costume help

Darkchylde802

New Member
Hey guys I am going to my first con and am trying to come up with a costume. I am a big guy so at first I was going to do a silent bob costume but am having trouble getting the grappling gun, then I thought I would try to pull off a Malcolm Reynolds costume but realized I couldn't afford it lol. I am on a very small budget so any help or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
 
Thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) may be a good spot to start for clothing pieces. Never know what you may find. As for the grappling gun, look at assorted squirt guns and other cheap plastic toys that could be painted up. Just because it starts neon green doesn't mean it has to stay that way.
 
You can also hit up the dollar store for cheap "shape it how you want" plastics. containers that have lids work really well. I cut off the edges and then have a bunch of uniform rectangles of plastic for a couple bucks.

Questions for you....
1) what kind of tools do you have?
2) exactly how big, or in this case little, of a budget do you have?
3) when is your con, and where
-^ ok that was 2 questions, lol

Cheers! Can't wait to hear from yah!
 
well i have alot of tools lol but not the kind of goodies people have on here lol. the con is november 2nd in detroit michigan it is the youmacon. i will prolly have between 300-500 for my max budget and that is hoping the wife doesnt catch me lol. i really want to do the mal costume just for the fact i am a way bigger fan of firefly then i am of jay and silent bob. i have found a few things on ebay, deff wont be what i really wanted but i guess for my first con and first time doing this it wouldnt be bad. let me know what ya think. this is a link to the costume i found
Firefly Captain Malcolm Reynolds Costume Coat Custom Made | eBay

and here is a link to the qmx pistol i want to use for my collection so i thought it would be good for my costume.
Firefly Mal Reynolds Metal Plated Pistol Replica New | eBay


then only things i would really have to try and figure out would be the boots and the holster. i appreciate any help. this is deff why harder and more expensive than i thought lol, but not going to let that stop me.
 
Well, for one, you can find all sorts of holsters for pretty cheap online, or you can make one
http://mercs.firespray.net/forum/index.php?topic=1894.0

You can also do really well with suspenders, like Mal has, but if your heart is set on the jacket, start trolling craigslist for garage sales and free stuff, also hit up vintage stores. But if you do get something free, and I say this as someone who works in a hardware store, vacuum it and spray it down with bedbug killer BEFORE you bring it in the house. Then wash it and dry it twice. Just a few measures to stay safe.

Also, look up civil war re-enactment sites for Mal's pants!

Cheers, hope I helped!!!
;p
 
Found this from "Cosplay in America" Thought it was worth your reading:
+ There will always be someone that you feel is better than you. Always. Learn to accept that.

+ What takes you two days now will, with practice, take you two hours later. Keep at it.

+ There will be people who tell you that you’re too fat, or thin, or black, or white to cosplay a character. For every one of them, there are 10 who love your cosplay. Don’t listen to the hate.

+ Keep the first cosplay you ever make. Or at least photos. It will remind you of how far you’ve come later.

+ When you go to a convention in the first costume you ever make yourself, there will be a 100% chance of a more experienced cosplayer in the same cosplay. And you will want to throw yours away. Don’t do it.

+ Muslin is your friend. It’s $1 a yard and it’ll help you figure out if the pattern your using will fit before you cut into your $10 a yard fabric.

+ There is nothing wrong with starting simple and starting small. Know your skill level when you start. Stay relatively inside it and you will be less frustrated and more proud of your work.

+ Have cosplayers you look up to, but do not try to become them. Become you.

+ Invest in good materials. Starting with cheap products like $5 scissors means you will have to replace them much more frequently as your experience tells you that they aren’t good enough and you need better. Get better from the start.

+ Don’t be afraid to cosplay alone.

+ Get a sewing machine with at least 5 different types of stitches on it. You may not know how to use them now but as you learn you will want them available to you.

+ Finally, there will come a day when you become great at cosplay. You will make all your own cosplays and even win some contests. You work hard on all your costumes and you put great effort and skill into making them detailed and perfect. And you will look at someone in a poorly made costume and a ratty wig and something deep, deep inside you, in a place you didn’t know existed, will twinge with elitism. You will not know where it comes from and you will not know how or when it got there. But fight it back. Remember where you started. Because one day that cosplayer may become great too. And they’ll have looked up to you like you looked up to others. Be a role model. Be the cosplayer you would have liked to know when you were starting out. Give back.
 
I appreciate all the advice and wow sayoum that was great lol. Still think I am going to do mal just for the fact that I love his character. Hopefully I will be able to give some updates soon!!!
 
Glad I could help.
We all stand on the shoulders of giants, and well sometimes someone has to show you the step stool to get all the way up there ;)

Cheers!
 
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