Costuming Resources and Supplies for Retro Sci Fi Cosplay

[Pingo]

Next year's Reapercon will have a retro sci fi theme. I thought I'd start a thread to gather helpful and useful tips and hints for costuming ideas.

 

Here's something (mildly edited) I posted on the 2014 Reapercon Cosplay thread:

 

I was in Jo-Ann fabrics earlier today and found something cool and sci fi looking.

 

It's metallic-look flexible mesh tubing, about 8mm in diameter, intended for flower arranging (I gather you loop it around, or something, with the flowers). It's super flexible and super lightweight and comes in 20 yard packages for about five bucks. It comes in various metallic colors and iridescent white, although I gravitated towards straight silver.

 

I imagine it snaking all over a retro astronaut outfit. It's more delicate, and more showy, than the flexible plastic tubing I found at the hardware store (which is meant to hold multiple computer cords together and also looks pretty cool and astronauty).

[Mad Jack]

 If you don't have the ability to shape pvc or other plastic, shoulderpads and other gear can be made out of wire hanger frames with thin posterboard stretched over them.  For complex shapes, roll and reroll the posterboard tightly in different directions over and over again to soften it up into a slightly more clothlike material. Covering the posterboard entirely with white glue and then placing silver or gold metallic cloth over it will provide the look of rigid metal plates yet remain somewhat flexible and resistant to damage - they can be bent back into shape fairly easily.

[Inarah]

Spandex bodysuits are pretty cheap and come in a variety of styles. Just Google.  They would make a good base for a variety of costumes. 

[MissMelons]

I have absolutely no intention of wearing something skin tight as Lumpy Space Princess. (I already have 2 costumes planned) 

 

I wish I still had a sewing machine to  do my own work, but unfortunately I have to outsource it to Etsy. BUT These other craft ideas for knick knacks, jewelry, barrettes and the sort would be helpful as I have no experience there. I know for Space Princess, she has the big gold star,  I'd like to do it as a barrette or headband but have no idea where to start. 

 

The other is a star trekish outfit as a girl red shirt, or blue shirt. I'd like to make my own earrings, barrette and the sort for that too.

 

Any ideas? 

[Pingo]

I think I would do Lumpy Space Princess' star as gold-colored eyeshadow outlined with eyeliner straight onto the forehead.

 

If on a mask or something, gold colored contact paper, if they still make that.

[Mad Jack]

 The gold star for the Space Princess is relatively simple, and there are many ways to do it. I'd personally find a purple or clear plastic headband and simply glue a gold plastic star to it. You could find a gold plastic star in a craft shop, a toy store, even a cake baking shop... In fact, gold metal foil stars should be all over the place in any sort of party decoration store.

 

 For Star Trekish jewelery, any kind of plastic bits or LEGOS painted silver will work just fine.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Mad Jack

[MissMelons]

I think I would do Lumpy Space Princess' star as gold-colored eyeshadow outlined with eyeliner straight onto the forehead.

 

If on a mask or something, gold colored contact paper, if they still make that.

 

I've no idea how skilled i would be at painting my face. O_O And i don't trust the Mister to do it :P Surely someone must have gold colored contact paper somewhere. 

 

 

 The gold star for the Space Princess is relatively simple, and there are many ways to do it. I'd personally find a purple headband and simply glue a gold plastic star to it. You could find a gold plastic star in a craft shop, a toy store, even a cake baking shop...

 

 

 

OOoo I like this idea! 

Edited May 20, 2014 by MissMelons

[Inarah]

Come Christmas there will be aisles and aisles of gold stars to choose from. 

 

White plastic headbands in the bridal dept of the fabric store are cheap and can be covered with... anything really.  Use Aleene's Tacky Glue or Fabric Glue. It's thicker and holds better and won't seep through fabric like ordinary white glue. 

[JackMann]

Spandex bodysuits are pretty cheap and come in a variety of styles. Just Google.  They would make a good base for a variety of costumes. 

There are some people who should never wear spandex.

 

I am one of them.

[Mad Jack]

 As a general note, if you have all the tools necessary for working on minis, you have pretty much all the tools necessary for making most small costume props aside from some pliers and a screwdriver or two...

 

 If you have a bottle of Water Effects, you now have the ability to make fake jewels of any size, shape and color you need.

[MissMelons]

 As a general note, if you have all the tools necessary for working on minis, you have pretty much all the tools necessary for making most small costume props aside from some pliers and a screwdriver or two...

 

 If you have a bottle of Water Effects, you now have the ability to make fake jewels of any size, shape and color you need.

 

/starts a shopping list

 

You are quite full of awesomeness information!! Thanks! 

[Mad Jack]

  Eh...making things is pretty much just what I do...   

 

 I've been building my own toys since I was a kid, making my own Halloween costumes since I was about eight or nine, doing horror makeup and FX since about age fifteen and have community college theatre guild experience as well as more than eight years building props and costuming for the Rocky Horror Picture Show, all with no formal training, on little or no budget and with limited materials.

 

  I can design and build damn near anything given enough time and materials.

[ShadowRaven]

it is coming on to summer. Every dollar store and walmart is going to have 'ray gun' shaped water guns. Just remember to plan on obeying Reapers Rules with such things.

[Dr.Bedlam]

Oh, man. This is going to be even weirder than usual...

All I have at the moment is a selection of retro zap gun water pistols. But I am certain I will find inspiration at some point...

[ShadowRaven]

a red jacket white shoes and no pants?