Closet Costume: Xion (Kingdom Hearts 358/2)

This sounds ridiculous to call this a closet cosplay, I know. But I really do just have an Organization XIII coat chilling in my closet. I made it back in college when I needed a heavy winter coat and thought I could maybe do a Vexen cosplay without needing a wig (I knew I couldn't and the only cons I went to after making it were summer ones so it never got cosplay usage).

It was a pain in the butt to make the coat, part of the issue was finding a coat weight wool because back then the Joanns in the rural place where I was didn't even have any of any color (they now have several including the blue I used for my Reeve Tuesti coat). I ended up getting a butt ton for what actually was a great price ($60 for 6 yards) in the LA Fabric district when I went home for spring break. It seemed so expensive at the time though and now I still am trying to work my way through all that fabric even after making a heartless plush from it too. I used a pattern from the 70s because it had the right seams (excepting pockets and rain-guard but those were easy to add). I also ordered a custom zipper because I couldn't find a metal zip in that length but I learned why because that thing is wavy as bacon. The chain deco is made from a charm bracelet, some pretty buttons, silver cording and a set of earrings I found at Walmart.

Overall I'm pretty happy with the coat though I want to replace the zip with a plastic one, adjust the lining a little bit and put some boning in the pocket edges so I don't need to snap them closed to sit right. But it's a warm cosplay that is now very simple with the Haruka wig I have. I actually got another wig in order to do Zexion but I'm debating if I'll do that after all. There really is only one or two cons I go to that are winter cons so that wig might be better left as is for lolita outfits or for a future cosplay.

Series: Kingdom Hearts

Construction Time: None

Cost: $0

Materials and Construction: Haruka wig, black camisole, black thermal leggings, socks, black gloves, riding boots, Organization XIII coat

Debut: Ikkicon 2013

Final Appearance: Still in Rotation

Costume: Glynda Goodwitch (RWBY)

Basically as soon as I saw the first episode of RWBY I knew I wanted to be Glynda. She's so kickass and cool and her costume at first glance looks pretty darm normal. And a friend of mine was super excited to hear that since he wanted a cosplay group of the entire cast of RWBY.

I never realized how tiny she is until now. I'm a size 2 and I look way bigger than her.

I decided to push ahead of the rest of the group and get Glynda done for Ikkicon (I have so few warm costumes you see) and it only took one alnighter to have that happen. That would be when I also started learning how not that practical Glynda's outfit is. Since I was going to wear her for a winter con first I altered the design to some solid black thermal leggings and a knee length skirt (honestly she seems more the type to wear a knee length skirt). Her top seems like it should be made from a cotton or something else crisp in order to do the puffy sleeves and wrist ruffles but the only way to get it to fit right everywhere else without a ton of seams was to use a stretch material. I went with the stretch since that made fitting easier and I had some in stock.

The cape was a pain in the butt to make. In order to get the tentacle bits to not curl it needed some hardcore interfacing but using interfacings in something so curvy and pointy is a pain. It took me an entire day to get that all set in. But I am happy with the results. Also really like how the painted crown came out but I have no pics of her back. :x

As for how it goes on... Let us just say that those little gold bits that pull at the keyhole opening cannot in fact hold that sucker on. There's no way, not without pulling the keyhole out of shape. And there's no buttons or pins or anything. She clearly must be using magic but I don't have Huntress magic. So it gets safety pinned to my bra straps. The little fake gold clip bits keep the cape permanently attached to the shirt (via safety pins).

The riding crop is made from scraps of worbla all smushed together then rolled into the right shape and painted. It's a little hefty but free/a good use for the box of worbla scraps which I still have plenty of.

Series: RWBY

Construction Time: 2 weeks

Cost: ~$50

Materials and Construction: Epic Cosplay wig, hair donut, light green bobby pins, sateen (black), purple lining, gold fabric paint, craft weight interfacing, safety pins, worbla, gold acrylic paint, rayon/lycria (white and black), bronze pin, earrings, teardrop charm, gold buttons, skirt (knee length heavier weight for winter and mini with lace for summer), leggings (thermal for winter and purple snakeskin for summer), socks, boots, black spray paint and silver acrylic paint.

Debut: Ikkicon 2013

Final Appearance: Still in Rotation

Closet Costume: Kurashita Tsukimi (Princess Jellyfish

So a few days before a convention a friend mentioned how they were going to do a Princess Jellyfish group and had a Banba, a Mayaya and a Kuranosuke and may have implied I'd make a good Tsukimi. So I thought about it and realized I have a kimono and obi that look rather like the ones Chieko lends Tsukimi and I have a wig and clip in ponytail from my lolita-ing that could masquerade as her hair and well what do you know suddenly I've got a Tsukimi outfit.

This one specifically.

It's not a perfect match, there's a distinct lack of green in my outfit and my kimono had a fall/maple motif instead of roses but for all of an hour of deciding between accessories and a grand cost of free I'd say it was pretty good. And it meant I got to wear that kimono that I haven't worn since high school again which is nice.

It also meant I got to derp around with some pretty fun people (though technically I also did a closet Jiji cosplay but I plan on ramping that one up for either A-kon or San Japan). I just wish I would have remembered to put her ponytail on the right side and that I'd have used more blush.

Series: Princess Jellyfish

Construction Time: 1 hour

Cost: Free

Materials and Construction: Wig/Clip in ponytail, Vintage Kimono, Handmade Juban, Handmade Haneri, Vintage Obiage, Vintage Obi, Vintage Obijime, Tabi Socks and Vintage Zori.

Debut: March 2014

Final Appearance: Still in Rotation