Modesty's Costume Closet

 When I was getting started with 3D printing, of course the first big decision was "which machine will I get". It's one of those things where there's not necessarily a wrong answer, but there could be a best choice.  I am very pleased with the machine I ended up with, but I think this was partially dumb luck. It's hard to know what you don't know! And therefore...it's hard to know where to start without a guide. (My guide was a YouTube channel dedicated to printing miniatures for Table Top games, not costumes.) If by some cosmic coincidence this blog is your first exposure, then allow me to make some suggestions on where to start and some of the questions to ask.  What do you want to 3D Print? Oddly enough this will be a major decision factor into the machine (or machines) you decide to purchase. What kinds of things will you be 3D printing a majority of the time? While you can do pretty much all things with a 3D printer given some proper adjustments, some

How can you afford to make expensive-looking costumes without breaking the bank? This is one of those challenges I face with every project, but always make an effort to plan for and estimate. This is the method I use to plan and budget a project.  Listing out Necessary Materials  To start off, I make a list of materials. Correction...I actually will make multiple lists of materials because I'm often using the lists to compare methods, materials, and costs. But at the start, I make a list of what I need, the quantity of material I need, and a rough estimate of how much it will cost.  To determine cost I often just use what comes up on a web search and round up. The point of the list is to estimate and use that estimate to make decisions on whether or not this is a thing I COULD make.  While making a list if I run into a product that has a price range, I enter the low and high end. Such as if I buy a new pair of shoes versus a used pair of shoes. If I'm trying to decide between a

Dressing up and feeling good are important factors for the hobby of costuming. Yet, it can be easy to get caught up in trying to replicate a character's look as accurately as possible. In many cases, it is IMPOSSIBLE. Yet, that can be a hard thing to accept. My body does not look like most of the characters I want to dress up as. And this becomes discouraging at best and depressing at worst.  Overcoming the desire for accuracy in the face of impossibility is important for moving forward. But getting close is possible. Here I will go over how you can achieve "the look". Method 1 - Find Common Features I did have a lot of similar features. The easiest method is choosing a character that shares many of your features! This will save you a lot of headache throughout the process and can save you money. Characters to choose from are diverse in body shape, hair style, height, body colors and so on. Choosing a character with a similar or possible hair style saves you from needing

  A classic look for a kitsune character is a fur tail. They can be very pretty and it's versatile. Whether you go for realism or a more romanticized version of a fox tail, a fur tail looks good. Methods Fabric Sock Tail  Fundamentally, it's a fabric tube filled with stuffing or internal wiring.  This is by far the fastest way to make a tail, and while it can be a bit tricky to cut and sew fur-like fabric, it's a relatively easy process. It's a versatile method for making a pre-posed tail, a loose tail, or a poseable tail. Depending on the size of your tail and the fabric you use, it can be economical.  Suggested Fabrics:  Faux Fur - this is a blanket term since faux fur can come with different lengths of fur (called "pile" in fabric terms). Minky - short pile synthetic fur usually used for short haired stuffed animals. Fleece - economical, slightly fuzzy. Good for a cartoon look.  Velvet - Usually has a nice glossy finish, may be a bit pricey Mohair - Usually

Prosthetics are a highly versatile tool for a costumer/cosplayer. They can add a bit of natural look to any unnatural additions to your body such as pointed ears, horns, long noses, and much, much more.  Materials - Allergy Warning The most common material for prosthetics is LATEX. This is a rubbery, thin material that blends very nicely with human skin. However, some people have an allergic reaction to latex so you may need to look for alternative materials such as silicone. There is a growing market for non-latex Prosthetics parts.  Depending on the part you are making, you may decide that a rubbery flesh texture is all wrong. Some alternatives to latex and silicone are:  Resin - great for claws and horns and such Paper-Mache - great for a bone structure, claws or horns Foam - expanding foam that you carve, EVA foam, or furniture foam that you shape can make just about anything. Fabric and stuffing - you can be very clever with your plushie patterns to create soft horns, hooves, musc

For the final post about colors, I'm going over hair color.  Changing your hair color is fun, but can be a challenge depending on your hair type, base color, and goal color.  Not my real hair color! Quick Tips I color my hair frequently, so I've got a few experiences to share. First, let me set up some basic things about hair color.  It's easier to color light-colored hair than darker hair. So, to get a vibrant color, first, a dark-hair person will need to bleach their hair. Bleaching your hair can also cause hair or skin damage. It's better to work with another person. For your first bleach, I recommend getting it done at a salon. You don't need to go to a high-end place, some places will even let you bring your own box of bleach.  Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of the "drug-store box hair color". Not only because I had a rough experience but there's a pretty big challenge coloring your own hair. Having another person to help is good but some

Not all costumes need to be made from scratch! While it may not be the most accurate version of a character and it's likely not going to be allowed at any "official" convention costume contests, you can still enjoy a costumed experience with things you may find while shopping! What is Thrift Store Cosplay? So I made this thing up. It probably has many other names, but it's what I use to describe repurposing clothes, costume parts, jewelry, and toys to create a costume. It requires minimal sewing and maybe just a few tweaks here and there with fabric paints. It's kind of related to the idea of upcycling old clothes you get at a thrift store into something more flashy and fashionable.  Despite the name, this type of cosplay is not restricted to only purchasing clothes or parts from a thrift store. You can consider eBay a thrift store. 😉 While it's not the same as buying a costume in a bag, I will say that repurposing elements from a costume bag still counts.  F

Costumes can get expensive to make the more elaborate you get. I mean when you look at professional grade stuff made from the best materials by the most skilled artists...you know it was probably a bit more than $100. But I believe in the power of creativity! We can make facsimiles of expensive costumes without breaking the bank.  Plan Ahead and Research The best thing you can do is give yourself enough time to work out the difficult parts of the costume before construction. Pre-production is worth while! The research you do should help you find the best solutions, materials and tools to make it work. Giving yourself a long time also with other aspects. (Oddly enough, most of the tips are at their core related to planning ahead and researching.) Write Down Costs So I've been through a few diet programs. Most of them have you record what you're eating and how many calories. I hate doing it, but it does make me realize how many calories I'm taking in within a certain margin o