Modesty's Costume Closet

 Shame on me for not posting sooner, but the Unicorn dance costume was a success! (A proper post-mortem will come later.)  However, I've decided to enter my first competition. Just a mini-match for now but I will need a dress for it. Which of course, is very exciting when it comes to "what should I wear?" I've been Pinning ideas for different dress shapes, colors and designs and maybe overwhelming myself. So, it's time to hit pause and layout some design considerations as well as practical ones. Let's start with practical.  Practical Considerations - Budget and Investment These are the pillars of practical decisions for costumes (and other creative things): Budget and Investment.  Budget = what you can spend/spare in terms of time, money, space, and energy. Basically it's what you have on hand already.  Investment = what you can put into a project in terms of time, money, space, and energy. It's more about capacity. My analogy of this is Investment is

 My brain has ping-ponged into all aspects of this costume and for now I'm looking into how to make the Shrine Maiden Costume. I am utilizing all my experience with making kimono and kimono-like costumes to make this. Not really futzing much with the original look.    Design Considerations Accuracy with some flare Making room for puppet arm vs regular arm Simplifying the design so it's not a hassle to wear and keep on (I hate having to worry if my pants will slide off or something.) Pieces/Layers Juban/Undershirt For style points, I'm making this red. The "Puppet" arm may need extra consideration such as an opening in the Juban sleeve at the front or under the arm. I could also do this for both sleeves so I can switch primary puppet arm if I wished.  Kimono This will be a plain color or small patterned top with semi-detached sleeves. The left sleeve will be the primary "puppet sleeve".  The length of the kimono will only come just above the knees...to sa

 The production of this costume has been as elusive as a unicorn. In part because I've put some kind of extra pressure on myself to have a certain look for my dance. So, hopefully, writing this will help me nail down some of my indecision. (Spoilers: It does!) Source Inspiration The theme of the dance is Night at the Movies, and I picked "The Last Unicorn". I will be dancing a rumba to the opening theme. I knew I was going to be "the unicorn" and my partner will be another character. (I'm hoping the red bull.)  Design Considerations In any costume design there's both a practical and aesthetic consideration.  Dance Costume Considerations Because I will be dancing with a partner, I need to make sure that my garment is out of our feet's way, I can move my arms and legs freely, and I don't have any costume malfunctions. So the major points of consideration are:  - hem length: I want to avoid catching the hem on my heel or have my partner trod upon a

Similar to how I came up with the concept of Wisteria Fox, I'm going to try to explain the round-about way I came up with my designs for my Polish Vampire Hunter. Inspiration Sources Primarily, I have wanted to make a traditional Polish dress and embroidered vest. I have everything I need for it...except patience. 😜 So keep that sitting on the backburner for many years and add in the armor making course I took. Which made me want to turn this folk art vest into folk art bodice armor. Which leaked into my Lotara the Drow design.  THEN came the fanfiction. I'm a big fan of a variety of vampire hunter related media...and I really didn't realize until now how prevalent it was. Some of the big influences were:  Castlevania Demon Slayer Vampire Hunter D Blood+  Vampires are fun characters. Going from General to Specific So that's the influence, but the inspiration came from research! At first, it was just a general idea of what would be traditionally appropriate. Some inspir

So spooky! The idea for this costume came from my brainstorming on what to wear for office Halloween. I do have a couple of already made costumes I could use that I haven't worn yet, but I was hit with this idea when I remembered that I 3D printed a fox skull mask and found my "shaggy" faux fur fabric. I have so much scrap material around that I'm just "saving for a rainy day". Well, the rainy day has come and I wish to use up my scraps and clear out some of my closet. So...the spirit of greed and starvation the Wendigo.  Components  The costume was in part inspired by another person's 3D kit on Thingiverse . It used a variation of the fox skull, added antlers and long claws. So, what I'm borrowing from that design is:  Skull Mask Antlers long Claws Fur Hood Where I will differ is I'm using this as an excuse to finally make those Hoof Boots I wanted. I am also making the cloak part more like a Ring Wraith or Dementor cloak.  Body long-sleeved shi

 Them bones, them bones, them dry bones. Such a stark reminder of what is left of us after we pass. But we can make them quite colorful in some cases.  What is a Skeleton? A skeleton is the bone remains of a human. Calavera is just the Spanish word for it, but it is often associated with the painted sugar skulls of Día de les Muertos.  Tell-Tale Features Bones Skull (Painted for Calavera) Common Themes Graves Dancing Mexico Coffins Flowers Showing off bones whether you are going for a hyper-realistic look or more simplified will more often than not be a black and white situation. But never let convention stifle creativity! Making colorful bones is definitely encouraged. You don't need to stick strictly with painting a sugar skull either! Take on different looks like tattooed bones or bones with an etched design.  Calavera do hold cultural significance to a modern day culture...namely Mexico. So there is an issue with cultural sensitivity to keep in mind. The idea of painted skulls

 👻 BOO! Who you gonna call now? Ghosts are such a cliché part of Halloween, but it is a classic "easy" costume.  I got a rock! What is a Ghost? A ghost is an ethereal representation of a dead person's spirit. It often is considered a soul stuck on "this side" and unable to pass peacefully.  Tell-Tale Features Colorless/White/Grey Transparent Common Themes Formless Glowing Victorian/Historical Tattered Chains/Imprisoned Cold Prankster Grave Death Since we have not made CGI costumes accessible to the common man or reality, being a see-through being is going to require some serious trickery. You can think "x-ray" or at least partial x-ray with make-up.   Lighting effects can make a big impression since a slight "glow" is often associated with a ghost-like appearance. The cause of death for your ghost can also serve as inspiration. However, unlike zombies, ghosts are bloodless and don't show gore in the same way. You could think in terms of

 🧻🚽 You could argue that a mummy is just another kind of zombie. And technically, you'd be correct. However, it has such a distinct history and looks that is unlike the gooey undead that is zombies.  What is a Mummy? A mummy is the result of Ancient Egyptian funeral rites that preserves the body. However, mummification can occur naturally and with different variations throughout cultures and locations. (Wet mummies are a thing.)  Tell-Tale Features Body wrapped in bandages Dried up skin Common Themes Ancient Egyptian Wealth Curses Desert Sand Bogs Death Masks Cats Egypt has the most iconic mummies, but there are many indigenous tribes that also perform similar rites for their dead. However, in this day and age we have a heightened sense about portraying cultures that are not our own. Some portrayals may come off as disrespectful, so perhaps double check before posting your costume pics online.  Also consider that wraps do not have to be physically wrapped around your body. You co

 🧟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 Torn Clothes Wolf Features Full Mo

 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 Cinema)

 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

This weekend was not very productive on the costume or knitting front. But I did do a bit of online shopping and wish-listing for possible props for Wisteria Fox.  Silk Wisteria branch. Some of the ideas for props or accessories I had were:  Mask Oil-Paper Parasol Folding Fan Paper Lantern Wisteria flowers  Fangs Kanzashi Claw nails Character Guiding Principles But I can't nor should do all of these. In these situations, I can use what I'll call "character guiding principles" to narrow down what would be appropriate and other decorating themes. If you are thinking of a character, these are just a cluster of traits or words that you can associate with them. Then when considering props you can weigh if the item fits or pick a color that works best.  For example, Captain America is patriotic and protective. The shield as a prop makes sense to these principles because the primary purpose of the shield is to protect the ones behind it which is what Steve Rogers is known fo