Modesty's Costume Closet

 🧟Braaaaains. Halloween is all about death and such, so reanimated corpses of various kinds are easily associated with the holiday. Frankenstein's monster I lump in with zombies because really...they're kind of the same thing, but they differ in execution. So let's see what we can unearth with this.  Technically an undead plague nurse What is a Zombie? Zombies are reanimated corpses with an insatiable appetite for human flesh. If they bite you, you can become one. Generally, they're not very intelligent. Frankenstein's Monster is a crafted reanimated corpse made out of the parts of multiple bodies.  Tell-Tale Features Decomposing Flesh Stitches and Neck Bolts (for Frankie) Flat Head (Frankie again) Common Themes Blood Electricity Graves Rotting Brains Corpses General grossness To be honest, zombies gross me out. I don't like visual representations of them. Yet there have been iterations of reanimated dead that can be more visually appealing. You can go for shoc...

Black cats have been a staple of Halloween costumes and decor for years. Often associated with witches as familiars or alluring ladies. I was a siamese cat for Halloween once.  HE was so alluring...RIP buddy.  SMOULDER. Handsome boy. What is a Cat? Oh...we're getting philosophical here, aren't we? Well, the short answer is a cat is an animal that really exists. However, the more mystical side of cats comes from folklore related to witches and the world of the dead. That's why they're often included in Halloween.  Tell-Tale Features Triangular Ears Long Tail Slit Pupils Whiskers Now you don't need ALL of these features for your costume, but they are quite common and can distinguish what animal you are trying to be. Cat ears are incredibly accessible, as are cat tails. The more animalistic you go, the more complicated you can get.  The idea of "CAT" is ripe for  Brainstorms  to add other elements to your costume. For many years "Kitty Princess" was...

 The werewolf or wolfman is another classic monster for Halloween. However, because of its animal nature, there can be some complications.  What is a Werewolf? A werewolf is a human who turns into a wolf or wolf-like creature during a full moon. The "curse" can be passed on via a bite from a werewolf.  Tell-Tale Features:  Excessive Hair Fangs Claws   Ears and Tail (sometimes) The thing with werewolves is you can go for various levels of human vs animal features. A costume with more human features is easier to accomplish than a full-out animal suit.   Prosthetics  are common for this costume whether it is extra body hair or adding a snout. However, you could also go full or partial fursuit with this creature.  Another common interpretation is a bit more of the "cat lady" route where you add ears and a tail.  An untamed, wild aesthetic is the norm, but norms are just launching points for creative ideas.  Common Themes Flannel Hunter ...

 Vampires get mentioned often enough in this blog as an example for brainstorming. This is because they are a diverse creature with several interpretations throughout history, media, and cultures in general.  I did go as a vampire once! What is a Vampire? Typically, Vampires are reanimated dead aristocracy that drink the blood of humans to sustain themselves.  Tell-Tale Features Fangs Undead Features That's about it! Vampires are an 'accessible' monster to dress up as. Literally, it's a person with fangs. Anything else is window dressing. Coming up with what to wear and any details can be done through a Brainstorm or Image hunt. There are also a wealth of characters to choose from if you want to go for more of a cosplay.  There are interpretations of the monster that are more animalistic or grotesque that may require some Prosthetics .  Common Themes Gothic, Aristocracy, Bats, Blood, Coffin Inspiration References Count Dracula (Novel/Old Films) Nosferatu (Early...

 By the time I finish this series, I hope it will be Halloween. I need to start early! Anyway, I wanted to touch on some of the classic and maybe not-so-classic horror monsters of Halloween fame. These posts will focus on one monster or Halloween-themed character per post.  Okay, let's get into what I plan to cover with this little series:  Vampire Werewolf Cat Zombie/Frankenstein's Monster Mummy Ghost Calavera/Skeleton

 I started writing this blog a year ago today! Or at least my first post. It's been a lot of fun putting down my thoughts, processes, and research into things.  I've also done a lot of costume and clothing construction this past year. I have made:  The Armorer Cosplay Wisteria Fox Parts of Goro the Kitsune 2 new swimsuits 2 fake Hakama Pants 2 Aprons I picked up some new skills this year and improved in other areas.  Learned how to knit Improved at 3D printing (Modifying my machine) Started Die-Cutting with my Cricut There are still many things in flight too:  Sewing my Fire Swimsuit Sewing a swimsuit for a friend  Sewing a Dance costume Knitting the Flame Hashira Shawl (About 40% done) Knitting Tabi Socks Knitting a double-knit cowl Knitting the Hyrule Warrior Scarf This blog covered a lot of topics about Costume Design, detailed the process for the Wisteria Fox, and whatever silly thing was of interest to me. Thanks for a great first year.  I am hopi...

There are many devices you can get to work on costumes. But because costume creation can be diverse, it is possible to prioritize certain tools over others. This list is just going to be my top 3 with some honorable mentions.  #3: Computer/Internet Connected Device This is a pretty old machine now. Still runs Windows 7. It used to be that a computer was the only way to interface with the internet and a myriad of other devices, but it is no longer true. However, investing in a decent machine can mean you can connect it to many different peripherals. Some of these may be every-day like a printer or scanner. However, for most other machines I'll go over you will need something to run software. I could not run my die cutting machine without the associated software. I could not print 3D models without my slicer software. Not to mention that the internet is an invaluable information resource for pretty much anything I'd need to do. It may be a no-brainer but a good computer or any de...