Closet cosplay

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

There comes a time in every nerd’s life when they get the urge to shirk their responsibilities and step into the life of their favorite fictional character. Sometimes, it’s not enough to watch the show or play the game; we have to be the hero we’ve always admired. When that itch needs scratching, there’s one surefire way to satisfy it: cosplay.

Cosplay is a portmanteau of the words “costume” and “play,” because cosplayers don’t just dress up — they get into character with as much commitment and enthusiasm as any Shakespearean actor. It’s a time-honored tradition among nerds, and the practice dates at least to the 1960s, when Star Trek fans would dress up to host their own conventions.

Though professional cosplayers like Yaya Han can spend hundreds of hours and potentially thousands of dollars on their costumes, all it takes is a needle and thread and a bit of imagination to create memorable cosplay for any convention, renaissance fair or Halloween party.

Sourcing your costume

A promotional picture from BBC’s Merlin. Courtesy photo

Whether you want to transform into a Star Wars alien or a superhero, the costume will more than likely require basic components you already own, like tights or T-shirts. Begin by raiding your closet, looking for anything that might be useful. Even if it’s not quite right, most everyday clothing can be pinned or sewn together with loose, removable stitches to change the shape and style without harming the fabric.

This year, I dressed up as Merlin from BBC’s Merlin for Emerald City Comic Con (see “Back of the Book,” on Page 22). I ransacked my closet and returned with the perfect pair of brown pants but little else.

When the closet has run dry, head to a local thrift store and keep digging. To stay within my budget and donate to a good cause, I went to the Better Together Animal Alliance Thrift Store in search of a brown jacket, red cloth and a shirt I could fashion into a tunic. I found a faux suede jacket ($4), a men’s dress shirt ($2), a belt ($3) and $3-worth of red cloth napkins.

If you’re looking for something unusual — like a cape — keep an eye out for fabric that’s the right color, but otherwise might not exactly suit the costume. Tablecloths, sheets and curtains will work, but if you’re only looking at clothes, try to stick to sizes larger than what you ordinarily wear so you have extra fabric to work with.

If you find something that has the right look, double-check that the fabric is comfortable and easy to work with. Thick fabric like denim will likely require a sewing machine, whereas stretchy fabric like lycra will need specialized stitches or thread to keep it from bunching or tearing. Cotton or cotton blends with polyester or rayon — anything the texture of a T-shirt or stiff dress shirt — will be most straightforward to alter.

If thrift stores fail you, you’re left with two options: ordering off the internet or heading to a fabric store, which could mean a drive to Spokane. The Ponderay Walmart has a handful of

The author in her Merlin costume. Photo by Alex Plant

choices. Still, most fabric stores in our area only carry quilting materials, which will be uncomfortable to wear and usually feature bright colors and patterns.

Once you’ve procured your cloth, you’ll likely need a sewing kit or machine to finish your costume. Most craft stores and supermarkets carry simple sewing kits with a few thread colors. If you’re new to sewing or simply don’t own a machine, head to the Sandpoint branch of the East Bonner County Library to check out a book on sewing or use their available machines. Beginners can reach for Sewing For Dummies or Sewing 101, in addition to the millions of YouTube tutorials.

Bringing it all together

Don’t stress about crafting perfect stitches or sewing at all, if you don’t want to. The simplest stitches will get the job done, and fabric glue, safety pins and tape can do the rest. Since you won’t wear your cosplay as regularly as you would any other piece of clothing, it doesn’t need to be as durable. Plus, you can quickly repair it since you know how it was made.

This is where imagination comes into play.

To make my Merlin tunic, I removed the buttons from an extra-large dress shirt and sewed together the front with a simple running stitch. Then, I put the shirt on backward and inside out and marked with a pencil where I wanted the neckline to fall. I cut off the excess fabric, leaving half an inch around the line I drew, and folded the newly cut edge in on itself before sewing it shut.

Remember to keep your work inside out when sewing together elements so that the seams you create will end up on the inside.

The new tunic was too long and wide in the armpits, so I tailored it to my body shape using the same drawing method. To change the shape of a dress or shirt, put it on and draw or pin lines along the side or back seams, taking in the same amount of fabric on both sides of the garment, if applicable. Sew along the line and cut away the excess fabric, leaving ½ to 1 inch extra to fold over itself and sew together to finish the seam and keep the raw edge from fraying or irritating your skin.

To make things easy. I used the jacket to cover up the seam left at the back of the tunic. The jacket itself was nearly perfect but had a few pocket covers and buttons out of place. I used a seam ripper — a little hooked knife that comes in most sewing kits — and went through stitch by stitch to remove the extra design elements. A pocket knife or thin pair of scissors will also work for this.

Finally, I folded the jacket’s lapels and sewed them shut, frayed the edges of one of my red napkins and safety pinned it around my neck. Tada! 

On the day of the convention, to finish off the look, I added a touch of makeup to make my face look more masculine and sprayed on a can of $8 washable hair dye from a Seattle drugstore. All in all, the costume cost $20, not including the pieces I already owned.

After spending 12 hours straight in costume walking around a convention, there are two things I know for sure about cosplay: always prioritize comfort over style and don’t waste a second thinking about what you could have done better. If you’re having fun, no one will notice a missing detail or a stray thread.