Cosplay Basics : White Button-up Shirt

Photo by Stuart Conner

There are some skills and pieces that get used in cosplay over and over again. This segment highlights what some of these are and, in some cases shows you how to do them.


This week's cosplay basic is... the white button-up shirt!

This shirt can be used in hundreds of different cosplays, if only because of the proliferation of suited-up characters and the myriad animes that take place in schools with uniforms. I myself have used a white button-down in:

• Death the Kid (Soul Eater)
• Minori (Toradora!)
• Jack (Harvest Moon)
• Shinigami (Kyouran Kazoku Nikki)
• My steampunk costume

That is a lot of bang for you buck out of one purchase. So, what are some things you should think about when purchasing a white shirt for cosplay?

1. Go for shirt that is long-sleeved and buttons all the way up. This is the typical form that's shown in most costumes, so you'll get more milage out of it. Its easy to unbutton a shirt, its way more difficult to try and pin a shirt together. I speak from experience.
2. Go look at thrift stores! The big format stores like Goodwill and Value Village may have exactly what you need. Don't be afraid to make alterations like removing a pocket or some detailing. Also, if it looks dingy, just toss it in the wash, it will often lighten up. If it doesn't, try some whitening agents. I'm a big fan of RIT's White-Wash but bleach will work just as well.
3. Get one that fits: not too big, not too small. Check to see if it fits across the shoulders so that it will lay nicely, and make sure you aren't straining any buttons across the chest. 

That's all the advice I have for picking out a white button-up. Does anyone else have any thoughts? what are some basics in your closet?

Geek Accessories: On the Town

As I mentioned in my last post, and the reason I only posted once last week, was Video Games Live. Its a live symphony performance of classic and modern video games, and it hit Seattle on Saturday. I went with a group of fourteen people, and it was a total blast. Nothing is better than hearing lovely orchestral music accompanied by thousands of screaming fans.

But, to keep this blog on topic, I'm going to show you the geek gear I took for the concert.

First up is my first embroidery project:

Shadow of the Colossus is the best game ever.

I seem to have misplaced the tutorial I used for the bag, but this is the one I'm going to use next time. I did the embroidery myself by hand, and just sort of winged it. I used a combination of satin stitching and back stitching with a loop of two differently-colored threads. I used stabilizer on the backside, and traced the pattern onto the front with an embroidery pencil and a picture of the symbol I managed to find.

But what's that other thing in the picture?

Well, I guess I'll let you see....

The Super Mario 1-up mushroom!

Its the first project I've completed using my new membership! I've taken some classes at a local jewelry shop, and I bought some hours from them so I could use their shop during Open Studio. It was a bit of a rush to get into the shop before the concert, but I managed it! I am pretty pleased with myself. I didn't coat it with anything, so I'm looking forward to how it looks when the copper acquires a bit of patina, I think it will look quite nice.

Now you may be wondering where that pretty background came from. Well, the place I was staying had this nifty little set-up I spotted while I was using their sewing machine. I just had to take advantage of it for my photos!

I've seen something like it before, on the Strobist blog, but I hadn't managed to make one for myself that was sturdy enough or portable enough for my needs. Since they've left the bottom on this one its far more sturdy, which means you can store it more easily as well. Taking the top off also means that you can stick props in there more easily, like that lovely branch of flowers they had in there.

I may be taking apart a box this week to make myself one!

Monday Progress Report : 01/18/2011

I hoped that with this feature I'd be able to chronicle my progress throughout the quarter and have a reason to finish pieces of my projects over each weekend.

Unfortunately, this week is not only a day late (well, it was a three-day weekend) but I also don't have that much to report!

I'm hoping to get my Natsuki costume done in time to wear it to the movie's opening weekend down in Seattle in two weeks, but I didn't make much headway. What I did do was... this!

Her funny little bunny ears! I'll post some in-progress pictures later this week.

I also went out and bought the last piece of fabric, and when I was getting ready to start on the gi (the top) I realized I hadn't pre-washed any of the fabric, so.. that's what I did instead of actually sewing.

I also started some projects to take to Video Games Live this weekend.

I've still got more in the works, I'll have to show you later!

SakuraCon 2011 Cosplay Rundown

The one major con I attend every year is Sakura-Con, in Seattle, Washington. I always do at least three costumes, since its my one guaranteed chance to dress up for an entire weekend with like-minded fans.

I usually spend the summer and fall planning my costumes and making many of my materials purchases. This means that January through March is one long marathon of costume making, which will hopefully not culminate in a frantic two straight weeks of sewing right up until the deadline.

As such, every Monday I'll be posting a progress report on what I've accomplished the previous weekend! This will keep me on track and give you a preview of what I'll be wearing come April.

This year, I'll be doing Natsuki, from Summer Wars:

The girl with the bunny ears.

As well as a Disgaea group. I'll be doing Adell:

I need to do more push ups.

And finally, one I've been wanting to do for a while:

Horo, from Spice and Wolf, the only anime that's ever taught me about economics.

It's a long lineup, and I've got some extra projects lined up, and maybe even and extra, super-secret cosplay. I'm excited to get started!

Introduction

Hello there!

Welcome to my little space here on the internet, where I'll be talking about knitting, jewelry making, sewing, and anything else that may possibly be related to nerdy activities and cosplay.

What is cosplay? Short for "costume play", it refers to the creation of costumes drawn from or inspired by popular culture. Its a term most commonly used for costumes drawn from anime or manga, but has expanded to include sci-fi and other media.

I like to incorporate a lot of different skills into my costumes, and I enjoy learning about the many techniques that make up the spectrum of my hobbies. I hope to share what I learn along this journey!