Otakon was amazing. Finally getting to wear my Azem summoning circle gown in person was so much fun. I had multiple people stopping me to gush over my costume and people from HERE telling me they saw it online and were so excited to see it in person. I haven’t been to a con since right before the pandemic and it was so nice to come back to a space I love so much. My goal of someone knowing what I was without me explaining was reached (thanks to the ffxiv photoshoot)! And I can’t wait to see the pictures of the group photo shoot. I added more details to the costume and (minus the stars which were my nemesis falling off the whole day) everything was perfect.
The gown itself took about 100 hours total. 85 originally and 15 to add finishing touches. The top is gold lamé and the chiffon overlay was ripping so I removed it. I have a whole costume breakdown under the tag for the original dress creation.
The necklace has an Azem summoning stone that my fantastic friends brought me from Fanfest which I repurposed. The most added details are the stars. I felt the black spots between the p design and the beams was a bit too big and wanted something to bridge the gap. I also considered adding my statics job symbols in the circles but they keep changing jobs XD
I added some more filigree details to the main Azem design in the front of the gown and individual rhinestones to each of the right angle v filigree and each of the small mirrored circles that make up the big circles because I’m extra along with a gold ribbon for the hem
Then I decided to add lights
Again because I’m extra
I don’t have skill with LEDs so I used individual 6ft fairy lights with tiny battery packs. I painted each battery pack black because the white shows through the skirt especially when lit up. There are about 75-90 battery packs I lost count at 2 am on Wednesday honestly ahaha. I looped them twice up and down so the effect would be less spaced out but I might edit that in the future if I figure LEDs and how to get more powerful ones because they weren’t really strong enough for 10 hours (you can faintly see them in the pictures above) and I kept turning them off when I sat. I used the same petticoat but added a hoop skirt because I was wearing tennis shoes (sadly sensible instead of fashionable) instead of my platform boots.
When people complimented me I would ask if they wanted to see my favorite part (which is spinning) and the laughs and gasps of delight were fantastic. Overall I’m so fucking proud of this costume. Thank you to all of you fab people from the FFXIV coordination who said such kind things I’m so flattered and lovingly overwhelmed. It was an amazing return to cosplay.
So I haven’t gotten good pictures yet, but! Here’s the photos I got my Tim Drake Red Hood cosplay!
Inspired by the art by @notholaenas and I’m blaming @disillusioneddanny for sending me the art that caused this spiral.
(I tried to edit this once already and it glitched and removed my edit?)
THE PROCESS
So I started looking at the pictures and breaking down what I needed
• Vest
•shirt
•belt
•holster
•mask
•gloves
1) The Vest
Starting with the Vest I went to Joann’s and found a fabric and some Dye. The fabric I found was too pink? But a little red and brown dye and a pot of boiling water and wa-lah the deep red we needed.
I patterned the vest based off a formal vest I had and modified the pattern to my body specifics and added the hood.
Including the black lining. The hood doesn’t look like it’s line but it is actually completely lined.
2) The Shirt
I got real lucky and the athleisure fabrics were on sale. I only used maybe 1 yard of black athleisure wear.
I drew and cut out a pattern of my Red Hood symbol. Based off the art I saw his symbol was different but I just did not have a clear enough picture of it to figure it out?
I actually made this twice because the first time accidentally ended up as a crop top? So uh new swim top I guess?
I had to get specialty vinyl for the symbol because it had to be able to adhere to the stretchy fabric.
3) The Rest
So there rest of it I don’t have photos for but know I ended up having to sand, prime and repaint my fake pew pew for him as well as make the holster and the belt I use in my cosplay. I ended up dying the white 2in belting I got for him and used leftover belting for the holster.
In the art there’s different hardware but considering how long it took for me to pattern that holster I am going to opt to not do that again if I can avoid it lmao.
I now have a mask for him but my friend who is also another red hood cosplayer has graciously given me their old mask!
taking some time today to discuss xiao! specifically the upgrades i made to him for metrocon 2023. i did so much experimenting with new techniques and materials, so i wanted to share that here to document, and maybe inspire some of my fellow artists/cosplayers!
i don’t think i could ever properly explain how happy i was after remaking xiao’s shirt. the previous version (which was purchased) fit really poorly, and the fabric was not great. it constantly pulled out from the waist of the pants and it practically blocked any airflow. the solution was simple: remake it from a bodysuit. that way the shirt not only stayed in place but also already gave me a much better form-fitting base to start out with. the mesh panel in the back was the part i worried about the most but ended up being the part i’m happiest with! i used power mesh that i hand dyed to be close to my skin tone (though the color isn’t very clear due to my binder’s color).
the swirling pattern on the bodysuit is a metallic white fabric paint. i made a digital drawing of the pattern on procreate, then printed it onto freezer paper. after cutting it out with an exacto knife, you can actually iron freezer paper onto fabric (shiny side facing the fabric) and it creates a nearly seamless stencil for fabric paint! i see myself using this technique a lot in the future, it’s literally perfect!!
the black leather piece at the neck and shoulders was my biggest obstacle. not only have i never worked with leather, but it is also a non-stretch material i’d be attaching to the collar/neck portion that very much needed to be able to stretch to be pulled on. thankfully the design worked out that i could have 2 closure points, one on the back of the neck and one at the front of the neck. the entire piece is hemmed by folding over and gluing the raw edge to the inside, then i glued hem tape over those raw edges to cover them and make them softer on the skin (the entire leather piece is unlined, due to its complex shape). all the visible edges of the leather were satin stitched to give them a clean, crisp edge. the gold appliqués on the front and back are 2mm eva foam covered in a gold stretch fabric, then glued onto the bodysuit with e6000!
the two white pieces that frame the mesh panel on the back gave me more difficulty than i expected. their shape is a bit deceiving, and needing them to lie flat on my back without sacrificing the stretch of the main garment meant i couldn’t just top stitch them onto the back. and while i’m not super happy with how they ended up aligning (where they meet at the top is much further down than i was aiming for), i still think it came out really nice!
and that’s the finished top!
here’s a front and back of the finished top! the sleeve is held up with clear bra straps that hook onto the inside of the shirt at the shoulder. all in all, i absolutely love how this newer shirt came out.
besides the shirt/bodysuit, the boots also got an upgrade! i snagged some boots on sale on amazon for $20, which was an insane steal! this style is very universal for so many costumes, and it also helps that the boots are comfortable and flat too! all of the accessories on the boots are affixed temporarily or from the inside (velcro, snaps, and elastic) so that the integrity of the outer boot remains untouched and i can reuse them for several costumes and even everyday wear. i also replaced the gold piece around the neck that holds the “scarf.” just like the pieces on the shirt, it is 2mm foam covered in gold fabric. this not only helps the gold elements feel more cohesive but also lies a lot more comfortably on my neck!
I broke down how I would go about making Dimitri's new winter alt because I'm completely normal about it and not obsessed with him at all. (Also my spouse already emotionally committed to winter Felix and the designs match well).
I thought I would share because designs with a lot going on can be intimidating to break down, but going layer by layer and thinking about what makes sense for the garment helps me and is helpful to do if you get stuck or overwhelmed.
This one is on my list for AWA 2024, since it will be in December (and as much as I'd love to go to Holmat, there is no way my queer ass is going to Florida any time soon). I can't start this until I finish dancer Dimi and I'm still in goldwork hell for that.
(I forgot his pants so further detail about that and also a breakdown of the layers more concretely below the cut).
Here's the most informative referece images we're working with (first one is just the clean version of the one above):
Starting with the inner most layer to outermost (because I think that's the most straightforward):
1) The Pants
There are a lot of options here, depending on what you're going for. It's cold in Faerghus so if you're going for most appropriate options, you'd want to make these out of a heavier fabric. They're not skin tight (you can see this in the second image more clearly), so I personally will stay away from stretchy leggings, but I don't think that would matter much aesthetically if that is your preference. You could also match these to the jacket material, but I personally don't want to make velvet pants. A nice, heavier cotton or linen would probably do the job nicely here. A heavier cotton blend knit would be a good choice, with an elastic waistband (basically you'd be making sweatpants). If you do a nonstretch, you don't have to go with an elastic waistband, but consider how easy it is to reach your closure for things like bathroom breaks. There is a seam (maybe a pleat?) on the front of the legs so that is something to pay attention to if you're going for maximum accuracy. I'd make this a seam on the stretch pants. I'd make these pants capri length so that there is enough to fit under the knee armor and top of the boot so it stays, but there isn't excess bulk in the lower boot, and probably finish the end of the legs with an elastic cuff like some sweat pants are finished. Pockets are unnecessary for this layer because you really can't get them under the layers.
2) The Boots
I'd buy a pair of knee high black boots with a very short heel. You could make boot covers, but I'd only do that if you had a hard time matching the finish. These don't look like suede to me, these seem like a smooth black leather/faux leather. The heels you could leave alone (they just won't 100% match), or paint gold. I tend to scuff up heels that I paint, so if you go that route make sure to be prepared to touch them up occasionally. The cuff with the fur I would add as a separate piece, trying to match the leather texture as much as possible. You could glue or sew this on (probably by hand) to the base boot, or make it removable with something like velcro. I'd personally just attach it permanently, since you have to add the stars on anyway, and I'm not likely to make those a temporary attachment, though you could. For the fur, you can get some fur trim, or use the same fabric as the cape and fur mantle. I'll touch on construction of the stars later, since they match the ones on the coat, but I'd just glue these onto the boot with a good glue (E6000 would be my first choice). Not every glue works for every material so you may want to experiment. Other options that might work would be contact cement or loctite (which makes a pleather glue).
3) The Knee Armor
I'd go with EVA foam for these. You could use worbla for additional sturdiness if you wanted, or even 3D print these if you'd rather model them yourself... but the foam may help with movement, as it will give where plastic will not. These will be sturdy enough though with a thicker EVA foam (5 mm?), with thinner layers for the upper ones. The accents I would make with a thinner foam and as the top layer. It looks like these are 3 layers to me (4 with the details). They remind me of Byleth's knee armor on the Enlightened One, which I have worn and can attest to them being very stable with just craft foam. Honestly I would just attach these to the cuff at the bottom, and add some strapping behind the knee that can open with snaps or velcro for maximum stability. You could also add a snap onto the pants at the front of the knee for extra security as well.
4) The Tunic
This is the blue layer under the red coat. It has a slit in the side seam (you can see it in the second picture) - make sure you keep that for mobility if nothing else. I'd make this out of a fabric that has a sheen, as it looks like it does in the art. If you wanted to be really indulgent, you could use a silk of some kind (I think you could use smooth or textured, depending on the aesthetic you were going for). I'd probably go for a nice cotton (a cotton sateen would be very appropriate), since this cosplay will be hot and that will help with breathability. A dull poly satin would also work in a pinch, or maybe even a crepe back satin. Lots of options here, I'd just go with nonstretch. Since this will be covered, you have options for neckline and sleeves. I think it would be a good idea to have sleeves, since the coat, depending on material, could rub. For the gold motif at the bottom, you have lots of options too. You could use heat n bond with a gold satin to make an applique, or you could use a vinyl fabric for an applique. You could do beading here. Iron on vinyl would also work (I'd go with the shiny metallic one). I'd just make sure this is shiny, ideally shinier than the tunic fabric. This is a festive costume after all, you can bling it up. I'd only worry about the front panel. You can ignore the back since it won't be seen.
5) The Coat
I really think this should be made out of a sturdy, nonstretch velvet (probably one of the home decor velvets). An alternative would be microsuede. Based on the art, I think some kind of nice sherpa would be best for the fuzzy edges, to contrast with the fur on the cape. The brown belts I would just make out of a pleather, with snap or hook and eye closures on one side. The stars, since I said I would talk about those (this applies to the ones on the shoes too), I would do out of foam, worbla, a combo of those two, or 3d print. I'll probably 3d print these since I have it on good authority that I'm getting one for Christmas this year. The gold lines at the sleeves and bottom you could do as a satin applique, beading, vinyl, or some combination. Iron on vinyl may or may not work with the velvet, you'd want to test that. I'd probably use a gold satin bias tape for the edge at the front of the coat, I think that would be the easiest thing and would look the nicest for that part.
6) The belt
This would have a secret closure at the front for ease of getting on and off without having to undo the belt. I'd interface the hell out of a red fabric (probably a satin, cotton/cotton sateen, maybe velvet), and add an applique of the green at the edges (or bias tape). I'd make the tassels out of a fine metallic thread or floss, personally. You probably want to stiffen these so they stay nice and clean. The star I'll talk about with the mantle. Metallic pieces on the belt would be a combination of foam, worbla, and/or 3d printing.
7) The Breastplate
My spouse has already made a breastplate almost exactly like this, thankfully. I'll be making this out of EVA foam, 10 mm for the larger layer and 5 mm for the bottom (which will probably just be attached at the bottom edge of the 10 mm layer so there is less bulk to worry about). The details would be a thin foam. It looks like the top motif is probably a fleur de lis. The chest star, which mimics his timeskip armor in houses, looks like it is convex rather than concave, so I'd make this out of foam and maybe fill in the underside with something just for structure. The plate itself would work like a reverse backpack, with buckles that would attach at the back to keep it sturdy. When I work on this I'll upload a picture of the breastplate my spouse made for reference.
8) The Scarf
I'd match this to the cape liner or the tunic fabric, so go for something with a slight sheen. The gold details I'd iron on or applique, and potentially add some coordinating rhinestones for sparkle's sake.
9) The Cape
The big, fluffy cape. I think the outside should be made from a heftier fabric, probably a microsuede. This would drape nicely and match the overall aesthetic of the costume. The liner I would match to the tunic or the scarf, so some kind of satin or sateen. I would probably go for the iron on vinyl for the stars of the liner, but you could do the satin applique strategy.... but that's a LOT of satin stitching to finish edges. Applique would work better for the stars at the bottom of the outside. You could also incorporate beads and/or rhinestones. This is festive after all... I'd get a nice fake fur for the edge, which you can match to the furry mantle.
10) The Mantle
This matches his houses design, based on the references, so you can refer to the in game art. Making this out of fake fur is the easiest option. My spouse attempted to make this by latch hooking yarn, but the brushing..... it will be less time and energy to go the fur route, but would be more money. For the stars, you could 3d print them, and gold leaf if you wanted a lot of shine. You'd probably want to hook these to the fur with invisible thread instead of gluing them, or you could match the thread to your gold paint. I'm also considering beading these on felt and I would attach them the same way, with invisible or matching thread. The one at the bottom of the belt you can sew or glue on, but I'd match construction to the mantle stars.
11) The Gloves
Technically lower in the layers than the coat, but awkward to put in earlier. These look like a faux suede or leather to me. I'd make them out of a nonstretch with a personalized, gusset-including glove pattern.
12) The Wig
It's a short, pale blonde wig. You might want a lace front with his hairline. But I think you can make it work without it... you'll have to do some styling with those bangs. This matches his pre-timeskip hair closely. The holly I would wire in to the wig after making, and use maybe beading or glitter an existing floral pick.
13) The Axe
I'm not a prop person, so this will be very basic. Pvc or dowel base, with foam, worbla, and/or 3d printed parts. The bow would look nice as a loop bow. You'd put the color blocks on there as previously discussed with bias tape.
That's my wall of words on that! I hope this was helpful to somebody. I'm planning on getting started on this one next year after some other costumes in the queue.
If you want to see a breakdown of anything else please let me know.
I can do a lot with these, the headband is hidden by the hat. I wanted to make them look like Antlers but if you get up close you realize it's meant to be branches, I did a massive amount of research into this Bad Ending AU
They are 3 feet tip to tip made of a wire frame, then Aluminum Core wrapped in tape, then plaster layer followed by air dry foam clay, ever get hit by a nerf bat? That's how these feel.
I am doing things to Update them as I feel like they could be a bit fancier and more detailed. I would love to take hot glue colored black and create droplets looking like the Oil he's Fanonly known to exude.
Eventually, I will implement this into making full Oni Horns for a Lego Ninjago Lloyd Cosplay. For now though these are my only pair, though I do enjoy making these headpieces!
i did another costume breakdown, this time for Venti!
the layers look really complicated in game, but there’s actually not that many pieces that would be difficult to make!
(detailed notes under the cut on how i would approach making stuff)
The shirt could be a perfectly normal pintucked blouse, just with an ascot and cuffs added on top. The easiest approach for the hose/tights would probably be to just paint the diamonds on some pre-made tights.
The beret could get tricky if you don’t have a pattern, a little applique sewn on a pre-made beret would also work. I would fasten the pantaloons on the sides with snaps, the pocket area would not be sewn up tightly so you could slide them on and off easily. The loafers could just be any thrifted pair.
The belt could easily be done by sewing vinyl on top of foam or puffy paint for dimension, adding sculpted/3d printed buckles or sewing on gold fabric would work. Most of the trinkets would have to be custom sculpted or 3d printed, the feather keychain would be easy to assemble though if you have some jewelry making supplies.
The cape has a top flap and then the bottom two pieces, and it’s fastened with a bow. I would tie a perfect bow and sew it down, then add some snaps, or hooks or something to actually fasten the cape. The cape would probably need to have a custom painted or dyed lining to match the model, but the details on the top could be applique no problem.
Most of this could easily be done in simple cotton, but if I were to dress it up I would use velvet or corduroy for the pants, something to add texture. Or i would even make the pantaloons slashed just to add some visual interest there.
