 |
Sakura
Con - Saturday - Costuming Tips
 Costumers work
hard on the elaborate outfits that fans enjoy at anime conventions, but
those very complicated costumes can be intimidating to people who are considering
the hobby. Melissa Quinn, who makes costumes and sells then through her
Faerie Fingers web site, also sells patterns. It takes some cutting and
sewing to finish those patterns, but what if you think you're too fumble-fingered
to handle that sort of thing? Quinn had some advice and patterns on how
to make the simplest of costumes... |
 ...the black,
hooded robe worn by Larva in Vampire Princess Miyu. This is the entire
pattern: two sections of cloth, a backing at the top and the outer shell
at the bottom. The rectangular extension at the bottom of the lower piece
makes the hood. Drape the cloth over you, find a white mask and you've
created an anime costume that's as simple as you can get. There's a reason
for the backing; costume designers call it "interfacing," extra fabric
that gives an outfit extra definition and shape. |
 Some anime
costumers like to make all of their outfits from satin or similar shiny
fabric, but Quinn said that can look unrealistic. She suggests searching
for more natural fabrics in completing an outfit. Costumers spend hours
sewing, but an iron can be an equally important tool, to get textures and
pleats that define a costume. (Yes, there are $100 irons, costumers say,
and those expensive items are that much better than the department store
cheapies.) |
|
