Cosplay Crafting Tips

I had a friend recently ask about some basic starting advice about making her own cosplay costumes.

Those who are unfamilar with cosplay might wounder what is the difference between a costume and a cosplay. I want to cover this, as I see it, as it good to know when you are just tipping your toes into cosplay.

Cosplay is normally (not always) worn more then say, you store halloween costume. That cheap halloween costume you picked up for $30-50 is most likely only going to be warn once, maybe twice. It is made quickly, its usally a fad and won't make it threw the wash. If you really placed you heart and time into cosplay, its going to be worn a few times, if not, recycled into other costumes. (that the smart idea)

It coast more. Costumes usually allow you to use your own hair, shoes out of the closet, and your eye color is ok. Cosplayers want to look like there characters and we usually don't look very much like them. Even less if its based off. So there are wigs (good and bad) contacts, make-up, accessories, and shoes. Set a budget...you will sadly 90% of the time over shoot your budget but try all the same.

Before I get any further, let me please make a plea here and now, keep it fun. If it starts to get you into trouble STOP. Its ok to take breaks.

Ok, now to some crafting tips.

1) Pick a character and research the crap out of it. Better yet, buy something that supports the creator of the character. You don't have to buy ever figure, art, manga, book, but be polite and buy one thing to help show you liked a creators work.

2) Realize the three keys in your progress Time, Skill and Money. -Katie Bair Concept that was great- Understand you will not have a lot of any one thing. A little more of one or another will help out. I really say give yourself more time if you don't have a lot of money. But if you rush, the coast will go up. If you will to give yourself time, you can work your your skill. But you want to rush job for a convention, its going to coast.

3) Ladder up your costumes. Sure, you could go for the big bang costume right off the bat, but won't be a good as you hopped. I started simple myself and worked off.
    Good Starter - Altering store bought cloths. This will also help who you how things are constructed. Go to a second hand shop or clearance bin in Walmart or Target. When doing animation costume, they don't have a lot of detail so you want basic cloths.
    Runner Up- For Anime, School uniforms are usually simple. For live action stuff, Renaissance fair low class costume (other words, being the queen or king is more third level.
   Then you will work on from there. Ether small props, getting into dresses and so forth.

Tip: Most cosplayers LOVE to show and tell off there work. Just don't expect a quick answer as cosplay is not a life, and they have jobs that must pay the bills.

Tips on Sewing
   Go to a local fabric store and see if they have a basic sewing class. I have only ever taken a basic sewing class in junior high. The rest of my Knowledge has come from the awesome book, DK The Sewing Book by Alison Smith. (witch my library had and was able to use till I bought my own copy) And always measure twice and maybe three times.

Tools
   Sew Machine. I like buying new as when I have gotten a second there was usually a problem with it and it never good away. I have a middle grade sewing machine but bought it after a few years of sewing. If you take care of you machine and only want to work on a few projects a year, Target, Walmart, or JoAnns. I bought mind at a shop that deals more when selling machines and their up keep. But a machine is usually only needed when you get to the second round.


Again, love the craft. Understand that is a hobby. (I don't believe a professional cosplayers, its an oxy-moron. If you are paid, you are simply an entertainer)

I hope this helps a little. There is a lot of information out there to help. Best of Luck.

[42 Cookies] Job-less

I am not completely jobless but what I have is making it VERY hard. Makin' a job for an artist is hard. Its a lot of work and for a long time, I will have a hard time making things work. I really don't want to get into details. But I am spreading myself out.

But lets get onto the good stuff.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/frillsandgrace I have a small shop going on Etsy. I've been told for some time to do this and I final got off my butt and I'm doing it.  It will be some time before I have a good stock up but I really love people to just visit right now.

Also, have a good plan for next month. I will be doing themes every month. This will include By window post, frills and grace post and what I stock on my etsy. Its going to be fun.

Catch you all later.

[frills and grace] a very good read

This book is awesome I highly recommend any one to read that has any care for fashion.

The Hundred Dresses

  The most iconic styles of our time

By Erin McKean

I loved how it describes the dresses. Where it came from and what type of people where it. I fully enjoyed the Lolita description because I know how hard it is to describe the fashion with out dealing with the the meaning of the French rearm for the word. As soon as I have a job, I must have my own copy. I was heart broken to have to give it back to the library but knew it needed to be shared. 

Now back to cleaning and unpacking. I hate moving.

[Frills and Grace] Hobbit fashion pt. 2

Well, at least I only waited a week. Here are three more "hobbit" inspired Animal Crossing outfits. Enjoy.

Bilbo Meets up with Gandof.

Fan Ring shirt.

Based off P.Jackson's first hobbit blog.

If I had the "making of" book I'd do dwarf and elf stuff but I don't have it...

at this time.

[Frills and grace] Hobbit Style part 1

Even if I lost my sewing machine cord this will not stop me from making dresses. I am just going to make them for animal crossing. It's cheaper in the long run.

Blue Bell Hobbit Dress

Red town dress

Green Door Dress

Part two will come shortly and be shirts. Enjoy.

[Frills and Grace] Magazine rack

To start getting into a fashion is always good to check the magazines that are out there. Sadly US magazines haven't impressed me in that fashion department. Here is why...

1.I don't care for the model look. They are almost always to skinny. It's just unreal and unhealthy. I loved as a kid one of my friends bought me a Barbie comic and one of the stories covered how a friend was starving herself to get model pretty. The friend then spent a day with Barbie and saw that Barbie eat right and worked out to keep healthy. By doing this Barbie was able to keep an active life and worked well as a model. At the end a photographer goes up to the starving friend and says if she gain a few pounds that she would work. In short, I was to see average girls display their fashion love.  

2. All I get are product adds. Yes I want to see product but when it's 75% of the magazine I feel that the magazine should have paid me to read the magazine.

3. Let me state I don't mind the story articles. It's nice to read a well written price and feel I am not being spoon feed with dribble gossip. Keep the gossip to the tabloids.

4. Last, scrap book fashion. You know where they show the clothing and accessories just laying down, not on a body. It's looks lazy and really doesn't do the clothing any favor as you just slabbed down  some fabric and beads on the floor. 

So for us market magazines I pick up maybe two a year and I found more fashion in a strawberry shortcake magazine then a vogue that I liked.

So in turn I picked up some Japanese magazine.  By the way they have a ton of different magazines for fashion and they all cover different styles. The ones I have picked us so far and love are Kera, gothic Lolita bible and Cutie. Here are some key notes of what I love.

1. Models mostly wear what they love. 

2. Street snaps, adore. Your not getting just one brand on a body but mix and match and working out something that works. Also giving credit to those who are in the fashion and supporting it.

3. Free product goodies. You might discard the magazine in a few weeks but they give something with it. (Usable bags, body spray etc. )

4. I don't understand kanji so I can't say much about the articles but they are there is just the right amount too.

5. Make up and hair tutorials and awesome. I don't understand kanji but there are enough step by step photos and photos of the products they use I understand.

So there is a magazine review. I have very little budget for fashion but I will support what I like and so will buy the Japanese magazines when I can. Also have the Tokyo fashion app and kawaii magazine app on my iPod and they are good. I've only used the vogue app like twice and when I have a want to look at runway fashion sure but most of the time not into runway stuff.

[By the Window] Good Distraction

So right in the middle of reading Wizard of Oz. Loving it but I am greatly distracted by a new purchaser. Animal Crossing: new leaf. It lets me design stuff and then SHARE it. So here is my Dorathy inspired dress. I'm thinking of doing all the classic book characters.