Chalchiuhtlicue, whose name means “She of the Jade Skirt,” is the Aztec goddess of rivers, lakes, seas, springs, and all running water. She is traditionally depicted as an elegant woman in blue-green clothes, with her skirt flowing out to form the river of life—and of death, for Chalchiuhtlicue also presided over the fourth sun of creation, which was destroyed by flood. She wears a quechquemitl (a poncho-like garment with the point in the front) and a magnificent feather crown. Our costume design involves some very easy crafting—a few straight pins and some double-sided tape—but no sewing. You’ll need a total of five yards of Aztec pattern ribbon: half a yard (at most) to decorate the feather headdress, two yards to decorate the poncho top, half a yard (at most) for the feather cuffs, and the leftover yardage to wrap around your waist as a simple tie belt.
The pieces we suggest, from the left to right:
1. Feather headdress. (Also available at this store.) Attach a length of Aztec pattern ribbon around the gold braid trim; you can use straight pins so as not to mess up the feathers. Finish it off with these turquoise and coral earrings
, which can just hook onto the braid trim on each side of the headdress. (If those earrings are sold out, here are some very similar ones.)
2. Black poncho top. Plus size version available here. You’re going to use double-sided tape to attach ribbon and fringe to this to make it look like a quechquemitl. You’ll need two yards of the Aztec pattern ribbon to make the V-shape on the front and back, and about four yards of aqua fringe to edge the poncho. Easy. You could wear a black tube top or sports bra or something like that underneath. (If you want to try sewing your own quechquemitl, Mexicolore has a good page with instructions.)
3. The all-important jade skirt! This wonderfully flowing, full-length aqua skirt from LotusTraders is one-size-fits-all up to 2X; they also have a 2X-3X-4X version. An alternate skirt that’s also the right color: dance skirt from ebellyfashion.
4. Chunky shell necklace. This glowing piece matches the skirt and really sets off the outfit.
5. Feather cuffs. You’ll need half a yard of feather trim total (9 inches for each cuff should be more than enough). Attach the Aztec pattern ribbon to the base of the feather trim with double-sided tape, then wrap the assembled cuff around your wrist. You can safety pin the ends in place.
6. Blue gladiator sandals. Aztec shoes vaguely resembled ankle-high gladiator sandals. If you don’t already have gladiators, these would be perfect.
Hair: If you want to try to do your hair like Chalchiuhtlicue, this sculpture in the British Museum shows you what you need to know. Basically we’re looking at two big fluffy pigtails/ponytails, one on each side of the head:
Costume illustration credits: In the upper right corner of our main illustration is Sandra M. Stanton’s wonderful oil of a resplendent Chalchiuhtlicue in feather headdress. The luminous center painting is by ladycat17 on deviantART. The insets are images of Chalchiuhtlicue from the Aztec codices.
