hebecosplay - Tumblr blog

[hebecosplay]

Always needed for me..

Beginner’s Guide to Sewing (Ep 20): Bust Adjustments

Welcome back to the Beginner’s Guide to Sewing! In the last episode of our series, we’re moving on to bust adjustments. These are crucial to learn, but they are notoriously difficult to teach yourself. That’s where we come in.

Tutorial by:  Sewing Parts Online  Tutorial Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuaZZRiM-n4

[hebecosplay]

And that was Warsaw Comic Con done. So wish I really started earlier in doing cosplay as I enjoyed it so much! And I had a little girl asking for a photo with me!! Highlight of the day!

I really need to practice posing though as the below picture will show.. it was pretty bright as well hence the squinted eyes.. But it does look like I am an alien race with my light blue eyes...

On this occasion I created my own character from the Star Wars universe. My own version of a Mirialan smuggler/rebel. Everything but the red top and gloves (and wig ofcourse) were made by myself including the jacket. The wig was bought in Etsy and I cut a little length off and cut bangs in it the night before the con..

Little close up on the face. I had some frustrations in the morning as the paint kept streaking, as I bought Mehron Paradise AQ (highly recommended) I quickly looked up an application video.. and realised i was doing it wrong.. Lesson learned.. I was running out of time so the contouring is not fully to my liking, but next time I guess..

Now that this is done, on to concentrate on Cerys an Craite from Withcher 3 :D

[hebecosplay]

It’s Warsaw Comic Con tomorrow!! Well it started on Thursday, but I am going tomorrow. I have created my own character from Star Wars and ofcourse you have to have a gun.. Check out how I made a cheap toy gun into a Star Wars Prop gun!

So this is what I started out with. It had 3 led lights in the green parts and the most annoying sound.

Luckily this cheap gun came with a plethora of screws (HINT: if you don’t want to loose the screws use a zip lock bag!) You can see all the wiring here. I simply cut the top and bottom led off and cut the wires to the speaker.

TIP: take a close up of things you bet you will forget once take apart. Making sure how the trigger connects to the switch.

All primed and ready.. Yes my primer is white.. It is just a good primer...

And the finished product. I forgot to take a picture before the weathering.. Think it looks pretty good. The light shows through the red paint so I can imagining it shooting red lasers!!

[hebecosplay]

More work on my Star Wars Original Character. First time making something without frankensteining a pattern. Warsaw Comic Con is next week!! Still need to style the wig and repaint the toy gun.. As the belt is quite wide, I wanted some support. As the budget is minimum, I resorted to tie-wraps.. Four cut to size and taped together..

I’m going to have a smaller belt over it to attach pouches and such so I made belt loops.

Stitching something that small made the lines a bit wobbly.. oh well.. And attached to the belt:

Now to figure out the holster for the toy gun and attach it to the belt. Seam all around and not forget to put in the ‘bones’. 

[hebecosplay]

So I made a pair of wide palazzo trousers out of bi-stretch for my Star Wars original character.. Really need to iron them but they after being stuck in a box during the move, it isn’t that much..

Not 100% percent happy with he top of the trousers near the zipper, but I am more used to sewing lycra type fabrics.. 

I am planning on a Mirialan bounty hunter type, Next to sort is a bustier/corset type top, a holster belt, and repaint a nerf gun..

[hebecosplay]

I’m in!

Carrie was an utter gift.

[hebecosplay]

I have 2 handles, but Hebe is my longest game character name. When I wanted to sign up for the MUD Ragnarok back in 1995 I had to decide on a name and this was in one of the last books I read that was situated in Greece. Later I found out it is also the Greek Goddess of Youth.. 

“The world’s gonna know your name… What’s your name, man?”

Coming up with a good cosplay handle can be a lot harder than you might think! If you’ve been struggling to think of a name by which to call yourself, I’ve got a new video out with a bunch of helpful tips to help you brainstorm!

[hebecosplay]

reblogging for my own reference as I will never find it again ofcourse

The Big List of Sewing References

Over the past two years or so I’ve collected a fair amount of sewing references and tutorials, applicable to both cosplay and regular garment sewing. They’ve helped me out a lot, so I thought other people might benefit from them too!

Basics/General

Sewing vocabulary http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/p/glossary.html

About patterns (reading, altering, drafting) http://chicostume.org/handouts/Pattern_Reading.html

Introduction to patterns http://www.sewmamasew.com/2008/05/patterns-demystified/

About thread tension http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4302/understanding-thread-tension

About interfacing http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2012/03/interfacing-insights-from-fashion.html

How to gather fabric http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/gatherfabrictutorial.htm

Preparations

How to pre-shrink wool http://off-the-cuff-style.blogspot.com/2010/08/tutorial-pre-shrink-woolfast-and-easy.html

Cutting slippery fabrics with tissue paper http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2013/04/cutting-slippery-fabrics-with-tissue.html

Comparison of steel and spiral boning http://www.foundationsrevealed.com/articles/free/intermediate/99-experimenting-with-steel-boning-by-jenni-hampshire

Time-saving trick for a boned bodice muslin http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2013/04/time-saving-trick-for-boned-bodice.html

Darts

About darts http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2011/01/get-smart-with-darts.html

How to French seam a dart http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/tricks-of-trade-french-seam-dart.html

Tailoring, Altering, and Fitting

How to fit pants http://www.coletterie.com/sewalongs/the-colette-patterns-pants-fitting-cheatsheet

About swayback alterations http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2010/12/sway-back-alterations-my-analysis.html

About tailored jackets http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2011/03/anatomy-of-tailored-jacket.html

How to tailor a coat front part 1 http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/10/tailoring-your-coat-front-part-one.html

Part 2 http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/10/tailoring-your-coat-front-part-two.html

Part 3 http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/10/tailoring-your-coat-front-part-three.html

How to remove gaping from the neckline of a fitted dress http://bernieandi.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/pattern-alterations-how-to-remove-gaping-or-excess-fabric-from-neckline-of-a-fitted-dress/

Finishing Seam Allowances

How to finish seam allowances (without Serging) http://www.craftstylish.com/item/41979/try-these-techniques-for-perfectly-beautiful-seams

How to do a Hong Kong seam binding http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/hong-kong-binding-seam-finish

Turned and stitched finished seam allowances (my personal favorite method) http://sewaholic.net/seam-finishes-turned-and-stitched/

French seams http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2010/03/tricks-of-trade-easy-french-seams.html

 Linings

Easy lining http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4971/a-shortcut-to-great-linings

Lining a sleeveless dress http://stitchywitch.wordpress.com/2010/06/21/tutorial-lining-a-sleeveless-dress/

Sleeves

How to draft a simple band sleeve http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2011/11/drafting-simple-band-sleeve.html

How to sew a tulip sleeve http://sewchicpatterns.blogspot.com/2011/04/make-your-own-tulip-sleeve-tutorial.html

How to sew a two piece underarm gusset http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2012/01/how-to-sew-two-piece-underarm-gusset.html

How to sew kimono sleeve gussets http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/kimono-sleeve-gussets.html

More on sewing kimono sleeve gussets http://didyoumakethat.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/kimono-sleeve-gussets/

Zippers

How to sew an invisible zipper http://www.clevernesting.com/2009/06/invisible-zipper-tutorial-from-whipstitch/

Invisible zipper tutorial http://www.coletterie.com/tutorials-tips-tricks/tutorial-installing-an-invisible-zipper

Another invisible zipper tutorial http://byhandlondon.com/2012/06/21/inserting-an-invisible-zipper-the-definitive-tutorial/

How to do a hand-picked zipper http://sewaholic.net/a-hand-picked-zipper-progress-on-the-picnic-dress/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Sewaholic+%28Sewaholic.net+Newsletter%29

Hems

About hems http://www.sewmamasew.com/2010/06/all-about-hems/

How to mitre a folded hem http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2010/03/tricks-of-trade-mitre-folded-hem.html

How to hem an inverted pleat http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/tricks-of-trade-how-to-hem-inverted.html

How to sew a hand-rolled hem http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/getting-all-couture-y-hand-rolled-hem.html

How to sew an invisible hem http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/tricks-of-trade-sewing-invisible-hem.html

 Odds and Ends

Circle skirt calculator http://pattythesnugbug.com/2011/circle-skirt-calculator-for-the-drafting-of-full-half-and-34-skirts-with-bonus-grading-worksheet/

Half circle skirts http://makingthings.andreatung.com/2009/07/circle-skirts-part-2.html

How to sew a full, gathered skirt part 1 http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2009/08/sew-full-gathered-skirt-part-one-make.html

Part 2 http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2009/08/make-this-skirt-part-two-of-gathered.html

How to make a half slip http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2009/07/make-vintage-inspired-half-slip-no.html

How to bind neck and armholes with bias tape http://suchtreasures.com/2008/06/14/applying-bias-tape-at-neckline-and-armhole-curves-as-binding/

Covered button tutorial http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/02/covered-button-tutorial.html

Bound buttonhole tutorial http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/10/bound-buttonhole-tutorial.html

Finishing bound buttonholes http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/10/finishing-your-bound-buttonholes.html

How to make belts http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com/2011/03/beltmaking-101/

How to do ruffles http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2009/08/ruffles.html

How to do a convertible collar http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2011/01/tricks-of-trade-convertible-collars.html

Shaping a shirt collar http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2013/03/shaping-shirt-collar.html

Lace/eyelet collar tutorial http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2013/07/sewing-lace-or-eyelet-collar.html

Cutting checks and plaids, part 1 http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/cutting-checks-and-plaids-part-1.html

Part 2 http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/cutting-checks-or-plaids-part-2.html

How to sew checks/plaids to match perfectly http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/sewing-checks-magic-pat-trick.html

How to attach bias tape with mitered corners http://sewtospeak.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-attach-bias-tape-with-mitered.html

How to use Swarovski crystals http://www.edelweisspatterns.com/blog/?p=2219

How to sew a 50s petticoat http://www.edelweisspatterns.com/blog/?p=850

Horsehair braid tutorial http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/06/magic-of-horsehair-braid-little.html

How to sew with velvet http://www.fashion-era.com/velvets/velvet_sewing_tips.htm

How to make felt roses http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2012/03/easy-felt-roses-tutorial-with-video.html

How to do a foundation for a fascinator hat http://hatstruck.blogspot.com/2010/02/fundations-for-my-cocktailfacinator.html

More tutorials http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/p/tricks-of-trade.html

[hebecosplay]

So excited! I received some fabrics I ordered from the UK for my Cerys an Craite cosplay. The (fake) leather is a tad dark but we can work with that.. distressing should make it look better. Now to hunt for the quilted fabric of her jacket and all the buckles.. Time to get out the pattern and start looking how much worbla I need for the shoulder armour

Now to save up for the wig and wefts and the contacts! Cant wait to get this all together for Warsaw Comic Con

[hebecosplay]

Started this tumblr to log progress on my cosplays.. quick pattern mockup for of shoulder armour for Cerys an Craite from Witcher 3

[hebecosplay]

Workspace Wednesdays:  Fabric Catalog

If you are like most crafters, the longer you have a sewing-related hobby the larger your stash of fabric will get.  (If you sew and you don’t have a fabric stash, I am officially afraid of you and your merciless resolve.)  I’ve been cosplaying for about eight years and sewing for longer than that, so the amount of fabric I want to hold onto because I might use it someday is… really extreme.

What I ended up having to do to get my fabric stash under control was catalog it, put it into bins, and get it out of my actual craft room.  I need to pull something from my stash maybe a couple times a month at most.  It doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep that stuff in my primary working area when it gets used that infrequently, so I keep it my basement. You might not have a basement you can store stuff in, but everyone’s got corners of closets or other less readily accessible areas where stuff for long-term storage is asking to go.  A catalog of what you have allows you to utilize those spaces more effectively. 

This is the binder I made up, which 1) allows me to check what’s in the basement without having to actually go to the basement, and 2) is way easier to flip through than a pile of fabric that I have to re-fold because I messed it up while pawing through it.  

If you’d like to use my templates, they’re over here!  My goal in making them was to not overwhelm myself with information because I had a ton of fabrics to catalog and I didn’t want it to take forever.  The sheets are made to record a few pieces of information:

A fabric swatch. I made two template sheets, one with the swatch space on the left and one with the swatch space on the right, so the stacked pages wouldn’t be super uneven.

A brief description and enough room to note anything special about the fabric.

A super rough ballpark of how much yardage I have.

Did I ever cut anything out of this fabric before, or is it still basically in a rectangle?  Helpful for knowing if your fabric looks like swiss cheese or not.

And that’s it.  You can add more or less information based on what you think is important, but that’s enough for me to go off of.  And here’s the organized stash itself, more or less:

Another tip in organizing your storage bins: if you make it so all the edges of your fabrics are visible when you take the top off your bin, it’ll be easier to find things and take them out.  While I was loading the bins, I set them on one side and stacked my fabric up in a pile.  (The end result is the same thing as Konmari vertical clothes folding!)

[hebecosplay]

Super long Wig Buying and Styling Master Guide For All Your Cosplay Needs

Wigs can make or break a cosplay, seriously. If you’re going to invest in one expensive thing for a cosplay, let it be the wig.

Sure you can get a cheap wig from party city, but trust me, you’ll regret it. Cheap wigs are impossible to style, the skeleton shows through, and the hair falls out like crazy. When buying a wig look for a heat resistant and skin top wig. Special parts and pulled back hair calls for special wigs such as lace front and lace top.

I’ve had people ask me about using their own hair instead of a wig. I do not recommend this at all, unless your hair is just like the character’s. Anime characters are extremely stylized, and over the top. Natural hair typically does not stand out enough to look that great for cosplay. It’s also a pain to have to style your hair each time you want to cosplay, and making sure it’s the right length.

I advise getting a wig if your character has: 

Any unnatural colored hair. It’s a PAIN to dye your hair a super bright color and keep up with it long term, and it will usually not look as good as a wig.

Any spiked or weird crazy style. Natural hair is usually not full enough to make spikes work well.

Jet black hair. Even most people with “black hair” actually have dark brown hair. A black wig will usually look more rich

There are exceptions to all of these, of course! 

Real hair is usually better if your character has:

A natural color that is close to your own hair including: blonde, brown, and red. If you’re dirty blond but your character is platinum blond, don’t sweat it unless you’re really concerned about accuracy

A length that can be easily maintained. I do NOT recommend cutting your hair in a weird way for a character unless you KNOW you want that cut every single day of your life for a while

All of things above plus a crazy part like a zig-zag part or pig tails. Zig Zag parts or ponytails/pig tails take a LOT of work and extra money to do to a wig. 

A good example: I have waist length long brown hair and am cosplaying Painwheel. She has a zig zag part and a bun with a big hair loopy in the back. My hair is long enough to form the loop, and all I have to do is buy a clip-on bun and I’m set. If I wanted a wig like this, I would have to buy an EXPENSIVE full lace wig. Using my real hair is the best choice in this case

Where to buy: Note, all of the sellers I list only sell heat-resistant wigs

Arda wigs is my new favorite. All of the wigs are very full, and use the same, incredibly realistic fibers. Their lace fronts are absolutely fantastic. 

Lucaille has an AMAZING selection. They have the biggest character-specific selection I have ever seen. They all look very accurate, and are extremely cheap. They also have some nice fashion/lolita cosplay wigs. 

Epic Cosplay Wigs has a very large selection, and they are recommended by lots of professionals. They are very soft and good quality with minimum sheen. 

Insomnium wigs is great! 

Amphigory has a HUGE selection of wigs and extensions

The Five Wits has great character-specific wigs

ebay user Agree518’s Fashion-Cosplay-Wigs shop has a humongous selection of wigs. I have been buying from them for years, and am happy with all of the wigs I bought. However, they aren’t all made the same and some of them are much thinner and courser than others. None of them are going to be super-fantastic quality like Arda and Insomnium.

AnimeStuffStore on ebay has a great Cosplay wig section

Cosplay Wigs USA has some unique styles

Matchwigs are alright, but be warned: they all are VERY full and look a bit too poofy and unnatural. Good for super styled spikes. 

Cosplay.com Shopping I’ve heard mixed reviews about, though I’ve never bought wigs from them.

I Kick Shins is great for extensions and styling supplies. I bought lots of human hair wefts from them and they’re absolutely gorgeous, and cheap!

Petting Zoo Wigs has extentions

Doctored Locks has extentions

Milanoo gets a lot of mixed reveiws since, unlike the other sites I have listed, their wigs come from many different sellers. I would stay away from them.

God Save The Queen does custom wig commissions

Here is my masterpost on what wigs to buy for every single Homestuck character

Styling:

- Products:

A Styrofoam mannequin head is essential for wig styling. They are $5 at hobby lobby.

Hair wax to style bangs, spikes, and to tease hair.

Spiking glue to style spikes

Many people say not to use gel in wigs. While I somewhat agree since gel will cake the fibers together and make them extremely stiff and shiny, it is necessary in some cases. I used gel to smooth down and solidify my Elsa braid. Otherwise, it kept coming out because it was so full. Gel is good to use on the end of super styled spikes to keep the fibers together. Gel is not good if you’re trying to make semi-realistic spikes. 

Hairspray to hold the wig’s shape. I recommend freeze spray for holding spikes and special curls

Wide tooth comb to comb the wig. Never use a comb for curls, use your fingers to lightly brush it

Rat comb is used to back-comb wigs for volume, or spikes

Blow dryer for styling curles

Never use hair straighteners or curling irons

Sewing shears are my personal preference for cutting wigs. Many people say not to do this because they’re so sharp, and can leave edges too perfect. I just know how to work them. It really depends on your methods of style. If you want good hair thinning shears, here are some. Don’t use the scissors you use for wig cutting on anything else, and especially not paper

Foam curlers work best for curling wigs

-Layering:

Layering a wig

Wig styling/layering part 1, part 2

-Cutting Bangs:

Comb the desired amount of bangs that you want to cut to the front. Divide the hair into several sections Pinch each section of hair and always cut longer than you need. If you’re using a razor use an up and down motion if it doesn’t cut through all at once. Do not use a sawing motion.  If you’re using scissors (sewing shears), than cut with the scissors at an angle so that the edges are not too sharp

Cutting bangs

Cutting bangs 2

How to cut thick bangs

Fluffy Bangs

Fluffy Bangs 2

Super anime gravity defying bangs 

Cutting simple bangs

please for the love of god do not do this!!!

-Styling Spikes:

Spikes (roxas)

Spikes 2 (L)

Spikes 3

Long, thin spikes (Dark Mousy)

Perfect, stiff, authentic spikes (cloud)

Huge, gravity defying spikes (jinx, from teen titans)

Building a spiked wig with a foam base (Yugi Moto)

- Curling: 

The best way to curl a wig! (In my opinion)

General how to curl 

General How to curl 2

Curling huge drill spirals

Curling huge drill spirals 2

Curling huge drill spirals 3

Pincurls

using hot water to curl

-Straightening:

Never use a straightening iron

How to straighten 1

How to straighten 2

Straightening a spiky wig

-Teasing: 

Teasing a wig to make it look fuller

Adding volume: Video tutorial

Style a beehive

-Dying: 

There is no way to lighten a wig with die if it’s too dark. The only method is leaving it out in the sun, but be careful because this is inconsistant and could create streaks, or gradients

Do not use colored hairspray to try to dye a wig. Don’t use colored hairspray to dye your hair as a substitute for a wig. DON’T EVER USE COLORED HAIRSPRAY

Use Actual wig dying ink, or FW ink (video tutorial)

dying with polyester fabric dye

dying with (very cheap) rit fabric dye

You can make your own wig dye

You can use acrylic ink (tutorial)

Or you can die your wig with sharpie

Painting designs on a wig

You can sometimes remove wig die, but it doesn’t always work depending on what ink you use. Put the wig in a ziplock bag filled with rubbing alcohol and squish and shake it well, then rinse. You only need to let it sit in the alcohol for a few seconds; the die should come right off. Just make sure it gets everywhere. If the die doesn’t come out completely, let the wig air dry and repeat the process

Wig dye does not work well on Elora fiber, but the only Elora fiber I’ve seen is the New Look line so it’s not a big worry

Special Styles:

-Cowlick/hairlines:

Cowlick

Ahoge

Easy widow’s peak (or any) hairline

Cowlick/widow’s peak part 1, part 2 (same method)

-Lace Front Wigs: 

I buy all of mine from Arda wigs. They’re cheap for lace fronts and VERY good quality. Extremely thick and sturdy with very realistic fibers. 

IMPORTANT! You must watch this if you buy one: Putting on a lace front

I used spirit gum first, but it was a pain and leaves yellow scum on the wig. Very hard to clean off. I advise using lace front tape. Arda wigs supplies it, but it’s usually out of stock. You can get them very cheap on ebay. 

Wig ventelating (GREAT video tutorial!)

Wig ventelating 2

Arda wigs also sells ventilating needles + holder, but they are often out of stock

This ebay seller has cheap wig ventilating needles + holder in 4 different sizes. (They also just needles)

Fx Supply sells ventilating needles (holder sold separately)

If you’re making your own lace front, Hugo Royer and Atelier Bassi sell super fine swiss lace

-Ponytails/buns/parts:

Criss-Cross part

Easy ponytail

high ponytail

high ponytail 2 (click on the “newer” thumbnails to the right of the picture to go through the tutorial)

huge ponytail 

parting for pigtails

Low no-weft pigtails

Bun/Odango 1

Bun/Odango 2 (click the “newer” pictures at the right to continure tutorial)

Spiral Bun

Stubbing a wig for buns

Simple, three-strand braid

-Wig wefting:

Making wefts

Making wefts 2

Sewing wefts into a wig

Sewing wefts into a wig 2

sewing wefts 3 (Video tutorial)

Making “new sew” wefts

Sewing in wefts

Sewing hair into a wig

Adding hair to a wig (alternative method)

Putting two wigs together

Putting two wigs together 2 (Nia- Gurren Lagann)

-Character Styles (some of the tutorials above are for specific characters too):

Two-toned wig (for Lolita style, Stocking… etc)

Candy roll forelocks (Zelda)

Yugi Moto

Cloud

Toph

Hozuki and Bonbori

Bobby pin-free stylized flips/curls (My Roxy Lalonde tutorial)

Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon

Chibimoon: Sailor Moon

Sasuke

Yuna Hair tail

Saber

Rapunzel

Rapunzel 2

Rapunzel 3

Merida (Brave)

Half wig/mohawks (marceline, Tavors, etc…)

Jessie (pokemon)

Geisha

Making your own wig from scratch:

Make your own wig (Yoruichi)

Making your own wig 2  (Shania)

Phoenix wright wig (a not-so-traditional method) (could work well for Yugi Moto)

Wearing:  

Putting on the wig

Always wear a wig cap. It prevents ichyness, and will keep your wig from sliding around. Even if you have short hair, wear it

Pin your wig to your hair/wig cap with bobby pins

If you have long hair, than use this method to pin your hair up. I use it every time, and if I don’t, my wig slides down with wear

wearing a lace front wig

Wig Care:

-Brushing: 

Only brush straight hair with a wide-tooth comb. Brush the tips first, then move up to the top of the wig

Do not use a comb to brush curls, use your fingers gently

If your curly wig has a straight top, or straight bangs, you can use a brush to comb the straight parts. 

-Washing and detangling:

About Washing Synthetic and Human hair

Washing and detangling (works for detangling curls too)

Washing and storing

washing video tutorial

-Detangling (also, see above in washing and detangling):

Detangling with silicone spray

Homemade wig detangler

Detangling a long wig

detangling a curly wig

Detangling and preventing further tangling in a long wig

Detangling video tutorail

De-frizzing a wig

De-frizzing a wig 2

This is a WONDERFUL METHOD to salvage a ruined wig. You can use it on cheap wigs to take out the shininess, or on seriously damaged/tangled wigs. 

This is the same method, only shown with an extremely long wig

-Storing:

I keep my most styled wigs pinned to a few styrofoam mannequin heads, this way all my hard work is not ruined by storage.

You can keep wigs with minimal styling in their original plastic bags. For spiky/teased wigs, I keep them turned inside-out in the bags. This way they don’t flatten.

If you have a huge wig collection and no space to store them (like me), I would advise getting a shoe hanger rack :)

Note: Synthetic Vs. Human hair wigs:

Synthetic hair will hold its original style, even if it gets rained on or dunked in cold water

it is easy to take care of and maintain

It is significantly cheaper than human hair wigs

they come in a variety of colors

it is really difficult to tell the difference

It cannot be styled in the same way as human hair

Human Hair can by easily styled with anything

they can be dyed and bleached

they have to be re-styled much more

they are extremely expensive

available in a limited range of colors

More references:

-my FAQ (mostly for homestuck cosplay help, also a bit of bellydance)

-This is a HUGE glossary of terms and definitions all about wigs. It’s very informative, and I advise looking it over!

-cosplaytutorial: a wonderful master list of many many cosplay tutorials. 

-cosplay.com’s FAQ. 

-Godsavethequeen’s cosplay tutorials

-cosplayresources, a good cosplay help blog

-an SFX makeup masterpost

-a great sewing tutorial site

-my “Where to Buy Wigs For Every Single Homestuck Character“ master list

-homestuckcosplayhelp, a great blog that is my go-to when starting a new homestuck cosplay

 Whew! Glad that’s finally done. It only took me three months…

[hebecosplay]

Never underestimate a cornered opponent.

[hebecosplay]

#bewhoyouwanttobe

Do you ladies have any tips on how to pick out good cosplays if you're like me and are of the plus sized variety?

As I’m sure you know, plus size comes in a variety of shapes –– you could be really hourglass, or really top heavy, or bottom heavy, or all-around, or concentrated in the middle. You could have a long torso, or long legs, or anything! So while it’s hard to say “plus sized people look best in x, y and z specific characters”, you could look for these elements:

Designs with darts, wraps, pintucks and other shaping details. Not only is a tailored garment more visually interesting and impressive, but they also flatter the body better. (Keep in mind that following natural curves is not the same as being clingy.)

Avoid thick horizontal stripes, lean towards vertical stripes. This is true for pretty much every figure, but horizontal stripes have a shortening effect on pretty much everyone. If you want to make yourself look like some leggy anime lady, you’ll want to veer towards lengthening yourself.

Pick a waistline that balances you out if your weight is more concentrated to one end or another. Bottom-heavy folks look great in empire waistlines. Top-heavy folks will want to emphasize their waist or skim the waist and then nip in at the bust.

Detail work! Your body is a beautiful canvas and you have the fortune to have more retail space to work with than some other people do. Run wild with embroidery, beading, appliqué and all those details that would look super crunched or tiny on a small frame. 

Whatever the hell you want. Truthfully, any cosplay is a good cosplay for you if you will rock it with confidence. Will you be confident in a ball gown? In a spandex suit? In a fur coat? In twenty pounds of armor? I dunno. That’s on you. I know some twiggy girls who don’t like to show skin, and I know some plus size girls who bust out a bikini at any chance. I also know some people who will show their thighs but not their arms, or their ass cheeks but not their midriff. You’re gonna feel comfortable in what you’re comfortable in, regardless of size, and you should explore your limits in a way that feels enjoyable to you.

- Jenn