Our friend in the tag, Osendam, needs a Mr. Terrific jacket. That’s fantastic.

Mr. Terrific is, in the DC world, one of the smartest three humans on Earth. He shares the top tier with Batman and Lex Luthor. He’s just a great guy: Olympian, genius, martial artist, widower, big brother, and inventor. He took up the Fair Play mantle of the Golden Age Mr. Terrific in hopes of making life a bit more fair. He plays fair, he fights fair, and he leads fair. Mr. Terrific, aka Michael Holt, has served as leader of the J.S.A. and current White King of Checkmate. Oi, Checkmate. Anyway….he’s a great good guy because he’s a regular guy, he’s not magic nor meta nor alien, and because he’s a terrific role model.

How will Osendam make the costume? Well, I’d start by looking for an inexpensive motorcycle jacket (or fabric jacket). I think that’s the best way to go. If you have the funds to get a nice jacket, you may be able to find one that is two or three color just like Mr. Terrific’s. Then I would use a leather appropriate paint to customize the jacket. You can always start from scratch. Pick up a pattern from the fabric store and start sewing. There are several reputable leather sellers online. A word of caution: sewing leather is tricky. You’ll need a good sewing machine and the proper needles. Do some research before you start if you choose to make your own.

If you get frustrated, remember it’s possible.

Tweet This Post

I love reading your questions in the shoutbox. Last week’s questions included a subject I know very little about. I’ve done some searching and I think I have an answer for JacobFan. Laura Ingalls was covered before, but I see no reason why I can’t go over it again. It’s obviously a popular costume. Lastly I’ll cover Lady Godiva. Read the Shoutbox answers.

Tweet This Post

She-Hulk is a formidable character. She’s a strong, intelligent, capable woman. I like She-Hulk. I could never be She-Hulk though as I’m too short. That doesn’t mean I can’t do a little research for you so you can be She-Hulk.

The first step is to decide which version of She-Hulk you want to be. You can be the big green hero or the big green lawyer. If you want to be the hero you need to pick a costume. When I think of She-Hulk, I picture the white and purple leotard. Jennifer at Becoming She-Hulk chose the Fantastic Four version. It’s up to you.

Let’s start with the lawyer as this is doable without body paint (your choice). You’ll need a business suit, green gloves and green tights, green wig, and green makeup. So that the greens will be similar, I suggest buying them a company that specializes in colored accessories. If you opt to dye them yourself, be aware that different fabrics take the dye at different intensities. Next apply the green makeup to your face and neck. This can be accomplished with standard cream makeup. Blend the green with another color, like white, to match the color of your gloves and tights. Use a sponge applicator and set the makeup with translucent powder. The last step is putting on your wig. You need a long hair green wig. Wigs cannot be dyed. However, they can be sprayed with temporary hair color. Doing so will make the fibers stiff. If a wig is outside your budget, use the spray color on your own hair.

All other forms of She-Hulk require body paint or a full body unitard. Body paint requires another set of hands to apply it to the hard-to-reach areas. I’ve searched the Cosplay forums looking for the best body paint. Reading everyone’s opinions and looking at their costume results, I’m going to recommend Aquacolor. I have no first hand knowledge of body paint, but this seems to have consistent results and easy application. There are liquid paints for use in air brush guns if you’d prefer. Also consider using a setting spray.

Her costume is a purple and white leotard. She wears purple fingerless gloves and purple and white athletic shoes. The no-sew option is to buy a zipper front leotard then paint it the appropriate colors. Spandex cannot be dyed at home so paint must be used. Look for paints that won’t crack with the stretch of the spandex. Otherwise you can use a bathing suit or dance pattern to sew a purple and white leotard. Buy a pair of $1 purple gloves and cut out the fingers. Some costumers wear colored gloves instead of paint on their hands. Test the makeup on your arm or leg to get the application down and to find out how well it holds up to movement.

If you’re adventurous, you can use liquid latex. A few costumers at Cosplay use latex instead of body paint. Research which method fits your budget. She-Hulk will be an impressive costume. Good luck!

Tweet This Post

Ah, the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Rocky Horror Show. Lots of great costume possibilities and crazy characters. Check local listings for special Halloween showings and regular monthly events. The audience participation makes for a memorable experience. Neither the movie or musical is for kids.

I’m not sure what you mean, Guest 3204. I don’t have any Columbia costumes since I don’t sell costumes. Do I know where to find a Columbia costume? Right here. The costume you’re most likely to find is the satin shorts, sequined bustier, and top hat. If you want one of her other costumes from the movie, you’ll have to assemble it on your own. Or you can do your interpretation of Columbia. When theaters put on Rocky Horror shows, they often put their own artistic (costuming) spin on the characters. Why can’t you?

Let’s see, her other costumes include the mouse ears and men’s pajamas, lab apron with mask, and the floor show lingerie. Make sure your mouse ears don’t have a logo or embroidered name. The apron is worn over the bustier and shorts. Instead of a bow tie, she is now wearing a small dog collar. I’m at a lost for the mask. I don’t know where you’d find one. On to the floor show: panties, corset, fishnets, boa, and glove. You’ll need one red sequined gauntlet. Columbia’s corset is tied at the top. Basic black corset with sequins along the top edges and some along the bottom. Look for the red scrunchy garters at lingerie stores. The boa is the trickiest part of her floor show costume. I’m not aware of any black, red, and yellow tulle boas on the market. Look around, you never know where you’ll find one. Worst case: you make it yourself.

The makeup. Columbia has pencil thin eyebrows. This will require you to cover your eyebrows (I assume you don’t want to remove your eyebrows). One way it to smooth down your eyebrows using spirit gum. Brush your eyebrows down then cover with the first coat of spirit gum. Let this dry completely for about 4 minutes. Press down on your eyebrows to make sure they’re flat and add another coat. Use your discretion with the number (about 4) of spirit gum layers (brow wax, appliances, and latex are other options). Once the eyebrows feel and look smooth, you can begin to add the makeup. Powder is a good start and will help the makeup set. Use a base that is one color lighter than normal, or concealer, for the first coat. Then use you normal base to blend the eyebrow to your skin color. Stipple on another round of powder. Lastly, draw on the curved eyebrow. Once you’ve applied the rest of your makeup, set everything with more powder. You don’t need to buy expensive spirit gum remover. Baby oil should do just fine.

Powder is important. Never forget it!

And you simply cannot go without the big gaudy fake eyelashes.

Mouse Ears: Magical Memories, Treasure Kingdom,
A Pinch of Pixie Dust.

Check out the RHPS livejournal for more help from a community of Rocky costume lovers and performers.

We’d love to see pictures of you dressed as Columbia.

Tweet This Post

I’m pleased that so many of you are using the shoutbox to ask questions about costumes. Today’s post is about answering some of those questions.

Last week I covered the question of Wendy Watson. Since then, I’ve been searching stores for the green vest and have failed to find anything other than charcoal or black. Perhaps you could find one of the black ones on clearance for less than $10 (similar price of a pattern). Take apart the vest and use it as a pattern for a green Wendy vest. Good luck.

On to the scrappy Laura Ingalls Wilder. I wore a calico dress when I was ten and played pioneer girl and young Annie Oakley. Here are a few nice patterns from Simplicity and McCall’s that can be used to make a Laura-style dress. You can keep it simple with just the dress or add a cotton pinafore. Look for calico patterns with small flowers. To play the Mrs. Wilder version, use a similar adult pattern or put together a conservative blouse with a cameo and skirt. Wear your hair in a period adult style like a braided bun. If sewing isn’t your thing, hit the western wear store nearest you and ask for suggestions on where to look for a prairie dress.

Looks like Jem is next in the tag. I found a commercial costume available. It’s not cartoon accurate, but it’ll work if you want ready-to-wear. CandyApple Costumes has some fun rocker wigs. Check out the cartoon wardrobe for costume ideas for Jem and the other characters. Jem’s memorable concert attire is a pink wrap dress. That should be an easy pattern to find and sew. Get your friends together to round out the Holograms, the Misfits, and the Stingers. Don’t forget to have a Rio. Nothing like a purple-haired man to up your 80s cool factor.

The human piñata is a great idea, Guest_3348. I’ve pondered this a bit. Party stores carry wigs that are made of paper or plastic strips. Usually they come in mascot colors like yellow, green, or blue and marketed on the sports fan aisle. Its a great example of wig possibilities. Pick up a cheap bald cap and glue strips of construction paper to it. I worry tissue paper is too weak to hold up for long periods of wear. As for the mask, I don’t recommend gluing paper, tissue or construction, to your face. Craft stores sell mask blanks. Use the blank as a base for the piñata mask. Since some piñatas are made of paper mache, the paper mache method would also work for a mask. Finish the paper mache mask with markers or paint.

Last up for today is another person in need of a Dr. Horrible costume. Before Dragon Con I posted a quick how-to. Queza7 wrote a detailed sewing how-to by modifying a Matrix jacket pattern. PJ Otaku left a helpful comment.

Keep the questions coming. I’m having fun and I hope you are too.

Tweet This Post