Hanazono Karin

Character Name: Hanazono Karin
Series: Kamichama Karin
Outfit: Kamichama Dress

Started: June 2006
Finished: July 2006
Hours to make: 22
Cost of materials: approx. $155 (Can.)
Status: Retired
Worn at: Otakon 2006

I had this really weird urge to cosplay someone wearing a pink frilly/poofy dress. Lacus from Gundam SEED was actually the first one to come to mind, but I didn't feel like cosplaying her. Karin was the next character I thought of. I liked the design and I had never seen it done before, so I decided to go ahead with it. This ended up being another last minute costume. I must have done it in the two, maybe three days right before I had to leave for Otakon. I'm surprised it actually came out as well as it did. The staff/stick was the only big frustation I had making the costume.

Reference for this outfit is a real pain to try and follow. It changes constantly from picture to picture. What I ended up doing was taking the parts I liked the most out of each one and combined them together. It was my first time making anything strappless. I was really worried that it wouldn't hold up, especially with the extra weight of the skirt part of the dress. Luckily, I made it tight enough so it holds up well.

The light pink part of the dress was made out of a heavy satin. The darker pink at the bottom was made out of a sheer kind of material, which was kind of a stupid idea. I was afraid it was going to tear the whole time I was wearing it. All the white parts were made from this mildly stiff and slightly shiny white material. The back bow had some wire in it so it would stay up. I still haven't found a good way to attach it at the back though.

I tried making my own gloves, but that didn't work out. I ended up buying a pair and then modifying them slightly. The crown and the white part of the necklace were made of thin wire and painted white. The pink bead was made out of Model Magic. All the of pear shaped green things were made out of styrafoam eggs covered in Model Magic and then painted green. The top part of the spear/staff/stick was made out of Model Magic as well. I ended up putting it together in my hotel room. I ran out of glue, so they didn't hold well. I had a friend put it back together with ducktape as a temporary fix. They're now gluegunned to the stick/staff/spear.

This was my first real experience wearing a long wig, and it pissed me off to major extremes. It wouldn't stop tangling up. It's fixed now, kind of... From now on, I'm staying away from characters who have really long hair.

Pictures