much fun wearing them. I also created a video tutorial showing how to make no-sew animal ears for costumes.
- In 2016, I spent countless hours sewing an elaborate fall fairy dress for Olivia. Sophia and Julia wanted to be baby deer, so I made them sweet fawn costumes.
- In 2017, the girls all wanted to be animals made with pretty costumes using tutus. So we designed and made these bunny, fox, and unicorn costumes for girls.
- In 2018, the girls were all getting a little older, and this set of Halloween costumes for teens and preteens we designed reflected their ages. Sophia was a panda, Olivia was a bear, and Julia was a black cat. When I designed Julia’s cat costume, I created a pretty cat costume for teen girls that was very different to the cat costumes I made for them in 2014.
- In 2019, we got creative again, designing Julia a stunning ghost costume with a handkerchief skirt that would surely impress at any costume party. I loved how the photos turned out. Sophia was the cutest giraffe and Olivia looked fantastic dressed in the Minnie Mouse costume and bow that I sewed for her.
- In 2020, I kept the costumes more simple, and worked with the girls to make them Among Us costumes.
I’ve truly had so much fun sewing all these Halloween costumes over the years. Our annual Halloween photoshoots have been a blast and I love looking at the photos every year.
As I mentioned earlier, in 2021, Julia wore an initial version of the Lydia Deetz costume. That same night, I was scrambling to finish a Britney Spears costume for Olivia, that I also finished at the last minute and didn’t have time to photograph. And I ran out of time to make Sophia a costume that year, but she said she didn’t mind as she wanted to relax at home and hand out candy to kids.
In 2022, I made Sophia a fabulous goth outfit and Julia wore the Lydia Deetz costume. I’m realizing now that I also never blogged about that goth costume I made for Sophia, so I’ll share photos of that outfit soon. And that year Olivia wanted to keep it simple and tossed on some bunny ears on her way out to a Halloween party.
Now we’re in 2023 and Julia is actually in Italy (for her gap year), so this will be the first year since 2014 that I have not sewn her a costume. Julia is always the most excited about Halloween and ever since they were little, she’d get Sophia and Olivia planning their Halloween costumes in the summer.
Thankfully Sophia wants to wear our Beetlejuice Lydia Deetz costume, which makes me so happy that my enormous amount of effort will to be put to good use again.
And I’m now frantically working on sewing a costume for Olivia and her friend… which I will hopefully get done in time. Stay tuned!
Do you want to know how to make this costume?
If you would like to see a detailed sewing tutorial for how I made this DIY Beetlejuice Lydia Deetz Costume, please leave me a comment. If there’s enough interest, I will make a step-by-step DIY tutorial.
Written and photographed by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at https://pinterest.com/5minutesformom/
Zishan says
The beeljune black Liday costume set
Zishan Khalid says
I want to why a beeljune liday costume set
Becca says
I would LOVE to see a tutorial for this. I’m working on the costume myself!
Teya says
A tutorial would be amazing! I’m trying to put together a cosplay duet for a cosplay contest this year, a BJ and Lydia, and it would be really nice to have a base to work off of!
macy says
i’d love a diy is possible!!
Rach says
So beautiful! A DIY tutorial would be amazing. Such beautiful work.
Cate says
Interested in diy!
Loki says
As someone who is chronically ill, I was touched that you mentioned here that you were too and that you mentioned how hard that is sometimes. I always feel like I am forever downplaying my symptoms so as not to upset my family members or “bring things down”. People so rarely admit to being chronically ill, let alone their struggles, that it always touches my heart to know that I am not alone in my struggles.
Now onto why I came here in the first place, the dress. Omg, the way my jaw dropped when I saw the pictures of this dress. As someone who cannot sew and who cannot afford to buy a “replica” dress online (the cheapest ones is like over $200 – YIKES!), I can only live vicariously through your girls. Broadway Lydia is one of my dream cosplays and as a Goth myself, I must admit that I would probably wear the dress for an everyday look now and then. You should be proud of the work you did here, it is impeccable.
Lyssa says
Have you made a tutorial for this? i’d kill to have an accurate dress for even casual wear!!!
Francine Epstein says
That looks like a ton of work and so rewarding an accomplishment. WOW! I would love advice on how to do it.
Janice says
Hi Francine – yes, it sure was a ton of work but definitely one of my most rewarding sewing experiences. Have you had a lot of sewing experiences? Are you sewing it for yourself or someone else?
I haven’t created a tutorial yet for it – I am so behind on so many posts!
hayley says
please do a tutorial for this, I’m planning to make this for comic con and use it in the costume parade. I’ve never made something this detailed from scratch before and any pointers would be much appreciated
Janice says
Thanks for your feedback Hayley – I hope to start work on the tutorial in the near future. I am so behind with a number of posts!
Have you made a woven fabric dress with a fitted bodice before? The main key to making this dress is you are basically layering (almost like quilting) the different mesh and lace fabrics and trims on to a light colored broadcloth fabric to create the fabric and details of the dress.
But the base of it all is a basic fitted bodice. I made three different samples to get my bodice pattern fitting well. Then I self drafted the sleeves and the skirt. The skirt is a simple big rectangle gathered at the waist and then a second long skinnier rectangle gathered for the ruffle along the hem.
Do you have a bodice pattern you like or have had success with? The first step is to create a toile/muslin/sample garment that fits well.
THEN after the pattern is correct, you will cut out the pattern in a broadcloth (or your choice of lining fabric) and your mesh and lace fabrics. Next you will attach/sew on the mesh and lace to the lining pieces and once they are attached to each other, you will assemble and sew together the bodice. Then you will do the same for the skirt and ruffle.
For the sleeves, I didn’t line them. I cut the sleeve out in the stretch black mesh and then I added the lace trim in the diagonal lines and the trim at the wrist before sewing the sleeve seam and attaching the sleeve to the bodice.
My tip would be to first make sure you have a fitted bodice pattern that fits you and sew up your sample toile/muslin. Then, once you know you have that and you are confident with that you can move forward planning out your fabrics and design.
I spent quite a bit of money on fabrics and laces and trims! So plan well first and make sure you know what fabrics and trims you need and the amounts.
Let me know how it goes and I will try to answer your questions and I will work on the tutorial as soon as I can!
Keith Hanley says
This is amazing! I made a bjtm costume for this past Halloween, and ever since I’ve been thinking of dressing as Lydia next year – Beetlejuice and Lydia swapped costumes for the Halloween performance’s curtain call lol. I really hope you do a tutorial!
Janice says
Hi Keith – that is a fabulous idea! I hope you do it! I hope to get the tutorial posted in the near future. In the meantime, I just left a longer reply with some more details on a previous comment if you want to read that too. Thanks so much!!!
MM says
Oh wow, you did an awesome job replicating the dress from the musical, it looks amazing! I would love to see a DIY! (please and thank you!)
Janice says
Thank you so much MM! I am so happy you like it! I will start working on the pattern and tutorial soon I hope. Thank you!
Tina says
You are incredibly talented!!! These costumes are stunning and so detailed! Beautiful designs, beautiful models
Janice says
Awwww thank you so much Tina!!! That is so kind of you!
AK says
(insert excited “Squeeeeeeee!” here) That looks so awesome!!!!!!! You did a great job!
Janice says
Oh I am so glad you like it!!! Thank you so much for your feedback! It means so much to me!
Zishan Khalid says
I want to why a beeljune liday costume set