Embedded Files
For what I hope will be a regular feature (and by regular, I mean I do it more than once, holla), I figured I might do some cosplay work. Why? Because I LOVE YOU. 8D Disclaimer START: I'm only an amateur cosplayer. I'm no good at making patterns or that whole jazz, but what I can offer are suggestions for material and details. Disclaimer END.
So for our first CTA (OMG best acronym evah), we're gonna take a look at one of my favorite game series, Fatal Frame. I'll break it down right short for you all:
CAMERA GET:
GHOSTS KILL:
DYING BAD, FAILURE UNACCEPTABLE
Of course, you'll have your variations of your theme, depending on which of the four games you embark your journey on (Save brother and escape haunted mansion, find twin sister and escape haunted village, unravel the mystery of a manor embedded in your dreams and escape without dying, discover the repressed memories of a kidnapping years ago and escape with your life, yes I see a theme here).
Tecmo's horror series is beloved by fans all over the globe (just LOOK at the stink raised when the fourth game was sadly stranded in the Land of the Rising Sun after broken promises), and their unique approach to horror (you're armed only with a camera and you're not all that nimble on your feet) is most definently of the J-horror vein. Unlike Konami's big gun series Silent Hill or Capcom's constantly redefining series Resident Evil whose influences are decididly Western in flavor, Fatal Frame (also known as Project Zero) is regarded by many as one of the scariest franchises to ever bless the world of horror games.
ENOUGH OF THE PRAISE, let's get to the meat of the article today: a break-down of heroine Mio Amakura's outfit. Mio's the go-to girl in Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly, a game chock full of ghost baddies, chase scenes (albiet in the 3 mph range), and of course 14 year old Japanese twin sisters. And you know what THAT means, don't you?
No, not that, you sicko.
See here. Red is the game's image color (much like blue was Fatal Frame 3: The Tormented and yellow was Fatal Frame 4: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse's image color). Primarily, the twins' outfits are earth tones. As a prequel of sorts to the first game (the prequel part comes in the form of the origin story of characters in the first game, is this sentence confusing yet) and a sequel, the outfits are also purportedly in the ilk of the 80s, which is when the first game takes place.
80s Schm80s, we all know the outfits were tooled for maximum lolicon purposes. This IS Tecmo we're talking about, the brains behind everyone's favorite game series Dead or Alive. 8D Mio, the lass on the right in both images, is your primary character in the game, so get used to seeing a LOT of her. Not that you'd complain.
Now let's begin our breakdown.
Starting with the top, its a brown material. The choice is yours, but I would suggest something breathable and not too thick. Cotton would be a good choice, or at the least jersey knit (t-shirt material, which is my ALL TIME FAVORITE MATERIAL EVER). This will probably be the most intricate part of the outfit, next to the skirt (and perhaps the camisole, which I'll get to in a bit), and its also the most recognizable part obviously.
The lace work on her top is a wide and intricate lace. When I attempted this costume, I found a very pretty and large lace that worked out pretty well. Note this lacework goes over the shoulders, and does not continue to the back. The entire top hem and the cuffs of her shirt have white piping. the lace basically attaches to the piping and is confined to the shoulder area.
The neck of this shirt is wide. Wide enough to allow you to show the cami underneath, bit not so wide that its Flashdancing off your shoulders. Decorum, ladies, she is a girl, not a welder. Oh what a FEELING. Also note that right where the ribbon is situated, the neckline and piping take a v-shape plunge. Again, don't go crazy, you're only wanting a peek at the cami. If you take a look at the full shot of Mio above, note that the bottom of the shirt is hemmed but has no piping.
The ribbon. Both Mio and Mayu's ribbon are identical (cuz they're twins, yus).
These ribbons are butterfly in shape, which is everything from a pretty design element to full-on foreshadowing of the game's storyline. Its the only red part on the outfit, and its also a very important detail.
Its a double looped ribbon, that has very wide ends, not unlike a butterfly. While difficult, this isn't impossible to achieve. I have seen wire sewn fabric ribbons made from satin, and I've also seen starched ribbons. I personally have used paper rope, which retains its stiffness and shape. The drawback is that you will have to remove it from your shirt when you launder it.
The cami. Its a black camisole with think straps and lace work on the top. The middle is almost like a flower or butterfly (abstractly). The choice is yours how you go about making it or buying it, as there are varieties of camis with lace work. The only stipulation is that this must be shorter than your shirt, since it does not peek out from underneath.
This pic is also useful for noting the shirt lace work.
Let's talk about the skirt. This skirt is white, and not very long. Its should hit mid-thigh. Its likely made of something similar to the shirt, but should have a heaviness that allows it to retain its shape and hang well. The lace work is identical to her sister's lace work on the end of her dress (see red sitting image above). If you're constructing these costumes in a pair with a partner, it would be essential to buy enough lace work to accomodate lace hems for both costumes.
One thing to keep in mind is that you're layering in this outfit, especially on the bottoms. Under the skirt is a pair of tights (more on that in a bit), and if you're not careful about the cut of your skirt and material, it may end up catching and riding up on you. Just bear it in mind.
Ignoring Mayu's inconspicuously placed hand there, let's talk about the tights. Capri length or just below the knee-length is acceptable, and there's (even) more lace work at the bottom. Solid black is what you should be aiming for, and there are numbers of leggings and tights on the market these days with lace work on the bottom hem. Thin or thick, it should matter, provided you remember: it shouldn't be so sheer your skin shows through, nor should it bee to thick lest it catch your skirt or overheat you.
The socks are your garden variety white ankle highs. Whether they are folded down, or are the perfect length, they're white and virginal. Unless you're watching that one hentai of the game, and in which case *thumbs up* bro. Avoiding floppy socks isn't a requirement, but it lends to the over all consistent look if they're not as floppy.
The shoes are Mary Jane styled shoes, with buckles on the outside. Patent leather, cloth, it doesn't matter the material so long as you got them in black. The shoes also seem to have a black ankle strap. While I don't have any screenshots to prove it, take my word, the do not seem to connect to the shoe at all. So as a free standing (?!) ankle strap, its up to you how you go about achieving the look. As a minor (er) detail, don't go crazy if you end up without it.
Wow, the formatting in this article is whack. @_@ In the home stretch now, let's talk props:
The camera obscura. Very important prop. While I currently lack a tutorial for making one (and don't hold your breath), I find that being armed with any camera works fine enough. Now obviously, the older the better (your Sony Cybershot was so obviously post-80s), and if you have a Linhof, even better. What works out nicely is that carrying a camera as your prop works best if you're taking pics of other cosplayers. Score.
Carrying film is optional, as is photographic evidence of your ghostly quarry. But if James Sunderland can carry around photos of dead women, then dammit, so should you.
Ignoring for the fact that this is Ruka from the 4th game, flashlights are also a prop one can use. While nothing as exalted or important to gameplay as Silent Hill's flashlights (heck, they even get named after the series), the flashlight usually comes into your inventory around the time you get your hot lil hands on the camera obscura. It often helps light up dark stairwells, and in the case of the 4th game, you can exorcise spirits w/ it.
Mio won't and can't, but if you're looking for a small prop, the flashlight isn't a bad choice.
Another viable prop to have around is a red butterfly. If you lack a partner to play Mayu in costume, then a small red butterfly on your hand will do just fine! I should have tagged this with spoilers.
Well, there's our first Cosplayer Take-Apart. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did making it. Or more so, since my skin was being flayed by Sae while I was posting. Or something.
For those of you looking for Mayu's CTA, please click image!
-Dio (7/8/10)
Some images come courtesy of Beyond the Camera's Lens (mostly the back shots of Mio's costume). Other images from Gamespy and IGN.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse