MARS… POWER!!
Taken at LA Cosplay Con 14 by Hermsi
My FAVORITE sailor scout is by far Mars~ So it was only about time I made a cosplay of her! I opted to use my own hair just because her hair does look black. And I admit… I try to use my real hair just because it’s easier and a lot more comfortable!
The cosplay was made in the course of about a week. Since I didn’t have a lot of time to plan I knew a lot of tutorials were already online for me to reference to! CupcakeCosplay has a nice overview of how to make it but I didn’t have a pattern for the leotard and I didn’t like the skirt flow. So I really just used it as a guide for how to finish off the leotard xD Then there is PersonasofCosplay which I actually really liked how they depicted the V of the leotard. So I ended up attaching the white V part similar to that and I really liked how it turned out :D And lastly since I didn’t have the normal leotard pattern that many of the site suggest… I made my own with the guidance of KellaxProductions! I used their shapes as a guide for how I wanted mine to look~
Taken at LA Cosplay Con 14 by Hermsi
So I ended up doing pleats for the skirt that starts from the middle in a box and goes off in the two other directions. I used white jersey knit fabric which was actually only 2-way stretch (I was on a budget and 4-way was a lot more expensive) but it ended up working out because I made the stretch side go horizontally so it would conform to me and the non-stretch going vertical so it would fit snugly on my body. It ends up working out I just worry when it goes into the wash, so I’m trying to be careful and hand wash everything.
Taken at Anime Expo 2014 by Hermsi
From there I actually bought the gloves in these pictures but I want to re-make them so they are more consistent with the white I have as well as more form fitting. They are actually cotton driving gloves which is why they fit like that. Oh and those shoes? Originally a pleather dark blue which was gesso for a few layers then painted red with a sealer so it wouldn’t crack when I walked for awhile. With all those layers and a normal sealer… even scuffs didn’t show any blue underneath :D
Taken at LA Cosplay Con 14 by Hermsi
This is definitely my new go-to cosplay when I want to dress up at an event but I don’t want to bring a cosplay that require more work to walk around in. Although the skirt is REALLY short so stockings underneath is a must (although don’t be like me and not try it on before to check the color.. it made the LA cosplay Con photos really awkward).
Taken at LA Cosplay Con 14 by Hermsi
Ah the talisman though! That was made day of con :D We had previously bought a black marker with a brush tip for this and I was busy finishing some snaps on the outfit so I had given the writing to Hermsi~ He did a pretty good job for never writing any kind of Asian characters like that~ The talisman is made out of regular cotton fabric with some heavy interfacing on the inside. I made it out of fabric just so I could abuse it a little more than what I would be able to with paper.
Taken at LA cosplay Con 14 by Hermsi
The tiara is made out of styrene and some fun foam. The styrene was the base and the foam made the little details. Oh and a clay gem in the middle because I couldn’t find a nice gem in time as well as couldn’t work with resin… There is black elastic that goes under half my hair (like having your hair half up/half down) so it fit really snugly. But beware, don’t wear it too long if its hot and you’re sweating, I got a headache from it and having a headache at a con doesn’t make you a very happy camper >.>;; (AX14 lines… that was sad).
Taken at LA cosplay Con 14 by Hermsi
I think that’s it… I shouldn’t have forgotten anything. but if you want to know something specific feel free to ask! I love being able to help fellow cosplayers :D
Cosplayer: Kimikotan Cosplay, follow me on facebook!
Photographer: Hermsi (he also did slight effect edits~)
–Kimikotan