the RPF 2011 Halloween Costume Contest

[Lear60man]

As a seamstress, it takes me months of prep time. Planing, making pattern pieces. Finding the right materials. Embroidery designs not to minion just sewing time. I know from following her thread for her skirt material she created the pattern from pictures of the cartoon and pieced them together on photo shop to that she could have the skirt material custom printed. (thanks to her I know know I can do this) Then when the fabric came back she still had to dye it to get it the right color because it wasn't quite right. She HAND embroidered the designs on her skirt at the rate of 6 inches per hour! Countless needle pricks and blood went into that. Do you even know how to sew? The dress design it self is not intricate. But she did an incredible job making a costume replica from a cartoon. I wouldn't think twice about length or amount of work she had into her costume. I'm not saying one is better than the other. All the contestants did incredible.
I'm a professional seamstress and have made MANY MANY theater costumes. Never any for Hollywood (yet) but some of the ones I made for theater would have fit right in. But in my experience in theater a "prop master" was a completely different department than costumes. I'm sure Hollywood isn't that much different. In high school I was prop master for a play and costume mistress in most of the rest. My jobs were completely different in those positions. My son came in 2nd in the kids costume contest. Only things I didn't make was the wig, sword, broach, and boots. Are you going to try to tell me I didn't deserve to win? Cause I know those Halo costumes took a ton of time. My mine did to. Just time spent in completely different ways.

Yes I can sew. I can also paint, fabricate, mold, make patterns, weld etc. Electronics and auto CAD are my weakness. Victorian era dress, chainmail and spelling would be my other weaknesses.:lol Please dont negate my opinion because you think it comes from an unfounded position. The last costume I made, raked in over $4000. All soft parts were patterned and sewn by me except for the leather vest as I didnt have an industrial machine that would handle the leather work.

I didnt say that she did not have a great costume. It was great and I could see the eye for accuracy. Anytime you add another layer to a costume it kicks it up a notch. Add lights, prosthetics, animatronics, smoke machine, airbrushed makeup.....you have a home run. Other entries had more diversive layers. As for your kids costume, why would I want to go there?:behave

The way that victory was achieved left a bad taste. Apparently I wasn't the only one who felt this way. Thats why the rules will be changed next year, to prevent another skewed voting system.

And Aelynn000, A personal Internet Blog is an oxymoron. I addressed you in a different fashion that you addressed the Mystique costume. I addressed you directly, in open forum, not thinly veiled behind your back on another forum. You implied to your readers that your closest competition was a ringer and didnt make her own costume. Your words, there was no negative twist on any RPF members part.

Ive been here for over a decade if you count the AOL boards. Ive made some mistakes and owned up to them. Im sure you have a lot to contribute to this forum and hope you continue to do so.

Just saw that the ladies costume thread was locked. I wasnt aware of that when I came into the main contest thread. I said my piece, and will move on.

 

[Thibault]

Since the drama continues here too :

 

[Jannix Quinn]

I voted for poison ivy, so it's not my fault!

 

[rollerboi]

I don't know if you saw, but she did apologize for that comment. That, to me, is class.

 

[Laffo]

I'm glad the half naked chick or the giant cardboard/foam/yoga mat costume didn't win for a change.

What a bunch of crybabies.

Laffo

 

[Bizarro Lois]

Since the drama continues here too :

PUPPY!!!!! I'm sorry. What were we talking about?

 

[TeresaMRoberts]

I just don't understand why people have to be mean about it. Just be a good sport and let it go! It was a very hard decision in all three categories.

Lear60man I'm sorry I got defensive but it honestly sounded like you were knocking soft material seamstresses. Or maybe that is just how I took it. It sounded like she didn't take any time and I know how much time it does take to sew. I honestly think it boils down to people just taking her costume detail at first glance. Because if I was to look at it with out knowing just have far she went in her thread it does look simple. And it would be very difficult to get a good picture to reflect the level of authenticity that is really there.

Alright Happier notes, Next years contest... I need Ideas and want to hear your own. I'm a single mother and we always all dress up. This year My son was captain hook, I was peter pan, and my daughter was tink. He's a very small 6 and my daughter is the same size almost 5. What are some ideas for the 3 of us NEXT year?

My son has mentioned Batman... Come on people Give me some Awesome Ideas!!!

 

[Bizarro Lois]

Alright Happier notes, Next years contest... I need Ideas and want to hear your own. I'm a single mother and we always all dress up. This year My son was captain hook, I was peter pan, and my daughter was tink. He's a very small 6 and my daughter is the same size almost 5. What are some ideas for the 3 of us NEXT year?

My son has mentioned Batman... Come on people Give me some Awesome Ideas!!!

I've already decided on two costumes I want to work on for conventions and Halloween next year! So if I enter, it will be whichever one of those I like better.

Does your son want to be Batman, or just Bat-characters? There are so many great costumes in that theme. Robin, Batgirl(several versions), Harley Quinn, Batwoman(original and modern). Then there are the rogues gallery.

 

[Annisse]

I was gobsmacked with the results in the ladies category.

aelynn000 do you really think your costume was worthy of winning? Take moment and look at the Bumblebee, Autobot, Gem, Quorra and Mystique. They all took weeks, if not months, of planning, building and execution. Your costume was good but lacked the level of detail and complexity that the others achieved. Then you take a personal swipe at your closest competitor 'Mystique'. I understand that you exploited a loophole, but to slam another's hard work is against the spirit of this contest and the RPF. The makeup, prosthetic and body form on the Mystique was close to flawless. This is coming to you from a former Holly propmaster.

How would you like it if you entered a costume contest at a bar and it was down to you and the big chested girl wearing the 'got milk?' T-shirt. She pulls out the pitcher of water for her gan finalle....and wins! Who had the better costume?

Thank you for standing up for the other contestants here. I was Quorra in the contest and yes, I can definitely vouch for my costume at least. It took me half a year, losing sleep, risking my job and tons of money I didn't have to make that costume light up, let alone figuring out what materials to use to match the movie costume as close as I could.

Mystique was wonderful and a well deserved win. That kind of application is not easy, I totally understand, cosplaying and making costumes for around 15 years.

 

[Shylaah]

Well, I ran so afoul of 'no-time, no-time' this year...I had two possibles on the burner but didn't get either one fired up--Angelica Teach as Jack Sparrow in POTC4, or the stewardess outfit from PanAm...........maybe go with the stewardess outfit as I'm kinda tired lately of looking at Jackie boy and his effects--been a long time into that franchise, maybe time to jump ship!? The PanAm series seems to be doing pretty well and hopefully it won't be gone and totally forgotten by next Halloween!

Shylaah

 

[TeresaMRoberts]

I've already decided on two costumes I want to work on for conventions and Halloween next year! So if I enter, it will be whichever one of those I like better.

Does your son want to be Batman, or just Bat-characters? There are so many great costumes in that theme. Robin, Batgirl(several versions), Harley Quinn, Batwoman(original and modern). Then there are the rogues gallery.

He's mentioned to me being batman and few cool ideas started to work (my little girl could be cat woman hehehe) . He also saw Mikey's Iron man costume that beat his this year and wanted that too. I really want to do something that hasn't really been done. Or done often. If I find a really cool concept I know he'll be into it. I just feel like you see batman's a lot. And if we can't come up with anything else I'll do it. But I'm on the prowl for just a BIGGER BETTER AMAZING idea.

I've never really been to any conventions before... I'd like to learn more. I go to like renaissance festivals, and old west festivals. My two little ones won the costume contest at the Old West fest in Cincinnati this year. What are the conventions like?

 

[TeresaMRoberts]

Well, I ran so afoul of 'no-time, no-time' this year...I had two possibles on the burner but didn't get either one fired up--Angelica Teach as Jack Sparrow in POTC4, or the stewardess outfit from PanAm...........maybe go with the stewardess outfit as I'm kinda tired lately of looking at Jackie boy and his effects--been a long time into that franchise, maybe time to jump ship!? The PanAm series seems to be doing pretty well and hopefully it won't be gone and totally forgotten by next Halloween!

Shylaah

I like the pan am ideas, for some reason it also makes me think of the older sister on "almost famous" too. Jack Sparrow is kinda getting... old for lack of better words but if you can come up with some AWESOME ideas to revive it, that could be great as well. I haven't even bothered to watch # 4 yet lol I was very into the first two!

 

[Shylaah]

I think #4 is actually my favorite. Just really loved Barbossa's part in that one, and Angelica a very refreshing change from Liz....... I don't know, though. I've grown rather fond of Beckett here of late!:eek

Yeah, I've always loved that classic little suit look, like the WACs WWII uniforms, the fitted jacket, the hugging skirt, those cute little hats--the 40s and 50s and on into the 60s before women's fashions went absolutely to the dogs!!! IMO....

I'm thinking for you and your kids, a suggestion.....Mad Hatter, Alice and the Red Queen......or any combination of three characters from Alice in Wonderland and any of the versions, Disney, Tim Burton, Alice the mini series (one of my favorite versions, want that RING, wish someone here would do a run!!! hint, hint!!), anything in between. Yes, it's been done a lot, but the possibilities are endless really, a very rich palette to choose from.

Shylaah

 

[StevenRogers84]

I'm glad the half naked chick or the giant cardboard/foam/yoga mat costume didn't win for a change.

What a bunch of crybabies.

Laffo

:thumbsup Tell it like it is brother!:lol I feel the same way about the half naked chick part.

 

[TeresaMRoberts]

I think #4 is actually my favorite. Just really loved Barbossa's part in that one, and Angelica a very refreshing change from Liz....... I don't know, though. I've grown rather fond of Beckett here of late!:eek

Yeah, I've always loved that classic little suit look, like the WACs WWII uniforms, the fitted jacket, the hugging skirt, those cute little hats--the 40s and 50s and on into the 60s before women's fashions went absolutely to the dogs!!! IMO....

I'm thinking for you and your kids, a suggestion.....Mad Hatter, Alice and the Red Queen......or any combination of three characters from Alice in Wonderland and any of the versions, Disney, Tim Burton, Alice the mini series (one of my favorite versions, want that RING, wish someone here would do a run!!! hint, hint!!), anything in between. Yes, it's been done a lot, but the possibilities are endless really, a very rich palette to choose from.

Shylaah

I like it.. I'll defiantly keep in in mind It's in the running lol

 

[Contec]

I was Captain Haddock in the male contest, I got 2 votes...one from Myself and one from a nice person (thank you).
Before the cheating and restart started I had about 10 votes, thanks to my family and friends on facebook...i did try to get people on the weta fb page to vote for me but i don't think anyone did.


Been reading up on the female thread....wow, some of them are really bitter because the came #2

 

[Alan Castillo]

...
Been reading up on the female thread....wow, some of them are really bitter because the came #2

... and there was also alot of thcweaming and thcweaming to win from others who did not end up as #2 :lol

:behave

 

[fleefromme]

can we please have panel of judges do a second contest, but no prizes be given out. just bragging rights?

 

[Bizarro Lois]

I like it.. I'll defiantly keep in in mind It's in the running lol

If you want something that isn't done too often, don't do Batman or Iron Man.

 

[Thibault]

can we please have panel of judges do a second contest, but no prizes be given out. just bragging rights?

I don't think I would vote for september->November members ! :lol