The Singing Costumer

  Pirates of the Caribbean has always been a favorite movie franchise of mine. To me, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is one of the most quotable movies of all time, second only to The Princess Bride. Every single line is iconic. While this isn’t specifically a PotC cosplay, it is in the spirit of these films. For this look, I was a bit inspired by Will Turner in the 3rd movie. For the vest, I used Simplicity 4923, a long-out-of-print Captain Jack Sparrow pattern. (There also happens to be a Stede Bonnet lookalike on the pattern. It’s just a coincidence, since Our Flag Means Death wouldn’t be released for many years after this pattern was printed. I do so love OFMD.) I sewed this vest years ago, so I don’t remember much about the construction. But I think it was fairly simple to make. There are ties in the back to adjust the size when needed. I have no memory of where I got the fabric or the fiber content. The front of the vest is made of a different fabric t...

  I am getting back into comic conventions this year, after the blip. My roommate is a huge Lord of the Rings fan. She has had tickets to meet the actors behind the four main hobbits. I have known that this photo op would be happening for months and months. Years, really. They had to cancel their appearances for the last two years. So naturally, I waited to make a costume until the week before. Oops. My roommate and I scoured thrift stores for several hours, trying to find me something appropriately Hobbit-like. At the first store we visited, I found a pink wool size 4 shell blouse. Now, I am not a size 4 any more. But I couldn’t resist it for just $1.  I cut i down the front and down the back. For the front, I wanted some decorative elements. I found some coordinating materials in my stash and set to work. I added an extra strip of fabric down the front to add some room. Then, I topstitched a triangle panel on top to cover that mess. Then, I added some ribbon for some faux la...

  I wasn’t originally planning to blog about this costume. I didn’t sew a single thing shown here. But I decided I would take this opportunity to write about a topic near and dear to my heart; thrift store cosplays. Thrift stores can be a treasure trove of specific and interesting items, found nowhere else. The wide variety of random stuff that one can find there is astonishing. And of course, the prices are usually reasonable. (Although I’ve heard of stores in some bigger cities that are raising prices.) And also, thrift stores are sometimes affiliated with charities that are supported with the proceeds. Not to mention that it is much more sustainable and environmentally conscious to buy used. Overall, thrifting is my favorite way to shop, for cosplay or for daily wear clothes. The one downside I’ve found to thrift store cosplays is the time investment required. Often, it’s a matter of stalking different thrift stores over a period of time to find a specific item needed. Each trip...