Travel through time and space on a budget, by making cosplay! Thrift and DIY tips
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Today is Frodo’s birthday (and mine) and the first day of autumn!!
So I had to take this autumnal costume out in the woods for some pictures to celebrate. I love all the textures of this cosplay, and all the clothing items are thrifted!
Some of you may recall when I made my cloak and painted my sword. This has been a fun cosplay to bring together and I hope you enjoy these pics!!
Happy Star Trek day everyone!! It’s safe to say this show has changed my life!! Trek led me to cosplay in the first place and I’m grateful for that every day 💜 🖖
Thrifty T’Pol cosplay: rubies costume Vulcan ears, purple maxi dress and purple swim cover up (pinned in place on my wig) with some added glitter glue for sparkle, purple bias tape which I hot glued on for the trim. No sewing necessary!! 🖖
Revisiting my STLV cosplay creations!
This is Erica! She has been a Thrifty follower for a while and I’m so glad she introduced herself to me at STLV!
Check out her thrifty Discovery uniform. She said she found the two suit pieces separately 😮 what a perfect match! She used ribbon and a stencil for the side panel details, added a zipper, and used a trimmed scrap from the shirt to create the asymmetrical collar. This is so amazing and I was thrilled to see it in person!! The spore sample jar was also a great DIY project with clay and built in lights!
Did you wear a thrifted costume to STLV? I would LOVE to see it, please share!!
I had a fabulous time cosplaying at STLV this year!! Here are my four costumes in action!! All of these are existing clothes as the base, little to no sewing required. If you have questions about how I made any of them specifically please ask!! 🖖
Yesterday’s makeup demo!! The room was packed so I took three volunteers to transform into a Trill, a Klingon, and a Bajoran respectively. Everything I need fits in one little makeup bag and all three of the looks fit in my 45 min panel slot. Alien makeup doesn’t need to be intimidating!! You can practice with only a little bit of money and time.
Up on stage transforming my wonderful volunteer Melissa into a Trill!
I used a wet’n’wild liquid eyeliner pen, and translucent setting powder, it took about 40mins.
My makeup demos are both on the Roddenberry Stage!! Trill (Thursday) and Klingon and Bajoran (Saturday.) Both presentations are at 1:30pm. I hope you can make it!! I’ll be doing makeup for one, maybe two Trill, and definitely two or more Bajorans depending on time.
Due to some last minute schedule changes - it looks like I will be doing a thrifty makeup demo or two at STLV next week!! I’ll let you know specific times when I get them!! If you want to become a Trill, Klingon, or Bajoran for the day come on by!!
Here are my cosplay plans for STLV! Hope to see some of you there ✨
Here is my Angela cosplay which I got to wear to a con last weekend to meet Rainn! Photo ops were done in front of a green screen which was a new experience for me!!
This was a comfortable costume too!!
Here is everything I will need to make my hobbit feet ‘shoes.’ I’ll wear the insoles like flat sandals, using the gauze tape to hold them across my foot. Then the crepe will and spirit gum will be used for the hair, conveniently covering up any visible tape edges.
I added some curls (and Vulcan ears) to my Hobbit look.
When curling a synthetic wig, I recommend using a low temperature curler or straightener. Either will work, because we aren’t using the heat itself to style the wig, but to kind of ‘activate’ it. So warm it for like 10 seconds, then curl around your finger (if the heat is low enough) or a marker, the handle of a brush, whatever you have. Hold in place for another 10 seconds or so. Release, and brush out gently with your fingers. I like to spread the curls out so they aren’t as tight, and the texture carries through other layers of hair. Less work and a more natural look. I’m going through the styling to make this look like the character didn’t style it 😂
If you love what I do and want to support my projects, I have a ko-fi. I have some of my writing in my shop so you can get something for your kindness. I hope to be expanding into cosplay prints in the new year.
I've opened a Ko-fi shop. Come take a look!
Successful Sam thrift!! This cloak was originally gray, and I made it for this character. About a year ago I dyed it to use for a different cosplay. I think the brown will work just fine with this outfit even if it isn’t ‘canon’ 😜
I will be making transparent and perfectly safe covers for my feet out of insoles, gauze, and crepe wool hair to hide any visible lines. That’s not a project I can do in advance 😆 but I will gather the materials and share my process when I apply them on the day.
The good thing about changing costume plans last minute for a guest announcement: I get to go thrifting for some Hobbity clothes today! And last time I did this cosplay, I did not have this account! So now I can share my method for the hobbit feet fx.
My friends - I’m having trouble deciding what third costume I should bring to FanExpo New Orleans. I’ve been building up quite a collection over the last few years and have not had the chance to take them all to a con!
I’m torn between finally showing off my Radar or Hawkeye, or Jadzia! Who do you think I should bring and why? Thank you for your help!!
Speaking of M*A*S*H - I want to use it as the base for a panel on Details in Cosplay. A few base pieces, mix and match details, and be any character from a beloved show. Here are just a few pieces from my ever-growing 4077 collection.
Star Trek is another fandom with lots of uniforms in its cosplays, so how do you use details to style yourself after a particular character? 🖖🏻
What do you do with an unexpected day off? I cosplay!
I picked up these boots for $5, since I eventually want to do another Lower Decks uniform.
I think I’m done with Jadzia’s Klingon Armor 🤔 should I add the black and white ribbon piping or leave it alone? I think a single trim style would help unify the different looking fabrics, so I might experiment.
Twisting up my tinsel pipe cleaners to make the epaulet decoration for Rillak. Pipe cleaners are inexpensive and easy to work with, but not something I’ve needed yet in my cosplays. I hope to use them more in the future!
I’ve got so many costumes in progress right now, it’s exciting!!😁
Also on the list for STLV is President Rillak from DSC. Her formal suits are just stunning, probably my favorite designs in new Trek. And since she’s a Bajoran / Cardassian, she’s definitely someone I want to be!
I thrifted this navy blue suit yesterday. I liked the sheer sleeves and how low the jacket sits, I think it looks like her style. The red cape is a single curtain panel I thrifted a while ago, for a project I never got started on. I’m happy to repurpose it for this, it’s got a cool scale texture which I think is a great way to reinforce who Rillak is through the clothing she chooses. It has grommets for hanging on a curtain rod, so I will have to cut this part off.
The shoulder design, I’m going to try using tinsel pipe cleaners. We will see if they’re solid enough.
Finally the prosthetics. I could’ve tried making my own, but since the costs of this costume were so low, I decided to buy a set from a pro. The eye ridges here were about $20, with the maker shipping them to me from England. They come with clear instructions for beginners, and they’re very soft and flexible, way better than something I would’ve made! I haven’t been able to apply them yet, I fear they may be too thin to reuse, but so far I love them. Check out DottysDoSFX on Etsy for tons of affordable horror and alien appliance options. 🖖🏻
I had such a great time as a pirate for Halloween, I decided I want to cosplay my favorite Pirate of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow!
The wig was on sale the day after Halloween for $12 with headband. It’s not the best quality, but I will be adding lots of beads and twine which will hopefully make it look closer to what we see on screen. I can dull the shine with makeup setting powder or baby powder if still needed.
Then I did some thrifting today and found a few of my pieces. Plenty of time left to hunt for the perfect blouse and vest. But I did find brown boots and pants, a bucket of beads, some striped linen, and a sand dollar necklace which I painted gold to use as his cursed medallion.
This costume is all about the details, since the base pieces (white shirt, blue shirt, brown pants) are pretty straightforward. I can’t wait to add some texture to what I’ve got here, while I keep looking for the rest. Hope you’ll enjoy the progress along with me!
T‘Pol’s wedding gown: thrifted purple maxi dress and sheer swim coverup. I added a bit of sparkle to the coverup with puffy glitter paint. I’m wearing it upside down, so I can use the same piece for my sleeves and the veil. Wig and Vulcan ears were already in my collection.
I’m surprised so many of you guessed the costume just from the wig - here’s the rest of it! All of this is thrifted, except the tutu, and the silver boots which I use for daily wear.
Today I am making a wig from this garland and a wide headband. It won’t cover the back of my head but it should be effective enough for photos.
Today was our Pirate Theme trunk or treat!! I think we all looked great, and it was fun to share my love of thrifty costuming with my parents!! We ran out of candy (twice) and saw lots of great costumes!! It was a fun afternoon 🎃 🏴☠️
Today I am working on the shoulder pads for Jadzia’s armor. These are thrifted shin guards. I traced a rough outline (with extra space) on this striped silver fabric (a cool skirt I thrifted like a year ago and hadn’t found a use for yet) and then hot glued it together. With rounded edges like this, you may have fabric bunching up around the curve. Cut a little slit so it sits flat, or just glue the bunch down in place too. It’s gathered on the underside so I’m not worried about neatness there.
I decided to trim off the fringe from my new shawl for Kira. It’s nice and soft and there’s a lot of it, I bet I could use it for a plushie or pillow stuffing.
I got to wear my sweater chainmail today for a party!! I think it turned out okay!!
Thinking about my cosplay plans for Mission Seattle, and Star Trek Las Vegas. I know these are costumes I want to make, or am already working on, so it’s just a matter of deciding which ones go to which event! I have to fly to Seattle, so I bulky pieces like Jadzia’s armor would need to wait until Las Vegas.
I hope you’re as excited to see these as I am to put them together!! See you at these events 🖖🏻
As a Kira Cosplayer, I felt obligated to buy these leggings. Orange, velour corduroy-texture, high waisted. Perfect!
When you decide on a pirate theme for a local event last minute!! Helping my parents put costumes together too, spending as little as possible and repurposing things already in our closets!!
I’m excited to have a use for the Rey Wrap already ☺️ the blouse is Luke Skywalker’s shirt from A New Hope, which I made for myself last year from thrifted fabric + pattern, and the dress was also thrifted and I use it for regular wear. The hat is felt wool, I pinned it with safety pins into the trifold style.
I’ll see what I can find for accessories to finish this look off!
A little while ago on Twitter, I saw an ad for a shirt sold by H&M that gave me definite Bajoran vibes. I shared the link and one of my followers, Bren, ordered one and used it for his Bajoran cosplay! I think it works perfectly. Check this out!!
Shirt: https://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.1106083001.html
Bren’s Twitter is @ cronaj
No-Sew Jedi closet cosplay in time for Halloween! Blouse, shorts, boots, and a long cardigan in varying shades of brown. I styled this after Rey from the sequels.
I thrifted the cardigan, so I didn’t mind cutting into it. I cut slits up the back middle, and under the middle of each arm hole, leave a couple inches intact. I always cut alongside seams when they’re available, to preserve that strength in the fabric.
With the lines cut, you have four long strips of fabric to tie and twist and style as you please. There are so many possibilities!!
I can’t wait to finally bring Mulcahy to a con in January!! Right now I’m just swapping out these little buttons for some larger ones, so they’ll be more obvious in photos, and it will closer resemble what we see on screen. I always balance screen accuracy with overall comfort, cost, and ease of construction.
I found more pieces for Jadzia’s armor. I will probably still need some plain black foam to keep this shiny fabric stiff and extended from the shoulder, with help from the pads.
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