So I didn't really plan on making any new costume this year, then in middle of July as I was going through the usual art slump I had a spontaneous idea to work on the third cosplay of this year, following the elaborate Empress Li Mei from last year and Smoke the year before. Only this time it didn't follow the MK trend, my attention turned to KPop Demon Hunters' Zoe, specifically the intro scene in that hip-hop style getup:
Now I do not have her slim figure, I'm average at best, a curvy, pear-shaped bod with a little too thicc bottom. 🤣🤣🤣 Which was why I chose Zoe's baggy pants over Rumi and Mira's short shorts and skirt that definitely would not look sightly on my giant turkey thighs (yes that is what I call it). I knew I can wear a long nude toned cami under the teal halter top so I don't let me bare skin too exposed, but no way I could conceal the legs that's riddled with varicose veins and scars from last year's massive flea rampage. For the previous two cosplays I had planned months in advance and carefully collected materials and tools over time giving myself ample time to put it together. This time having spontaneously decided after months of no planning I found myself spending two hot weekends scouring the stores down LA's Fashion District in search for the right fabric colors, trims, and notions trying not to blow my bank account. Then spent the next three weeks making the patterns, piecing them together, and fighting tooth and nail with the sewing machine.
The very "elegant" table top of all the tools, fabric, materials. And this isn't the worst of it but I don't need to show it here. 😂😂😂
One of the few unfortuate incidents occured when I was halfway through with the halter top and as I tried to fix the zipper I accidentally ran the scissor through the fabric in the very spot that would be impossible to cover it up, so I had no choice but to remake the top from scratch. Which actually turned out for the better; the first one was a practice run and helped to get the second one right.
After some consideration I opted to paint in the ornate flower design on the right side of the halter top. I managed to find a good quality pic of the design online and using fabric markers I painted the design, which I actually enjoyed. I had to go over it few times to make sure the paint popped out over the black fabric and blended in areas that required it. Instead of the machine I hand sewed the design along the black outline. I did the same treatment with the black trim along the top edge; the pattern was a bit challenging I initially tried using a stencil but it didn't transfer over very well and ended up drawing in the intricate lines entirely freehand.
I actually struggled with the pants as I was making it wholly from scratch. It took some time to figure out the pattern and then piecing it together; I couldn't afford to screw it up as I had already carefully measured, outlined, and sewn in the yellow and ultramarine blue patterns and dreaded the idea of having to redo it like I did with the top.
The pants and the colored patterns I carefully outlined myself. You can see how I CAREFULLY coded each piece so I don't lose track, considering how I can be so disorganized.
The hardest part was sewing in a very thin gold-toned ribbons that would outline the elaborate patterns of the pants, cursing every time the needle went off the track and having to take it apart and resetting it.
See the pretty flower bloom; I painstakingly drew in those with the same fabric markers I used for the trims on the top.
After three grueling weeks in the unusually wet heat of L.A. this is the result:
I'm quite pleased with how it all came together, better than I could have hoped for. Sure it ain't perfect, and not 100% accurate to the original source material, but I got the base of it. Now all that's left is the accessories which I am quite looking forward to, as it will allow me to revisit the craft of jewelrymaking I had dabbled on for a short time and still have all the materials to use. I will post that later and will even stream it on my Twitch channel in the coming week!
Unfortunately I didn't document the progress thoroughly these are the very few I managed to capture. Hope you enjoyed reading about the process of my latest cosplay endeavor.
