fangrrl_squees | Entries tagged with cosplay madness

The Kaldor City fanwriting idea isn't giving up without a fight, bless its little cotton socks. It's still fanwanky crap, but it's not as bad as it was. I'm still not writing it down until the "And then something occurs!" bit in the middle of the first act resolves itself.

This hobby can be a bit of a bloody millstone about the neck, can't it?

***

In the meantime, I've added another costume on to the someday list, although I will admit that if I happen to find ideal fabric for it, it might be moved up the schedule, as I know of at least two events at Gally for which it would be suitable. Sybilline Sister.

What's driving me bonkers - more so than usual, I mean - is that I'm ready to swear that I had some fabric that would be a great match for the original in my hot little hands at *some* point. Unfortunately, that covers everything from "It's buried in my sewing room" to "I saw it in the fabric store three years ago."

*headdesk*

***

On a related note, I'm waiting to hear back from the organizer of the Gally masquerade. God knows what I'm letting myself in for...

To burble a little further on this entry about cosplaying.

Previously, I admitted to feeling self-conscious and just a tad dorky as a person walking the halls in a costume. This is ironic because, back in the days when I would attend any event with LARP in the description (I was a bit indiscriminate) I never felt self-conscious in whatever costume I'd put together - and I'd put together some corkers, I assure you. Therefore, I can't help reaching the conclusion that playing a character takes the edge off my self-consciousness and/or lets me displace it entirely because it's not me in the funky outfit, so to speak.

(Let's leave the psychology of that for another day, shall we...?)

Or maybe it's simply that having more to "do" - keeping up a character - takes my mind off the there's every chance I look like a doofus factor. That's entirely possible, too.

So, yeah, maybe I'll try packing my RP skills along with the costumes, in future. Mind you, for original concepts/inside jokes such as Generic Time Agent and Lucy!Master, that'll no doubt baffle people - more so than I usually do, I mean. Ah, well...

(No, I am not going to throw together an impromptu LARP for the cosplayers of Gallifrey One, so don't even ask!)

(As staring at the clock doesn't make it move any faster to 5:35 GMT...)

( Talking about cosPLAY rather than dressing-in-costume )

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go hit refresh obsessively over on bbc.co.uk's news site...

Hmm...

I think I need to find a copy of Power of Kroll - or some better screencaps, online.

(I'd buy the Key to Time box set if I could afford it, honestly I would. As it is, it's awaiting tax-refund time, if that...)

Romana's costume has a rather funky mod-60s thing going on with it. Not sure if I can quite pull off the black I-guess-you'd-call-it-a-faux-Empire-waist piecing with the shape I am, but it's worth a go.

Hm. I would probably want to try draping a starting bodice for this from scratch, which will be a challenge as I keep forgetting that Barbarella is much wider in the shoulders and back than I am.

But the actual construction of the thing, aside from the shoulders looks like it could be pretty easy. I might even have slacks already in the closet that would work.

I wonder what sort of shoes she's wearing?

Hmm....

Oh well, I have lots of time to think about it, as unless some local fabric store has a sale of truly epic proportions I'm not buying any material any time soon. Despite temptation otherwise...

(I definitely need a costuming icon!)

...but

honorarydoctor has just set the costumer's equivalent of a plotbunny loose in my brain: design an original ensemble for Servalan.

I know. The mind boggles, doesn't it?

What I would really need, though, is someone to wear it because, god knows, the only thing Jacqueline Pearce and I have in common is hair color - and even that is pushing it. Maybe I could talk

praedestinatio into being a good sport...

As promised, progress on the Lucy!Master costume. Apologies if you have a dial-up connection. ( Two big-ish pix behind the cut )

I've any number of personal in-jokes/little homages to various incarnations of the Master, going on with this rig. The palette, the chosen fabrics, the buttons and even the cut of the shirt are all nods, in one way or another, to the character. And yes, I've even included Roberts!Master in the collective wink-and-nudge, despite the fact that I prefer to deny vast swathes of the TVM from my personal fanon.

And, oh yes, I will be buying some nce leather gloves to go with the ensemble - but I have to wait a couple of paychecks to save the pennies for the pair I've been lusting after...

Alex immediately suggested some sort of necklace/pendant to go with the shirt and that is, indeed, pretty much a given with a neckline like that. But short of borrowing the *ahemunlicensedknockoff* Saxon signet ring from a pal and wearing it on a chain like a bobbysoxer with her boyfriend's class ring, I'm not sure what to use. Any suggestions?

More costume-wonkery, I'm afraid...

In between working on the *mumblemumble* late comission for a friend, I'm hoping to finally finish the Lucy!Master shirt this weekend. I had to fudge a fix with the shoulder width, but I think it looks alright, in that it looks like a princess seam unless you follow the line of the dart all the way and realize that it doesn't re-emerge from under the "lapel" of the "vest". I'm going to fiddle with the paper pattern as I think I can adjust it so that the de-facto dart is, indeed, moved so that it's 'hidden' in a seam. Now, if I can just figure out how to alter for the bust, I'd be golden... Anything else, I'd just cut a bust dart in at the side, but that really doesn't work for this pattern, so - given my lack of expertise - I think I'm going to have to cut the bust dart into the paper pattern and then figure out how to 'rotate' it out to a seam, the side seam, for preference.

I wish I never had to drop out of that pattern drafting class, dammit. *mutter*

The trousers, even I should be able to whip out in an afternoon between now and Feb 15.

I've got an idea for cufflinks - something very simple involving paint and stickers, really. I'm trying to rein in my tendency to, oh, completely overdo things. But I must have my Ouroboros cufflinks, oh yes.

***

But, speaking of overdoing things, the number of folks popping up and saying that they'll be in costume at Gallifrey One has me thinking that whatever I decide to make as a hall-favor this year, I'll need to make a lot of.

I was originally planning to do some cabochon pins/brooches with resin and watch parts (thanks, in no small part, to a timely - ahem - gift from my roomie) but I'm now thinking that I'm going to need at least two-dozen prizes and I don't have the materials for that. I could get convention ribbons, I suppose - Unofficial Hall Costume Award - but, I dunno... I like making something for the hall costumers, as it matches the spirit of what they've done in making/putting together a costume.

It's a shame the Drinks Coaster of Rassilon project proved far too labor intensive for the final result, as that one coaster I turned out does look rather nifty, even with a bit of a fubar regarding the coloring of the leather...

*thinks*

Hm.

I'd like to save the "Generic Time Agent" (formerly Girly Time Agent) rig from retirement, if possible. But, as it is at the moment, the joke just isn't coming across and that makes it a bit of a pain - or a bore! - to wear.

A bunch of you have seen it. Any suggestions for getting the point across more effectively?

(And for those who haven't seen it/don't remember the details, the rig consists of: black riding boots (cut up the back, grommetted and laced, as they're far too narrow in the calf), black jeans, a white tee-shirt with Bite Me Or Kiss Me on the front, a black pseudo-military shirt (double-breasted with bronze dome buttons, epaulettes, etc, but very feminized), a gun belt with Webley holster and, depending on the convention, I sometimes tuck a riding crop into my boot).

I thinking the tee-shirt needs to go. It's cute, but muddies the concept. I can't button the pseudo-military overshirt (the manufacturer and I have wildly divergent ideas as to what constitutes a large) so something else will have to go under it. Maybe just a plain, slightly grubby tee shirt, but... meh.

*thinks*

If I could fit into my black leather pants, I'd swap the jeans out but I can't and, besides, I don't think it would serve the point. Jeans are, y'know, durable and practical and a Time Agent needs some practicality...

So, um, yeah, any suggestions?

***

Meanwhile, in other costuming topics, I found a much better pic of the Lucy!Master shirt I'm working on, here. As mentioned, mine's in silver/black tafetta with black-on-black paisley playing the part of the 'vest', and French cuffs instead of the ruffle. The collar won't be quite the same, but close enough. And, eureka! I think I just figured out a fix for the too-wide shoulders. Thank god I haven't put the lining in, yet...

"Oh, hey, I don't have much left to do on the costume. I'll have it finished by dinner time!"

Uh, no.

Fortunately, I did make a lot of progress and all I have left for the entire rig is:

- Put in the lining
- Sew in some hooks and eyes (2/3 done, already. Yay for hook and eye tape!)
- Starch the hat and attach some chiffon drape.
- Finish the lower edge and cuffs of the coat.

My roomie, who has far more experience with linings than I do, helped me identify an approach that'll save me a few headaches re: said lining so, here's hoping I'll be done by lunchtime on Sunday...

A progress picture - with caveats. ;)

Y'know, I've got to wonder if there are any product-placement contracts in place for Doctor Who and Torchwood¹ particularly for clothing.

There's some eagle-eyed cosplayers out there who frequently identify items worn by leads - I'm thinking especially of Billie Piper and Eve Myles - and hunt 'em down on ebay and such. Diesel and Punkyfish seem to be v. popular and I don't care how much those shows are the particular darlings of the corp, them clothes are not cheap - and the days of a companion getting away with one outfit for the entire season seem to be long gone.

*shrug* It could just simply be an in-kind deal for a significant discount. I remember being rendered practically breathless at the cost of costuming on one particular film set I worked on - and then learned that not only had we landed the entire cast's wardrobe for free (or close to it) but afterwards, it was all just going to get tossed out. Believe me, the crew (and some of the cast!) had other ideas - and what they didn't carry off, I insisted we lug over to the local charity shops. If you happened to score some practically unworn designer gear in the SallyAlly on Haight in the late summer of '96, you can send me a thank-you note... ;)

But, yeah, it's days like seeing a Diesel jacket with an MSRP of nearly five hundred dollars - f'r instance - that make me glad I can sew when I put my mind to it. Sure, it won't be designer, but it'll cost me a tenth as much and look good enough for cosplay purposes...

¹ - and SJA. too, I suppose, but I haven't watched that nearly as closely, nor have the cosplayers, although it's clear she's hardly wearing stuff off the bargain-rack from BHS...

"Blink" costume at Dragon*Con - yes, it's one of the weeping angels.

In that post, there's also a link to the creator's notes re: construction.

Amusingly enough, I'm wearing my "The angels have the phone box" tee-shirt at work, today...

India Fisher has been added to the guest list for Chicago TARDIS. Whilst I'm definitely a part of the crowd that thinks the Eight/Charley duo could have ended a lot earlier than it did, I generally enjoy her on the BFAs and, I must admit, I'm actually quite keen to see how the whole ( BFA SPOILER ) dynamic plays out.

Some of the members of the convention attendees mailing list are making suggestions for other guests. For this year's event. Y'know, the one that's happening in, um, three months. Clearly, these folks have never staffed a con. Well, it's that or they're high as kites...

This weekend, I'm re-listing some items on ebay. The prices for T'Giving weekend flights is starting to wobble downwards, again, so I need the dosh!

Meanwhile, a bit to my surprise, plans for Gallifrey One are already starting to manifest - costuming plans, I mean. It looks like Suzie Costello might come out of retirement, as I've a couple of pals who might be dressing as Jack and Ianto for an afternoon, and

iamradar has mentioned wanting to do Gwen. And I seem to have received a dare from the universe regarding costumes for both The Eighth Doctor and The Rani. When one discovers a stash of pinkish-russet leopard print velour in one's sewing room, what else can one do but decide it must be time to make The Rani's oh-so-1980s red ensemble?

Okay, I know I'm being ridiculously vain with all these SDCC pictures, but

praedestinatio found this one and I love it to little pieces. As a friend of mine said, it's very sonic.

My fannish heart, she is full of squee.

And I like the fact that you can't see that I'd forgotten to put my bag down before going on stage. D'oh!

My second-favorite photo from San Diego Comic Con (well, so far)

Picture courtesy of

kgaleway

( extreme silliness (and a very large, sorta-slashy, picture!) ahead )

Alrighty, I've just posted this on my costuming and craft filter on

britgeekgrrl but, given the fannish nature of, um, all of my costuming, I decided to crosspost here, also.

Incidentally, if you want on to the aforementioned filter, let me know and I'll add you to it - although I warn you, it's a lot of "Sewing gods, why do you hate me so?" sort of angst and such.

***

This is more about cosplaying, per se, but also costuming too.

( It meanders a bit... )

BTW, The TARDIS bag made for me by the fabulous

praedestinatio was, I think, a bigger hit than anything I wore all weekend, and that includes the FanPerson Appreciation outfit. (Mental note: make sure you don't have plans for dinner away from the convention center before donning such gear. My god...)

*cracks knuckles*

Allrighty, I'm trying to cram a lot of stuff into one entry, so I'll use cut-tags and you can pick and choose.

I've decided to put my San Diego Comic Con report here rather than on my regular journal¹, as that journal is 98% f-locked and riddled with filters. Besides, most of what I've got to say is of a fannish bent, anyways.

( SDCC Overall )

( DW and TW Panels )

( Cosplay Meetup Madness! )

( Why Don't I Hang Out With You Dudes More Often? )

( Does The World Need Another MetaFic Comm - Specifically a Torchwood One? )

¹ -

britgeekgrrl

PS. I've finished Twilight Streets but I'm going to save my thoughts on that for another entry. This one is long enough!

Hmm....

How to develop costuming for Faction Paradox and not be mistaken for Sycorax? There's the challenge.

For what it's worth, I agree with the fanon notion that the Sycorax were one of the races "seeded" by the Faction. They're just too bloody (ahem) similar.

However, this doesn't make realizing this silly idea any easier.

Why is always the silly ideas that run away with my forebrain?

This is why I've got three unfinished feature treatments on my HD. Writing costs me nothing but time and a lot of tea. Right now, I've got nothing but time, if not an infinite amount of tea.

Costuming, on the other hand... It's deceptive. Ask me about the final, it was how much? total for the Suzie Costello rig, sometime. And I thought that one would be cheap, silly me.

Still, as mentioned on the regular journal, at least daydreaming is still free.

Oh... it's definitely the sugar (and caffeine).

Not only am I suggesting cosplaying Faction Paradox, but iTunes just brought up Voodoo Child and now I have vague notions of a truly terrible masquerade number.

*ducks and runs*

The Unauthorized Doctor Who CCG - several orders of magnitude better than the godawful licensed product inflicted on us in the mid 1990s. I'm still puzzling out the rules but, damn, look at that art! The creator has put a lot of work into making a game that's not only (apparently) playable, but looks very nice, too! If you're a CCG-head, join the Yahoo-group discussion list, as they get into the nitty-gritty with each "release". I watch it with a distinctly baffled air, myself...

Once I have the ink to print and the dosh for lamination pouches, I'll give it a go with the suggested pre-fab deck lists - assuming I can convince the husband to play with me, that is.

Dude! Faction Paradox cosplay! Who's up for it? Wouldn't that be a hoot at Gallifrey One? I think it'd be awesome, myself, but that might be the quart of soda I just ingested speaking...

Emergency costume is three-quarters done, in that the skirt is completely finished and the shirt almost ditto, but I have to hem the sleeves, determine the finished length of said shirt and put a bunch of fiddly appliqués on the damn thing which I just know it'll take me forever to place them properly.

(guessed what it is, yet? I won't be surprised if you have, I've talked about it, before)

Tomorrow, I start packing, try to salvage the show-and-tell bit I hoped to bring to the Crafty Tardis panel (something went horribly wrong in the final steps, dammit. Educational, yes, but irritating) and, time permitting, see if I can bash out a prop to go with said emergency costume. I'm not going to lie awake at night about that latter, though, as there's a strong possibility that, once completed, I won't have the room to pack it.

And, oh yeah, there's that whole dinner with the family thing that I'm supposed to be getting ready for. If I forget to make carrots, bring some folding chairs, a couple bottles of wine and god knows what else, I'm a dead fangrrl.

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March 2012

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Entries tagged with cosplay madness

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As I Think We Could Do With A Break From "Matt Smith! OMG!"

More Burblings About Cosplay, Proper...

Here We Go Again...

He Might Not Know It...

Progress Report - Lucy!Master

Costume Wonkery, Part The Nth

More Costuming Stuff (I'll Get Back To Fannish Critique When I Can Afford to Buy Content Again...)

Thud

Prompted By A Recent Post on DW_Cosplay

Amazingly Awesome Costume Of The Day, Quite Possibly The Month...

Con Squee

A Paradox of Doctors!

Pure Silliness...

Costuming Crosspost

San Diego ComiCon, Cosplaying And Does The Internet Need Another FicMeta Community?

Must... Stop... Researching. Need... Sleep... Badly...

...Part 2

Two Whovian Nubbins