Your Fantasy Costume

I love making floral headpieces myself, they’re useful for your dryad, fairy or nymph dress, and a common element for your masquerade ball or performing garment, not to say also a key element for a wedding or flowergirl dress, thus   surfing the net to polish my technique I found some tutorials you might find worth. Making them is inexpensive and you can unleash your imagination choosing a palette of colors and designing  them to fit the seasons or the color of your garments. Also you  can make smaller versions for a ponytail and add some ribbon steamers and other ornaments to make it stand out.

to get this wonderful result or whichever your imagination renders

This is another simple tutorial I found in save on crafts and also this other one in Forever wed focused in circlets for brides and flowergirls, this other in the princess portal

If you’re just too lazy (LOL) or you’re in a hurry  this is an ebay store  called Kcfairy with cute and quite affordable ones, not to say I find them rather cheap for the detail they have

Above: example of crown in Kcfairy ebay store

You can also check these others made by Art of wings (we covered it in a previous article), they’re simpler but not because of that less cute.

Above: example of Art of Wings Faery Crown

One of my favourite places for this is our previously covered  “Hairlooms” article. You can see an example of this wonderful crafted headpieces below. The site worth a visit if only to gather some ideas as they’re simply gorgeous.

Above: example of Hairlooms headpiece

This is a picture of one I did myself for a photo shoot of my song “the long way”. I used some fake branches and only brown, yellows and reds to provide an “autumn” look. I used wire to tie all the pieces to the tiara and after that I used ribbon and fabric straps to wrap  and smooth the possible wire endings that could scratch my head and make it more comfortable or you can use the stem wrap floral tape too. I use fake faux flowers but you can try drying leaves and flowers  and try to do the same, but they’re more delicate if travelling. So yep, that one below is me with my attempt of an “autumn crown”.  I added too some matching golden and red beads with the wire aside from the leaves and flowers and sometimes I even add feathers (check this previous article to buy all sorts of feathers).  Right now i’m working making a matching “leaf-mask”  but that will come in an upcoming article.

Another recommended site is Avalon Fantasy like the one below:

Above: me with my own handcrafted autumn crown

The next link has to be one of the most amazing fantasy costuming sites in the internet.  Alley Cat Scratch costume is a mega data base of movie costume documentations, studying and research in great detail from famous movies gowns models and designers, providing write-ups and will help you to create your own replica.

If you’re intending to dress like ANY of the characters from The lord of the rings movie, or inspired by Tolkien works. We want you to recommend you to visit Alley. They’ve studied about the costumes from fabric to patterns to metalwork. From hobbits to elves, covering not only the gowns and garments, but also cloaks,  headresses, wigs, leather-work, shoes, belts and even make up tutorials to make you look a lotr character. They have a community to get feedback, keep you up to date with costume exhibits in different areas, and also cover dresses patterns, sewing tips  and tutorials of other movies, fantasy and sci-fi and futuristic, but being their pivotal focus in lord of the rings movies.

A must see… for those ones good at crafts, and also for those ones not so but in need of ideas, from very easy to be done to things that are for those with good hands…! Bookmark for reference, it’s an awesome site.

Above: “Lady of the lake” model

Alassie Angelines is a spanish designer that specializes in historical garments. She created her own company called “El Costurero Real” delivering accurate replicas of medieval garments of a very high quality, using materials, dyes, and jewelry but adding also her own interpretation of the characters she recreate.   She’s won several prizes and is making her  own way working for several cinema projects. Her blog offers also tutorials and articles of overall interest for any lover of fantasy or historical garments… so if you are going to attend a ren fair, you´d better have a look at it (so far it’s only in spanish) but illustrated enough to be easily read with an online translator.

Above: Queen  Guinevere

Above: Sir Mordred

She has just launched a collection called “Leyendas artúricas” (Legends of King Arthur) that has its own particular website, a collection of garments and gowns for the main characters of the Arthurian Romance around this well known character, from King Arthur self,  Lancelot, Morgen le Fay, Lady of Shalott and more…

Above: me wearing one of the garments of the collection designed by Alassie Angelines… for me it’s been an honour  to be chosen as one of the celebrities that endorse garments from this lovely designer. I think this is “Morgen le Fay” model.

All garments are made upon demand and can be ordered in different kind of fabrics taking one to two months to be completed. If you are foreign make the questions or request in english, a brand new website in both languages is on the making.

Aside of the gowns and dresses, a sister-site offers all kind of complements from headpieces (designed by El Costurero Real),  belts, cloaks, necklaces,  jewelry and all sort of goodies and ready to wear. I particularly love the crowns, handmade and lovely for a lotr elvish gown, without over-using the “Galadriel” model found elsewhere. I’m dying to grab one of these for my performances.

I loved  GHOSTBUSTERS movie when a child (well the first part at least as I felt very dissapointed with the sequel) curiously after so long now that there are rumours of a new Ghostbusters movie on the making…  so somehow these days i’ve had the tune again in my head and one can imagine that pretty soon they’ll be back into fashion… I think they’ll work with the original cast… yay for nostalgics like me… raised in the eighties….
Ghostbusters had many elements of silly comedies… but laughable as it is it had al  so some creepy moments too…

In the picture above you  you can see a very accurate replica of the costume,  you can download the pdf step-by-step tutorial from INSTRUCTABLES webpage. Download PDF
All the materials you need can be found here

Are you not handy but still want to opt for the best ghostbuster (and expensive) option, you can get  all sort of props and even an exact replica  of the proton pack in real scale too purchasing all the pieces along together. there are even very expensive props with light and sound, just like the next one.

Other options, pluses and things you might need

Above you can  see a ghostbuster movie logo  embroidered  iron patch that you may need to customize your clothes into an official “ghostbuster” outfit.

or the whole jumpsuit

Don’t forget to get a pair of black gloves (details are important)

Ahhh  the final touch… YOU NEED to get into the mood listening to the Ghostbusters soon… I know it’s a hit from the eighties… but WHO DOESN’T KNOW this great song? It’s the idiosyncracy and spirit self of the ghostbusters movie… and has a great groove too!!, if you’re making an entrance somewhere you need it…
You can get it from itunes, amazon and other digital retailers. There’s no doubt this is a Halloween party hit!!

Download mp3 song GHOSTBUSTERS from AMAZON (0.99 c)

If there’s somethin’ strange in your neighborhood, Who ya gonna call …?