Modesty's Costume Closet

Everything came together! Lookit how cute he is! The eyes are very expressive and show up so well on camera. It is inconvenient to put on. But my korin belts helped Made with elastic, a plastic slide, and pacifier clips.  Here's the turn around of the outfit.    Here's how I hide my arm to manipulate the puppet.  I stuffed an opera glove I had and safety pinned it to the sleeve of the hanjuban. Then I pinned the sleeve and hand to Goro's backside.  And here's what it's like all together. Some close-ups of Goro: 

Even though I started this costume back in April, it feels like I'm down to the wire on this. My time perception is so dumb sometimes. There are only a few more things to do.  1. The Mask + Kimono Got the kimono pretty much done.  The Kitsune Mask is painted and sealed with varnish. I added the macrame cord and elastic and the wisteria resin charm.  Fixed the nose! 2. Goro Puppet I've had my head down with the puppet for the past couple weeks. It's coming along! I attached the ears AND made the front paws. Fixed the body girth and added stuffing here and there. I need to fix one of the arms that's gone a bit wonky. BUT I think the claws on the front paws came out very cute! And the head looks so nice with the ears on.  I attached the head to the neck and closed up a few more seams. Made a few mistakes that I'm going to cover with extra fluff. 😅 I'm still fiddling with the stomach opening for my hand and I need to make the tails. I think that will be my goal for

 It's doooo~oone! Gonna get'chu! So I will say, it's not very comfy to wear the head, so I'll wear the full costume only for pictures, but the effect is amazing!  Here are some more pics of it.  I'm not going to use the extensions despite the coolness.

 🎃 Halloween creeps up quicker than we like! We are halfway through September, and that means all the stores are finally displaying their spooky supplies.  This year for Halloween, I'm going for a scary costume, the wendigo or not-deer inspired costume that will also be a stash buster. While I have made some purchases for the costume, most of it will be made from leftover scraps from other projects.  3D Printed Parts The 3D printed parts include:  Skull Mask Claws Antlers + Headband Raven skull necklace These have all been printed and assembled for the most part. The mask has elastic on it to keep it on, the antlers detach from the headband so it can be easier to insert them through the fur hood. I'm using tiny rubber bands to help keep the claws on my gloves.  Boots I ended up purchasing these boots from ChaosCostumes . The hoof size compared to my 3D printed buck is much larger. Safety matters! The shoe is a tad too big, so I have purchased some heel pads and a detachable an

 As we grow as a society and as our exposure to other cultures increases, the question of whether or not we can wear another culture's traditional costume becomes a sensitive subject. Most of us want to avoid the cultural faux pas of wearing a costume that offends a majority of people! So, how does one navigate these tricky waters?  What are we trying to Avoid? I think going into this, we want to consider what may be wrong with wearing a costume from another culture:  Showcase our Ignorance Encourage Negative Stereotypes Portray a Caricature  Reducing or Mocking a Culture Display Arrogance Lack of Empathy In our day and age of information access, ignorance of a culture is no longer an acceptable excuse...past a certain age. Admittedly, children under a certain level of maturity do not have the capacity to grasp important historical realities for other people. They grow into it. And I think the current generation of parents are more culturally sensitive than previous ones and are th

 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