I am Steph. Also known as Aura over at the Galactic Knights. And I like to play dressup. Specifically I play dressup under the respectable facade of being a member of a sci-fi/fantasy cosplay group who dress up in order to raise money for various charities which is all very grown up and commendable. But really we all do it because we're still 5 at heart and like pretty clothes, shiny armour and great, big weapons. With flashing lights.
As my blog title might suggest I'm a little bit... interested in the more revealing costumes. Not too revealing - I am sadly a little old for some of the *ahem* racier stuff, without a lottery win and some serious plastic surgery on bits of my body. But form fitting is fine.
Sooo... how on earth does one get into this sort of thing? Well an interest in scifi/fantasy does help. My specific interest tend towards TV shows and movies. I am not a comic book geek, nor do I have any interest in the manga/anime side of things, although neither will stop me doing a costume I like. Going right back, my lets-play-dressup interest is a decade and a half old with numerous amateur pantomimes under my belt - both as a character and as a costumer (frequently simultaneously). But its about 10 years since I've done that. More recently I coerced my other half into dressing up at SFX Weekender (2) by making him an offer he couldn't refuse in the form of a costume of his favourite ever character - namely John Crichton from Farscape. I did a very rushed Aeryn to match. Neither were fantastic - or even particularly good - but it was fun and the bug bit.
Geoff and I as Crichton & Aeryn
So post SFX we joined up with the Galactic Knights... which I viewed very much as playing with the big boys and girls. Suddenly my 'oh, won't this be an awesome surprise' (OH didn't know about Farscape costumes until we got to the event!) became an 'oh crap how on earth do I get this screen accurate. So I started with.... fun. We decided on Aura and Barim from the 1980s Flash Gordon movie which are very camp, very bright and fun.
Aura and Barim - Movie screenshot
And also a total bitch to make. At the time of writing they're not finished to my satisfaction and I haven't put them in for GK clearance yet, but they have been taken out to play. There we are below :o). There's various things I want to alter and fix - particularly on mine - and will get onto them in the near future.
Aura and Barim - Geoff and I (with Derek Lyons who was a guard in the original movie). Mine does still need a lot of work. Geoff's needs a bit but not as much. I will get it done!
Other imminent costumes for me include Dark Phoenix (the comic book version although I'd like to do the X-Men 3 movie version too) and Poison Ivy, the red costume from Elektra (movie), Bastila Shan (or possible Setele Shan), both from Star Wars games, Witchblade (an often almost-naked comic book character... I plan to use her to learn how to work with latex and moulding!) and Pfeiffer's catwoman (which I will probably commission rather than make myself).
Dark Phoenix (X-Men - comic book version)
I have various bits for this costume. Cold stuff for the gold stuff, a TINY metallic red catsuit, which I really need to lose a little weight to wear. And I already have the hair. It looks just like that, every morning ^_^. I love this picture of Dark Phoenix although in terms of reference is doesn't really show the slightly dark red metallic of her outfit. But it's a cool picture so I'll include it anyway.
Poison Ivy (Batman - comic book version)
Again I've started collecting bits for this. green fabric for her boots and gloves, a green lycra swimsuit to attach to a strapless bra and about 20 foot of silk ivy leaf garlands. I am vaguely aiming at the version below, which is a fun, recognisable version of Poison Ivy without being overly complicated. I am coping to have her completed within two months (so by November 2011)
Bastila/Setele Shan (Star Wars games)
This is more a long term project. It's complicated and probably insanely expensive but has the huge advantage of a double-ended light sabre to play with :p I prefer Setele (no picture) but Bastila will be easier to get accurate. I do vaguely feel as though I ought to HAVE a Star Wars costume of some variety as the Galactic Knights do a LOT of Star Wars costuming. And sometimes fitting in with the rest of the crowd is useful :o)
Witchblade - comic book character.
This will just be FUN. I am not entirely certain I'd have the balls to wear it out in public without copious amounts of alcohol but I do want to try it just for the challenge. It will have to be a moulded stuff and latex build I think and I've bought a few books which cover some subjects to read up on it. I can already sculpt to a degree which I think will help but have never used latex before. I'm vaguely aiming her completion for SFX Weekender 4 in 2014. She has innumerable different getups ranging from pretty much naked to fully armoured. I need to find one which satisfies my mischievous need for jaw-dropping whilst staying on the side of public decency ^_^. Witchblade
Elektra (Movie character)
Having recently watched the movie, it appears it sucks a lot less if you're not a comic book geek. I've read a lot of reviews complaining about how much she deviates from the original character but with no preconceptions it was an OK movie. Not brilliant, but OK. And that red outfit is kind of awesome and it's rather a shame she didn't wear it every second of the entire movie. It's a much brighter red than the promo shots though.
Other
I really want to do a D&D-type drow. Specifically a good drow. A follower of Eilistraee type drow. I have a soft spot for the Forgotten Realms novels which were pretty much my first introduction to pulp fantasy way back when I was 16 or so. But mainly I want to see if I can do a drow that doesn't look like a blacked-out combat soldier (I have seen pictures of drow done VERY well. And I've also seen pictures of appallingly poor drow). For this I am developing an interest in leatherworking and the details shall remain secret. But she will be fun! And she is being debuted at SFX Weekender 3, all going to plan (which I am not going to as a GK member and thus accuracy to an existing character isn't important in the slightest. This is my play-and-create costume and I am very excited about it :o)
