Costumery - White Mage

Yes, I'm doing several posts in one day for the mere purpose of making this look something like an actual blog.

I'd always wanted to cosplay. Not just dress up for Halloween, but for conventions or other such gatherings. I finally made my first costume-that-wasn't-for-Halloween last year. (As a side note, I also firmly do not believe in purchasing costumes. I have always - since a young, young age - had costumes that were made. By my mother. For me. And loved it!) It was for a sort of local event called Nerd Invasion, which in and of itself wasn't that great (however, that's another story). The costume in question was a redesign or customization or whatever you fancy calling what I did to it ... of a classic White Mage from Final Fantasy. Possibly a rendition of ye old 8-bit White Mage, maybe a little FF3 in with it. Possibly I just liked the excuse of using my own creative input and freedom to design this costume as I wanted it to be. Either way, I originally wanted to do a Red Mage, but it wasn't feasible at the time. Regardless! I sketched it up.

In reality, there's only so much you can redesign on a white mage.

I wanted a shorter dress with lacy poof under it (a petticoat or something) and a big waist sash/tie that had a big bow in the back. That's the gist of it.

Honestly, I never got into sewing before this point. I can't work a pattern to save my life, probably for the same reason I can't play Magic: The Gathering. Too many little technical things I'm worried about. I enlisted the help of my mother for this, showed her the sketch, and she made it go.
Well we messed up the first attempt at the entire robe, because some idiot is - well - an idiot. (That'd be me!) Just as well, because the material we used for the second go was lighter in weight - albeit a little transparent. A muslin of some flavor. I did, however, find an excellent red-orange-pink(I'm not sure its exact color, even after all this time) denim to use for the red-pink bits of this costume. Its texture was great. Not only that, but it makes the best sash for this costume. It's thick and rigid just enough to not fold over and I'm happy with how wide I cut it. Best of all, it creates the best bow in back when I can tie it just so. Again, because of how thick it is, it doesn't just fall down with gravity.
The scrapped first attempt was used to make the inside bit of the skirt for not only another layer, but to add the lace onto. Hooray, not see-through. I would love to line the bodice, sleeves, and hood with satin someday when I go back to remake this costume.
I wanted a full-circle skirt but my mom doesn't grasp that concept. Still. But that's alright. Unfortunately, though, she finished adding the pink bits to the skirt before I had come home one day and say that I wanted to skirt shorter than it was, so I'm stuck with it the way it is.
I would love to line the bodice, sleeves, and hood with satin someday when I go back to remake this costume. I still want the full-circle skirt and make it shorter. I'd love to work a proper petticoat into it perhaps.

Forgive me - I still have yet to get proper pictures of any of my costumes.
But check out the bow from even just the side view! It's great!

As far as accessories go, I picked up a drawstring canvas bag from Hobby Lobby and painted on two beloved Final Fantasy characters. Also, what mage travels without potions?

I endeavor to make an appropriate hammer for the next occasion I find myself wearing this to. Also, equally appropriate shoes or boots. I wore some tan suede-ish ballet flats which were good, and comfortable, but I originally envisioned white oxford-like boots for this. I gotta be honest.


All in all, a good experience, I have to say. I enjoy wearing this costume a lot. I may even wear it for Halloween this year, but it definitely isn't retired yet. My experience with this costume brought me to finally going to Dragcon*Con this year. My first real con experience, even with a complimentary case of confunk (or con-fluenza). And already making plans for next year's Dragon*Con, this time with my fiancé and BFFJill. More on this later, though.