| Costuming FAQ |
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Do you really make all these costumes on the website? - Indeed I do. Since the very first one I have challenged myself with each new project and will continue to do so in the future. I financed and made every costume showcased in the galleries. Notes of appreciation for advice and help on a few costumes are to be found in each respective gallery. I give credit where it’s due. How long have you been costuming? - Since July 1999! Did you take any sewing classes or how did you learn to make clothing? - A friend showed me the basics of using a sewing machine and I taught myself to sew, style wigs, make jewelry, make patterns, sculpt and cast etc., basically everything needed to make the costumes that caught my interest. Determination gets you further in life than anything else. ^-^ How do you make the angel wings seen in your galleries? - I buy my feathers online and use a cloth covered wire frame as the base for the wings. You can either glue or sew the feathers onto the fabric, just be sure that the base is sturdy and padded for comfort. It's also a good idea to research real bird wings as your design reference. There are many ways to make attachments for the wings, small ones can be tied on with ribbons, you can make "spines" that sit inside a corset for a strapless look, or make a harness similar to a backpack. How long does it take you to make a costume, and how much do you spend? - Depending on the intricacy of the piece, it varies between a week and over a month of work. The budget for an outfit can be as high as $500+, but I have made costumes for under $50 before as well. I try to catch sales and clearances as often as possible, as well as sign up for coupons to places like Joann's. Any special tips or tricks for costumers? - Let's see, there are so many... ~ always use a wig cap if possible, and sew a hair comb into heavy wigs to keep them from sliding back. ~ shoe insoles can save your day, they are cheap and make such a difference when wearing heels. ~ I love industrial strength velcro for costume creation and emergency repairs! ~ the right makeup and shoes can make or break a costume! Be attentive to small details such as them. ~ for revealing costumes, use double sided tape (such as toupe tape) to keep things in place. ~ bring a reference picture of your cosplay character to the con to help you pack and get ready in costume. You'd be surprised how small details can get mixed up, no matter how long you've stared at the picture beforehand lol Can you help me make a costume? - I am always happy to share my experienced and ideas through email, just let me know what you need help with and I will do my best to give you advice. I am also working on a Tutorial section so check back for it’s launch. Can you make a costume for me or sell me one of yours? - I get this question a lot and unfortunately, I do not have the time to make costumes for others, as I don’t even get the chance to realize all of my own ideas and designs. I have need of the costumes I’ve made quite often these days and could not afford selling them. I apologize. Also, for awesome and trustworthy seamstresses taking cosplay commissions, check out my friends RedStarCostumes.com and Godsavethequeenfashions.com! Can you send me the patterns and leftover fabrics you used for a costume so I can make it as well? - I hate to say no again, but I always re-use patterns and budget so I don’t have any fabric left after I finish a project. Besides, there are a hundred ways to make a costume, why limit yourself to one that someone else has already explored? ^_^ |