I have been creating costumes for theatre and cosplay for 5 years now, and I love it. Below are the costumes that I have created for my own enjoyment, but I included a gallery of some of my work in college as Costume Director for the Loras Players from 2008-2010 on my Student Works Page. I am proud of the work I did then considering I didn't know what I know now, at the same time, I wish I could redo my years there with the skills I've learned through cosplaying and reenacting.
Costuming a way to constantly learn new skills. Instead of saying, "I don't know how to style a wig, I can't make this costume", you learn how to do it. With each costume I make, I learn something entirely new and I think that's why I love the art form so much. That, and I get to geek out about fiction and history!
Costuming a way to constantly learn new skills. Instead of saying, "I don't know how to style a wig, I can't make this costume", you learn how to do it. With each costume I make, I learn something entirely new and I think that's why I love the art form so much. That, and I get to geek out about fiction and history!
Cosplay
The Character
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My Costume
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My Thought Process
The TARDIS
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GLaDOS
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Anima
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Suki
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Pixie
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Indiana Jones (Fem)
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Inara Serra Firefly/Serenity
This costume was designed to be as accurate to the screen version as possible. Although I used a different necklace, I customized the patterns and prints to fit the screen version as well as I could. As far as I've researched, I'm the only person to have created this costume with pants beneath the skirt... which is more screen accurate.
Costume Cost: $90 Won Best Group with my friends who were other Firefly characters at C2E2 |
Poison Ivy
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Faye Valentine Cowboy Bebop
This was my first Anime costume I made. The pattern was altered from a woman's blazer pattern and the shorts were altered from a pants pattern. The jacket was thrifted and the purple wig was cut and styled by myself- originally, the wig was long and slightly curly! The buttons were handmade out of clay and acrylic paint.
Costume Cost: $45 |
Lieutenant Sheba
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Madame du Pompadour
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Marley
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Reenacting
1940's Film Noir Gown
I created this nameless character and costume for Keith Gerling's Film Noir photoshoot. I am wearing a thrifted vintage 1980's nightgown that I found in my house. I believe was from Victoria's Secret. I did my own hair and makeup to mimic that of Rita Hayworth. Although you can't see it in this photo, I'm wearing a vintage bracelet from the 1950's that used to be my grandmother's. The gun in my hand was the photographer's chrome Smith and Wesson revolver.
To the right is the gigantic gumprint that Keith spent an entire month making. He's a genius. Costume Cost: $0 (Using Materials I previously owned) |
1920's Day Dress
I threw this costume for a reenactor's festival in 2012. The dress is a 1980's dress from goodwill that I altered to fit the time period better. I took out the shoulder pads and sequined patch. The hat was from Von Maur and the gloves are handmade vintage pieces from the 1950's. The jewelry were fake pearl pieces you can get at any department store. I tried binding my breasts with a child's silk obi from Japan, and it flattened me out a bit, but it's hard to hide breasts my size unfortunately.
This dress was well received and I'd love to wear the look again. Cost: $32 |
1920's Flapper Dress
My friend, Lindsay was entering a contest at her beauty school to create a make up look that reflected a certain decade in time. She chose me to be her model. Considering I had long, pencil straight hair going down to the middle of my back, the fact that she made my hair look short and crimpy makes this photo more impressive.
I threw together the outfit using a dress from H+M, shoes my cousins were giving away, fake pearls, and a headband that Lindsay made. Lindsay won third place with this look and ton's of compliments from her teachers. We had a fun time. Cost: $30 |
1890's Informal Day Dress
This is an uncorsetted informal tea dress that I put together using materials I already owned, and I'm really happy with it. The skirt is my mother's wedding slip, the bodice is a silk piece my cousins didn't want anymore and gave to me. The hat was bought from a gift shop in Rhode Island at one of the famous mansions there. I can't remember if it was The Breakers or one of the other ones. The lace around it is a piece of wedding lace I used for my head for my Anima cosplay. The pearly necklace was one I wore for prom many years ago. I know, I know, I need a better photograph of this one. All in good time.
Cost: $0 (Using materials I previously owned) |
1870's Natural Form Day Dress
This is my magnum opus thus far. I spent about 4-5 months creating this dress and it paid off. It is the best thing I have ever made and I made it all from scratch. I am wearing a borrowed handmade corset and 2 self-made cotton petticoats to create the shape underneath. The brown underskirt has a drawstring to change the intensity of the fan tail. The bodice was made to my specific body shape and I created several mockups to create a pattern based off of Truly Victorian's natural form pattern. I did my own hair as well. The only thing I did not personally make is the hat, which is a handmade work of art by milliner Deborah Oleson.
Cost: $350 |