I went cosplay shopping and all I got was this stupid sunburn... (also with updates)
So, today my mom and I killed two birds with one stone, by getting the car fixed at my dad's shop, and shopping for cosplay stuff (and other items) while we waited for the car to be done. We literally went shopping all day long! Definitely a good 6 hours or so!
The main reason that we went out to the store was to get a wig for my Ashley costume. I go to this local shop called US Hair and they have literally every kind of wig or hair piece or accessory you could ever want. It's where I get my hair pieces for my Princess Leia costumes... or rather, I buy the hair and style them into pieces. Well, this one employee (really sweet girl, didn't catch her name!) helped us for a long time in trying to find the perfect wig. She was so nice, and absolutely hilarious! I've never received such awesome service there before. At one point, she asked me what I was looking for a wig for, and I told her about my costuming hobby... and I was like "Yeah, I'm kind of a dork. I go to conventions and dress up" and she says, "oh, that's cool! it's okay, my deep, dark secret is that I love Harry Potter!" I laughed so hard, and we immediately started talking all about Harry Potter... I would have never expected her to be a fan! You meet fellow fans in the strangest of places!
Anyway, Ashley's hair is short and very blonde, kind of in a bob cut... and unfortunately, since the store mostly caters to people of darker color, they don't have a lot of blonde wigs. Furthermore, there aren't a lot of blonde wigs in my current price range (really good ones run around 40 bucks or more!). So, after a lot of looking, we spotted this one wig, which was a lighter blonde with some slight streaks in it, about shoulder-length, and bangs just like Ashley's. Even better, the mannequin said that it was on sale for 15 bucks. I tried it on and fell in love with it! It was perfect. I had never tried a full wig on before, so it was odd to see myself with short hair, but I think I totally pulled it off! The only thing was, the color was slightly off, but the girl recommended that I just spray it with some instant color spray that they sell there to make it lighter... we even tested it out and it worked like a charm. So yeah, I played around with the wig for a while, took a few photos to send to Jeremy, and I told her I'd buy it when she found out from the manager that they had marked the price wrong... and it was one of the 40 dollar ones >_<
Epic Fail.
Now, a lot of places have a policy where if they make a mistake and mark something at the wrong price, they'll give it to you cheaper. No such luck. The manager was kind of an a-hole... I mean, I understand that they can't give away an expensive wig for so much less, but the manager could have been a lot less bitchy about it. He was just downright rude to us... like it was our fault or something. I was so tempted to buy the wig, because it was so perfect... but I talked myself out of it since it is a lot of money right now, and it sounds awful, but I really didn't want to buy it after the manager being so mean. And I mean, If it were a costume I'd be wearing a lot, like my Star Wars ones... I probably wouldn't mind paying a little more for a nice wig. But for this one, I'm not sure how much I'll use it, and I think I can get something cheaper online.
After that, we couldn't find another wig that was close to what I need... and I was rather pissed... though not at the girl who helped me so much. In fact, I felt really bad because she really liked me and felt so horrible that we couldn't find another wig! She was so mad at her manager, and she was trying so hard to find something that we might be able to spray blonde... but even with brown wigs of the same cut, you'd end up paying close to what the 40 dollar one was, because of all the spray you'd have to buy. I bought some Leia hair anyway (I need some for my buns, lol) and we headed off for the rest of our shopping excursion. But before leaving, I gave the girl at the store a great big hug for being so sweet to me and helping me so much... she seemed like she needed one because the manager bummed her out.
So other than having my main purpose of going to the store completely foiled (drats!) it was a nice shopping day with my mom. However, it was hotter than HELL and miserable in a car with no air conditioning (mid-90's today). Despite applying gratuitous amounts of sunblock to every explosed area of my skin, I still burned! Not too badly, but enough that you can see/feel it. And the top of my head is burnt, too, despite having my hair up... I always burn down the center of my head where my hair parts. I guess the weather is good prep for Florida this week!
I bought a few things at the store for our trip: a new pair of shorts (since I only have a couple pairs), a good pair of "walking" sandals (with my ankle, flip flops won't do!), some toiletries, and this REALLY adorable summer dress! It was too cute, and a great price... and I don't really need any more clothes, but I had to have it for my trip! Plus, I personally think dresses are more comfy than shorts, so it works.
I also got a few costuming things that I needed
*Sheet metal for my Leia belt
*Button blanks for my Leia belt
*Possible things to make Leia's buns stay in place (lol)
*Leia hair
*Vinyl for Leon's holster
Yes, I actually bought a whole lotta vinyl, and I am (crazily) going to attempt to make a holster for Jeremy's Leon costume. The one that Jeremy and I bought off Ebay is waaaaay too small and wimpy-looking to be Leon's (looks nothing like it, really). So the bad news is: we're out 25 bucks on a holster that won't work. The good news is: I can use the general shape of it as reference, and just trace it onto the vinyl. The whole thing will make great reference, really... The shape of the holster is perfect, it's just too small (aka too short) and doesn't fall quite right, and it also isn't thick enough. If I use Jeremy as reference and make sure that I size it to his chest, I really think I can do it! Plus, this way, I can get that strap across the chest that attaches the two sides of the holster together... most of the holsters I've seen for purchasing don't have anything of the sort. I guess Leon's just special like that! :P
Other than the holster, I have almost everything for the costume... I found some packs at the store that were meant to slide onto a belt, so that will work as the butt-pack. I also got a flashlight and some left-over sheet metal that I can use for the flashlight on his belt. I figure I can glue the flashlight head onto the sheet metal, spray paint it black, and add a fasten on the back of it to fit onto the belt. I'll have to finish everything when I get back from Florida... but I'm going to start working on it the next couple of days. Ashley is almost done, too, save for the wig! DAMMIT! I'll be exploring Ebay later...
Regarding my new Leia costume, my mom and I cut the pattern last night with the necessary modifications, and we'll probably sew it up either tonight or tomorrow. At the same time, I'll be making the belt (I have my Ceremonial one for easy reference now, bwahahaha!) and I'll be finishing the last couple things (ie boots) on Ashley as well.
That's it for now, folks! More updates later I'm sure.
The main reason that we went out to the store was to get a wig for my Ashley costume. I go to this local shop called US Hair and they have literally every kind of wig or hair piece or accessory you could ever want. It's where I get my hair pieces for my Princess Leia costumes... or rather, I buy the hair and style them into pieces. Well, this one employee (really sweet girl, didn't catch her name!) helped us for a long time in trying to find the perfect wig. She was so nice, and absolutely hilarious! I've never received such awesome service there before. At one point, she asked me what I was looking for a wig for, and I told her about my costuming hobby... and I was like "Yeah, I'm kind of a dork. I go to conventions and dress up" and she says, "oh, that's cool! it's okay, my deep, dark secret is that I love Harry Potter!" I laughed so hard, and we immediately started talking all about Harry Potter... I would have never expected her to be a fan! You meet fellow fans in the strangest of places!
Anyway, Ashley's hair is short and very blonde, kind of in a bob cut... and unfortunately, since the store mostly caters to people of darker color, they don't have a lot of blonde wigs. Furthermore, there aren't a lot of blonde wigs in my current price range (really good ones run around 40 bucks or more!). So, after a lot of looking, we spotted this one wig, which was a lighter blonde with some slight streaks in it, about shoulder-length, and bangs just like Ashley's. Even better, the mannequin said that it was on sale for 15 bucks. I tried it on and fell in love with it! It was perfect. I had never tried a full wig on before, so it was odd to see myself with short hair, but I think I totally pulled it off! The only thing was, the color was slightly off, but the girl recommended that I just spray it with some instant color spray that they sell there to make it lighter... we even tested it out and it worked like a charm. So yeah, I played around with the wig for a while, took a few photos to send to Jeremy, and I told her I'd buy it when she found out from the manager that they had marked the price wrong... and it was one of the 40 dollar ones >_<
Epic Fail.
Now, a lot of places have a policy where if they make a mistake and mark something at the wrong price, they'll give it to you cheaper. No such luck. The manager was kind of an a-hole... I mean, I understand that they can't give away an expensive wig for so much less, but the manager could have been a lot less bitchy about it. He was just downright rude to us... like it was our fault or something. I was so tempted to buy the wig, because it was so perfect... but I talked myself out of it since it is a lot of money right now, and it sounds awful, but I really didn't want to buy it after the manager being so mean. And I mean, If it were a costume I'd be wearing a lot, like my Star Wars ones... I probably wouldn't mind paying a little more for a nice wig. But for this one, I'm not sure how much I'll use it, and I think I can get something cheaper online.
After that, we couldn't find another wig that was close to what I need... and I was rather pissed... though not at the girl who helped me so much. In fact, I felt really bad because she really liked me and felt so horrible that we couldn't find another wig! She was so mad at her manager, and she was trying so hard to find something that we might be able to spray blonde... but even with brown wigs of the same cut, you'd end up paying close to what the 40 dollar one was, because of all the spray you'd have to buy. I bought some Leia hair anyway (I need some for my buns, lol) and we headed off for the rest of our shopping excursion. But before leaving, I gave the girl at the store a great big hug for being so sweet to me and helping me so much... she seemed like she needed one because the manager bummed her out.
So other than having my main purpose of going to the store completely foiled (drats!) it was a nice shopping day with my mom. However, it was hotter than HELL and miserable in a car with no air conditioning (mid-90's today). Despite applying gratuitous amounts of sunblock to every explosed area of my skin, I still burned! Not too badly, but enough that you can see/feel it. And the top of my head is burnt, too, despite having my hair up... I always burn down the center of my head where my hair parts. I guess the weather is good prep for Florida this week!
I bought a few things at the store for our trip: a new pair of shorts (since I only have a couple pairs), a good pair of "walking" sandals (with my ankle, flip flops won't do!), some toiletries, and this REALLY adorable summer dress! It was too cute, and a great price... and I don't really need any more clothes, but I had to have it for my trip! Plus, I personally think dresses are more comfy than shorts, so it works.
I also got a few costuming things that I needed
*Sheet metal for my Leia belt
*Button blanks for my Leia belt
*Possible things to make Leia's buns stay in place (lol)
*Leia hair
*Vinyl for Leon's holster
Yes, I actually bought a whole lotta vinyl, and I am (crazily) going to attempt to make a holster for Jeremy's Leon costume. The one that Jeremy and I bought off Ebay is waaaaay too small and wimpy-looking to be Leon's (looks nothing like it, really). So the bad news is: we're out 25 bucks on a holster that won't work. The good news is: I can use the general shape of it as reference, and just trace it onto the vinyl. The whole thing will make great reference, really... The shape of the holster is perfect, it's just too small (aka too short) and doesn't fall quite right, and it also isn't thick enough. If I use Jeremy as reference and make sure that I size it to his chest, I really think I can do it! Plus, this way, I can get that strap across the chest that attaches the two sides of the holster together... most of the holsters I've seen for purchasing don't have anything of the sort. I guess Leon's just special like that! :P
Other than the holster, I have almost everything for the costume... I found some packs at the store that were meant to slide onto a belt, so that will work as the butt-pack. I also got a flashlight and some left-over sheet metal that I can use for the flashlight on his belt. I figure I can glue the flashlight head onto the sheet metal, spray paint it black, and add a fasten on the back of it to fit onto the belt. I'll have to finish everything when I get back from Florida... but I'm going to start working on it the next couple of days. Ashley is almost done, too, save for the wig! DAMMIT! I'll be exploring Ebay later...
Regarding my new Leia costume, my mom and I cut the pattern last night with the necessary modifications, and we'll probably sew it up either tonight or tomorrow. At the same time, I'll be making the belt (I have my Ceremonial one for easy reference now, bwahahaha!) and I'll be finishing the last couple things (ie boots) on Ashley as well.
That's it for now, folks! More updates later I'm sure.