Blowing Smoke; Reno Photoshoot

Earlier this year I had the awesome chance to do a photoshoot with my friend Kayla. She did some great shots of me as Reno from Final Fantasy VII, one of my favorite crossplay's to do!

 

This was my first official cosplay that I actually debuted at my friend's costume birthday party. I had so much fun with it, I decided to make it better.

 

It's all store bought, except for the baton (which is missing from these shots). I bought the coat at Goodwill and added a zipper into the front, sealing up the button holes. The shirt and pants came from a department store and the boots are some that I'd previously had. I added the fingerless gloves, and bought the goggles off eBay. They were my third pair I tried with the costume and I like these the best.

The wig is actually the third try as well; my first wig was just a short that I attatched extensions to my hair then threaded them through the wefts of the short wig. But the ponytail wasn't long enough. My second try as buying what was labeled as a Grell wig and I cut and styled it...but it seemed too Kingdom Hearts so, I ended up just removing wefts from that one, and using the short wig again, making a removable ponytail again. Perfection! At least I think so!

 

For this shoot we went to the trainyard and the walking bridge that goes over it. It has this great industrial feel, and the snow helped give it this blue tone that Advent Children had. This is to date, still one of my favorite photoshoots that I've done.

 

 

I did actually smoke in the shoot, which yeah, I know, its bad, but I think it added more to the feel of the shoot. And Reno smokes in the original game :P  that reason is why I dubbed this as the "Blowing Smoke" shoot.

I can't wait to do some more shoots as Reno. I have a few others I really want to do, and I wish I could convince some people to do some CMV's with me, I'd love to do a Reno/Turk's CMV to AC/DC's "Back In Black". Don't know why, I just think it would be crazy silly fun.

 

 

 

Let's try this again...

I've been out of the loop, for quite some time when it comes to blogging! I'm going to try and get better so I don't have to inundate Facebook group pages with so many posts and pictures!

 

So 2013 marks my second year attending Sakura-Con in Seattle. It was even more fun than the first time! I rode up with my friend Kayla and her boyfriend, but only she and I attended the Con. It was her first year. We both pre-registered so getting through registration was a piece of cake! We waited for the lines to open longer than we had to wait to get our badges. It was much better than the 4+ hour wait that we had last year!

 

After registration we went shopping in Seattle. Visiting Capitol Hill and all of the lovely alternative clothing shops there. Oh the joys! I found a great pair of shoes at Metro, and a super adorable mermaid cardigan at this other shop. I can't recall the name, but I loved it! Kayla came away with some great finds as well. Next year, much more shopping will be had!

The first day of the Con, Friday, Kayla dressed as a AU Punk Rock Ciel and I wore my Once Upon a Time Belle cosplay, which was very well recieved! I was quite possibly the only Once Upon a Time character there, at least thats what I was told by everyone who asked for my picture. I had a happy. Lots of compliments on my costume, and one even asked if they could buy my costume off of my person. I politely declined since, well, I would have had nothing to wear!

Later that day, I changed out to Reno for a change from a corset for just a little bit, we had sushi with our friends, including Eek and her partner, Lily, then back to the hotel to change out into our evening wear: I wore my red Victorian bustle gown, masquerading as a young Angelina Durless/Madam Red from Black Butler, and she went as alternate colored dress for Ciel. Both dresses were also well recieved!

 

Saturday, for the morning, I broke out a last minute cosplay, which I've been watching to do since I was 16. I've still got some work to do with it, but I think the first run of it turned out alright. Rip Van Winkle from Hellsing! I had the yellow umbrella, but that was all, I really want the musket: I'm hoping my husband will clean up his shop and help me in my future adventures by helping me with my prop work. We're already talking about getting him the tools he needs to do metal working and pewter casting for the costumes I aim to do next year.

Saturday evening I switched back into Angelina Durless again and wore it for the rest of the Con. Due to my poor schedule planning, I missed all of the panels I wanted to see again, but next year, I will be better prepared. Yes. I will see all of the costuming panels! And we somehow missed the Lolita fashion show even though we made it there...it was..strange. And dissapointing. Next year, for sure.

 

Sunday I wore Belle again, but by mid day, my feet say "No more!", especially since I had been wearing heels for the better part of the weekend, and we made our way back to the hotel. I packed all of my costumes up and we chilled out until we departed on Monday morning.

 

So much fun was had! I can't wait until next year! I've decided I will brave driving once more, stay in the same hotel we had this time (the rate was super agreeable, free internet and only $10 parking!). For my own reasons, I will be rooming by myself (I had no problems with my room mates this last year, FYI! I don't want to subject anyone to my costume explosion next time!), which means I will have to save up more to fund the trip. But that will be alright.

 

So what am I planning on bringing next year? Well, I'm always changing my mind, but I have quite a few projects that I've started...

• Madam Red - I've been working on my own version of her basic costume. Red plaid, black and red cotton will create an original design of this.
• Belle - I'd love to bring Belle back. Due to some weight loss, I may have to redo the bodice, but time will tell. I'd bring the blue dress, my own gold ball gown design and possibly her red "adventure" outfit.
• Esther Blanchett - This is my white whale. Esther from Trinity Blood. I've already started buying the materials for her Black Royal dress, and I want to make her white habit. The Manga version. This is why I am encouraging my husband to get into metal working and pewter casting. These costumes are ambitious, but, they will be done!