#cosprogress

[888xiicos]

Tomimi Ideal City Wig Process

As usual, I forgot to document most of this process, but I can at least draw out steps I didn't photograph.

This is probably one of the more complex wigs I've styled, tying for first place with Tsumiki Mikan, solely for the amount of wefts and chopping that wig took. This wig is the first wig I've used pigtail/ponytail clips for and the first time I've done an ahoge! I'm incredibly proud of how it turned out so I can't wait to show how it started and pieces of the progress.

This has been in my drafts for almost a year now, so I may as well post it.

Pics, process, and final photo can all be found under the cut!

The humble beginnings..

I grabbed the basic supplies I figured I'd need and laid them out in easy to reach places.

[Supplies in image: Sewing thread, pin cushion, sewing needles, sewing pins with colorful round heads, wide tooth/wet hair comb, 1 hair claw clip, craft scissors, thread snips, pen, reference images, wig(s), Styrofoam head.]

[Supplies not shown in image: Hair cutting scissors, Got2B hairspray, hair crimper/flat iron, 2 smaller hair claw clips, 3 alligator hair clips, , permanent marker, wire, clear packing tape, glue gun, Elmer's glue (white craft glue), and a make shift wig stand]

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To start, I ordered one Clair Classic in Silver (CL082) and a single Short Clip Classic in Silver (CL-082) from Arda Wigs. The Silver colorway is a little more gray and subdued than the Pure White (CL-083) color way. I like it because it looks a bit more natural. Stark white and heavily saturated colors wash me out pretty bad, so I try to go for a more natural color option whenever possible.

I chose this specific wig because it had plenty of hair and plenty of layers near the front, which meant I had plenty to work with for Tomimi's bangs.

Arda Wigs, though a little pricey, has really thick wigs that feel like butter in your hands. I've worked with cheap Amazon wigs and other brands before, but Arda is still my favorite wig seller (even if it's by process of elimination since Match Wigs vanished into the void never to be seen again..... Match Wigs I miss you.....).

Because the wigs are so thick and have so many wefts, I knew I'd only need one Short Clip to use for both of Tomimi's pigtails. However, this is my first time using any form of wig clip, so it was a very new and puzzling experience for me! I'll explain more about wig clips further into the process below.

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When I start styling wigs, the first step is always to give it a good brush through with the wide tooth come to detangle it and get out any loose hair fibers. Once it's soft and tangle free, I strap it onto my foam head and pin it with colorful sewing pens that are impossible to lose in the wig (so I don't stab myself with them later on).

These styrofoam heads are usually smaller than an actual human head, so I don't recommend doing any head circumference reliant styling on them without adding padding to it! I mostly use mine when brushing it out, cutting the long parts of the wig, or fixing the part.

For this wig, I decided to try crimping for the first time. Arda wigs are great for crimping and the technique adds even more volume and makes the fibers more manageable in my opinion. Arda wig fibers are super silky and soft, so it makes holding them or maneuvering them sort of difficult. Crimping gave them more texture and allowed me to move the hair where I wanted it to go.

I crimped the bottom layers of the whole wig (bangs too!) and left the top layers un-crimped to retain a nice smooth texture on top.

Now, it's time to start trimming. Before I even thought about doing any cutting, I sat down and figured out the different sections of hair that make up the bangs. For anyone not familiar with sectioning off hair, drawing over the sections in different colors like this can really help!

Marking out the sections also helped me figure out where the part would go! Tomimi has one layer of a heavy sweeping bang and then a layer of hair that sort of fold over on top of them. One section of the lower layer actually tucks behind her ear, so I planned to leave that longer so I could easily pin it back under another layer of hair.

I also took this time to section off parts of her hair to pull back under the pigtail clips layer to make it look more natural. I've drawn over it in bright pink below to show what I mean.

Once things were held back with clips and sectioned off, I pulled that bad boy off the stand and put it on so I could start trimming the bangs. I did not realize they were as long as they were, but it was for the best in case I messed up. I gave a rough chop at around the bottom of my chin and slowly trimmed the lower bang layer up above my nose. I curled the hair with my flat iron as I went too avoid cutting off too much.

Sloppy before and after pic featuring the tendons in my bony little hand STRUGGLING to hold up this heavy monster of a wig. I admit, I'm not too skilled with teasing wigs, so I wasn't able to get the upper layer of the bangs to stick up like they do in the art, but I left the fibers loose enough that I could go back later and do it once I learned the Technique™. Silly anime hair vents will one day be possible for me.

As you can see, this wig is all silver, no black anywhere. I used the simplest method out there and flat out just added that black stripe with a permanent marker. Since it was in an area I didn't have to worry about coming in contact with my face or any bodily fluids like sweat, I did not seal it. If you use this method anywhere that may come in regular and frequent contact with your skin, fabric, or liquids, seal it or just use a weft to avoid staining anything.

I sectioned off a thin strip of hair from the upper layer of the bangs and pinned the rest of the hair back so the roots were visible. Then I just moved the marker up and down over thin layers of the hair until it was a solid black. You can also use alcohol markers, diluted acrylic paint, or acrylic ink for this, but a Sharpie easily does the trick for a section as small as this.

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Now it's ahoge time. Here's how I did it (Step by step diagram is under written instructions):

Step 1 This wig has a thick but soft top to it that allows things to be pinned or pushed through the top, so I used some thin jewelry wire to make the outline of the ahoge. Twist the bottom closed and curve it to the right shape. Don't trim off the excess wire at the bottom just yet, because you'll want it for stabilizing purposes later.

Step 2 Once you've made the outline and have it bent, you'll want to cover it in something clear you can attach hair to. I used clear packing tape, but it was honestly a little too stiff and sort of fussy to work with. You can probably use regular clear tape or even sticky plastic wrap. Whatever you use, be sure to trim the excess so you retain the same shape.

Step 3 Cover one side with hot glue and start adding your base layer of hair. I used the extra hair I trimmed off my bangs. They were closer to the length I needed and let me waste less hair! Once the first side is dry, do the same to the other. The hot glue sticks to plastic-y surfaces well enough to give you a base to build up off of. Be sure to pull/brush off any stray hairs.

Once you've finished your base layer, grab your white craft glue, a cup of water, and a brush you don't cherish too much to put glue on. What you're gonna do now is slowly build up the hair until you can't see the tape or the wire. The best way to do this is to put a thin coat of glue then a thin coat of hair and repeat until you get the result you like. Between layers, I recommend blasting it with a hair dryer to speed up the drying process. I sat mine a safe distance away in front of a small space heater while I worked on the pigtails to save time.

Step 4 Once you've built up as much hair as you want, it's time to stick the extra wire through the top of the wig. I stuck mine right into the middle of the center part. If your wig does not have a thick top or a skin top, you may want to sew in a thin piece of fabric to the inside of your wig before you do this step.

Step 5 Once you've stabbed your wire through the top of the wig, it's time to bend it! I like to make a little three-leaf clover shape since it's easy to tuck the ends of the wire back into the lace/fabric on the inside of the wig so it doesn't stab you while wearing it. I bend it to stat one leaf is pointing toward my forehead and the other two are pointing towards the back of my head.

To add extra stability, add a couple stitches at the very tips of the "leaves" with thread that matches your wig.

Here's the few pictures I remembered to take of this little guy, plus a bonus of him drying in front of the heater, just for fun.

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At this point, all that's left to do is curling the long part of the hair and adding the pigtails.

For anyone unfamiliar with wig clips, they're basically mini wigs wrapped around hair claw clips. The "claws" of the clips go through netting the wig wefts are attached to and then an elastic string sewn into the outer edge of that netting is tightened to hide the clip. I was dumb and did not take a pic of the pigtail before removing the clip b because it was a struggle to get it out. But I have pics of the finished versions below with the clip's inserted, so check further down for what it looks like finished.

For now, here's how I separated the pigtail into two:

First, I counted the wefts to ensure I'd have an even number in both halves (Spoiler alert, I counted right, but still marked and cut the wrong spot lmao). I decided to cut it horizontally (side to side) so the wefts wouldn't fray. From there, I pulled the elastic through so that I could find the middle of it and place it over where I marked the halfway point of the netting. I cut through the elastic strings first and clipped them out of the way before carefully cutting the netting.

I used my thread snips to cut the net since it allows for more precise cuts and helps me not make so many mistakes. The picture below shows the cut elastics and then the two separated halves.

What you can't see here, is that the bottom half of the pigtail's wefts were sewn the same direction as the top half, but I need to flip the bottom half upside down, meaning the hair is going up instead of down. For this reason, I wouldn't suggest this method, but also don't have a better one. Just know I struggled to get it looking close to the other one with lots of time spent flat ironing individual wefts and adding wefts.

I ended up folding over the bottom wefts to add to the tube the elastic was fed through around the edge of the netting so it would hold more tightly to the clip once I put them back in. I had two smaller clips from a long time ago I that fit perfectly into these smaller pigtails!

This is how they looked after I finished them:

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Now for the long part of the wig! All I'm going to do for this part is gently curl the ends inward. For this, I combed through in small sections and curled it with the flat iron. Because the wig fibers are plastic, they only hold their shape if they are in the desired shape when the plastic cools after being heated. Think of it like heating metal until it's flexible and it keeping the shape once it's cool.

To do this, I put the wig back on the head and attached it to my makeshift wig stand (I used a wreath stand you can buy in the floral section of a craft store because it's the best thing I had on hand, I don't recommend this, it's so wobbly...).

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The last step is to attach the pigtails!

I didn't photograph my progress, so please accept my diagram instead!

I didn't trim the part I pulled back simply out of fear of it coming undone and being unable to clip the pigtails back. Not shown here, but I used a thick weaving needle I've had for years to thread the black ribbon through the pigtails as the final touch.

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Aaaaaaaand here's the finished wig!

I'm super happy with how it turned out and can't wait to wear it. If I don't get good pics of me in this cosplay during the next con I wear it to I will cry.

[keplerspacecraftofficial]

rating cosplays i wanna do by how much work i'd have to put in to make their outfit

juice 17776 - 3, I have to make the satellite head but beyond that? i can just pull yellow n black out of my closet

blackbeard ofmd - 2 but its unclear if i have the mental strength to buy a leather jacket and then CUT OFF THE SLEEVE. that's EXPENSIVE

connor dbh - tossup between a 2 and 9 over the jacket. making would let me be assured of the quality but buyin it would be fast n easy............ i can debate on it

heartful punch sleepless domain- 8 but i am making this one and baby i am in FAR too deep

[koorinotsuki]

Part 3 of my Halloween Maki cosplay is now up!

[clawedcosplay]

All done with my belly dacer costume! Now I just need the wig finally! #cosprogress #cosplay #bellydancer #bellydance https://www.instagram.com/p/CEsWVQGDYDX/?igshid=1masxvensyo9n

[ninjathrowingstork]

Odette progress! The zipper is only basted in for now, but there's a strange sense of completion just getting the closure in something and making it wearable. I went through having to remake the lining and redo the boning in the new one since somehow the first one apparently shrank up while I was steaming it (it was scrap fabric from another project, so I thought it'd already been washed), and a first version of the neck trim that was gathered in the front instead of angled together, but it's finally almost wearable! The sleeve linings are already cut out, and will get casings for elastic before they're sewn up and all the pretty, flowy outer layers attached! I've also been filming as much of this as I can, so there should be a full video of this up once I'm done! #cosplay #cosplans #cosprogress #cosprep #odettedress #odettecosplay #odette #odetteswanprincess #swanprincess #theswanprincess #swanlake #swanprincesscosplay #odettecosplay #whitedress #sewing #myface (at San Diego, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/B987-FAjPUe/?igshid=o74lzmrvxeul

[synergycraft]

Just about finished priming all my armor for Venusaur! I am so in love with how this texture looks. Aside from priming the armor, I am almost ready to prime the shield as well. Thank goodness its warming up outside so I can make more progress 💖⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #armorbuild #cosplayarmor #cosplay #cosplaywip #workinprogress #cosmaker #evafoamarmor #evafoamcosplay #cosprogress #venusaurgijinka #foamsmithing https://www.instagram.com/p/B-p0tCwDOyq/?igshid=mhqdr9ro4sap

[alectacosplay]

💢💥⚠️COSPLAY COMPLETE⚠️💥💢 I MADE MY DEADLINE! I'm now in Dallas relaxing. Enjoy this #cosprogress pic of my #harleyquinn #vest. I CANT WAIT FOR THE GROUP. #cosplay #texascosplay #cosbabe #handcrafted #customdesign #leather #vinyl #hoodedvest #hoodie #commissions? https://www.instagram.com/p/B33CLlkDoo4/?igshid=1c618h0z5kfvr

[princessmahogany]

Wanted to show ya'll my Starfire cosplay progress. Bought my Nasa shirt, also got my pink shorts. I just need to trim my shirt in black & make the green stones for my gloves :)! 

This Starfire design is by Picolo

[ladyscarlettcosplay]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Diana Scarlett Diaz De Leon Ortiz (@ladyscarlett_cosplay)

Working on making a "Queen Persephone" cosplay from the webtoon Lore Olympus! I'm currently making her tassel earrings and I'll get started on her crown next! I'll probably make a tutorial of this cosplay....I'll just have to remember to take pictures and videos while I make it 😂 #loreolympuscosplay #loreolympus #persephone #persephonecosplay #loreolympuspersephone #cosplayprogress #cosplaywip #cosprogress #tasselearrings #korecosplay #cosplaytutorial #queenpersephone #queenpersephonecosplay #queenoftheunderworld https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Nob8OgFPJ/?igshid=18bwsbvmrfeaa

[cosplay-tutorials]

Первый день пройден ✨ Движемся на пати! It's Steampunk time! From Instagram

[caileesi]

We gettin there fam 👍 #criticalrole #criticalrolecosplay #critrole #critrolecosplay #keyleth #keylethcosplay #crcosplay #cosprogress #cosplaywip #wip #craftwip https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu4oNykDWwA/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ixu69gycalnk

[888xiicos]

Tomimi Cosplan

Layers have been broken down and materials have been decided.

Wig has been delivered and needs styling.

[keplerspacecraftofficial]

i havent posted anything in a hot minute however. gay people in my computer after switching like three times i have officially decided on going as juice 17776 to comic con

[jeanjacquesleroi]

I wouldn't even really call this a #costest since it's just me with my real hair and no make up getting mirror selfies in a fitting room, but I'm super excited to have found a good base outfit for Five! I'll be adding the details and taking the blazer in a bit (I'm holding it to be tighter lol hence my weird pose) in time for #animeboston2019 Hope to see you all there! 😺 --- #cosplaywip #cosprogress #theumbrellaacademy #tua #theumbrellaacademycosplay #theumbrellaacademyfive #tuafive #theumbrellaacademyfivecosplay #tuafivecosplay #animeboston #cosplans https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzzvOvnkVc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qcy4wt723n7a

[indigoatari]

things keppy needs to purchase order or make

from the internet:

petticoat (heartful punch) ($24 + shipping)

more fabric (heartful punch) ($11 + shipping)

from the craft store:

pink/white duct tape (heartful punch) ($14)

white sweatshirt to make into heartful punch top (who do u think) ($8-20)

white iron-on letters (juice 17776) ($5-10)

to make:

chestplate (heartful punch)

put spacecraft juice on the jacket?? i guess. magically (juice 17776)

shit i just want

this stupid vest ($60)

grand total as far as i can tell

cosplay stuff: $89 shipping: up to $40

stupid vest: $60 + shipping

[ninjathrowingstork]

So the sleeves still aren't done like I thought I'd get today, but since starting today and sewing down the zipper for real, I've made: twill tape channels on both sleeve linings, a copy of the sleeve pattern that I cut in two and then cut up and expanded and reshaped, two layers of the top puff out of the satin and the lining for that, and two lower sleeves from chiffon that are all hemmed and French seamed and have rows of gathering stitches in for assembly tomorrow. My shoulders are dead now. Gotta sew a hook and eye into the back of the dress bodice, then I can rest. #sewing #cosplay #cosplans #cosprogress #cosprep #odette #odettedress #odettecosplay #odetteswanprincess #swanprincess #swanprincesscosplay #swanlake #sleeves #satin #tirednow (at San Diego, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9_QE8KD_Y6/?igshid=alazq9eryi1