Saturday 24 September 2011

Cosplay Tips: Fancy dress 101


As I have said before, to me Halloween is the one time of the year when anyone of any age can dress up. As the month of October is fast approaching I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my opinions on choosing costumes.

Obviously these aren’t strict rules, and even if they were, rules are made to be broken -- especially at Halloween. So I’d like to hope that some people will take the advice I’ve outlined here on board; I think it will lead to a happier stress free Dresscapade :D

Enjoy!

1) Be aware of your prep time
For a costume to work you need some careful preparation. I’d say from start to finish it takes me around a month to design, acquire and modify a costume; thinking in advance of an event is essential for me. Mostly this is because I work full time, have other commitments and buy most of my items mail order (so there are delivery times to consider), but it is worth allowing enough time to create your costume so you are not stressed at the last minute and can enjoy the creative process.

2) Know your theme
Although this doesn’t apply so much at Halloween, as these days pretty much anything goes from a corset and a cat tail to a full medieval court princess, it is important for other events. Investigate the theme -- is it something you like? Is it common? Or is it something a bit weird? Either way, a theme can be friend or foe so think carefully about the limits it imposes.

Which brings me nicely onto…

3) There is no such thing as too much research!
Investigate the theme. The internet is an invaluable tool for this, with countless forums dedicated to costumes etc. You can simply google ‘your chosen theme costume ideas’ and you’ll be bombarded with information.

 


For me the best example for this was just before a friend’s birthday bash. Her theme was London Underground stations; in a rush I had no idea what to dress as and googled the theme to gather intel. I ended up dressing as a rather risky Russell Square and went as Russell Brand, complete with drawn on beard, backcombed hair and very skinny jeans -- I received some strange looks that day!





 4) Pick something you like
It know it seems obvious, but the number of times people dress as Wonder Woman and have no idea about her is outstanding! I know of at least four people, and CBS’s The Big Bang Theory has a whole episode dedicated to the unwitting Wonder Woman fancy dress phenomenon. Don’t just grab a costume because its there -- if it’s something you love, it will look better for it.
Penny as Wonder Woman in TBBT

5) Use what you have
Another obvious one really, but if you have dyed pink hair then use it! If you have a great figure -- show it off! The closer you are to looking like a character, the less work you have to put into the costume and if you already own clothes you can wear then all the better. After all, it saves you time and money (and who doesn’t want that!).

6) Keep it realistic
If you work full time, have 3 kids or do a billion other extracurricular activities then make sure you are realistic about how much time it will take to make or assemble your costume. It would be rather stressful trying to make a full cardboard replica of Optimus Prime (yeah, it happens...) to wear when you only have 5 hours to make it in!

7) Group confidence
If you’re feeling a little nervous about your costume when venturing out in a large, or even small, group can allow everyone to hide in plain sight. It provides a bubble of protection so you can sink to the background if it all gets a little too much, or parade around at the front if you want to the centre of attention. Besides, a team fancy dress is always more fun.

Me as Harley Quinn plus others Batman Rogues

On a side note, wearing masks, wigs and heavy makeup are things that can help you feel more confident when venturing out in costume. Remember that they’re designed so that no one will recognise you!

8) Don’t go out in only lingerie
I’m by no means a prude… but I see many people -- yes mostly women -- who seem to use Halloween or fancy dress as an excuse to venture out in only lingerie. Just remember that it’s nearly November and it’s cold… If you’re going for something that should show flesh, then skin-tone tights, control pants and a lot of sticky tape will help keep you warm and everything in place.

Related to this point is that you should never wear a costume that is sold as ‘Sexy insert costume name here’. Especially if its Pac-Man. Eww.

Pretty sure she shouldn't have a ghost there...


9) Be creative!
Even if you buy an entire costume in a kit, do not be afraid to modify a costume, sew bits on, chop bits off or swap things for different versions that look better. It’s a costume and only you know how you want the interpretation of the character to look. The more of it you can make for yourself the better.

10) There is more to life than costume shops
While a costume shop may be the first port of call to Dresscapade novices, for me they’re somewhere I only go if I’m desperate. I find the most valuable resources are eBay -- although this requires a specific knowledge of items required -- and second-hand shops. Charity or thrift shops may take a bit of trawling, but most of my Bellatrix LeStrange costume was found during an afternoon looking for bargains along Brighton’s London Road.

For more dos and don’ts of costuming check out WTF Costumes
it will shock and amaze you.

Anywho, that's all for now, and good luck with Halloween!

Happy Dresscapades!

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Cosplay Inspiratons: Canaries, Cats and Cosplay


Hello readers!
So its been a little while since last I updated, with work *yawn* commitments, family commitments and various other, erm, commitments… lets just say August was a tough month.

But enough about that, it is now September which means one thing:
HALLOWEEN PREPERATION!

Halloween is the one time of year when the ghouls and goblins come out, but also the cats, witches, nurses and cowboys it is arguably the only time of year when everyone feels okay to go out and wear a costume. As such, to those of us who are enthusiasts for a bit of costuming it’s a big event.

Added to this is that the European Cosplay Championship finals are taking place at Octobers (28-30th) MCM Expo in London! Although I’m not entering (I am no where near that standard, and since I don't make the costumes myself I don't consider myself a Cosplayer) I will be attending the Expo and I am hoping to report on the event like I did for the qualifiers held in May this year (Article...).

The MCM Expo is probably the lead event in the country for Cosplayers and the last time I attended my costume was a somewhat safe choice as I wasn’t sure what to expect. This time I am planning something a bit more out there:
The Black Canary

Black Canary

 
Canary Yellow Hair



Black Canary is a popular character from DC Comics Birds of Prey (an excellent series BTW, especially those written by Gail Simone). Her costume comprises of a black body suit, cropped jacket, fishnets, boots and a blonde wig, and just so you know I’ve already bought the wig ;)



I think this costume is fairly simple, but should be quite effective especially for a crowd of geeks and comics fans. I’ll update on how the costume comes along later.

Now for Halloween specifically, I have chosen something a little more in keeping with the theme and am going to dress as Catwoman. I know Catwoman isn’t the most original outfit, but hey, I already had the catsuit!

Obviously there are many guises and variations on Selina Kyle, and I have chosen to go with a retro 60s Batman version in the style of Julie Newmar. This is mainly in honour of Anne Hathaway’s styling in the released photos for 'The Dark Knight Rises' as the long hair and eye mask seem to be closer to the 60s version than the goggles and pixie crop of the current comic incarnation.
Julie Newmar's catwoman-yes I'm on a diet now...

This costume compromises of the catsuit, whip, cat ears, eye mask, and of course incrediably 60s hair. I anticipate the hair to be quite a challenge, but I have 6 weeks to practice so hopefully on the day it will look great.

Now who has a Halloween party for me to wear it to?!

I’m plotting a few articles for the up-and-coming  month of fancy dress, including my top tips to choosing and compiling a costume!

That’s it for now.
Happy Dresscapades!

(P.s. All images belong to their respective owners)

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