Cosplay!

TMCan

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When you have a fez, you make excuses to use the fez.

A great fez cosplay is the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who. I suggest watching the show just because it is awesome, but you would have to wait until season 5 or 6 for the fez.
 

maxmordon

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A great fez cosplay is the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who. I suggest watching the show just because it is awesome, but you would have to wait until season 5 or 6 for the fez.

I've never seen Doctor Who, but I've been thinking around to check it out.
 

maxmordon

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You never need an excuse for a fez, just an occasion.

Yes, but one only gets invited to a reception at the Turkish embassy every so. :D

Also, I have been thinking for a while doing an Adventure Time cosplay. Either the Earl of Lemongrab or the Ice King, The Ice King seems to be easier but the Earl is less... probable to be embarrasing?
 

Filigree

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Both could be fun. But Iceking's robes are going to get a little cold, because he only has briefs on underneath.

Lemongrab would look cool, but you'd have to do the Voice, too. Which might make people want to kill you.

Now I want to make an Elvish fez.
 

maxmordon

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Both could be fun. But Iceking's robes are going to get a little cold, because he only has briefs on underneath.

Lemongrab would look cool, but you'd have to do the Voice, too. Which might make people want to kill you.

Yes, especially since he's even more whiny in Latin American Spanish: http://youtu.be/W52-C5vevwM
 

maxmordon

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That's strangely hilarious.

Well, Adventure Time is always lost somewhere between Strange, Hilarious and Awesome, in my humble opinion.

Also, I once had plans to build a Bender costume, but I don't have the time nor the resources to do so. Besides, I really don't go as many cons as I wish I'd go. But I LOVE costumes. :)

Edit: Oh yeah, Latin American Spanish Ice King isn't much better. But I love how Joker-ish it can get (and how many ad-libs its voice actor throws in)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQBKa-mT76k

OK, that's enough Adventure Time for this topic. Sorry, people!
 
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Kitty Pryde

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I'm sewing some Victorian lady bloomers (that might be the wrong era, my history is dreadful), and turning an ugly trench coat into a coat with tails. Fancy! My better half is playing a sort of a Les Mis half-drag character for a play...it's a long story. Anyway, it's fun to make stuff on the sewing machine!
 

chloecomplains

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JUST started costuming for Dragon*Con. Got the first wig done today, but I'm still debating on the fourth outfit before I make the rest of them, just in case I can get away with using the same wig on two costumes. :)
 

Alessandra Kelley

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I'm sewing some Victorian lady bloomers (that might be the wrong era, my history is dreadful), and turning an ugly trench coat into a coat with tails. Fancy! My better half is playing a sort of a Les Mis half-drag character for a play...it's a long story. Anyway, it's fun to make stuff on the sewing machine!

Sounds like fun.

Are those bloomers or drawers? Bloomers were a reform garment adapted by Amelia Bloomer from Turkish women's trousers, basically big, poufy trousers gathered in at the ankle, worn with a relatively short skirt over them.

Drawers were underwear, often frilly, and always -- ahem -- open at the crotch, since there was no way to lower them once they were in place under a corset with all the other layers of underwear.
 

Kitty Pryde

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Sounds like fun.

Are those bloomers or drawers? Bloomers were a reform garment adapted by Amelia Bloomer from Turkish women's trousers, basically big, poufy trousers gathered in at the ankle, worn with a relatively short skirt over them.

Drawers were underwear, often frilly, and always -- ahem -- open at the crotch, since there was no way to lower them once they were in place under a corset with all the other layers of underwear.

It's not the split skirt type thing, although I enjoy the outlandishness of women's historical cycling apparel. I guess they are what you are calling drawers, but sewn up in the crotch! http://webpages.charter.net/lara_the_lacemaker/bloomers.html

We were sort of inspired to do a cross between Monsieur and Madame Thenardier from staged versions of Les Miserable. There's also a thrift store corset involved. I will take a photo, but I may be wounded in the attempt!

ETA: bloomers are done and look awfully cute. I may make some stripy ones with ribbons and bows for jammies. Frumpy ladies' trench coat is now fabulous coat with tails, suitable for staging a revolution, steampunk wedding, tomboy formalwear, or generally swanning about pretending to be posh. Also I looked up those funny red hats and I am going to make myself one. Vive la revolution and all!
 
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Filigree

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Just finished a swing coat loosely modeled after a Deco design, in tan and turquoise linen with light green panels cut from a salvaged tablecloth. This tablet is tricky to post links with, but you can see it if you hit my blog and follow the FiligreeSilver link to my Photobucket page.
 

Filigree

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JUST started costuming for Dragon*Con. Got the first wig done today, but I'm still debating on the fourth outfit before I make the rest of them, just in case I can get away with using the same wig on two costumes. :)

I've been cosplaying at Dragoncon every year since 2003 :) I usually do a Monty Python character (now I'm doing one of the Inquisitors.), Catelyn Stark, and generic medieval.
 

Maggie Maxwell

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I'm a no-sew talent cosplayer wannabe, so I tend to throw something together from easy-to-find outfits and hope people recognize it. It has worked, though, (Clara from Doctor Who) so yay.
 

Orianna2000

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I've been to DragonCon for the past two years, but last year was the first time I wore a costume. I made a Steampunk outfit, half sewn and half purchased--I had surgery just three weeks before, so I had to compromise and buy a corset instead of sewing one.

This year, I'm hoping to make matching Jedi Knight costumes for me and my husband. We bought lightsabers last year . . . now we just need the outfits! Fabric is proving difficult. Linen would be best, but it makes me itch. So I'm looking for a cotton/rayon blend that has a linen texture.

I didn't really consider it cosplaying, but when I mentioned it to a friend, she said it was, so . . . I guess so! :)
 

Channy

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I'm pretty shoddy at crafts and cosplay myself, but I'm super proud of my brother (okay, brother in law, but he's been in my life for over half of it so he's like a real brother). Last couple years he and his buddy go in duos to cons.. Batman and Superman.. Or Superman and Lex Luthor... He-Man and Skeletor... Goku and Vegeta... And he's the one who's doing the hard craft costumes, not half naked or in a spandex onepiece.

Here's some of his work, and his latest WIP, Groot!

http://tinyurl.com/o5br36a

(If you couldn't tell, I'm super proud of him and a total cheerleader :D Especially after the last con to Edmonton his buddy bailed so he took me instead. I went as a lack luster Ash from Pokemon and Chell from Portal.)

Feel free to follow him on Facebook. :D /shamelesspromotion

https://www.facebook.com/StooshOfficial?fref=ts

http://tinyurl.com/qx5uz43

http://tinyurl.com/k3f35sc
 

harmonyisarine

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I don't do crafting or wigs so much, but I do like to sew. I used to do competitions at cons but took a few years off when I got sick, and now my con group is bugging me to go back into it. I actually am just coming back to this site after a long break due to trying to rush finish a group of five costumes in three weeks, far less than half the time I'd allotted to do them.

For the curious, yes, I finished. Hidden hems aren't done and we used more safety pins that actual closures, but anything you could see was finished. It was a group from Avatar: The Last Airbender, when they're in fire nation disguises. I even made Azula's armor out of lightly tooled leather, and made shoes or shin-guard bits for three of us. I'm a fiber snob, so I used four different silks and cotton/bamboo blend to get the textures right, and I think by the end I had about 12 or 13 different dye baths I had to run.


Orianna, Dharma Trading has a cotton called Waterford cotton that looks nearly identical to linen, and feels awful similar, too. The downside is that it's only in white, so any color would need to be dyed.
 

Orianna2000

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Orianna, Dharma Trading has a cotton called Waterford cotton that looks nearly identical to linen, and feels awful similar, too. The downside is that it's only in white, so any color would need to be dyed.

That's good to know, thanks! I've never experimented with dyeing, although I have a project on my "to do" list that will require some kind of ombre dyeing. (I was thinking maybe I would try dipping white silk in Kool-Aid. . . . ) At any rate, I'll keep Dharma Trading in mind in case I can't find the right kind of fabric in the right color.
 

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One of the cosplay folks here. Was into it when I was little, and in the last five or so years went zero to sixty on cosplaying NYCC.

I'm extra lucky that I've got awesome friends who are in it with me (or don't mind being costume-wranglers/pack mules/photo takers).

I did upper body foam armor for the first time last year, and that was pretty hectic. Still not totally thrilled with the fit in the chest (honestly, accounting for boobs requires so much additional planning).

This year has three of four days planned, and though it's feb. I already feel like I'm behind the 8-ball.

As for wearing normal clothes - after the million hours I spent on my armor, my most successful cosplay last year was a cutdown and painted denim jacket, a beanie, and a spray painted length of plastic chain.

I've never experimented with dyeing, although I have a project on my "to do" list that will require some kind of ombre dyeing. (I was thinking maybe I would try dipping white silk in Kool-Aid. . . . )

I haven't kool-aid dyed since I was a kid, but do not fear the dye. Ombre is all about timing. As long as you've got your materials in place, you know the absorption of the materials, and you're attentive, it is pretty straight forward. My only advice is - when you're going to dye something, it's the only thing you're doing (not half-watching TV, not watching the youtube tut, not answering your phone, etc).
 
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Orianna2000

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I haven't kool-aid dyed since I was a kid, but do not fear the dye. Ombre is all about timing. As long as you've got your materials in place, you know the absorption of the materials, and you're attentive, it is pretty straight forward. My only advice is - when you're going to dye something, it's the only thing you're doing (not half-watching TV, not watching the youtube tut, not answering your phone, etc).

Well, since I've never done dyeing of any kind, I really don't know the absorption rates or anything like that. I do think getting the colors right will be hard--mixing the different packets of Kool-Aid to get just the right shades. I need a soft pink that fades into pale yellow for the skirt, and the top must be a very unique shade of blue that fades into pale pink. It's a doll costume, so I should have room for trying over, if it fails spectacularly.
 

CoffeeBeans

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I'm sure you won't "fail spectacularly" but you can figure out the rate for your by testing a strip. Nothing too crazy just "it looks like A after 5 minutes, B after 10" etc.

So, blue top, pink middle, yellow bottom? Depending on your fabric, and the size of the project, you might have better luck applying whatever dye you use with a sponge or a spray bottle. Just some thoughts :)