Confessions of a Game-Mistress

Makeup is one of your best investments where a costume is concerned. Here’s my advice concerning ‘theatrical-style’ makeup.

Don’t go cheap. Inexpensive, yes, but there’s a difference. Tubes of makeup are better then the little trays they sell at Wal-Mart for Halloween. If you know what you need and the timing works, stock up at a Halloween store right after when they clearance.

Keep any makeup you get in a cool, dark place. Don’t open it until you’re ready to use it. And if it smells off, it probably is.

When it comes to cloaks you have basically two options, make one or buy one.

On making one - If you choose to make a cloak, you have to sew. Even I can’t avoid sewing forever. Nor am I terrific at explaining how to sew something. But I can point you at people who are good at it.

The simplest.
A bit more complicated.
One of the prettiest.

Storebought patterns - There are some really good ones out there from standard pattern companies in the wake of LotR.

Here’s Simplicity’s - 5794 (for the ladies), 5840 (Unisex cloaks and a really decent Jedi costume), and 9887 (LotR cloaks).

I would be remiss if I didn’t at least point out the Folkwear Kinsale cloak pattern, but it’s neither Cheap or quick. Just in case someone out there gets adventuresome. I have to say it’s gorgeous, and well-drawn. Yum. Want one.

On buying one cheaply - If you’re not a seamstress, let me point out that this is the Halloween season, and some nice cloaks can be had (if you’ve a discerning eye) off the costumes shelf. Pick a real fabric, lined if you can. Stay away from the christmas red lining unless you’re just set on it. Nothing screams Halloween cloak faster. Look for alternate colored linings, or just a nice quality unlined. If you want to make it look better, find a nice trim, and use fabric glue or wonderunder (a iron on fabric fuser) to attach to the edges.

I got a simple black crush-velvet cloak last year after Halloween for a buck. I intend to look for several more this year in the after-holiday sales, and paint them with fabric paint. Different colors too, since I got black last time, I’m looking for red, blue and green.

After attending yet another costume-focused convention, I feel compelled to dig into the costume trunk and see what I can put together. I’ll post costuming ideas, tips, and construction ideas here. As I’m female there may be a bit of bias towards women’s costumes, but many of the things I like to costume are unisex or could be easily adapted.
To kick off the topic, we’ll look at the hardest to fake - footwear.

Here’s what I consider an essential selection of shoes/boots for costuming.

One pair of simple black knee-high boots - one of the hardest to find, in my experience, but useful for so many different costumes it can’t be counted. Star Trek costumes, anything dressy military, etc. A false leather flap-top can be added to make the pirate look right.
Combat boots in basic black - military costuming of any non-formal kind requires them. And they’re pretty comfortable for basic conwear, too, if you get a really nice pair.

Black Mary-Janes - a good fallback for a dressy shoe, and they do well for many other costumes.

A nice pair of simple black pumps - if you need the heel, and you’re masochistic enough to wear dressy shoes at a con, these are de rigueur.

Last, a good pair of high heeled boots in black, for all the femme fatales that wear the ‘b*tch boots’ proudly.

Okay, that’s a good start. And it gives me an idea for the next post - a false fold-over boot-top.