Chansey Gijinka - Photographs

When: March 2014
Where: Portland, OR

Friends and I were looking through Cowslip's drawings of pokemon in human form (called gijinka) when I fell in love with her Chansey design and had to give it a go. It was only for a small local event and I managed to get the costume done in a week. I loved making it but was sad that no one recognised the design, and even more depressed after because no one came to talk to me about the costume and the photos I got of it weren't very good.

I had to change the design a little because of time restraints and the fact that the proportions on the design compared to a real human body didn't quite work the same way. But I tried to get it as accurate as I could. I also didn't have a sewing machine at the time so the entire thing was made by hand.

You can see the construction for this costume here

Lara Croft - Tomb Raider I - Photographs

When: March 2014

Where: University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
Photos by Meltopian (who also makes amazing AMVs)

This costume was so much fun to do! I really do prefer the smaller convention/parties as people just seem so much more friendlier and willing to chat about costumes. That and I know I'd get a lot of fat comments at large conventions >_< At least I fear I would.

You can see the construction for this costume here.

Shiki Ryougi - Kara no Kyoukai - Photographs

When: March 2014

Where: Minami Con 2014, Southampton, UK

Photographs by ManyLemons and Locke

I was actually really annoyed when I wore this costume. I was really unhappy with how the whole thing looked, and it was a really warm day, which meant I couldn't wear the juban otherwise I'd die. It was bad enough having to wear the jacket. I had also had a problem with the wig and it wouldn't go in the style that I wanted it to. So my first few shots in the studio taken by Nert were really bad. I just wasn't feeling the character or the costume and I looked soooo bad. So I didn't include the ones by Nert below.

My friend Locke who is an amazing photograph took some great shots, and he was kind enough to edit them for me so they actually came out looking fairly decent. These are the photos below.

I don't think I'll ever wear this costume again though.

You can see the construction for it here.

Photographs

Furisode Girl Lienna (Pokemon Trainer) - Photographs

When: March 2014

Where: Minami Con 2014, Southampton, UK

Photographs by ManyLemons

I have to admit I have never played Pokemon X or Y. This was because recently I've bought the games and then never had time to play them. But I loved the character design for this pokemon trainer and decided to try doing her costume as it seemed like a fun challenge!

I was a little annoyed because I didn't realise until after that my fringe was facing the wrong way. Also the lighting made my skin really shiny and the costume looked a lot brighter than it was. I wish I had photoshop -_-

I wore a petticoat under the skirt to give it some volume, and I tied the obi in a regular bow as there were no references for what her obi looks like in the pictures. I also made earrings using the same fabric for the obi.

You can see the construction for this cosplay here.

Saki Morimi - Eden of the East (Closet Cosplay) Photographs

When: March 2014

Where: MinamiCon
Photos by ManyLemons

Eden of the East was an anime that I was really looking forward to when it started. Then the ending happened...and then the movies... But the start of the series was a lot of fun and I really fell in love with the main female Saki.

I'd been wanting to do a cosplay of her for a while but didn't have the time to make all the stuff. This was the fist time I'd made a costume by buying all the components. You can't see in these pics but I actually got the pink turtleneck as well. Unfortunately the coat I got was a really bright red where as her original is quite dark. I think if I wear this costume again I will dye the coat a darker red and re-take the photos.

The great thing about this costume is that I can wear it out any time I want to and it won't look out of the ordinary. Yay closet cosplay!

Reference Picture:

Photographs:

Tess Cosplay

Tess from Jak II & III

When: October 2013

Where: London Expo / ComicCon

This costume didn't come out too bad, and I was surprised at how many people actually recognised it! I was a bit disappointed at the lack of pictures I have of it though.

If I were to do this again I'd improve the ears and make the gloves (I didn't have time to before the con)

Horo Cosplay II - Photographs

Horo from Spice and Wolf

Where: London MCM Expo / London ComicCon
When: October 2011

Horo (which some people pronounce Holo) is one of my favourite characters from the novel turned anime/manga Spice and Wolf (狼と香辛料). She's a boisterous old wolf goddess who hires the help of a merchant to get back to her homelands. I love her because she's such a strong female character with her soft spot and she talks like an old Japanese lady, hahaha!

This was the second time I did this costume and I mostly improved it by buying a new wig to match her fur and original hair colour. The annoying thing was I forgot her sack of wheat the second time, and I didn't get as many photogaphs taken. I would like to do this again at some point soon and get some good photographs with the complete costume.

First set of Horo Photos

Horo Cosplay Construction

Jade Cosplay II - Photographs

Where: London MCM Expo / London Comic Con
When: May 2012

I mentioned that I had done this cosplay a few time in my previous post and this was the second, and most successful one. I decided to improve on the costume making the menu computer on her side look a little more real, and I completely re-did the trousers so the patter and fit would work better. The only thing was I didn't realise until after that I had the strap around the wrong way! Grrr. I'm hoping to loose some weight again and do this costume again, improving it even more! This is the one costume I want to get 100% correct! And I'm hoping one day to make a DomZ or Double H armour for my boyfriend.

Jade Cosplay - Photographs

Where: MinamiCon, Southampton, UK
When: March 2012

This character is from the game Beyond Good and Evil, which was developed in 2003 as a trilogy for the PS2 but due to lack to funding for advertising when it was released it didn't sell well. But it is an amazing game that now has cult status which means the game is perhaps getting its well deserved squeals made.

And I love the main character Jade (another strong female role), and this is one of my favourite costumes of all time. I love it so much I did twice! Well technically three times, but the third time was 2 years after I'd worn it the first time and I'd put on so much weight the costume didn't fit properly. Needless to say I have no photos for that one because it was such a train-wreck. These are the photographs from the first time at MinamiCon

Ookami-san Cosplay - Photographs

When: August 2011
Where: AyaCon

Ookami-san from Ookami-san to shichinin no nakama-tachi (オオカミさんと七人の仲間たち) is a strong interdependent character with a big temper. Even though not many people recognised the costume I loved making it and cosplaying her. 

Photos taken by the awesome Nert at ManyLemons.co.uk

You can see the progress and construction images of this costume on Ookami Cosplay Construction.

I like this screen cap ^-^ It signifies perfectly the relationship between the two of them at the beginning of the series. We also have Ryoushi (cosplayed by the amazing Steve -character in white shirt) and Tarou (cosplayed by the flouncy Andrew -character in black shirt).

Horo Cosplay - Spice and Wolf - Photographs

Where: AyaCon, UK
When: August 2011

Horo (which some people pronounce Holo) is one of my favourite characters from the novel turned anime/manga Spice and Wolf (狼と香辛料). She's a boisterous old wolf goddess who hires the help of a merchant to get back to her homelands. I love her because she's such a strong female character with her soft spot and she talks like an old Japanese lady, hahaha!

I put my foot in it for this costume though because I put it up for the masquerade and cosplay competition! It was the first time I'd ever entered a costume into a competition and although I didn't win anything the judges said it was a well done and accurate costume.

You can see the construction images of this costume on Horo Cosplay Construction.

Photographs by Nert at ManyLemons, who is a UK convention cosplay photographer.

Horo Photographs

Macross Frontier Cosplay - Photographs

When: November 2010
Location: Osaka, Japan

This was my first time in Japan cosplaying, not only that but crossplaying (cosplaying someone of the opposite gender). I did Alto from Macross Frontier while my friends did Ranka and Sheryl. These photos were taken by Kuro-Hitsuji-san who is an ammeter Cosplay photographer with awesome professional who made even my bad cosplay look awesome! Needless to say I won't try cosplaying a guy ever again.

Funny story about the wig actually. I almost got one the right colour and for some reason I let the shop assistant convince me otherwise! And then when I tried to cut the wig and style it it went horribly wrong. I almost didn't cosplay at all. But I'm really glad I did. Even if I look aweful it was a great day out.

Reference Images

Ranka

Alto

Sheryl

Photographs

Simca from Air Gear Cosplay - Photographs

When: October 2009
Where: London MCM Expo (now called London ComicCon)


I did this costume with a group of my cosplaying friends and it's one of my favourites. I really enjoy the manga for Air Gear (haven't touched the anime with a barge pole) so the costume had to be based on the manga. I put tons of research into doing a sailor costume and worked really hard on painting the trouser leg. It turned out a lot better than I was expecting it to! I'm particularly proud because I made everything in this costume, from the hat to the trousers (obviously not the skates or the wig though).

I didn't take any progress pics for this costume.

Reference Pictures

This was practically the only reference picture I used. This and other images from the manga.

Photographs

Unfortunately spending a day skating around in the wind resulted in the wig getting very, very tangled.

Nausicaa Cosplay - Photographs

When: October 2009
Where: London MCM Expo (now called London ComicCon)

I love Ghibli so when a friend suggested cosplaying characters from it I jumped at the chance. I chose Nausicaa because I probably looked the most like her (she's not petit) and because I love blue. The costume itself wasn't that hard to do and I had a lot of fun making it. It was probably my first successful cosplays that I'd made so I'm still proud of it. The only problem was that I didn't practice posing so I look way too serious in all the photos when actually she's a very happy bubbly person.

I also wanted to make a prop with it so I made her flare gun. I got a lot of people saying "Nausicaa doesn't have a gun" (imitates pretentious voice). I'm guessing they'd never seen the film or read the manga where she clearly has a flare gun for the majority of the beginning.

The only thing I wasn't able to do were the gloves and her hat. I tried making a hat but it turned out too small, and I didn't have time to do the gloves. Note to self - I need to give myself more time before cons to get the entire costume done right. (More often than not I end up wearing the entire costume together on the day of the con...)


I didn't take any progress pictures of this costume unfortunately...

 Reference Pics

Photographs