tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54087848321935467322024-03-21T09:30:29.437-07:00Frenemy CosplayThe truth about cons and cosplay.Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-81165659040749601022012-05-03T14:05:00.000-07:002012-05-03T14:05:41.465-07:00<br />
It's <i>Avengers </i>Day, fellow cosplayers, and I'm taking a break from preparations to bring you some links. Do you know what happens when you neglect to post linkspams? What happens is the links pile up and you wind up with a mess of awesome stuff to sift through.<br />
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1. First, let’s start with a few galleries:<br />
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via io9 (who I am currently pissed at because there were <i>Avengers </i>spoilers in the news section): The <a href="http://io9.com/5894580/the-absolute-best-cosplay-from-wondercon-2012-including-baby-harley-quinn" target="_blank">Absolute Best Cosplay from WonderCon 2012</a> and <a href="http://io9.com/5895773/a-treasure-trove-of-cosplay-from-the-swinging-1970s-%5Bnsfw%5D" target="_blank">A Treasure Trove of Cosplay from the Swinging 1970s</a>, both of which are just as awesome as they sound, though the second link is NSFW.<br />
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via Flavorwire: <a href="http://flavorwire.com/266884/our-favorite-futuristic-film-fashions" target="_blank">Futuristic Film Fashions</a>, great for reference photos and inspiration. Obviously, my beloved Rachel is included.<br />
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On Etsy: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/theGorgonist?section_id=10491940#" target="_blank">Adorable concept art of girls in “Fancy Dress”</a>, which apparently means “dressed as space ships and such”. Is there anything more amazing than that Darth Vader dress? I ask you.<br />
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2. Second, how about some resources:<br />
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Fashionista has a run-down of “<a href="http://fashionista.com/2012/03/how-to-achieve-all-the-beauty-looks-in-the-hunger-games/" target="_blank">How to Achieve all the Beauty Look in The Hunger Games</a>”, which is not as detailed as I’d like but gives some good tips.<br />
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If you’ve got some money to burn, <a href="http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/index.php" target="_blank">Magnoli Clothiers</a> is a custom suit-making company that caters specifically to cosplayers. I know someone who bought their Tenth Doctor suit and was quite pleased.<br />
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Speaking of the Tenth Doctor, this person did a truly rocking cosplay of the clockwork robots from “The Girl in the Fire Place” and <a href="http://clarakim.smugmug.com/Other/Clockwork-Droid/22131426_HW3PxP#!i=1766861381&k=6HKq6gp" target="_blank">shared the in-process photos</a>.<br />
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If you’ve got serious skills and want to impress folks at that <i>Avengers </i>party tonight, give these <a href="http://www.themarysue.com/avengers-inspired-eye-makeup/" target="_blank">Avengers-inspired make-up looks a try.</a><br />
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3. Third, we have the WTF Category<br />
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A lot of folks have probably seen<a href="http://geeks.thedailywh.at/2012/03/09/geek-news-the-joker-goes-through-security-of-the-day/" target="_blank"> the Joker cosplayer going through security</a>, but I feel it’s worth revisiting.<br />
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And then there’s <a href="http://instagr.am/p/IU9FWUpGnK/" target="_blank">this</a>, which goes beyond Weird Store-bought Costume into the realm of actual surrealism.<br />
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<a href="http://stickthisbig.tumblr.com/post/19193350861/your-argument-is-invalid" target="_blank">Darth Vader playing the bagpipes and riding a unicycle</a>. No. Really.<br />
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4. And here are some pictures of awesome things:<br />
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<a href="http://stickthisbig.tumblr.com/post/19684195728/theinturnet-okay-pretty-good-costumes-but" target="_blank">Kick-ass <i>Road to El Dorado</i> cosplay</a>, with an excellent comment by our lovely Sabine.<br />
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<a href="http://fuckyeahcutecosplay.tumblr.com/post/8193422056/no-matter-what-age-you-are-always-have-fun" target="_blank">You’re never too old for cosplay.</a><br />
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<a href="http://dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com/post/19473513375/wwdadanddaughter" target="_blank">The world’s best dad.</a><br />
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<a href="http://betherella.tumblr.com/post/19523868068/hipster-natasha-and-nick" target="_blank">They work for S.H.I.E.L.D. You’ve probably never heard of it.</a><br />
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Winter is Coming, <a href="http://io9.com/5900087/cuteness-is-coming-in-game-of-thrones-family-cosplay" target="_blank">and this family is prepared.</a><br />
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<a href="http://io9.com/5906047/the-doctor-is-a-dog-now-dogs-are-cool" target="_blank">"The Doctor is a dog now. Dogs are cool." </a><br />
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5. And some just plain awesome:<br />
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You remember what I said about Steampunk? <a href="http://silver-goggles.blogspot.ca/2012/04/steampunk-poc-tony-ballard-aka-captain.html" target="_blank">Well this dude’s doing it right.</a> As is everyone else on that website.<br />
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And now you should <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/rosenwald-md/post/who-is-the-route-29-batman-this-guy/2012/03/28/gIQA8nPjgS_blog.html" target="_blank">go read this and cry</a> because Batman is the best.<br />
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And now, fellow cosplayers, I'm gonna don my best eye-patch and prepare to rock out as chick!Fury. Anybody else dressing up for tonight?<br />
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-shadowen<br />
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<br /></div>Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-13595970076713835802012-03-28T10:32:00.000-07:002012-03-28T10:32:27.295-07:00Three Reasons Steampunk Sucks and Three Reasons it Doesn't Have ToFellow cosplayers, we need to have a talk. Well, not you and I, specifically, but cosplayers, congoers, and geeks in general. The talk we need to have is about Steampunk and why it kind of sucks.<br />
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Let me say, straight off, that I’m talking about Steampunk, abstractly, as a style and a genre, not as a subculture. I make exactly zero judgments about Steampunkers as people, except to admire their dedication and skill, ‘cause gods know that shit is beyond me.<br />
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Second, I want to define what I mean when I talk about “Steampunk”. Unfortunately, Steampunk is a lot like porn: You just know it when you see it. For costuming purposes, though, I’ll say that Steampunk is anything that takes its inspiration from distinctly 19th or early 20th century styles, often incorporating references to anachronistic or fictional technology. Obviously, this is a <i>very</i> broad definition; there are a million sub-genres and offshoots that aren’t covered by this, and we could spend days talking about the differences between Victoriana and alt-Modern. You have to admit, though, it’s a better definition than “what happens when Goths discover brown”, however accurate that might be.<br />
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As a final caveat and clarification, I will add that I fucking <i>love</i> Steampunk, in all its permutations. To be fair, I love pretty much anything with “punk” appended to it, but Steampunk at its best is the very height of elegance, whimsy, and extreme badassery. On the surface, what’s not to love?<br />
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Three things, as it turns out.<br />
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<b>Go Big or Go Home</b><br />
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The first and most obvious problem with Steampunk is that it’s really goddamn hard. I realize the same could be said of good cosplay in general, but I think we can all recognize that 19th century style requires a different level of skill. If, in fact, you disagree and are thinking “Pshaw, shadowen! Doing Steampunk is not that hard!” Then you, my friend, are doing it wrong, and you are part of the problem.<br />
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See, there’s nothing inherently wrong with difficult styles; they’re fun, challenging, and the work tends to pay off. The real problem is that, as we can all attest, there are a whole lot of lazy-ass cosplayers out there. Of course, half-assing it is part of the game sometimes, but part of good cosplay is knowing when you can cut corners and when you have to put in the blood, sweat, and tears. Like the man said, you cannot just <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFCuE5rHbPA" target="_blank">glue some gears on it and call it Steampunk</a>, but that is all too often what happens.<br />
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In costuming, the difficulty of a project is directly proportional to both the probability that something will go wrong and how very very wrong it can go. If I had any kind of math skills whatsoever, I’d give you a formula, but basically the fact that Steampunk tends to be really complicated means you’re that much more likely to fail unbelievably hard. This is apparently not a deterrent to many cosplayers, and, as a result, there is an awful lot of bad Steampunk.<br />
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<b>Been There, Seen That</b><br />
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A few years ago, if you rolled up to a con in full Victorian dress, you wouldn’t have gotten 10 feet across the con floor before a swarm of geeks with cameras descended on you. Now? You’d best have working gears, pipes that shoot steam, and a three-foot TARDIS hat if you want that kind of attention.<br />
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I hate to say it, fellow cosplayers, but Steampunk as we know it is played out and on the verge of becoming passe. It is even - dare I say it? - <i>boring</i>. Not that “I want people to take pictures of me!” is necessarily the guiding star of cosplay, but, for me at least, it’s a consideration. If you’re going to put a lot of work into a costume - as Steampunk requires - it’s nice to have some recognition of your efforts. With Steampunk, unless you’re going really above and beyond, you’re not as likely to get that recognition as you once were. <br />
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At this point, we’ve seen it, and we’ve probably seen it done better.<br />
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<b>White People Fuckery</b><br />
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Oh, I can hear the protests now. “But, shadowen! Can’t we keep politics out of our cosplay? We just want to put on fancy clothes!” I hear you, fellow cosplayers, and I have some bad news. There’s <i>already</i> politics in your cosplay, the same politics that are in your media and your fandoms. All art is political, and Steampunk in particular has some bad baggage.<br />
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The ugly truth of the matter is that the 19th and early 20th centuries were really shitty periods for anyone who wasn’t rich and White. Okay, so that actually describes a large chunk of human history, but the Victorian and early Modern eras were especially bad. British colonialism was at its height. The American westward expansion pressed thousands of workers of Color into extremely dangerous jobs with meager pay. The American Civil War decimated the southern states and left poor workers of all colors even more destitute than usual. The Industrial Revolution provided new and exciting environments in which wealthy factory owners could torment, overwork, and otherwise endanger working-class women and children.<br />
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Steampunk romanticizes and glorifies this period, drawing almost exclusively on styles worn by by the upper and upper-middle classes. Even the “industrial” elements so popular in Steampunk costumes - the gears and cranks and whatnot - are typically polished and stylized beyond recognition, presenting an image of the Industrial Revolution that is <i>literally</i> gilded. Standard Steampunk reinforces the myths constructed by rich White people about the Power of American Industry and the Glory of the British Empire, myths which alternately glamorize and ignore both the contributions and exploitation of people of color and working-class people, as well is dismissing the damaging effects of European colonialism.<br />
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To reiterate my earlier caveat, I am talking about a problematic trend in Steampunk as a style; I’m not saying that all Steampunkers are bad people and they should feel bad or that nobody with a conscience should ever do Steampunk ever. I’m saying this is a thing about Steampunk that sucks, and we need to acknowledge it.<br />
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<b>BUT THERE’S HOPE</b><br />
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All of this suck is definitely discouraging, but take heart, fellow cosplayers, because Steampunk isn’t quite dead yet. Don’t believe me? Here’s three reasons Steampunk doesn’t have to suck.<br />
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<b>Endless Possibilities</b><br />
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Like I said before, what we tend to think of as “standard” Steampunk focuses on a very narrow slice of of Victorian and Modern society. By expanding your view to include other cultures, classes, and countries, you introduce a whole new realm of possibility for Steampunking.<br />
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Take Asia, for instance. There was all kinds of cool shit going on in East Asia in the late 19th century, including a massive increase in trade with Europe (due in part to the aforementioned colonial fuckery) which created some amazing fashion fusions. Want some inspiration on this end? Check out the series premiere of Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”, which is set in A Place That is Not Asia has a cool 1920s-with-airships-and-magic vibe.<br />
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And what about the American West? This has gotten a little bit of attention, to different effects, in Steampunk media like <i>Wild, Wild West</i> (the series and the movie), Cherie Priest’s alt-history books starting with <i>Boneshaker</i>, and Warren Ellis’s alt-future graphic novel <i>Ignition City</i>. Cosplay is behind the curve on this one, though, and there’s a lot of unexplored territory (appropriate metaphor is appropriate), especially if you take into account styles from the Civil War and the major influence of Latin culture in the south west.<br />
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If you’re looking for a specific Steampunk text to pull from and want a more global perspective, check out Scott Westerfeld’s <i>Leviathan</i> trilogy, in which The Great War involves genetically engineered creatures and steam-powered <i>everything</i>. Seriously, folks, where are my Midshipman Sharpe cosplayers? If you have no idea what I’m talking about, do yourself a favor and look it up. You’ll thank me.<br />
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For more resources and inspiration on how to expand your Steampunking, have a look at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Multiculturalism-for-Steampunk/193472127329954" target="_blank">Multiculturalism for Steampunk </a>page on Facebook, which has pretty pretty pictures. The best source of ideas, though, is history. A little research beyond the limits of <i>Sherlock Holmes</i> and your high school history book will open up a wealth of possibilities for cosplay.<br />
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<b>Big Shiny Playground</b><br />
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Y’know what I saw at Dragon*Con last year? <i>Nerf</i> Steampunkers. True story. It was a group of folks all decked out in Victorian style, but everything was in those <i>amazing</i> neon Nerf colors, and they had Steampunk-ified Nerf and foam weapons. Fellow cosplayers, it was beautiful, and it underscores the fact that there’s a lot of room to play around with Steampunk.<br />
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As fans, we know that genre boundaries are a lot like rules for pirates and traffic lanes in China: mostly just guidelines. Steampunk versions of characters are a matter of course in the cosplay world, and we love it! This is a great way to really give your creative muscles a stretch and turn out a truly unique costume. We’ve all seen the Steampunk X-Men, and <i>Doctor Who</i> get’s Steampunked like nobody’s business. Steampunk <i>Star Wars</i> and <i>Star Trek</i>, though, seem to be confined mostly to concept art and prop making. And what about mecha anime? Or cartoons, in general? Basically, if you can think of it, you can Steampunk it.<br />
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As evidenced by the the Nerf Steampunkers, the boundary transversal goes both ways. Not only can you Steampunk anything, you can also take Steampunk in whatever direction you want. How about Rave Steampunk? Or Post-Apocalyptic Steampunk? Or Surrealist Steampunk? Okay, maybe surrealism is a bad idea (or is it? What would that even look like?), but you get my point.<br />
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Like any other costume, you have to hit those high points, and the rest is just play.<br />
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<b>I Reject Your History and Substitute One With Robots</b><br />
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On the one hand, Steampunk glamorizes and whitewashes an era of the (relatively) recent past that is already romanticized and misrepresented in popular media. On the other hand, Steampunk affords us an opportunity to take a look at that past, decide it’s not what we want, and change it. <br />
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If speculative fiction lets us imagine a better future, Steampunk gives us room to write a better history, one with clockwork automatons and air pirates and steam-powered everything. It lets us dig into the unexplored perspectives of our culture and tell stories that didn’t happen but could have and should have, stories you’ll never see in a stuffy period drama. Steampunk reminds us that historical “fact” is just another cannon to be re-written, just another sandbox to play in.<br />
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So you’re thinking, “But, shadowen, what does this have to do with pretty clothes?” The answer, fellow cosplayers, is <i>everything</i>.<br />
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When we put together an outfit or a costume, we’re choosing a story to tell, be it one somebody else invented, something we made up, or a chapter in our own personal narrative. Clothes tell stories as personal and complex as any book, and Steampunk gives us another language to write in. <br />
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Like any genre - or any language, for that matter - Steampunk has its own set of problems and limitations, some of which make cosplay especially difficult, but it also has unique potential and possibilities. A costume that tells an interesting story will be interesting. Period. A costume that tells a half-assed, derivative, ignorant story... well, it’s not going to make anyone happy. I can’t tell you how to create costumes that are stunning and complicated and original or how to avoid the trappings of Racist Fuckery, but I can offer you this small piece of advice for Steampunking and for cosplay in general. <br />
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Choose your stories wisely, fellow cosplayers, and try not to suck.<br />
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-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-84994189231950417892012-03-05T13:30:00.000-08:002012-03-05T13:30:55.153-08:00Cosplay Linkspam, 5 March 2012My goodness, fellow cosplayers. I have been a busy shadowen. One day soon, there will be an actual content post, but, for now, here’s a handful of links to please your soul.<br />
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Let’s just be honest, here. One of the best things about the <em>Captain America</em> film was <strike>Chris Evans’s chest</strike> the costumes. Now, you can hop on your hog and pretend you’re Cpt. Rogers himself with this <a href="http://io9.com/5883862/the-extremely-subtle-captain-america-motorcycle-suit-++-for-the-fan-with-too-much-money" target="_blank">Captain America motorcycle suit from UD Replicas</a>. I’m sure somebody out there could pull this off, even if the poor guy in the promo photo can’t.<br />
Have I told y’all about the Cap costume my friend put together? Remind me to tell you about the Cap costume my friend put together.<br />
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In the realm of less-mainstream - but considerably more interesting - cosplay, here’s <a href="http://thegodmachinecomic.tumblr.com/post/18711555983/good-god-cosplay" target="_blank">a young woman as Good God</a> from Chandra Free’s <em>The God Machine</em>, which arymabeth and I will be plundering for costumes at this year’s Dragon*Con.<br />
And because everyone loves Disney cosplay, <a href="http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/people/cosplay/?order=9&offset=120#/d4ctgus" target="_blank">have a look at these pretty mermaids</a>.<br />
Someday, before I die, I will make it to Gallifrey One, the world’s longest-running <em>Doctor Who</em> convention. Until then, I will survive on pictures and things like <a href="http://io9.com/5887847/gender+swapped-doctors-are-our-new-favorite-form-of-doctor-who" target="_blank">io9’s interview with a fellow acafan cosplayer</a> about gender-bending in <em>Doctor Who</em> cosplay. The interview is great and the pics are wonderful. I’m especially loving the adorably Mod TARDIS dress with the scarf.<br />
Speaking of gender and cosplay, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUuK1AZHzsI" target="_blank">here’s a short video</a> from the ‘Sociology of Cosplay’ panel at Katsucon talking about harassment from non-cosplayers and how it sucks.<br />
Finally, even though it’s now March, it’s not too late to get your <a href="http://cosplayforacause.com/" target="_blank">Cosplay for a Cause 2012 calendar</a>, the proceeds from which go tot he Japanese Red Cross to help victims of last year’s earthquakes. I would have linked to that sooner, but... I just found out about it this morning. Because I am lame.<br />
I’ve got a small break between shows, now, so I’ll be doing some serious costuming in the next few days. I’ll let you know how it goes.<br />
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Stay strong, fellow cosplayers! And remember: There are only 178 more days until Dragon*Con.<br />
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-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-56663682644908118432012-02-08T12:11:00.000-08:002012-02-08T12:11:05.055-08:00Cosply Linkspam, 8 February 2012The internet’s been a little light on the cosplay linkage lately (say that 10 times fast). But never fear, fellow cosplayers. I’ve scrounged up a few gems for you, starting with four recent stories via io9:<br />
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Mainstream news stories about fan conventions tend to be pretty lolarious, anyway. Make it a <i>Quantum Leap</i> convention in 1993, featuring an adorably teenage Neil Patrick Harris and an inexplicably popular Jason Priestly, and you’ve got <a href="http://io9.com/5877342/unearthed-quantum-leap-convention-footage-shows-vintage-bakula-and-one-smug-doogie-howser/gallery/1" target="_blank">a recipe for retro geekery</a>.<br />
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Even more retro (and more fabulous) are <a href="http://io9.com/5878163/david-bowies-wife-the-wonder-woman-and-black-widow-that-never-was" target="_blank">these vintage pics of Angie Bowie</a> (The Sovereign’s first wife) as a glam-tastic Wonder Woman and Black Widow.<br />
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For the casual cosplayer (and anyone who was a kid in the ‘90s), there are these lovely custom Power Ranger hoodies, which I covet (because I was a kid in the ‘90s).<br />
http://io9.com/5880131/dress-up-as-your-favorite-power-ranger-with-custom+made-hoodies<br />
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<a href="http://io9.com/5883162/these-avengers-and-spider+man-costumes-have-already-ruined-halloween?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_twitter&utm_source=io9_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow" target="_blank">And then there’s this</a>. Y’all know I never hesitate to rag on store-bought costumes, but I honestly cant do any better than the io9 commenter already has.<br />
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Finally, in the much dreaded category of Cosplay Gone Wrong, some LA buskers dressed as film characters <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/02/jack-sparrow-character-pepper-sprayed.html" target="_blank">got into a brawl outside the Kodak Theatre</a>. It’s worth clicking through just for the top image of the abandoned Spongebob costume lying flattened in the street.<br />
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That’s all for now, fellow cosplayers. This weekend, I’m hosting a Pasty Making Party for the members of Bicycle Cabaret, so it’s entirely possible you’ll be getting a tutorial on making the perfect pasty.<br />
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I’m assuming, of course, that this is relevant to your interests.<br />
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-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-72384112545993129772012-01-25T17:50:00.000-08:002012-01-25T17:50:17.814-08:00Counterpoint: The Never, Ever ListHello, my darlings, it is I, Sabine. Did you miss me? I certainly missed you.<br />
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Shadowen has already showed you her <a href="http://frenemycosplay.blogspot.com/2012/01/cosplay-bucket-list.html">Bucket List</a>, but I'd like to take a moment to display why I am the pessimistic one. Ergo, here is my Never, Ever List.<br />
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While the Bucket List is devoted to attaining your dreams, the Never, Ever List is devoted to keeping yourself in check. It's a list of costumes that, for whatever reason, you adore but won't ever make.<br />
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Despite its apparent pessimism, I find this list to be a freeing exercise. It's a way to keep your feet on the ground while paying homage to what you'd do in a perfect world; it makes me feel okay to put things on this list, because it takes the pressure off. I don't <em>have</em> to do these things, and once I've acknowledged that, it stops me from frantically trying to figure out how to do them.<br />
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So let's see the list, shall we?<br />
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<b>Elizabeth's wedding dress, <em>Frankenstein</em> (1931)</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJAJ_a_qkzYF9gpTNDuKi2DZhvRu85S9fRKkmkY98-32vxS7XG2-3BA-VwA_BTFFRWMfDjXHrZwZFrca5BEm4r58x2NHIQdbFE2Z17nDUnJq1SWhh1dPJOaq68Wv9hcph7NTuApEZS0E/s1600/elizabethdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJAJ_a_qkzYF9gpTNDuKi2DZhvRu85S9fRKkmkY98-32vxS7XG2-3BA-VwA_BTFFRWMfDjXHrZwZFrca5BEm4r58x2NHIQdbFE2Z17nDUnJq1SWhh1dPJOaq68Wv9hcph7NTuApEZS0E/s320/elizabethdress.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<u>About the costume:</u> Oh, the doomed love of Elizabeth and Henry Frankenstein. This, like <em>The Mummy</em>, is one of those movies where the heroine is supposed to go for the milquetoast friend character instead of the devoted, tortured, creeper-hot madman/reanimated corpse (Henry/Ardath Bay). Elizabeth's unfortunate end is inevitable, and she meets it in this glorious, innocent yet elegant wedding gown. It's a piece that not only looks good, but really impacts the scene that it's in; the way she gets tangled up in her veil as the monster attacks is just so spooky, precisely because it <i>is </i>a wedding veil. Really gorgeous sequence where the costuming and the cinematography mesh in a great way.<br />
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<u>Why I haven't made it:</u> This dress epitomizes the problems and benefits of making a showpiece costume. This is in no way con-appropriate. The dress is not particularly complicated, as wedding dresses go (which is to say that it is quite complicated), but the veil is. The veil is, near as I can tell, at least cathedral length, maybe a little more, which has a beautiful effect but is insanely unwieldy, from a construction, budget, storage, and transportation standpoint. This is some shit you build a case around.<br />
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Isn't it insanely gorgeous, though? God. I just want to touch it.<br />
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<b>Rally Vincent, <em>Gunsmith Cats</em></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HAzx_Y9h9OpiFrTQR9iZ5BsgjdJaBZEkjOr4qB6X8hO7yEx2kx-XPPLXvOu_C9Gg77JbIRbvMDBhjN5HsOvQq7WWGSBsYoMx4BBIzPRClCtD3egkCncy3gNU21RLr0DOERz1hu0AiIM/s1600/rallyfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HAzx_Y9h9OpiFrTQR9iZ5BsgjdJaBZEkjOr4qB6X8hO7yEx2kx-XPPLXvOu_C9Gg77JbIRbvMDBhjN5HsOvQq7WWGSBsYoMx4BBIzPRClCtD3egkCncy3gNU21RLr0DOERz1hu0AiIM/s320/rallyfront.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9bdqgmAMSZwxW_LKOsilU7i5dcdxCvnnY0mHbmBD_w7fE7IDUO7ULV0Vv_WHn301ipin_3WQ0emD8KaZlo-5h6I9lUusvwQE4P8ewWEQpn9LWi_51187uiJnrWSFoFUnfUqWTFmXb3s/s1600/rallyback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9bdqgmAMSZwxW_LKOsilU7i5dcdxCvnnY0mHbmBD_w7fE7IDUO7ULV0Vv_WHn301ipin_3WQ0emD8KaZlo-5h6I9lUusvwQE4P8ewWEQpn9LWi_51187uiJnrWSFoFUnfUqWTFmXb3s/s320/rallyback.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<u>About the costume:</u> Rally Vincent, still and yet, is my favorite manga/anime character of all time. Her look is simple and badass, suitable for fighting and generally tear-assing around, featuring a distinctive red double shoulder holster (which doubles as a boob enhancer, natch).<br />
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<u>Why I haven't made it:</u> I'm selfish and lazy. I actually have pieces of this costume and know where to potentially get other pieces of it, but, well, I <em>really</em> like to be recognized when I'm in costume. It's one of my things, y'know? And these damn kids today with their Naruto and their Bleach, I remember when we used to have to watch the first three episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion and the Gunsmith Cats OVA over and over because that was all the video store would stock.<br />
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::shakes cane::<br />
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So even though it's a simple costume, I don't think anybody would get much joy out of it but me, and it's not complicated enough for me to get enough joy out of fabricating it on its own.<br />
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<b>Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg's office attire, <em>The Fifth Element</em></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qeKvRmXuG3wxt721L3nw-ercFmaule278kfoNugjn6oX-EFBAXYgJeWxz6LYAbOn-GvNyIqV0XX8_EHTXnLKhJVCD4FqhKSrDD2_4bjwch4aYyLMabLBI1vmsCWOeDBRGIVtjkkvMwg/s1600/zorg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qeKvRmXuG3wxt721L3nw-ercFmaule278kfoNugjn6oX-EFBAXYgJeWxz6LYAbOn-GvNyIqV0XX8_EHTXnLKhJVCD4FqhKSrDD2_4bjwch4aYyLMabLBI1vmsCWOeDBRGIVtjkkvMwg/s320/zorg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<u>About the costume:</u> Oh my god, Zorg, you guys, Zorg. There is no one better than Zorg, and his costumes, each and every one of them, are OUTSTANDING. The iridescent suit he wears in his office is my favorite. So representative of the movie's whole aesthetic, and so unique.<br />
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<u>Why I haven't made it:</u> Uh, talk about WILDLY impractical. Let's start with the fabric, shall we? You know how you can't actually make a proper BSG jock smock because the fabric is no longer made and the costume department owned all of it? Or how you can't make a proper Tok'ra costume without using tripe and latex? Same principle. Secondly, there's that damn collar. I managed to BS a stand-up collar for the Orpheus costume, but this is in a whole different league- probably one of my least concerns, but still.<br />
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Biggest problem though? No model.<br />
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I don't know any dudes who are committed to the cause enough to wear, help fund, and rock this costume. And let's face it, dress forms are not made to mimic Gary Oldman, and if they were, I wouldn't own one, because, y'know, other than this I don't really need a dress form shaped like a dude, because I don't make clothes for dudes.<br />
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So, stopped before we start. :/<br />
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<b>Servalan's lizard dress, <em>Blake's 7</em>: "Pressure Point"</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6wOPgXitduECdgKK9WnoJJQmOml02vseC1Qe9ceF06gp-7umBLFKBYU8ndJ1SDXEZaZu-yDhNCXxrJlPSn9LZ7mqBGJIRPgedoRH0OaVu6hyphenhyphenzpKwfZ6s8Y0UiwdCCs3rFMpTr5WL5HM/s1600/servalan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6wOPgXitduECdgKK9WnoJJQmOml02vseC1Qe9ceF06gp-7umBLFKBYU8ndJ1SDXEZaZu-yDhNCXxrJlPSn9LZ7mqBGJIRPgedoRH0OaVu6hyphenhyphenzpKwfZ6s8Y0UiwdCCs3rFMpTr5WL5HM/s320/servalan.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<u>About this costume</u>: Servalan is a baaaaad bitch, and all of her costumes are pure gold. This is one of my favorites and the one I would come closest to fabricating. I love how slinky it is.<br />
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<u>Why I haven't made it:</u> Biggest problem is, again, no model. Everyone I costume with is either too curvy or not curvy enough. <br />
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Second problem: that goddamned lizard. Where in the hell am I going to get a huge rhinestone encrusted lizard?<br />
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<b>Cally's Volvo dress, <em>Blake's 7</em>: "Horizon"</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReyjMOX3C4GvPnEfD9BRBY6r9CmFh7ZONjUV1slcn34YP6yGLkqZo25GZAtGUKJEnhFHf93oRKb32RInrEpaFaB6EGegx6oj_7SRaFRwE_knU1TmF1kQc4eTxe6RMfIn9LjRW3u5QLo8/s1600/cally.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReyjMOX3C4GvPnEfD9BRBY6r9CmFh7ZONjUV1slcn34YP6yGLkqZo25GZAtGUKJEnhFHf93oRKb32RInrEpaFaB6EGegx6oj_7SRaFRwE_knU1TmF1kQc4eTxe6RMfIn9LjRW3u5QLo8/s320/cally.jpeg" width="296" /></a></div><br />
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<u>About this costume</u>: God, I love how completely ridiculous and how completely Blake's 7 this costume is. In my head it has always been the Volvo dress, because it looks like what you could make if somebody stripped out the interiors of a higher-end Volvo and told you to make a costume out of it.<br />
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<u>Why I haven't made it:</u> Okay, secret confession time: I cheated. I have made this costume before.<br />
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This costume was a real labor of love. It was made in seven or eight straight hours, with my mother's help, plus scouring the internet for pieces I couldn't fabricate. Much of it was made without use of patterns, especially the overskirt. It's actually really close to screen accurate, aside from the "wings," which I never made, as they were to be the last part.<br />
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I put the rest of it on, took one picture, looked at it, and swore to never wear it in public.<br />
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I knew I was taking a risk, because Jan Chappell and I are roughly the same height, but I have at least a hundred and fifty pounds on her. Even that aside, it was a Hot. Mess. All the pieces are there, everything is exactly where it should be and how it should look, and somehow it just doesn't come together at all.<br />
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I have seen unconvincing Servalan crossplayers who looked better.<br />
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Maybe one day I will try it again, but let's face it, I will never be the right shape to wear this costume- and if I did, it might be cursed.<br />
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<b>Prop Making Bonus Round:</b><br />
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<b>Liberator transport bracelet, <em>Blake's 7</em></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheu9pkqb6LbmP9fp1sHfTqqE6JEAXCZCDvwXAN_N6QJMsokDHn4hb45_g-WZCWRnZROAww0XdOBCV68PE2zs9sjpXw7yVgMtesAgDzMCWgFgLFvwhKOyxU7w2LWLHgtATS9B5abA7OvY/s1600/b7bracelets1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheu9pkqb6LbmP9fp1sHfTqqE6JEAXCZCDvwXAN_N6QJMsokDHn4hb45_g-WZCWRnZROAww0XdOBCV68PE2zs9sjpXw7yVgMtesAgDzMCWgFgLFvwhKOyxU7w2LWLHgtATS9B5abA7OvY/s320/b7bracelets1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<u>About this prop:</u> You should have figured out by now that I love all things Blake's 7, most especially the Liberator, and this is one of the most distinctive things about it. Nobody could get through an episode without breaking one, or losing one, or leaving theirs at the TSA checkpoint, or whatever.<br />
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<u>Why I haven't made this prop:</u> The directions making the rounds on the internet all suck, and I am not very good at prop fabrication.<br />
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It is as simple and as complicated as that. The most popular set of directions going around starts with a Pringles can or postal tube, and we CANNOT BE HAVING WITH THAT. If my hand was even small enough to fit through it, which it's really not, that is <em>tacky</em>. Look, okay, I know the show used cardboard bracelets for a while, because 1) plastic ones were slow to fabricate 2) the crew kept jacking them, but really? I want something I can be proud of and keep for a long time<br />
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Unlike everything else on this list, however, this is a "never say die" endeavor. I <em>will</em> make me a transport bracelet somehow.<br />
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So that's the list, my darlings. Thoughts?Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-43953589461409696552012-01-25T12:00:00.000-08:002012-01-25T12:00:03.330-08:00The Cosplay Bucket ListGreetings, fellow cosplayers! Today we’re going to talk about the most intimidating costumes of all: the ones we haven’t done yet.<br />
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Everybody has them. Those cosplay ideas you keep coming back to. That outfit in that one episode that makes you all atingle just watching reruns. That showpiece concept that makes your hands itch just thinking about it. The costumes you tell your friends about and say, “One day when I have time/money/skills/lose weight/find a group/make it to SDCC/build a time machine/whatever, I will do this costume, and it will be GLORIOUS!”<br />
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You know the ones. The ones that tantalize and terrify us. The ones on the Cosplay Bucket List.<br />
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For those unfamiliar with the concept of a bucket list, it’s meant to include all the things you want to do before you “kick the bucket”, i.e. go to the great sewing table in the sky. It doesn’t have to be reasonable, realistic, or practical. It’s not necessarily things you’re <i>going</i> to do; it’s the things you <i>want</i> to do. You can take things off and tack them on at will, and the bucket list you make now might be totally different from the one you make 10 years down the line. It’s all up to you.<br />
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Making a cosplay bucket list is a good idea for two reasons. One, it puts all these ideas on paper (figuratively speaking, in this case) and gives you a record to go to when you’re stuck and looking for ideas. Two, it helps organize the ideas and maybe makes them not so scary after all, turning those wild pipe dreams into a list of doable goals. <br />
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I put together my bucket list specifically for this post, but I found it to be a really great exercise. It even helped me make some decisions about my costumes for this year. So, without further ado, here they are: the costume ideas that set shadowen’s heart aflutter. <br />
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<b>Death’s gown, <i>Sandman: Endless Night</i>s: “The Heart of a Star”</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9g-ARghhfPWpDkIZjgYbcJPanG9a3Kf2_PzbDVh84d4jVfAzOKRtET_M4-mYDb7zsPIZ5_OfOSfuB9lhGPdrhyphenhyphen3d-K6r6_0H7VDEgEFZje2TyqhlNjMAy8p5Wl_Uaduocqdy_WXVZ2Gg/s1600/The_Sandman_-_Endless_Nights_p066-D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9g-ARghhfPWpDkIZjgYbcJPanG9a3Kf2_PzbDVh84d4jVfAzOKRtET_M4-mYDb7zsPIZ5_OfOSfuB9lhGPdrhyphenhyphen3d-K6r6_0H7VDEgEFZje2TyqhlNjMAy8p5Wl_Uaduocqdy_WXVZ2Gg/s200/The_Sandman_-_Endless_Nights_p066-D.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><br />
<u>About the costume</u>: Death cosplay is done to, well, death. It’s generally just your best goth outfit, an ankh, and some fancy eye make-up. Hell, I’ve done it. No shame. This dress, though, is the antithesis of the perky Death we all know and love. It’s a floor length Victorian ball gown with serious detailing, and it’s gorgeous. It only appears in those four panels in <i>Endless Nights</i>, and I’ve never heard of anyone taking on this particular costume.<br />
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<u>Why I haven’t done it</u>: Time and money, the adversaries that kill so many costumes in their infancy. This is full on Victorian formal wear and, not being a dedicated steampunker, I don’t have the skills to turn out one of those in a week. Plus, if you’re going to make something that fancy, you don’t use cheap fabric, and I, fellow cosplayers, am permanently broke.<br />
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<b>Dr. Girlfriend’s dress, <i>The Venture Bros.</i>: “Hate Floats”</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WAWMx5KfgUcMORqhecSedlEfN0m4pjBRoIS36qXAhFVODSfsFwdvtZUKNnzPZ1EV893J60_R6xoeEj7MqSuN__TkGfH68b8e1eVGRmM2DBha_U7Kcr2saXKuXi6ZQm4uq9rtomZTv-I/s1600/706px-Phantom_Limb_dr_girlfriend.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WAWMx5KfgUcMORqhecSedlEfN0m4pjBRoIS36qXAhFVODSfsFwdvtZUKNnzPZ1EV893J60_R6xoeEj7MqSuN__TkGfH68b8e1eVGRmM2DBha_U7Kcr2saXKuXi6ZQm4uq9rtomZTv-I/s200/706px-Phantom_Limb_dr_girlfriend.png" width="108" /></a></div><b><br />
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<u>About the costume</u>: Honestly, I just want to own this dress. Forget cosplay, I’d wear this to the store. You can’t see in the picture (There are no good reference pics. For serious.) but it’s a mini dress with an open back. Yes, it’s only in this one episode. Yes, I’m aware that Doc Hammer hates it. No, I do not give any number of fucks. I love it, and I want it.<br />
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<u>Why I haven’t done it</u>: The print on that dress? Does not exist. I mean really. Who, other than me, would even want purple fabric with giant pastel polka dots? The fact that it’s so unbelievably 60s-tastic is what makes it so great, but it also makes it nearly impossible to recreate. But don’t loose faith, Venturoos. The search continues.<br />
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<b>Dalek evening gown, <i>Doctor Who</i></b><br />
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<u>About the costume</u>: So you’ve seen the <a href="http://images.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=643&q=dalek+dress&gbv=2&oq=dalek+dress&aq=f&aqi=g1g-S9&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1259l3258l0l3544l11l9l0l2l2l0l201l1053l0.5.2l7l0" target="_blank">adorable Dalek dresses</a>, right? Well, I want to take that idea and translate it into an all-out showpiece gown. It will exterminate with extravagant elegance.<br />
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<u>Why I haven’t done it</u>: Honestly, as much as I like the design that I have, it needs work. The concept is so high-fashion, it needs a truly epic execution, and I don’t think my skills as a designer and costumer are quite there yet.<br />
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<b>Marvin the Martian, <i>Looney Toons</i></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdS2nWOzRac0bM1fCorXIlHS-a5jrN3YxG-YZHgIf0jvLdpyLiYuGG89sMt9YHJIXX1GlVm0uY92qLELgL26wHK6qH3q4y1nhKkW-HBiSBDThVLlmJ3PMVxgIsTWGF-T5hK8Tk5mHvzM/s1600/tumblr_lskn1ffq6U1qg3rh3o1_400.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdS2nWOzRac0bM1fCorXIlHS-a5jrN3YxG-YZHgIf0jvLdpyLiYuGG89sMt9YHJIXX1GlVm0uY92qLELgL26wHK6qH3q4y1nhKkW-HBiSBDThVLlmJ3PMVxgIsTWGF-T5hK8Tk5mHvzM/s200/tumblr_lskn1ffq6U1qg3rh3o1_400.png" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB90ZbcITpkNrXZWK66JOOyKmUOTRN2m1tLObUCujgUxp-Sn6d-s7xE0IXwtma8WLTnEvEl6VDFvlMHtS7jHJfycSF1-vd4m8OFXeUMs1rnMVo1Vzz7GNM67eGmxxtobDf2OEG7Tw-dg/s1600/Marvin_the_martian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB90ZbcITpkNrXZWK66JOOyKmUOTRN2m1tLObUCujgUxp-Sn6d-s7xE0IXwtma8WLTnEvEl6VDFvlMHtS7jHJfycSF1-vd4m8OFXeUMs1rnMVo1Vzz7GNM67eGmxxtobDf2OEG7Tw-dg/s200/Marvin_the_martian.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><b><i><br />
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<u>About the costume</u>: I can’t possibly be the only one who remembers “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEXvsGe657Q&feature=related" target="_blank">Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 th Century</a>”, can I? It truly blows my mind how many people give me blank looks when I mention Marvin the Martian. This pains my little Martian soul, fellow cosplayers, and I want to spread the message of Marvin love. Like the Dalek evening gown, this one is more of an interpretive costume, hitting those iconic high points I love so much while creating something new and different.<br />
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<u>Why I haven’t done it</u>: Engineering. How do you make a skirt that sticks out that you can (a) transport in a small space and (b) sit down in? I have ideas, but this is another one that isn’t quite there. Some day.<br />
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<b>Alice, <i>Superjail!</i></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDcQEI2CQH7eAkvtFhKcqBnh1Hc3CR3snUdIpCazg9ES0cTsDgFPeBrVY6tUObxLPg-b4hSdqczE7xbQQkoKy2nzpfPCvCx9g1iSgwJrabXvGql6si6xhENOVpeL0A65sabMfP1NtJFM/s1600/250px-Alice.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDcQEI2CQH7eAkvtFhKcqBnh1Hc3CR3snUdIpCazg9ES0cTsDgFPeBrVY6tUObxLPg-b4hSdqczE7xbQQkoKy2nzpfPCvCx9g1iSgwJrabXvGql6si6xhENOVpeL0A65sabMfP1NtJFM/s200/250px-Alice.png" width="200" /></a></div><b><i><br />
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<u>About the costume</u>: I’m not even sure how to quantify the gender politics of a cis woman dressing as an MtF trans woman (who is also a cartoon), so I’m just not going to go there. All you really need to know is that Alice is the best, and that I am dedicated to the cause of <i>Superjail!</i><br />
<br />
<u>Why I haven’t done it</u>: It really only recently occurred to me that I <i>could</i> do this, and it would be awesome. My only hesitations are entirely the result of vanity. Alice is not a traditionally attractive character, and, frankly, I like being pretty. Doing this costume right would mean sacrificing a lot of pride for cosplay that would be an absolute hit with a <i>very</i> small group of people. And <i>that</i>, my friends, is a really stupid reason not to do it. I’ve resolved to strike one costume off the list this year, and this might be the one.<br />
<br />
(I could also make the police dress do double-duty as a <a href="http://www.absoluteanime.com/hellsing/victoria.htm" target="_blank">Victoria Seras costume</a>, plus one big ass gun. So there’s that.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Lust, <i>Fullmetal Alchemist</i></b><br />
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5D5LF2vq8qnxkV-umYlO9pfAM2_oZIFkCAm0-E9uWUyW282-GxUD9Wq61x_obAHaRzKl_SIRy4iiKihk-5hSMjNHJtLxtA5KfmMsgg1ykdmx6bsJUX0KefLFeb0wDgPuIHAbVAciqtsA/s1600/lust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5D5LF2vq8qnxkV-umYlO9pfAM2_oZIFkCAm0-E9uWUyW282-GxUD9Wq61x_obAHaRzKl_SIRy4iiKihk-5hSMjNHJtLxtA5KfmMsgg1ykdmx6bsJUX0KefLFeb0wDgPuIHAbVAciqtsA/s200/lust.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<u>About the costume</u>: I have this dream of one day doing Homunculi group cosplay. Or any FMA cosplay, really, because it is the love of my anime life. Let’s face it, my cleavage was made to have an ouroboros stamped in the middle of it.<br />
<br />
<u>Why I haven’t done it</u>: Right now, I’ve got the wrong hair, but I’m tentatively putting it on the docket for the 2013 con season.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Rachel, <i>Blade Runner</i></b><br />
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivogPZqo-PpxdbaA1QIIo61HE32AZLE_VjbfHlKYRUn2E3rZ_HielkywsBkWLZ93FWetLI9lGuPyetAQ_-gmpNxj6j_7IAV9JKN5avyUwA9zseclbWBVlrxKKBSKYb2T4rSrw7gvUNNTo/s1600/Rachael-blade-runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivogPZqo-PpxdbaA1QIIo61HE32AZLE_VjbfHlKYRUn2E3rZ_HielkywsBkWLZ93FWetLI9lGuPyetAQ_-gmpNxj6j_7IAV9JKN5avyUwA9zseclbWBVlrxKKBSKYb2T4rSrw7gvUNNTo/s200/Rachael-blade-runner.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<u>About the costume</u>: It’s everything you love about 1940s style with an extra helping of robot. A lot of people talk about Rachel’s super fabulous fur coat, but I’m eyeing that black suit, shoulder pads and all. This is another one where there aren’t any good reference pictures, partly because <i>Blade Runner</i> is such a visually dark film.<br />
<br />
<u>Why I haven’t done it</u>: Same as Lust. It’s on the list for 2013.<br />
<br />
<br />
And there you have it, fellow cosplayers. My cosplay bucket list, as of January 2012. Now, hands up! What are some of your dream costumes? Share with the class!<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-32175417193252340042012-01-16T10:28:00.000-08:002012-01-16T10:28:59.707-08:00Cosplay Linkspam, 16 January 2012Greetings, fellow cosplayers! How about we start this Monday afternoon with another blast from the past?<br />
<br />
Retronaught has a <a href="http://www.retronaut.co/2012/01/sci-fi-convention-los-angeles-1980/">gallery of geek-tastic pics</a> from a 1980 Los Angeles con, showing us the only things that have really changed are picture quality and hotel carpeting.<br />
<br />
Next, Almost Nerdy’s cosplayer of the week is our favorite cosplaying couple, <a href="http://almostnerdy.com/cosplay/cosplayer-of-the-week-john-mcdonald/">John and Kate</a>.<br />
<br />
Finally, here’s two low-tech costumes that prove you don’t have to be fancy to be awesome: <a href="http://aznsensation702.tumblr.com/post/15582693663/dang-best-iron-man-cosplay-ever-i-hang-my-head">Carboard Iron Man</a> and the <a href="http://io9.com/5876173/crocheted-cyclops-costume-brings-out-the-softer-side-of-swordplay">Crochet Cyclops</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
That’s all for this week, fellow cosplayers. I’m about to enter a serious costuming frenzy for the next few months. I’m doing costumes for two stage shows opening this Spring, working on a commission piece, and trying to get my own little ducks in a row for the summer con season. I’ll do my best to document all these processes and pass the benefit of my experiences along to you.<br />
<br />
Now excuse while I go cut a vest for this <i>Assassin’s Creed</i> costume....<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-37837348514453913252012-01-09T13:13:00.000-08:002012-01-09T13:17:32.157-08:00Cosplay Linkspam, 9 January 2012Been a while since we’ve had one of these, hasn’t it? In any case, I’ve got some real gems for you, today!<br />
<br />
Let’s just start at the beginning, shall we? And by ‘beginning’, I mean <a href="http://www.fiawol.org.uk/fanstuff/THEN%20Archive/1937con.htm">a website about the first ever Science Fiction convention</a> in 1937. Even if a convention without cosplay can hardly be called a convention, and <a href="http://www.fiawol.org.uk/fanstuff/THEN%20Archive/1937conFirst.htm">it may not have actually been the first</a>, the site has interesting tidbits and many pics of nerdy white dudes standing around looking smart. So I guess cons haven’t changed all that much.<br />
<br />
Also marking a first - but in a more ‘wtf’ vein - is <a href="http://www.comicsbeat.com/2011/11/11/when-victorias-secret-did-superhereoes/">the Victoria’s Secret Superhero Fashion Show</a>. It is exactly as fierce and bizarre as you think it is.<br />
<br />
By contrast, <a href="http://a-hafeez.tumblr.com/post/10962356543/awesome">this kid’s Transformers cosplay</a> shows us how simple ingenuity can create pure delight.<br />
<br />
Much like this <a href="http://jezebel.com/5863242/daria-cosplay-makes-the-world-a-better-place/gallery/1">Daria cosplay</a>, which seems to have been done just for the hell of it.<br />
<br />
In the category of cosplay gone wrong, however, <a href="http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Man-wearing-Darth-Vader-mask-attacked-trooper-witnesses-say/-/1637132/7647618/-/q6fu81z/-/index.html">is this wayward Darth Vader</a>, who apparently just wanted to take a nap in the middle of the road. (And please, somebody tell me that they read the headline “Man wearing Darth Vader mask attacks trooper” and thought “Well that storm trooper was just tempting fate”.)<br />
<br />
Finally, I think we should all read <a href="http://www.peterdavid.net/index.php/2011/11/28/the-fanpro-bill-of-rights/">The Fan/Pro Bill of Rights</a> and take it to heart so that everyone can have a more pleasant con experience.<br />
<br />
<br />
Today, I bought a costume piece for a costume I’m not sure I’m doing. Ain’t that life?<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-21869724294374566572012-01-01T13:05:00.000-08:002012-01-01T13:05:41.340-08:00New Year's ResolutionsToday is a day when many of us, fighting off that champagne hangover, make promises to ourselves for the coming year. Whether we decide to start good habits or stop bad ones, I think we can all agree that this is the perfect time to resolve to be, not just better human beings, but better cosplayers.<br />
<br />
So, in the year 2012, I, shadowen, resolve to:<br />
<br />
...knock at least one item off my cosplay bucket list.<br />
<br />
...not leave major costuming projects to the last minute so that I'm not stitching things together the night before the con (again).<br />
<br />
...keep my con and cosplay budget within a reasonable limit.<br />
<br />
...be daring and creative with my cosplay, both in what I wear and how I wear it.<br />
<br />
...make at least one new friend at a con and keep in touch with people, rather than just seeing them once a year.<br />
<br />
...update Frenemy Cosplay more than once a millennium.<br />
<br />
<br />
We'll see how these are holding up come February.<br />
<br />
Happy New Year, fellow cosplayers, and may 2012 bring you all the fabulous geekery you can handle. How will you resolve to be a better cosplayer?Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-88320831999222791692011-11-14T18:42:00.000-08:002011-11-14T18:42:06.112-08:00Cosplay Linkspam, 14 November 2011Fellow cosplayers and con goers, please join me in welcoming the brand spanking new <a href="http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/11/comikaze_expo_2011.php">Comikaze Expo</a> to our great, diverse family of nerd conventions. Looks like it’s off to a good start. And the Comikaze cosplayers are certainly in good form, including this <a href="http://io9.com/5857696/the-best-jurassic-park-cosplay-weve-ever-seen">daring dino hunter and tenacious t-rex</a>.<br />
<br />
In the realm of “really cool things way beyond my skill set”, here’s a tutorial for making robotic cat ears that are... wait for it... <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:13390">controlled by your brainwaves</a>. I love the fact that (a) this exists and that (b) it exists because this guy just wanted to see if he could do it.<br />
<br />
And then there’s the <a href="http://io9.com/5859113/the-hong-kong-toy-story-fashion-show-you-never-knew-you-wanted">fashion line inspired by Toy Story</a>. Because why the hell not.<br />
<br />
Peace, love, and happy sewing, fellow cosplayers.<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-30596111324116922442011-11-07T16:01:00.000-08:002011-11-07T16:01:06.461-08:00Cosplay Linkspam, 7 November 2011On the list of grocery store costumes that make us want to gouge our eyes, we have “<a href="http://desidesidesi.tumblr.com/post/12176308020/happy-halloweeeeeeeeeeen-kicks-costume-makers">Spider Girl</a>” and <a href="http://spookychan.tumblr.com/post/12090662108/wtf-gir-dress-does-this-chick-even-know-what">Gir</a>. Yes, that’s right. Gir, the robot disguised as a dog from <i>Invader Zim</i>. What is that I don’t even.<br />
<br />
Not all children, however, are doomed to the plastic tragedy of mass produced “costumes”. Some get to be recycled as <a href="http://www.inhabitots.com/greenhalloweencontest/supreme-dalek-made-from-upcycled-trash/">Supreme Daleks</a>. Others solve the eternal Princes-or-Darth-Vader dilemma by being <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2sRf3g/www.buzzfeed.com/craptacular/ladies-and-gents-princess-darth-vader-10co">both</a>. I believe there’s also a Princess Bat<strike>man</strike>person somewhere on the internets.<br />
<br />
For those of us who have grown up, but not left behind childish things, we can go to parties dressed as internet memes, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/pictures-from-the-best-internet-party-of-the-year">like these folks</a>.<br />
<br />
If you like a little history with your dress-up, Jezebel gives us <a href="http://jezebel.com/5854947/">the cultural history of “slutty” Halloween costumes</a>.<br />
<br />
And, finally, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/corgis-in-costumes">90 corgis in costumes</a>. You’re welcome.<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-13488634087315971752011-11-02T09:10:00.000-07:002011-11-02T09:10:00.108-07:00Ten-Minute Cosplay: The Twister BoardYou may be shocked to discover that, in addition to my professional and creative life, I also have a social life. (I know, I know. Try not to faint.) So I went to a Halloween party on Saturday. <br />
<br />
Anyone accustomed to con-calibre cosplay knows that costumes at your standard All Hallows shindig are likely to be... unimpressive, and I tend to be on the look-out for the odd fellow geek or any especially clever costumes. I was pleased to find both a chainsaw-hand Ash (a con staple) and a Tenth Doctor with bride!Donna in tow, as well as Nick Fury and Black Widow. Obviously, it made me a little reminiscent for Dragon*Con.<br />
<br />
But! In this sea of mediocre, vaguely sexy, occassionally geeky costumes, one fantastic party pleaser stood out from all the rest: The Twister Board.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxifCj6k3tJdyP5TPvDRCJMOtK7QHsk8YLH8BLELjzMAnDgmUcPjoZPN3DCWEsRaAOGe_nhY9C2_njJj5S-EsWCKXs_YZyQnIb570fbiQywHXmLpEIGxFKmqeaF00R2rkTYAJ0ZRc09Ao/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxifCj6k3tJdyP5TPvDRCJMOtK7QHsk8YLH8BLELjzMAnDgmUcPjoZPN3DCWEsRaAOGe_nhY9C2_njJj5S-EsWCKXs_YZyQnIb570fbiQywHXmLpEIGxFKmqeaF00R2rkTYAJ0ZRc09Ao/s320/photo.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
That’s right, fellow cosplayers, The Twister Board.<br />
<br />
She had taken an actual, plastic Twister board and modified it into a dress. This, on it’s own, would be pretty cute and reasonably clever, but here’s the kicker:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflMO43m4yvPbns_wSqz_AEFJgsEbFT1rzmxMMvf7LCV-5lrYCJs9J6-saVQsgdcBtZFG8dxSnqCpALO-8UdVznYJ_oVWwD_i6qRz7oJpK1yzJPCeUUNSsx5Opozr3TcG1HZtKlhfd66Q/s1600/photo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflMO43m4yvPbns_wSqz_AEFJgsEbFT1rzmxMMvf7LCV-5lrYCJs9J6-saVQsgdcBtZFG8dxSnqCpALO-8UdVznYJ_oVWwD_i6qRz7oJpK1yzJPCeUUNSsx5Opozr3TcG1HZtKlhfd66Q/s320/photo2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
She had attached the game dial to her wrist and invited people to spin and see where they could touch her. While this might sound like a boring attempt at risque, it was actually a lot of fun and came with exactly the kind of hilarity you would expect from playing Twister on a vertical person. Somewhere out there is a photo of me in my six-inch-heel thigh boots with my foot on her chest.<br />
<br />
I’d estimate this costume took no more than an hour to put together and only cost the sticker price of a game of Twister. It has that touch of hipster-esque nostalgia and cleverness, it’s creative and unusual, and it’s guaranteed to make you the most interesting and popular person in a 10 foot radius.<br />
<br />
Keep this one in mind when you’re scrambling to make those last-minute costumes.<br />
<br />
-shadowen<br />
<br />
PS: Greatest apologies for the grainy pictures. It was dark, and I was using my phone.Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-53218690700561813052011-10-31T07:27:00.000-07:002011-10-31T07:27:39.055-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, Halloween 2011If you’re like me and haven’t glanced at a calendar in a while, you may be stunned to discover that today Halloween. <br />
<br />
It’s okay. Just take a moment to let that sink in.<br />
<br />
For many of us, Halloween is that strange annual event on which it is not only normal to dress in costumes, it’s expected. If you can’t attend conventions, Halloween is a great chance to let your cosplay skills shine and to impress all your non-geeky friends. If you’re a regular con-goer, however, this isn’t really the time to pull out the big guns. <br />
<br />
It’s also a great time to tool around the internets looking for costume tips, inspiration, and other resources for your next con, since this is the one time of year that the average person gives a flying fuck about costumes. Just replace the word “Halloween” with “con” and you’ve got a cosplay guide.<br />
<br />
The Daily Candy has a flipbook of super easy and fairly clever <a href="http://www.dailycandy.com/all-cities/flipbook/90870/DIY-Halloween-Costumes#slide=1">DIY costumes</a>, an inordinate number of which involve flannel. <br />
<br />
Just as lazy and exponentially more geeky are io9's <a href="http://io9.com/5852513/20-zero+effort-high+concept-halloween-costumes-guaranteed-to-alienate-your-friends
">“20 Zero Effort High Concept Costumes Guaranteed to Alienate your friends”</a>. Personally, I’d love to see someone dressed as the monolith from 2001.<br />
<br />
For those who are both lazy and demure, Jezebel has <a href="http://jezebel.com/5851307/
">“Eight Alternatives to the ‘Sexy’ Halloween Costume”</a>, as well as <a href="http://jezebel.com/5852858/
">“The Last Minute Half-Assed Guide to Halloween Costumes”</a>.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, Halloween is also the time when evil, cheap, tacky costumes come scuttling out of the dark, wretched sweat houses in which they were created to lurk on supermarket shelves, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/merrypranxter/status/129962358465499136/photo/1
">waiting to spring out upon unsuspecting shoppers</a>. We must know this evil, fellow cosplayers, that we may wage war against it.<br />
<br />
Another horror to watch out for is tacky pet costumes. As with human costumes, there are fine lines between adorable, clever, and just plain dumb. Exhibit A: <a href="http://jezebel.com/5852799//gallery/1
">The Tompkins Square Dog Parade</a>. Occupy Wall St. Dog, FTW.<br />
<br />
Exhibit B: <a href="http://spiritsorsomething.tumblr.com/post/11585241882/the-best
">Pure awesome.</a><br />
<br />
Sometimes, the best costumes are born out of fusing things that have absolutely nothing to do with each other, as with <a href="http://fuckyeahchrishardwick.tumblr.com/post/11828802644/so-janetvarney-i-picked-winners-for-our-mashup">this example</a> from Chris Hardwick.<br />
<br />
For further costume inspiration (or just an excuse to waste half an hour), The Mary Sue has <a href="http://www.themarysue.com/nycc-cosplay-galleries/
">links to galleries from NYCC</a>, with some beyond cool costumes, and Adult Swim has video from the <a href="http://video.adultswim.com/the-venture-bros/sdcc-2011-venture-bros-costume-contest.html
">NYCC Venture Bros. costume contest</a>, which is always entertaining.<br />
<br />
If you’re still trying to decide what cons to hit next year, LA Weekly has a <a href="http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/10/dragoncon_san_diego_comic-con_1.php
">point-by-point comparision between San Diego Comic-Con and Dragon*Con</a>, which hits some points that <a href="http://frenemycosplay.blogspot.com/2011/02/step-1a-comic-con-vs-dragoncon.html
">we didn’t address</a> and also declares D*C the best place for cosplay.<br />
<br />
Finally, whether you’re scrambling to prepare for Halloween or planning your wardrobe for the con, it’s important to remember that some costumes are just not okay. Now, I’m not talking about the follies of spandex and skimpy outfits; feel free to display as much of your physique as your personal confidence and region-specific weather will allow. I’m talking about costumes that, consciously or not, <a href="http://lissawriting.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/racism-think/
">reveal your “inner racism”</a>. Remember, fellow cosplayers: don’t be a dick.<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-33339397932355958402011-10-18T21:57:00.000-07:002011-10-18T21:57:55.936-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 19 October 2011I’ve got a math problem for you, fellow cosplayers. Let’s see if you can work this one out:<br />
<br />
Full time job + 2 (part-time theatre work) + occasional need to sleep = ?<br />
<br />
If your answer was “No time to blog”, congratulations, you officially understand my life. But never fear, friends! For I have not abandoned you, and, today, I bring you many shiny links from across the interwebs.<br />
<br />
First of all we have two very different but equally epic costume contests happening: <br />
<br />
For you nerdcore fans (and really, who doesn’t love nerdcore?) Sabine thinks you should know that, “mc chris is running a cosplay contest on his latest tour, picking a winner from every show. The winners so far have been pretty epic. Updates can be had <a href=http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/mc-chris/25975147278>at his facebook:</a>”. Geek rap and costuming, all in one place. Sounds like a party to me.<br />
<br />
I may be showing my age, here, by I used to LOVE watching the old Tintin cartoons on... was it PBS? Anyway, I’m super excited about the new film, and so is star Jamie Bell. He’s so excited, in fact, <a href=http://allthingsfoe.blogspot.com/2011/10/video-message-from-jamie-bell-tintin.html
>he’s inviting fans to send in pictures of their Tintin cosplay and offering the winner free tickets to the London premiere of the movie</a>. Unfortunately, the deadline is 19 October, so I kind of dropped the ball on that one. Still, it’s a cool thing to know, and hopefully we’ll get to see pics from the contest, later. Fingers crossed that this will inspire a new wave of Tintin love at next year’s cons.<br />
<br />
Speaking of which, if you’re a parent, you probably strive daily to fill your children’s lives with the kind of quality geekery that will help them grow into tasteful, well-adjusted adult nerds. Tintin cartoons are that kind of geekery, <a href=http://spookychan.tumblr.com/post/10760460129/and-you-thought-the-ending-of-catwoman-1-was>this Catwoman costume is not</a>. Weep for that child, my friends. Weep.<br />
<br />
Another good example of doing right by your geeky family, is <a href=http://io9.com/5847973/zombie-apocalypse-family-photos-are-the-cutest-thing-youll-see-all-day/gallery/1>dressing them all up as post-apocalyptic zombie hunters for family portraits.</a><br />
<br />
And, as The Venture Bros. Blog shows us, cosplay can also be a way <a href=http://venturebrosblog.com/2011/10/venture-bros-couples-cosplay/>to bond with that special someone.</a><br />
<br />
If, by the way, you’re planning for a Venture-tastic con, The Venture Bros. Blog (Gods bless Marc Ilagan, for serious.) has <a href=http://venturebrosblog.com/cosplay-guide/?show=gallery><br />
a brand new cosplay guide</a>, to which they are steadily adding tutorials and pictures. Especially useful to those who are relatively new to cosplay. <br />
<br />
Some folks are more devoted than others. Like <a href=http://news.yahoo.com/superman-fan-takes-adulation-heights-061944601.html><br />
this guy</a>, who is undergoing several cosmetic surgery procedures in order to look more like Superman.*<br />
<br />
Finally, I’d like to give two shout-outs to some of the most bad ass cosplayers at this week’s New York Comic Con. <br />
<br />
First, let’s give it up for <a href=http://instagr.am/p/QH0os/>this fantastic Spider Jerusalem cosplayer</a>, who perfectly exhibits all the hallmarks of great cosplay: <br />
A character who’s distinctive and recognizable (to comics fans) without being done to death.<br />
A costume adapted to to the wearer that still hits those iconic points. (Painting the tattoos onto a flesh-colored shirt? Genius.) <br />
Attitude.<br />
<br />
Last, but not least, you’ve got to love <a href=http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=236038126449322&set=a.236100823109719.72552.219047261481742&type=1&theater>the two guys who dressed as Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick</a>. Because, when cosplaying characters just isn’t hardcore enough, you cosplay creators. (The best part of that image is the “mind=blown” look on Jackson’s face.)<br />
<br />
That’s all I have for you, today, fellow cosplayers. Stay tuned for more sporadic and incoherent updates on the wide world of cons, cosplay, and costuming.<br />
<br />
-shadowen<br />
<br />
<br />
*I want to make it clear that I’m linking this article as a point of interest, not to snark. Body image and the personal appropriation of media images are serious-face subjects, and we at Frenemy Cosplay maintain a 100% judgment-free zone. (Although, to be fair, I’m still judging that kids’ Catwoman costume so hard.) So, if that guy wants to be Superman, then, godsdamnit, he can be Superman. <br />
That being said... And this is random and still non-snarky... There was an episode of some sit-com, I wanna say in the late 90s, that took place at a Star Trek/SF-F convention, wherein George Takei briefly played a Trekker who had gotten cheek implants in order to look more like George Takei. The phrase “iconic cheekbones” was used. Does anyone know what I’m talking about, or did I dream this?Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-86233980699927277812011-09-29T13:33:00.000-07:002011-09-29T13:33:10.162-07:00Spotlight on InstructablesHello, internet. It is I, Sabine! Did you miss me? I certainly missed you.<br />
<br />
Today, I want to showcase a website that is near and dear to my heart: <a href=http://www.instructables.com>Instructables</a>. Within its many pages, you can find so many well designed, well photographed tutorials for, well, everything that it's just absurd. Here are a dozen or so choices for really neat costume and prop tutorials, ranging from super simple to super involved. Ready? Let's begin!<br />
<br />
For a really slick looking costume piece, how about <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Ambers-Cropped-Jacket/>Amber's jacket from Suckerpunch</a>?<br />
<br />
On the prop side, there are dozens of versions of Iron Man's arc reactor, but <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Ambers-Cropped-Jacket/>this one</a>, featuring a cool infinity effect, is my favorite.<br />
<br />
This was a triumph: <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Hey-an-introduction/>an amazing replica of Chell's portal gun</a>.<br />
<br />
Another epic (literally) prop: <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Working-Thor-Hammer/>Thor's hammer</a>, made from a dying star (sort of).<br />
<br />
Weapons geeks of all kinds, here's a whole category for you: <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Nerf-Gun-Mods/>Nerf gun mods</a>. A little something for everyone, including vampire hunters and steampunkers.<br />
<br />
Captain America fans: trying to replicate that goddamn shield on a budget? <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Flying-Captain-America-Shield/>Here's one</a> made of duct tape and cardboard that still looks great.<br />
<br />
If you've got a lot of time on your hands and love Doctor Who more than life itself, you can make <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/K-9-mans-best-friend/>your very own K-9</a>.<br />
<br />
Here's a utility sort of tutorial that has limitless applications: <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-spray-paint-snake-skin-scales-on-anything/>DIY scales with spray paint.</a><br />
<br />
If you're into steampunk or innovative original costuming in general, one to watch is <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Featured-Author-ModMischief/>ModMischief</a>.<br />
<br />
Speaking of steampunk, if you want costume pieces, look no further. For example, <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Steampunk-wristwatch-with-mechamical-iris-cover/>here's a neat little wristwatch</a>, so you can check the time in your airship.<br />
<br />
Another Doctor Who note: looking for a sonic screwdriver that's all your own? <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Sonic-Screwdriver-1/>Here's one</a> you can make for about five bucks.<br />
<br />
If we have taught you anything, may it be that you don't have to start from scratch to make a cool costume piece. <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Mod-your-Green-Lantern-movie-ring-and-make-it-glow/>Here's a mod</a> for a glowing Green Lantern ring out of one you can pick up at Toys-R-Us.<br />
<br />
Video game costume tutorials run rampant on Instructables, and here's a really cool one: <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Dead-Space-Isaac-Clarke-Level-3-RIG/>a costume from Dead Space 1</a>.<br />
<br />
And, last but not least, <a href=http://www.instructables.com/id/Dr-Zoidberg/>knit your way to Doctor Zoidberg</a>. Whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop!<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoy/are inspired by these few little examples, and that you'll go exploring on your own. Geronimo!<br />
<br />
-SabineShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-85768519922713939932011-09-27T15:55:00.000-07:002011-09-27T15:55:54.402-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 27 September 2011Greetings, fellow cosplayers! Shadowen, here. Remember me? Possibly not, seeing as I’ve been MIA for so long. The good news, though, is that I have ALL THE LINKS for you today, including more stuff from Dragon*Con, some cosplaying resources, and a blast from the costuming past.<br />
<br />
First up, we have <a href="http://cosplay.com/">Cosplay.com</a> and <a href="http://thesuperherocostumingforum.yuku.com/">The Superhero Costuming Forum</a>, for those of us who like a little social networking with out cosplay. Cosplay.com looks to be heavy on the anime, and the SCF does pretty much what it says on the tin. these are probably old news, but I wasn’t aware of them, so I’m passing on the info to you, my loyal readers. Check them out!<br />
<br />
If you’re hardcore DIY, or you just like seeing how stuff is made, go <a href="http://volpinprops.blogspot.com/2011/09/daft-punk-helmet-thomas-final.html">here </a>to learn how to make your very own Daft Punk helmet, then wear it to the club and see if anyone asks for your autograph.<br />
<br />
Also in the realm of rock’n’roll costuming - and reminding us that cosplay isn’t just about our beloved SF/F - check out this<a href="http://velvet-goldmine.livejournal.com/615328.html"> stunning Velvet Goldmine/David Bowie cosplayer</a>. One costume, twice the glam!<br />
<br />
To thrill my little vintage geek heart, <a href="http://www.azariancollection.com/43.html">The Azarian Collection</a> has a big photo gallery of costumes from our favorite campy 60s superhero shows, including pieces from Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman costume, plus links to other geek retro sites.<br />
<br />
Shadowen =/= gamer, but I salute my otherly nerdy brethren and respectfully point you to this detailed and entertaining<a href="http://www.themorningnews.org/article/pax-primer"> primer for PAX</a> in Seattle.<br />
<br />
For my fellow fans of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman - and for anyone else who likes pretty things -<a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=570963443118&set=o.300224781015&type=3"> check out these lovely masks inspired by the Endless</a>.<br />
<br />
Are you now or have you ever been a Hench(person) of the Mighty Monarch? If so, The Venture Home News is <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheVentureHomeNews/posts/295998340414599">asking you to send in photos and video</a> of your adventures in villainy, presumably for a promotional spot on the glamorous life of henching.<br />
<br />
AND NOW: more Dragon*Con<br />
<br />
The winners of the Hallway Costume Contest were posted, <a href="http://dailydragon.dragoncon.org/contests-awards/2011-hallway-costume-contest-winners/">sadly without pictures</a>.<br />
<br />
Comics Alliance has their pick of the <a href="http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/09/14/best-cosplay-ever-this-week-dragon-con-2011/">best costumes from the con</a>, including the truly amazing Grand Galactic Inquisitor as photographed by friend of the blog arymabeth.<br />
<br />
And <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulcory/sets/72157627574339374/">here’s a Flickr set of photos</a> from D*C.<br />
<br />
For extra entertainment, we have Chad Vader’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS0Y3TbIzVo&feature=youtu.be&a">75 more costumes at Dragon*Con 2011</a>.<br />
<br />
And finally, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZQUVkPl9Zw">The Really Really Long Video from Dragon*Con 2011</a>.<br />
<br />
Time to start working on costumes for next year! ....after I pay rent.<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-47675492466705883232011-09-12T19:47:00.000-07:002011-09-12T19:47:33.766-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 12 September 2011As part of my illness recovery process, I’ve been catching up on <i>The Guild</i>, and HalloweenCostumes.com is enabling us to express our love for everyone’s favorite dysfunctional gamer with<a href="http://www.halloweencostumes.com/blog/post/2011/09/07/announcing-official-codex-guild-costume.aspx"> the official Codex costume</a>. Although, to tell you the truth, I’ve seen homemade ones that looked a hell of a lot better.<br />
<br />
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: A metric shit ton of stuff from Dragon*Con.<br />
<br />
@merrypranxster is sharing three sets of pics on Facebook and is asking people to tag themselves in the photos. So check them out and see if you can spot yourselves or your friends.<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150283335987408.343251.551997407&l=13a17802b2&type=1">Set One</a>. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150287562447408.344399.551997407&l=b37801a431&type=1">Set Two</a>. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150287652427408.344425.551997407&l=ab9db6307d&type=1">Set Three</a>.<br />
<br />
Our beloved arymabeth also has a ton of pictures on Flickr, including many of yours truly and the beautiful Sabine. See them <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67214009@N02/sets/72157627486831939/with/6122025286/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
There’s a bit of overlap, but you can also see my pics from the con under the “Dragon*Con 2011” tag on my Tumblr. View <a href="http://shadowen.tumblr.com/tagged/dragon%2Acon_2011">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Finally, because we are all about some Venture, The Venture Bros. Blog has<a href="http://venturebrosblog.com/2011/09/venture-bros-party-at-dragoncon-2011/"> pics and video from the party and costume contest</a>. You can see arymabeth and I right in the middle, next to the naked Monarch.<br />
<br />
I’ll be honest with you, fellow cosplayers, the bog is a little up in the air right now. No idea what’s coming next. So if our devoted readers have any ideas, suggestions, or questions, drop us a line in the comments or at frenemycosplay@gmail.com. In the meantime, back to the sewing machines! Only 359 more days til Dragon*Con returns!<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-91006327936293943042011-09-12T14:27:00.000-07:002011-09-12T14:27:33.101-07:00Dragon*Con 2011Greetings, fellow cosplayers! I have risen from the depths of con recovery to bring you some brief costume postmortems and a few notes from the trenches.<br />
<br />
First of all, on the subject of con recovery, yours truly forgot to pack her much-needed allergy medicine. This fact, combined with several other factors, led to a sudden case of the dreaded Con Crud. So, when I say I’m recovering, I mean actually recovering from illness. Bear this in mind, fellow cosplayers: don’t forget your medications and remember to take care of yourself.<br />
<br />
But you don’t care about my myriad health problems. You care about costumes. So let’s talk about costumes.<br />
<br />
<b>Dr. Girlfriend</b><br />
See the final costume <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67214009@N02/6121918634/in/set-72157627486831939">here</a>, courtesy of the lovely arymabeth.<br />
<br />
Dress<br />
-I did a stupid thing and packed the dress next to my steampunk goggles, which had been spray painted. The result being a swipe of gold paint near the back hem. Those goggles will be packed in plastic, in the future.<br />
-The zipper puckers, but I already knew that. What I didn’t know was that the seams on the sleeves had started to come loose and need to be reinforced.<br />
-I lost some weight between making the dress and wearing it, so it looked fantastic. With the little problems and screw-ups, though, I’ll need to remake the dress if I ever want to do this costume again.<br />
<br />
Hat<br />
-It looks like crap, up close, but it stayed in place. I pinned up a section of hair and used a hat pin (read: really long needle) to secure it. The needle stuck out both sides and was a pain to get in, but it worked and looked fine. I’ll have to remake this, too, but that’s partly because it’s now signed by Doc Hammer and James Urbaniak. I felt a little better about it when Doc said he’d signed a lot of butter tubs.<br />
<br />
Gloves<br />
-Wearing gloves make doing everything twice as difficult. It does, in fact, make using a touch screen phone impossible. Between coming off and on all day, handling things, and digging through my purse, the gloves were totally worn out. Glad I bought cheap ones.<br />
<br />
Boots<br />
-Squishy in-soles saved my life. My feet were killing me by the end of the day, but the boots were generally tolerable. I just had to make sure to sit down and take them off every once in a while.<br />
<br />
Undergarments<br />
-I wore Spanx to help smooth the silhouette, and, though they worked great, they were horrendously uncomfortable by the end of the day. Still, the price we pay for beauty.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Black Canary</b><br />
Final costume <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/67214009@N02/6122025286/in/set-72157627486831939">here</a>, also from arymabeth.<br />
<br />
Black bathing suit, black fishnets, black combat boots, black mask. A decent success, for something thrown together at the last minute. And when I say last minute, I mean I made the mask Wednesday night and spent part of Friday looking for spirit gum in the dealers’ room. The boots were a hell of a lot more comfortable than the heels I wore the rest of the weekend. The bathing suit, which was several years old, was completely shot and didn’t fit all that well. I may invest in a proper leotard to future super hero costuming. The mask, I think, turned out to be the best part of the costume, though the whole thing would have been better with a blonde wig.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Lady au Pair</b><br />
<br />
Dress<br />
-Would have been fine, but the same weight loss that made Dr. Girlfriend look great made this dress baggy and ill-fitting. Also, I cut the bust too small, so the neckline kept gapping. I had to secure it to my bra with a safety pin.<br />
<br />
Hat<br />
-Got banged up in the suitcase, but looked great.<br />
<br />
Gloves<br />
-See above.<br />
<br />
Stockings<br />
-In the absence of sock glue, I tried securing the tops of my thigh-highs with spirit gum, which did absolutely nothing. The rubber on the stockings, however, held great. The moral of the story: buy good stockings.<br />
<br />
Apron<br />
-Was made at the last minute and did not match. It looked okay and kept the costume from being a total loss, but I’m less than proud of it.<br />
<br />
I apologize that there are no pictures of the final Lady au Pair costume, but... there’s a reason for that.<br />
<br />
Costume planning has already begun for next year, so stayed tuned for more tips and tutorials. Later, we’ll return with your regularly scheduled linkspam, including many MANY pics from Dragon*Con.<br />
<br />
For a more detailed, less costume-oriented run down of the weekend's events, <a href="http://shadowenangel.livejournal.com/254599.html">check out my LiveJournal</a>.<br />
<br />
Now excuse me while I go start a serious round of antibiotics.<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-31555222683126397462011-08-31T21:41:00.000-07:002011-08-31T21:41:21.541-07:00Dragon*Con Survival Guide, 2011<br />
These are the basics of making it through the con intact. For a more Dragon*Con-specific guide, see<a href="http://misstuesday.tumblr.com/post/7992943921/dragoncon-101-a-survival-guide"> this Tumblr post</a> from a seasoned veteran. Oh yeah, and<a href="http://dailydragon.dragoncon.org/dc2011/11-convention-information/dragoncon-mobile-app/"> there’s an app for that</a>.<br />
<br />
The con experience is a wonderful thing, full of grand adventure and glorious comraderie. However, like any adventure worth having, something somehow somewhere is going to go wrong at some point, and we stalwart explorers of geekdom must be prepared. To that end, the all-important Place to put your Shit should be packed with carefully chosen supplies for every eventuality. Ultimately, your con survival kit should look an awful lot like your apocalypse survival kit. Don't make that face, you know you have one. For all intents and purposes, the convention floor is a wasteland, and you should prepare for your con weekend as you would a trek across the sands of Arakis.<br />
<br />
<b> First Aid</b><br />
Though it's highly unlikely that you'll get <a href="http://www.newsarama.com/comics/sdcc-2010-hall-h-stabbing-100724.html">stabbed in the eye with a pencil</a>, minor cuts, scrapes, and blisters are a real risk when you're tottering around in your costume, surrounded by thousands of people. There are paramedics and first aid stations scattered around, but it's a good idea to carry a few basic first aid supplies for quick fixes.<br />
<br />
-Band-aids. Duh. Con-induced injury can come in many shapes and sizes, however, so bring a few different types with one or two of each.<br />
-Cleansing wipes. Because sometimes things get gross.<br />
-Hand sanitizer. See above.<br />
-Antiseptic cream. For the especially nasty cuts.<br />
-Nail clippers and small nail file. Partly for vanity, yes, but also to deal with broken or jagged nails, which hurt like all hell and can do some harm if not taken care of. Nail clippers are also useful for trimming stray bits of thread or opening tricky packages.<br />
-Aspirin and/or Ibuprofen. You can get both of these in travel-size bottles or in individual packets. I'm prone to migraines, so I tend to carry knock-it-on-its-ass aspirin, anyway. If you have to choose one or the other, though, go for the Ibuprofen, as that will also help you with muscle pain.<br />
-Tampons/panty liners. Seriously. You just never know.<br />
<br />
Most pharmacy departments carry small, portable first aid kits, which I would definitely recommend picking up. The whole kit is a little overkill for con, though, so pick out the things you need and find a safe, secure place to keep it in your bag.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Food and Water</b><br />
Any con survival guide worth reading will tell you to carry snacks and stay hydrated. Some small cons have food suites, and it's worth paying a little extra overhead on your badge price for access to quick, easy food and water. At the big cons, though, you're out of luck. There are usually food and drink kiosks scattered around, but you don't want to learn the hard way what eating from a cart for three days will do to your wallet and your stomach. Here are a few suggestions for keeping yourself fed and watered.<br />
<br />
-Bottle of water. I cannot stress enough how important this is. And, to all you soda drinkers out there, I have some bad news: Your precious sugary beverages will not hydrate you. In fact, drinking lots of soda throughout the day is worse than drinking nothing at all. You'll also find yourself needing frequent trips to the bathroom, which cuts into your fun time and makes those long panels super uncomfortable. If you're driving, I reccommend picking up a BPA-free water bottle and filling it from water fountains throughout the weekend. If you're flying, pick up some bottled water at a convenience/grocery store and do the same.<br />
-Trail mix, granola, or nuts. You want snacks that are tasty, filling, and easy to pack, and all of these fit the bill. Nuts have lots of protein, which will help keep you nourished and fill you up. If you're getting/making trail mix or granola, try something with dried or fresh fruit, since the sugar will give you an extra boost.<br />
-Fresh fruit. A little more substantial than snack mixes, with a different set of vitamins, and generally easy to pack. If you want things that need to peeled, like oranges or bananas, you might want to do that in advance, just so you're not stuck holding the remains and looking for a trash can. If you've got juicy fruits, like peaches or pears, keep a napkin handy.<br />
-Candy/cookies. Yes, we all need our processed sugar fix. Avoid things with wrappers, though, (see above) and go for candy pieces you can stick in a ziplock, like M&Ms, Skittles, etc. For cookies, stick a few in a ziplock rather than lug the whole package around.<br />
-Sandwiches and such. If you're driving, go ahead and pack some sandwich fixings and utensils, or anything else to make a quick, portable meal. If you're flying, unfortunately, this isn't really an option.<br />
<br />
These are mostly tips to keep yourself fed during the actual con events. For dinner, once all the hoopla has died down for the night, ask around for local restaurants, especially if you're in new city and your bank account can handle it. It's an adventure, remember. Try something new!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Sewing Supplies and Sundries</b><br />
Like I said, something, at some point, is going to go wrong, and when it does, it's likely to be with your costume. Still, you don't want to be carrying your entire sewing kit around all weekend. You want to have a few small, essential tools on hand to deal with the inevitable rips, gaps, and general falling apart of things.<br />
<br />
-Safety pins, the cosplayer's best friend.<br />
-Thread to match your costume. You can use a bobbin spool or just wind a length of thread around a piece of cardboard. Either way, you want to carry some thread with you for quick fixes.<br />
-A needle. Just the one. and you'll want to stick it through a piece of card stock or paper so you don't just have a sharp object floating around in your bag.<br />
-Small scissors. You can find these in many travel-sized sewing kits, or you could just grab some kiddie scissors.<br />
-Seam ripper. Because sometimes you need to get out of things in a hurry.<br />
-Bobby pins. For hair emergencies, obviously, but they can be handy for securing wayward costume pieces, as well. Again, you may want to slide them onto some cardstock to avoid fishing around, and bring different sizes, if you have them.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Miscellaneous</b><br />
Because you really just never know.<br />
<br />
-Ink pen and sharpie. In case you run into that guy from that show and need something signed STAT.<br />
-Business cards and/or small notebook. If you're doing it right, you'll meet tons of awesome people and hear lots of awesome things. You'll want to exchange information and take notes. The ink pen will also help with this.<br />
-Comb/brush and compact mirror. For emergencies.<br />
-Stain remover pen. These things are a life saver and can rescue your costume from food-smeared doom.<br />
-Lighter. Okay, I'm a smoker, so I have, like, two or three on hand at all times, but lighters are good for a lot more than giving you cancer. You can use them it to seal the ends of frayed ribbon or string, sterilize a needle for pulling out splinters, or get a gummed pen working again. And, y'know, fire is cool.<br />
-Camera. As much as it pains me to be leaving my lovely DSR at home, you don’t want to be lugging a giant camera around. Go for something small with lots of memory, decent megapixels, and a wrist strap.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBM5ND_UGIWafbNIILckPgP5plY6VzMgdn6lwYjkNVlJwnRikS47q7RT8zH94DceJIgZWTwk-0TKTHVDnE48l2az_4tMJ3d7qFsA-vBfcInUJPb89XjlLniQ6kYI8Siz4pcNpC_vUxHA/s1600/IMG_1529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBM5ND_UGIWafbNIILckPgP5plY6VzMgdn6lwYjkNVlJwnRikS47q7RT8zH94DceJIgZWTwk-0TKTHVDnE48l2az_4tMJ3d7qFsA-vBfcInUJPb89XjlLniQ6kYI8Siz4pcNpC_vUxHA/s320/IMG_1529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This is what my basic survival kit looks like, and, remarkably, most of the items pictured fit neatly into that tiny zippered bag.<br />
<br />
It's always a good idea to bring whatever other Just In Case items you might think of, but bring the things that, if you need them, you're going to REALLY need them. Extra pair of underwear for unforseen... circumstances? Definitely. Those super sexy boots that you might want if you decide to go out? Not so much.<br />
<br />
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember to share. If you're lucky enough to be going with a group and sticking together, consolidate your survival kits. Even if you're not with a group, if the person behind you in line has a sudden wardrobe malfunction, offer them a safety pin. If the person selling you comics gets a papercut from your purchase, give them a bandaid. If somebody's kid is crying because they're tired and hungry, don't grumble about annoying children, share your damn candy. This shit is cheap, y'all. There's no<br />
reason to be stingy. As the wise man said: Don't be a dick.<br />
<br />
You can follow the official Dragon*Con Twitter @daily_dragon and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/DragonCon/58381388805">Facebook page</a> for info and updates. For less informative but possibly more entertaining Twittering, follow me @joxwest, and, if you see Sabine or I, feel free to come up and tell us how great we look. Yes, I’m giving you permission to stalk us.<br />
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To the con, fellow cosplayers! It’s time for adventuring.<br />
<br />
-shadowen<br />
Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-25301131672829756412011-08-29T19:23:00.000-07:002011-08-29T19:23:11.712-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 29 August 2011Just a quick one this week.<div><br />
</div><div>Check out this amazing <a href="http://fuckyeahdragoncon.tumblr.com/post/9331845166/danceintheflame-just-your-typical-tuesday">sugar skull make-up job</a> from the <a href="http://fuckyeahdragoncon.tumblr.com/">FuckYeahDragonCon </a>Tumblr, which we love.</div><div><br />
</div><div>While not directly related to costuming, this weeks' Sunday Sweets on <a href="http://www.cakewrecks.com/">Cake Wrecks</a> is a celebration of all things geeky as Jen and John gear up for the con. <a href="http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2011/8/28/sunday-sweets-ode-to-dragoncon.html">See their Ode to Dragon*Con here.</a></div><div><br />
</div><div>No linkspam next week, as I'll be rather preoccupied all weekend, but we'll have a Dragon*Con survival guide for you on Wednesday, plus a con round-up on our return.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Hold tight, fellow cosplayers. It's gonna be a wild week.</div>Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-40003503699224896982011-08-22T19:26:00.000-07:002011-08-22T19:26:51.064-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 22 August 2011<br />
This week’s linkspam is heavy on the weird and the sexy, with possibly a little more weight on the weird end.<br />
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First, we have two examples of Not Cosplay. First, some dude wearing a Ninja Turtle mask <a href="http://io9.com/5830741/a-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtle-robbed-a-wendys-in-wisconsin">robbed a Wendy’s in Wisconsin</a>. No word on whether he escaped via skateboard. Then, in Oklahoma City, <a href="http://io9.com/5833006/and-now-spider+man-robbed-a-convenience-store-in-oklahoma-city">Spiderman hit up a convenience store</a>. Seriously, guys? Whatever happened to plastic US President masks? That's some classic criminal activity, right there.<br />
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Of course, the super hero weirdness reaches new heights in this now viral video a rather dumpy Spiderman <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCk-Eyo3KU4&feature=player_embedded">terrorizing Warsaw with silly string</a>. Y’all, I don’t even know, but I salute his dedication.<br />
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As a... we’ll say palate cleanser, check out this super cool <a href="http://spookychan.tumblr.com/post/9011339068/for-jessica">TARDIS corset</a>, made by Chandra Free (aka spookychan, who you should love and adore).<br />
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And, finally, <a href="http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2009/07/21/a-lovely-gallery-of-sexy-stormtroopers/">some sexy Stormtroopers</a>. Because why the hell not?<br />
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Just 10 days til Dragon*Con, fellow cosplayers, and my bags are already packed.<br />
Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-2830019466496676572011-08-15T16:05:00.000-07:002011-08-15T16:05:34.361-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 15 August 2011Fellow cosplayers, I saw exactly ZERO cosplay news items this week. I guess everyone's still nursing their SDCC hangovers. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">the bastards *grumble*</span><br />
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Now excuse me while I go kick Sabine to make sure she's actually writing her post this week.<br />
<br />
-shadowen<br />
<br />
PS: Only 17 days til I'm at Dragon*Con!Shadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-81521499644339583112011-08-11T12:28:00.000-07:002011-08-11T12:28:58.377-07:00Cosplay Fail: The Purse that Never WasMost costuming blogs are all about showing you the shiny pictures, focusing on the successful cosplay that makes you gaze at your sad little sewing kit in despair. Here at Frenemy Cosplay, we believe that our failures can be someone else's learning experience. To that end, friends, here is the story of the time I tried to make a purse.<br />
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In the interest of limited funds, I decided that I would make my own place to put my shit for the con, rather than hunting around trying to find something that would match anything that Dr. Girlfriend has ever worn ever. In the interest of limited space, I decided that I needed one item for both costumes and that it needed to be more or less collapsible. So I had this great idea. I was going to make a reversible purse - Dr. Girlfriend pink on one side, Lady Au Pair purple on the other - and use stiff facing to make it keep its shape.<br />
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Did I have a plan? Yes. Did I know what I was doing? Hell no. Did it work? Well... it turned out looking like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEv4WLEPDFM6BXOve34trPDL5P80hRuktumRimjwvbWhNitrQQ8ZWLdaD9hENviD2qvCHI2vVvN89smttl6tCxYbxgL2l4GOfHo8AgAHMnU6_JZ3Y_rd6aKquZ0R_C3C2MOMaT3nQ2Qpc/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEv4WLEPDFM6BXOve34trPDL5P80hRuktumRimjwvbWhNitrQQ8ZWLdaD9hENviD2qvCHI2vVvN89smttl6tCxYbxgL2l4GOfHo8AgAHMnU6_JZ3Y_rd6aKquZ0R_C3C2MOMaT3nQ2Qpc/s320/DSC_0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I think I'll just let that image speak for itself.<br />
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However, the very same day that I created this abomination, I went to the thrift store in search of an unrelated costume piece and found this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gRalt1gwImyr7C82H7Ge8cxn2xxy6fMdZvsbNKbKVwKOYUw4i31_LIcP3lzO0VKx2zA4sTEOwDHw-SxAJLzvi8XWMXNTnRiFjeOBdWzhzTnCzjIny38wV6abaRtB9LWScTtozqcKgiI/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gRalt1gwImyr7C82H7Ge8cxn2xxy6fMdZvsbNKbKVwKOYUw4i31_LIcP3lzO0VKx2zA4sTEOwDHw-SxAJLzvi8XWMXNTnRiFjeOBdWzhzTnCzjIny38wV6abaRtB9LWScTtozqcKgiI/s320/DSC_0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Vintage black vinyl handbag for one stinking dollar. That, fellow cosplayers, is what we call a SCORE.<br />
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The moral of the story, I think, is that sometimes you have to try and fail before you can find the right way to do something. An alternative moral might be that you shouldn't be taking costuming advice from me, since I can't put together a fucking purse.<br />
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Either way, it's a good story.<br />
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Happy sewing, fellow cosplayers, and remember your thrift stores!<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-38702104153569227572011-08-09T19:49:00.001-07:002011-08-09T19:49:32.321-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 9 August 2011<br />
So I’m a day late. (And a dollar short, but that’s another story.) Here’s your cosplay linkspam of the week!<br />
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Ok, last one from SDCC, I swear! <a href="http://venturebrosblog.com/">The Venture Bros. Blog</a> (via <a href="http://video.adultswim.com/the-venture-bros/sdcc-2011-venture-bros-costume-contest.html">Adult Swim</a>) has a video from the <i>Venture Bros.</i> costume contest. Once again, this is most notable because it contains Sabine being epic. <a href="http://venturebrosblog.com/2011/08/adult-swims-venture-bros-costume-contest/">Watch the video here.</a><br />
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In fannish news of a different sort, fans of<i> I Love Lucy</i> celebrated what would have been the fabulous Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday by having the largest gathering of Lucy look-alikes in history. Not many pictures, but <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/lucy-look-alikes-honour-lucille-balls-100th-birthday-225249400.html">you can read about it here.</a><br />
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<a href="http://io9.com/">io9 </a>has some good ones, this week. First, we have Japanese politicians in Dragonball Z cosplay. Y’all, I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. <a href="http://io9.com/5828398/in-japan-politicians-can-apparently-get-away-with-dragonball-z-cosplay">Check it out here</a>.<br />
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Also from io9, residents of Vancouver can hire a live-in servant who promises to dress and act as the dinosaur of his empoloyer’s choosing for a full year. I kind of want to shake this guy’s hand... er, claw. Talon? Anyway, <a href="http://io9.com/5828541/if-you-live-in-vancouver-you-can-hire-a-dinosaur-manservant">details are here</a>.<br />
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And... apparently GenCon was this weekend? io9 has a round-up of some of the best costumes, including SFW pics from the con’s burlesque show and a Spike Spiege cosplayer, which I haven’t seen in far too long. <a href="http://io9.com/5828304/chainmail-bikinis-and-warhammer-40k-inquisitors-the-coolest-cosplay-from-gencon-2011">See the pics here</a>.<br />
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This has been your linkspam for the week! Now I’m going to go frantically write this week’s actual post. It’s not gonna be pretty, fellow cosplayers. It’s not gonna be pretty.<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408784832193546732.post-62846727932055873822011-08-01T16:25:00.000-07:002011-08-01T16:26:09.634-07:00Cosplay Linkspam, 1 August 2011Are you tired of hearing about ComicCon, yet? Good. Because we’ve got more cosplay photos from SDCC than you can shake a lightsaber at, plus a few other tidbits.<br />
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First, and most importantly, we have <i>Venture</i>-related links featuring our beloved Sabine, because she is awesome and looked totally fierce.<br />
Here she is in the<a href="http://www.laweekly.com/slideshow/the-venture-bros-san-diego-comic-con-2011-33874535/21/"> LAWeekly slide show</a>.<br />
And just peaking in on the second image in<a href="http://io9.com/5824176/we-ask-the-creators-of-the-venture-bros-if-theyd-rather-be-locked-in-a-room-full-of-cobras-or-wasps"> this post on io9</a>. (The interview is also pretty hilarious, even if you're not a Venture fan, though perhaps not as funny as <a href="http://fuckyeahdochammer.tumblr.com/post/8070237066/kroze-from-comicsonline-gets-molested-for-the">this one</a>.)<br />
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IMDB has a great gallery of all kinds of SDCC pics<a href="http://www.imdb.com/features/comic_con/2011/photos"> here</a>.<br />
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Movieline did a series of interviews with cosplayers throughout the con, but the best by far is <a href="http://www.movieline.com/2011/07/meet-hit-girl-the-youngest-cosplayer-at-comic-con.php">The Littlest Hit Girl</a>.<br />
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Finally, if you’re looking for all kinds of SDCC news, updates, and stories, LiveJournal has a community dedicated to the world’s largest nerdfest <a href="http://sd-comic-con.livejournal.com/">here</a>.<br />
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LAWeekly also has a list of convention “Dos and Don’ts” for fans. The article is specifically aimed at us Venturoos, but it’s generally applicable to fans of just about anything. <a href="http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/07/venture_bros_fans.php">Read it here</a>.<br />
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In other cosplay news, if you’re looking for costuming inspiration, I ran across this list of awesome women in science fiction. It’s limited, but very retro and mentions a few I wouldn’t have thought of. My next costuming project is going to be Rachel from <i>Blade Runner</i>, so keep your eyes peeled. <a href="http://orangeintense.blogspot.com/2010/07/womens-of-sci-fi.html">See the list here</a>.<br />
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In another blast from the past, courtesy of the lovely Harumania (who is a brilliant artist and you should <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Harumania">follow her on twitter</a>) we have an older post from the 4chan boards with a metric shit ton of costuming tutorials. It is, in fact, SFW, unlike many other things on 4chan. <a href="http://boards.4chan.org/cgl/res/4772886">Check it out here</a>.<br />
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That's all for today. Stay tuned for more cosplay news and Sabine's SDCC round-up!<br />
<br />
-shadowenShadowen and Sabinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16527606241911640151noreply@blogger.com0