Wig Color Reference - Light Blondes

I made this up for a friend of mine: hopefully it can be useful for someone else!

#24B, LG26, #613, #22, #24, #16 from the New Look line of wigs.

There are many, many, many different wig colors available. How do you choose the right one?

Well, it really helps to have a swatch ring, because you can line them up under all sorts of light and choose the one you like the best! My favorite for a lot of costumes is #24B, because its a bright blond that looks close to a yellow color but slightly more natural.

What's you preferred wig color?

Striped Thigh Highs Step-by-Step

I'm doing a costume for a friend of mine so she can join our Disgaea 2 group.

Its a super cute costume, and I'm excited about lots of different parts about it. But, you see those thigh-highs? There's nothing like them on the market. So, I'll be using RIT's spot-dying technique to put those gold stripes on them.

Progress Report 2/7/2011

I got these done this weekend!

They're not for me, but I am pretty excited nonetheless! Look for more in a day or two!

So close!

Augh I'm almost done with it!

How-To : Natuski's Bunny Ears

To start, I used a paper pattern to cut out two pieces each of the pink flannel and the black velvet. After some experimentation with a couple different types of wire and threading systems, I realized I had some styrene plastic in the back of the closet, so I cut another piece in that shape.

I sewed the fabric together, right sides together, turned them right-side out and then stuffed them with the stiff plastic.

The pieces still looked a little sloppy, so I pressed them with an iron. Because the plastic is thin, it became a little malleable when heated so I was able to shape the ears into a lovely curved shape.

 Then I glued the bottom of the fabric closed and then attached them to the headband.

 And here's the finished product!

 The ears are just glued carefully to the headband, so they've still got a little movement in them when I move my head. I haven't completely decided if I like it but I don't think I can make it any better.

 

Progress Report - 2/01/2011

11 weeks to go, four costumes (+1 secret costume) to make, and what did I get done last weekend?

Eh, not much. At least I finished up Horo's anklets! They're made of memory wire and glass blue beads.

And there's not much I'm going to get done this weekend: my sewing station has been packed up to make room for visiting relatives. However, I do have some plans involving a friend's costume that I need to get done, so hopefully I'll have something more interesting to report.

Here's a sneak peek at something that should see completion in the coming months:

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?