I just spent the last weekend at an anime convention, and now I'm totally buzzed and in the zone with ideas for future cosplays. So I've been shopping around, looking for pieces to complete a couple different cosplays, and I tried on a bunch of things today.
[description: reference image of Misty from Pokémon]
I'm looking for the perfect yellow shirt to cosplay Misty from Pokemon. Some would say that she's an overdone character, but I always enjoy seeing her cosplay at cons - it's simple, yet sexy, and I consider her a perennial favorite. I've already got shorts I like, and a pair of red suspenders. The shoes are another issue - although red Converse are a pretty good bet. But the shirt is tricky, because different styles can completely change up the look of the outfit.
[description: fitting room selfie in a yellow tank top]
This shirt has the advantage of being sleeveless, although it's full length. It's also a bit thin, and tight, and maybe not dark enough.
[description: fitting room selfie in a yellow t-shirt]
A shirt with sleeves is not completely out of the question. This shirt is actually a little bit better than the one I already have, as it is a tad darker, but the size was too small for me, and it was the only one I could find.
[description: fitting room selfie in a green belly shirt]
This shirt's cropped at the midriff, which is good, although as you can see, it's green. I didn't see any in yellow, unfortunately. The bare midriff is not strictly mandatory, although it does increase the sex appeal of the outfit. (And I realize I don't have the best stomach for a cropped shirt, but that's something I'm trying to work on).
[description: fitting room selfie in princess panties]
Switching gears (and outfits)...
[description: fitting room selfies in a white strapless dress with pleated miniskirt]
It seems a bit early yet for prom dresses (although that time is fast approaching), but I found this one-of-a-kind dress on the rack at my favorite discount store. You have to wonder what led to a dress like this going for $7. It tends to bunch up just under the bust, and it's pretty thin, to the point of highlighting the contours of your body underneath, but in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons.
Firstly, it's a simple slip-on dress - no moving pieces (which can lead to broken zippers and things like that). And it's the sort that has no material whatsoever above the bust or below the thighs, which I love. Plus, it fits me! And the shape of the skirt is very elegant. The boobs are ever slightly padded, and the ruffles in the skirt do a great job of covering up the bulge of my package, so it looks pretty feminine on me (notwithstanding my wide shoulders). I bought it.
[description: naked fitting room selfie]
I'm sorry, I can't resist an opportunity to get naked in semi-public wherever I can get away with it. :p
[description: reference image of Deedlit from Record of Lodoss War]
So another character I'd like to cosplay is the elf maiden Deedlit from Record of Lodoss War, who, incidentally, was my first anime crush. It's a mildly complicated costume, if you include the armor and cape and whatnot (and I'll need to find some elf ears), but it's all gotta start with a simple green dress.
[description: fitting room selfie in a green, button-down, belted dress]
This dress has all the basic components - it's green, sleeveless, with a flowy skirt, and cinched with a belt at the waist. But beyond that, I don't like it all that much. For one thing, the skirt is too long, and the color of it is much too light and minty.
[description: fitting room selfie in a dark green, sleeveless dress with pleated skirt]
I like this dress a lot better. It's darker, a tad shorter, and the skirt is more pleated. It doesn't have a belt, but it's clearly separated at the waist, where you could easily add one. The top is pretty form-fitting, but that wouldn't even be a problem if I had a breastplate to put over top of it. This dress might have been workable for my cosplay, but, alas, the only size I could find it in is too tight for me to zip it up in the back... (I'll bet you never would have guessed if I hadn't told you, lol)
[description: fitting room selfies in a dark green, short sleeved dress with pencil skirt]
Now this dress I like. It's a deep, forest green - very fitting for an elf. I could even work with the awkward zippers. It's got sleeves, but it's not like they're too long anyway. But the skirt is not the right style. It should be pleated and flowy, not tight and restricting. Don't get me wrong, I like it, and it could work well for some other kind of elf outfit, but it doesn't seem quite right for Deedlit. On top of that, the belt just barely fits around my waist, and doesn't have enough notches for me to secure it. It's a close call, but I think I'm going to have to just keep looking...
[description: fitting room selfies in a deep red, sleeveless, ruffled tube dress]
I tried this other prom-y dress on just for the heck of it, and to my delight, it actually fit! (And wasn't broken - it has a couple spots on it, but they aren't super noticeable). It has a similar skirt as the last one, and if you didn't believe me then that I liked this kind of skirt, you can believe me now, because I bought this one. It actually looks even better in person. The ruffles down the front are very elegant, and even go some way in disguising my bulge. I don't know where I'll be able to wear it, but it was only $7, and it was worth it even if I just pull it out and wear it around the house for fun from time to time.
[description: fitting room selfie in short shorts, t-shirt, flip flops, and open hoodie]
Back in my street clothes - the clothes I came into the store wearing. This is the yellow shirt I already have, by the way, if you want to compare it to the others I tried on above.
[description: fitting room selfie with hoodie zipped and jacket over top]
And with my hoodie zipped up, and my jacket on. It was actually pretty cold today. Crazy fluctuating spring weather! One day it's warm and sunny, the next it's cold and rainy... Once I button my jacket up, it will once again look to the unsuspecting passerby as if I'm wearing nothing underneath! How exciting. The funny thing is, I'm covered up more than if I weren't wearing my jacket, yet the jacket gives the illusion that I'm unusually exposed. Human psychology is a fascinating thing.
