Help With White Rabbit costume from DC's The Dark Knight

[ArkhamNightmare]

OK... i've done a few costumes in the past but none have really been of great quality. With many con's in store for me this coming summer... I'd like to have at least one ot two great costumes of good quality. I had someone helping me with sewing and finding materials in the past but that person is no longer around to help. SO, anyone you guys can suggest to help with sewing and other things would help a lot.

The two main ones I am really wanting to go all out for this summer are The White Rabbit introduced in DC's Batman: The Dark Knight #3 and The Dark Knight rises Catwoman. I've posted pics below for reference. This will be my first big project by myself.... so.. anyone with any great advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nobby]

I'm afraid I've got no advice, but I'll certainly be watching your progress with the White Rabbit (as, I'm sure, will many others )

 

[SweeneyTodd]

I may not have very good advice since I am not really experienced with costuming, but I will offer what I can.

For the White Rabbit costume, I would suggest maybe starting off with a nice white corset, and adding on to it yourself. A corset like this might work fairly well, and you could add the pink accents yourself by either sewing pink ribbon on each of the boning areas or embroidering with pink thread, to add the pink in.
You could also make the corset yourself, which would put give you more control over the accuracy, but I have heard many times that corset making is kind of difficult.

Sorry this didn't help much, this is all I could think of right now. If I come up with anything more, I will definitely post again

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

LoL, thanks... I'm actually trying to get into a class that starts in a few weeks thats specifically about learning to sew and make corsets & bustier like items... but i'm not for sure i'm going to get in... the class is looking pretty full already
Kind of why i'm asking for help. If someone knew the best fabrics, and what not.. I would purchase the materials and give measurements needed, and negotiate a price.... as long as they could make the cosume.
Don't get too excited though... I plan on having a matching skirt or boyshorts like design to go over the very "umm skimpy like" bottom part.. especially for when i'm walking around a con.
LOL! Though... I will have an original piece made... for photoshoot purposes.

 

[j0wE]

I recommend talking to EveningArwen on here, she would have the knowledge you seek. Also you should post up A LOT of pics, especially when done... This way we can tell you what needs to be modified, made smaller or smaller.

 

[coofunkcurly]

Greg did a pretty nice job on the Hathaway costume given the limited reference available. I'm certain given his past work on female movie costumes that he will be able to refine it to almost perfect once better reference becomes available.

http://www.therpf.com/f24/anne-hathaway-catwoman-costume-128337/

 

[SweeneyTodd]

haha I was going to say something about that earlier, as I am pretty sure you cannot walk around with a just a thong and corset at a normal comic con. Maybe at a different kind of con/tradeshow, but that's a situation for a different forum

Anyways, I can't wait to see your final results! I'm sure they will look really great

One thing that I just thought of, it is regarding the wig rather than the costume itself. Now, this may be based on personal preference, but I would consider looking into a good quality lace front wig instead of just a normal white wig for this costume. It will look much more natural, and generally lace front wigs are better quality and the hair looks more natural and has more volume to it, which is what you need for a cosplay like this. Just something to consider.
Something like this would probably work nicely

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

Thanks a bunch you guys.... like I stated before ... any info / advice will help.
Not sure about the smaller and smaller part though - LOL!

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

I was just going to ask about the wig.... again.. thanks a bunch on that one

haha I was going to say something about that earlier, as I am pretty sure you cannot walk around with a just a thong and corset at a normal comic con. Maybe at a different kind of con/tradeshow, but that's a situation for a different forum

Anyways, I can't wait to see your final results! I'm sure they will look really great

One thing that I just thought of, it is regarding the wig rather than the costume itself. Now, this may be based on personal preference, but I would consider looking into a good quality lace front wig instead of just a normal white wig for this costume. It will look much more natural, and generally lace front wigs are better quality and the hair looks more natural and has more volume to it, which is what you need for a cosplay like this. Just something to consider.
Something like this would probably work nicely

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

Yea... I don't think i'd feel comfortable walking around in just a thong anyway...i'm not that brave.... LOL! I'm sure it would be fine for a photoshoot but not for a con. I was thinking like a little skirt with a bunny tail to match and maybe some mayching boyshort like undies for the bottoms while walking around.

 

[Eveningarwen]

Hi! Just thought I'd respond to your PM here since some of my answers may help out others at first.

First off I love this costume and just may possibly want to do this costume myself lol! Although I have to loose a lot of weight first hahahaha! And I would also probably find a way to make some really cool matching pants like the newest version of Harley instead of panties.

As for construction issues, were there any specific questions that you had? I can provide you with some links of where to buy materials and the like but it all depends on what type of corset you want.

First off if you make your own corset do not try one that has cups, they're a pain. I would go with a victorian corset pattern that is very generic that you could modify the top to be more sweetheart neckline. Mostly because the victorian corsets have multiple panels which will help with things like the trim because you can incorporate the trim as piping in seams if you like. If you want a cinching corset then you will need usually 3 layers of fabric, the fashion, the center corset coutil that the fashion is usually fused to and the lining. Some do only 2 layers and don't line it but instead use the bias trim on top and bottom to cover the raw edges and make sure that the boning channels are all nicely finished.

Personally I would break up the fashion aspect of the corset into many panels and sew the trim as piping into the seam. Each fashion piece would be flatlined (or glued with fabric spray glue that disappears over time and allows you to move the fabric if placed incorrectly). Your boning channels would be sewn onto the coutil before you flatline it to the fashion fabric. That way you see no boning channels or stitching and the boning will have a harder time poking out of the thin fashion fabric or lining fabric should you use something thinner like silk or cotton or apparel vinyl. I usually use double wide bias tape from Joann for my boning channels because they're a pretty heavy duty cotton/twill type fabric and when you stitch just slightly on either side the boning fits perfectly into it.

I always use steel boning whether it be spiral or flat. Plastic ridgelene just doesn't last. If you're not cinching though then there's not to much of an issue with it. Cable ties are also sometimes used in place of ridgelene or steel boning.

Use double sided grommets for the lacing and not rivets or grommets that you get from Joann. Those easily rip out when lacing. I'm not sure if the grommets come in white but silver would work. You would probably want to use 00 size. If you can get access to a grommet press then that would be best since hammering them in by hand can be a pain. I've found that a leather hole punch does really well to punch out the hole for the grommet to go into. There are also lacing bones you can use that are now flexible that help create a nice smooth look to the grommet area and help keep the grommets from ripping out. But since this is the front of the corset/bodice you need to make sure it is flexible (and even then I'm unsure if you would want to use it....you maybe would want to do a mock up first).

Ummmm.....gloves are a pain. I highly suggest leaving gusseted gloves alone if you've never made them and stick to the tried and true method of tracing your hand up your arm and cutting it out twice in fabric and then just stitch around the outside edges. Gussets (they go in between the fingers) just get messy and bulky and super hard on your eyes when trying to sew them hahahaha!

I'm unsure of what fabrics to use. Personally I hate vinyl and if I don't have to use it I won't because it can easily look cheap and it wrinkles and....yeah...latex......I don't work with that so I have no idea. Probably Annisse would be the one to ask info on that as she deals in latex all the time and is super good with it.

Possibly some form of cotton/sateen blend would be nice as it would have some weight while still being matte looking but a slight sheen to give some depth to the fabric. It's also super easy to work with. Possibly pleather since it's not sticky like vinyl. But whatever fabric you use has to be flexible enough to stretch to make gloves out of. This is the curse of these costumes. You can't make a cinching corset out of stretchy material (unless you back it with coutil and possibly interfacing while it's being sewn together to keep it from stretching while being flatlined). Now if you make a bustier that doesn't really cinch then you will want to use some form of stretch satin. Something that has some give but also some weight to it.

Be careful with neck corsets! Things that go around the neck like that can be a bit freaky if you're not used to it. Make sure it really properly fits and isn't to tight. There's really no patterns for neck corsets so you may need to drape some fabric and have someone help you draw out sections or the overal shape if you're going to try and make it a one piece. You could either grommet the back to make it looser or tighter or you could just use velcro or snaps.

So this is loads of info that's super random and all over the place so if you read this and have specific questions feel free to pick them out and ask me to clarify. Probably what will happen is once you start making it is when you'll start coming across issues or need help/tips. I'll subscribe to this thread to keep updated on it and feel free to PM me as well in case you ask a question and I don't respond because I may forget to.

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

Hi! Just thought I'd respond to your PM here since some of my answers may help out others at first.

First off I love this costume and just may possibly want to do this costume myself lol! Although I have to loose a lot of weight first hahahaha! And I would also probably find a way to make some really cool matching pants like the newest version of Harley instead of panties.

As for construction issues, were there any specific questions that you had? I can provide you with some links of where to buy materials and the like but it all depends on what type of corset you want.

First off if you make your own corset do not try one that has cups, they're a pain. I would go with a victorian corset pattern that is very generic that you could modify the top to be more sweetheart neckline. Mostly because the victorian corsets have multiple panels which will help with things like the trim because you can incorporate the trim as piping in seams if you like. If you want a cinching corset then you will need usually 3 layers of fabric, the fashion, the center corset coutil that the fashion is usually fused to and the lining. Some do only 2 layers and don't line it but instead use the bias trim on top and bottom to cover the raw edges and make sure that the boning channels are all nicely finished.

Personally I would break up the fashion aspect of the corset into many panels and sew the trim as piping into the seam. Each fashion piece would be flatlined (or glued with fabric spray glue that disappears over time and allows you to move the fabric if placed incorrectly). Your boning channels would be sewn onto the coutil before you flatline it to the fashion fabric. That way you see no boning channels or stitching and the boning will have a harder time poking out of the thin fashion fabric or lining fabric should you use something thinner like silk or cotton or apparel vinyl. I usually use double wide bias tape from Joann for my boning channels because they're a pretty heavy duty cotton/twill type fabric and when you stitch just slightly on either side the boning fits perfectly into it.

I always use steel boning whether it be spiral or flat. Plastic ridgelene just doesn't last. If you're not cinching though then there's not to much of an issue with it. Cable ties are also sometimes used in place of ridgelene or steel boning.

Use double sided grommets for the lacing and not rivets or grommets that you get from Joann. Those easily rip out when lacing. I'm not sure if the grommets come in white but silver would work. You would probably want to use 00 size. If you can get access to a grommet press then that would be best since hammering them in by hand can be a pain. I've found that a leather hole punch does really well to punch out the hole for the grommet to go into. There are also lacing bones you can use that are now flexible that help create a nice smooth look to the grommet area and help keep the grommets from ripping out. But since this is the front of the corset/bodice you need to make sure it is flexible (and even then I'm unsure if you would want to use it....you maybe would want to do a mock up first).

Ummmm.....gloves are a pain. I highly suggest leaving gusseted gloves alone if you've never made them and stick to the tried and true method of tracing your hand up your arm and cutting it out twice in fabric and then just stitch around the outside edges. Gussets (they go in between the fingers) just get messy and bulky and super hard on your eyes when trying to sew them hahahaha!

I'm unsure of what fabrics to use. Personally I hate vinyl and if I don't have to use it I won't because it can easily look cheap and it wrinkles and....yeah...latex......I don't work with that so I have no idea. Probably Annisse would be the one to ask info on that as she deals in latex all the time and is super good with it.

Possibly some form of cotton/sateen blend would be nice as it would have some weight while still being matte looking but a slight sheen to give some depth to the fabric. It's also super easy to work with. Possibly pleather since it's not sticky like vinyl. But whatever fabric you use has to be flexible enough to stretch to make gloves out of. This is the curse of these costumes. You can't make a cinching corset out of stretchy material (unless you back it with coutil and possibly interfacing while it's being sewn together to keep it from stretching while being flatlined). Now if you make a bustier that doesn't really cinch then you will want to use some form of stretch satin. Something that has some give but also some weight to it.

Be careful with neck corsets! Things that go around the neck like that can be a bit freaky if you're not used to it. Make sure it really properly fits and isn't to tight. There's really no patterns for neck corsets so you may need to drape some fabric and have someone help you draw out sections or the overal shape if you're going to try and make it a one piece. You could either grommet the back to make it looser or tighter or you could just use velcro or snaps.

So this is loads of info that's super random and all over the place so if you read this and have specific questions feel free to pick them out and ask me to clarify. Probably what will happen is once you start making it is when you'll start coming across issues or need help/tips. I'll subscribe to this thread to keep updated on it and feel free to PM me as well in case you ask a question and I don't respond because I may forget to.

A BIG THANK YOU SO MUCH... for the info... and i'm sure I will have some questions as I go along. The gloves are going to be an issue I bet, but if I do not get into the class... i'm going to have to find someone who can make (at least) the main part for me. But, No matter how much trouble this may be... i'm sure it will be worth it in the end. :lol

 

[Bonded Hawk]

For the gloves go to evil bay and look at white opera gloves.

Good Luck
BH

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

For the gloves go to evil bay and look at white opera gloves.

Good Luck
BH

Thanks... and LoL at evil bay. :lol

 

[endo500]

I'm excited to see that someone is doing this costume. I thought it was interesting when I first saw it in Previews magazine a few months back. I was going to make it for a friend of mine but they decided to do something else instead.

While most of the boys are excited to see the corset + skirt/thong pics don't forget the ears. I think thats the key pieces that will help you stand out from being Emma Frost to most people. Plus if it is not done well it can really make or break the look of the costume.

Rather than me trying to explain how I planned to make the ears check out a tutorial the girls over a thread banger made. How-to Make Bunny Ears, ThreadBanger Projects - YouTube

Also the backyard fx guys have a good tutorial on how you can make your mask so it doesn't look like the typical store bought mask. Plus it will fit your face better and you can get the exact color you want. DIY Super Hero Mask : Tutorial : Backyard FX - YouTube

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

I'm excited to see that someone is doing this costume. I thought it was interesting when I first saw it in Previews magazine a few months back. I was going to make it for a friend of mine but they decided to do something else instead.

While most of the boys are excited to see the corset + skirt/thong pics don't forget the ears. I think thats the key pieces that will help you stand out from being Emma Frost to most people. Plus if it is not done well it can really make or break the look of the costume.

Rather than me trying to explain how I planned to make the ears check out a tutorial the girls over a thread banger made. How-to Make Bunny Ears, ThreadBanger Projects - YouTube

Also the backyard fx guys have a good tutorial on how you can make your mask so it doesn't look like the typical store bought mask. Plus it will fit your face better and you can get the exact color you want. DIY Super Hero Mask : Tutorial : Backyard FX - YouTube

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions

Thanks a bunch... I really, really appreciate the info.

 

[ArkhamNightmare]

Update: I did not get into the class but I have someone who has agreed to help me with the patterns and get it started. Woo Hoo. I will update as pieces come along.

 

[angelfetus]

Love the Character in the comics, and i really hope you get the costume sorted, as im sure it will look great

 

[Bizarro Lois]

I am pretty sure you cannot walk around with a just a thong and corset at a normal comic con.

Someone's never been to DragonCon!:lol

This isn't a character I'm very familiar with, but I love the design. It's not something I could pull off, but I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. It looks like all suggestions I'd make(such as contacting EveningArwen) are already covered. The only other thing I can think of is if you're really uncomfortable with the skimpy thong/panties, could you buy flesh-colored shorts, tights or leggings and wear them underneath?

 

[Alric]

It looks like an interesting costume but possibly very cold to wear.