DIY Dalek Armor Dress

Channel your inner evil robot and craft yourself an awesome Dalek Armor Dress! It'll look great with light-up Dalek helmet, too: https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Light-Up-Dalek...

I used:

• Black dress from Goodwill. I suggest using a dress in a medium weight, dark colored material.
• 3 large containers of Ceramcoat acrylic paint in Silver Metallic. This project uses a LOT of paint.
• 1 small container glow in the dark paint
• 8 Styrofoam balls. I bought one package each of 2" and one package of 3".
• Replacement screening material. Home Depot sells this in various sized rolls.
• Tear Mender glue
• Hot glue

Other tools needed:

• Seam ripper (optional)
• Scissors
• Paintbrushes

Optional accessories:

• plunger (unused!)
• egg beaters

I'm using a dress from Goodwill, so the first step is to remove any funky trims. Use your seam ripper to make short work of lace and flowers. Daleks don't like those things.

Next, lay your dress out on a flat surface and start painting. It will take several coats to get good coverage, but this paint really makes the dress look great in the end. The fabric will be much stiffer, and will have a nice metallic sheen.

In between coats on the dress, get started on the "eggs." Cut your styrofoam balls in half with a serrated knife, then lay them out on your work surface. I used the same silver paint on these, then finished with a glow-in-the-dark layer. It didn't really glow much, but multiple layers would probably help if you really want that glow. Note that it takes the styrofoam a long time to dry, so try for multiple, very light coats.

Cut strips of the screen to start adding Dalek-like decor to your dress. Long panels down the front help evoke the feeling of a hard-sided robot shell. Once the screen design is to your liking, glue it down with Tear Mender. I tried several glues that didn't work before I found this! It dries clear and holds the screen down well.

Arrange the eggs on your skirt and hot glue down. I had intended to use more eggs per panel, but 4 looked right in the end. If your dress is longer, go for more.

That's it! Put on your helmet and accessories, and exterminate!