Heavy Red has done it again! Their new Alice en Bataille limited edition couture Halloween costume is the most versatile yet. The look is for the next level Alice in Wonderland costume. This goes beyond your basic introductory Alice to something with more literary sophistication, bold contrasting details, and sumptuous fabrics. The Alice en Bataille package comes with so many cool accessories that, while they look spectacular all together, the ensemble can be reconfigured to be perfect attire for your favorite gothic club knight, an evening at a nice restaurant, or even a stop at your local renfaire. Bataille is French for battle, so Alice en bataille translates as Alice in Battle. The blue dress is all ruffled feminine elegance and it is beautifully counterbalanced by the harder edges of the gauntlets and unconstructed corset. The hat would dress up any outfit with its extensive gothic black petal layers and teacup whimsy.

Below, you can see some creative photography of this wonderful couture. Alice appears to be in a dark and mysterious wood, prepared to stand up for herself against creepy tree roots or whatever might come up. If you visit the Heavy Red site, you can find an Alice costume for every goth mood. The Heavy Red site features many detailed close-up photographs of exactly what you get with each package. They ship for overnight delivery in the United States and within three days to most international locations. While waiting that 24 hours for an Alice package to arrive, the extensive photography catalog on the Heavy Red site facilitates easy outfit pre-planning.

Alice en Bataille, the limited edition Alice in Wonderland costume by Heavy Red.

en Bataille {French: in Battle}

Imprisoned by the Queen, drained of all her color, Alice [Emprisonne] had sunk into a bottomless despair. When her mind had exhausted all thoughts of escape, she was left alone with a silent darkness, save the beating of her heart. Louder and louder it pounded, seeming to cry “I am Alice! I am Alice! I am Alice!” Gaining strength from this inner drumbeat, Alice felt the will to survive penetrate every fiber of her being. Miraculously, her dress began to turn from grey to blue, her shackles fell away, her eyes became clear with steely purpose. The Queen may have twisted her mind and weakened her heart, but Alice’s soul still lay hidden within her. She was no longer the sweet innocent who had fallen down the Rabbit Hole . . . Wonderland had changed her . . .

Vowing to take back all that the Queen had stolen from her, Alice rose up and watched as the prison walls melted, leaving her standing in a forest, fully adorned in battle armor, sword in hand. The mandate was clear – liberate herself [and perhaps all of Wonderland] from the clutches of the Queen.

Threading her way through the labyrinthine forest, she came upon the Queen’s Tragic Wall of Thorns surrounding The Inner Kingdom. A renegade red rose blooming on the thorns beckoned to Alice . . . sensing its taunting message, she plucked it off and put it on her hat.

Filled with her mission, Alice had no thoughts of the future, of consequences or outcomes . . . for the first time since she entered Wonderland, maybe ever, she was completely in the Present Moment and at one with herself. Now at the edge of The Inner Kingdom, in the calm before the storm, she paused and closed her eyes. She heard once again the refrain of her heart beating “I am Alice.” She could feel Wonderland itself draping protectively around her . . .

When she opened her eyes, she found herself enveloped by a tree unlike any other she had ever seen. Its massive trunk soared into the sky while its huge roots seemed like the arteries of Life itself. It had a throb within it that merged with the beat of her heart . . . she knew she was ready . . . Alice en Bataille!

The Dress, True Alice has re-emerged in her Essence Blue, more beguiling than ever! Only Alice could look so fierce and so beautiful! Femininity never to be lost (even when Alice is!). The elegant muted blue soft cotton dress has a vintage feel with an incredibly adjustable and versatile look. The bust is both seamed & gathered for a smooth fit in front, with shoulder straps that tie in back to accommodate size differences. The gently shaped bodice features delicate vertical pleating down the center, where it meets the 3 hip bands that extend to the back of the dress. Two horizontal bands cross over the pleating at the waist for subtle shape emphasis. The skirt of the dress is lush with layer upon layer of bias-cut ruffles and panels which float & swirl with your every move. There are 2 sets of long straps on the skirt, should you wish to tie the hem up shorter or asymmetrically. A full corset-style closing in back customizes the overall fit and continues the drama of the cascading ruffles.

The Corset, Couture armor like never before! The one-shouldered black steel boned corset is fortified with faux leather armor detailing at the shoulder and diagonally across the bottom front. A row of sharp pleats below continues the look of strength & beauty. A narrow faux leather belt with several grommet holes highlights the fitted waist, and allows for add-ons such as the charms.

The Gauntlets,A warrior must be protected. These adjustable buckle gauntlets have the same armor detailing as the corset. The Gauntlets are one size fits all. (Shown over lace gloves and harlequin wristbands, sold separately)

The Net Cape, The chainmail-like cape is made of soft woven black oversized fishnet. The cape is hand-cut and sewn. The black ribbon trim is expertly sewn around the edges as well as the neckline. This cape gives you great shoulder and arm coverage while not hiding the costume details.

The Harlequin Cape, The soft white and black chiffon harlequin cape is cut to drape beautifully off your shoulders. The cape is hand-cut and sewn. The exaggerated high collar has fusing inside so you can stand it up tall, or flip it down to show off the black lining. The neck is adorned with black beaded lace and a frog closure. The edges of the cape are a rolled hem so it looks elegant inside and out. This cape offers great coverage for shoulders, back and arms.