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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Non Star Wars lord of the rings costumes

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by sithgoblin3, Dec 10, 2002.

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  1. FERDALUMP

    FERDALUMP Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    Oh Kay_dee Your gown is simply stunning =D=
    You continue to take my breath away with your awesome talent and eye for accuracy. It is Gorgeous!!!

    In regards to the crown and veil--I personally don't really care for them with the gown. I don't think it would subtract a thing if you wore the gown without them. I think your gown is so fantastic, nobody could dare mention a thing is missing. However, I'm sure if you decide to create them they will look fantastic and just be the icing on the cake.

    ~Ferd [face_monkey]
     
  2. Obi-Dawn Kenobi

    Obi-Dawn Kenobi Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Once again, you've come through with a gorgeous gorgeous reproduction. kay_dee, your talent is greater than you know!
    I cannot wait to see this in real life! :D
     
  3. PadawansGuide

    PadawansGuide Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2002
    Kathy - your Arwen gown is gorgeous! Wonderful job! LOL! We used the same habotai for the sleeve lining. It matches perfectly in person, but tends to photograph very blue for some reason - more so in my pics than yours. I need a better camera - mine doesn't take very good pics. Plus my apt. is so cramped, there's no where good to take pictures! My fiance and I close on a house in 36 days (yes, I'm counting) and I want to rephotograph everything! Maybe I could actually take some backyard pics with me actually in the costumes! ;-)

    But back to the Mourning Gown - I love the silk velvet and wish I hadn't already had the rayon stuff, though I do like the color of mine. Oh well!

    As for a crown and veil - To be honest, they were pretty easy to put together, so you could make them (still a ton of time before DCon and then decide if you like them with it or not. For the veil I used the navy silk chiffon from thaisilks and did a rolled hem on them. On my Mom's machine actually since hers is nice and new and had the right foot for it and I happened to be going home that weekend.

    For the crown, I took advice from someone on the LotR boards who used gold foil from Michaels. It's very light and worked quite well. The pattern is a vine and leaves on each side and the tree of Gondor in a semi-circle on the front. You just use something pointy to gently make the design on the wrong side of the foil (I made a paper template and traced it), turn it over and go over it to make it puff out a bit more - and then I just folded the edges over. Then so I wouldn't slice my forehead, I hotglued felt over the inside - and hot glued the crown into a closed circle.

    It was very easy and looks nice. I couldn't resist and recently used my favorite antiquing stuff and went over my crown.

    Anyway - they're easy enough to put together if you want to do them. :)

    I'm going to wear my Mourning gown at Balticon this weekend - it'll be fun wearing it for the first time! I'll have to try and get pictures! :)

    Maggie









     
  4. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    Thanks for checking out my costume everyone :) It's just such a great feeling to have something finished (some of you know the issues I had with my Purple Senate project which is still in a box).

    ecila - I'm anxious to take photos in my gown but I will be out of town this weekend, so I don't see having time to do it until a week and a half from now (Husband has to be around to take the pictures) I may go to an arboretum near my house. 2 months ago they had large sculptures/houses woven out of tree limbs and and other woody looking stuff on the lawn that looked very elf-like. I don't know if it's still on display though (it was supposed to be a temporary thing).

    Maggie, I know what you mean about having space to take photos! My old condo was so cramped. Now I have this large dining room with nothing in it. It was perfect for marking my hem and taking photos. I don't know why the habotai silk sometimes photographs so blue (In one of my photos where I didn't use a flash, the sunlight reflected off it and it looks bright blue!) The close up of my hem stitching also looks bright blue, but it's actually navy blue thread.

    I was thinking of making a crown from buckram, papermache and lots of gold spray paint! Someone in the ACS elven grove section had a crown made that turned out pretty good, and one of my theater costume books actually suggests making crowns that way. Problem is I've never done paper mache (I don't think the crafts done in elementary school count). I had experimented a bit with that metal foil stuff when I was making my purple headdress - maybe I have too many bad memories attached to that stuff? If the paper mache is a bust I know I can work with the metal (I think I'm still sick of that stuff - LOL!)

    -Kay Dee

     
  5. surlygirlie

    surlygirlie Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 1, 2000
    Just a heads up/note of interest:

    Simplicity just put out the early autumn catalog, and there are two new LotR style costume patterns in it:

    4940 is a knock off of Arwen and Eowyn costumes, and 4942 covers Theoden, Legolas, and Elrond.

    They're not accurate, of course, but might provide good jumping off points, or an easy approach for people who need/want something in the LotR vein and aren't too concerned with accuracy.

    Edited to add: June 11 & 12, JoAnn's will have Simplicity patterns at 99 cents.

     
  6. chibiangi

    chibiangi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2002
    Has anyone seen the official version of the coronation gown? It looks pretty accurate. However, it will require removing the white trim and replacing it with beading, as well as a few other changes. IMO, I'm tempted to buy and do this because I think the touch-ups would make the dress look very nice. The only other thing is that the green looks a little darker, but that could just be a question of lighting & photography???

     
  7. surlygirlie

    surlygirlie Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 1, 2000
    chibiangi, just in case you hadn't seen it already, kay_dee compiled a fabulous page on the coronation gown. It's a great resource, and I highly recommend it if you're thinking of undertaking that costume.


     
  8. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    Thanks for the pattern update Surly! (I just saw a post at the Yahoo LOTR costume group too) I agree that some of the seam placements are not accurate, but they do provide a great starting off point for sleeves, necklines, etc. for those who want to alter and remove the princess seams.

    chibiangi - I'm not sure what you are referring to? "It looks pretty accurate." have you seen a knock off of the Coronation gown? (Was a post deleted because someone who was trying to sell a coronation gown?)

    Anyway - I have seen the 'real' gown at FIDM and my notes on it are here: http://kay-dee.net/costumes/coronation/

    I do have to make one little edit to my site. When I originally saw the costume I could have sworn the plain underdress fabric looked green with maybe a slight sheen, but it was very hard to see. I amended my notes saying it must have been white because I was shown this photo: Coronation Arm Hole

    I've now just come across this other photo that reaffirms my original notes that it was green fabric :)

    Green Undergown Fabric

    - Kay Dee







     
  9. surlygirlie

    surlygirlie Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 1, 2000
    (Was a post deleted because someone who was trying to sell a coronation gown?)

    Not that I know of...


     
  10. chibiangi

    chibiangi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2002
    You can find it here:

    http://www.museumreplicas.com/prjProduct.asp

    or ebay

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=60361&item=3820496439&tc=photo


    Maybe I am a sucker, but they seem to be legit? It is being mass produced so if it is a knock-off, I think the folks producing it are pretty ballsy.

    In any case, I think it is a close reproduction. The white trim would have to be removed and replaced with hand beading. However, the lace does appear to have the same pattern or very similar to the lace on the original dress. It doesn't appear to be two dresses, nor does it have a train or as long sleeve. However, considering the fact that it's $159 at the one site, I could overlook it. Also, I think doing handbeading would improve enough that the sleeve and train would go undected by most people.

    JMO.
     
  11. kay_dee

    kay_dee Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2002
    Ah chibiangi, I was wondering if you might have been talking about museum replicas - but since there was no reference in your original post I was stumped.

    Yes, Museum Replicas was liscensed to make the LOTR reproductions, but most are far from 100% accurate. They did have to get approval of the disigns by New Line - but I have to say I've seen fans make much better reproductions than this. (Even the Frodo pants they sell are missing details)

    Here are the major differences I see:

    - I agree it looks like it is not 2 gowns (real costume is a layered overdress and underdress)
    - This replica has princess seams, while the real gown has no princess seams in front.
    - They made the back lace up like a corset and it looks awful IMHO, nothing like the original which is either an invisible zipper or pulls over the head w/o using a zipper. (I suspect they did it this way so it would easily fit multiple sizes)
    - The green seems slightly off to me too - but as you said it could be the lighting (it's a closer geen than I've seen some fans use anyway)
    - Since it's not two dresses, the neckline and trim is not done correctly at all... looks like they used some kind of cording instead of embroidering a silver chain stitch with bugle beads on either side.
    - It looks to me like they used green for the undersleeve instead of yellow crinkled chiffon/mousseline
    - Sleeves not long enough on the outer sides.

    Ack - I could go on and on. This costume will pass for Arwen no problem, but if you know how to sew I think with a little effort you can make something more accurate than what they are selling. I guess those who have not studied the costume like I have would not know the difference... so maybe I'm a bad person to ask! :)

    - Kay Dee


     
  12. Neimhaille

    Neimhaille Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    Excellent work Kay-Dee:)

    And THANK YOU!!!

    I have tried in vain to convince people there was no serging, just a narrow short zig zag stitch used on the hems.

    I saw this on Galadriel's mirror dress you see.

    I think the short bugles are called double cut, they were also used on the other fabrics and Galadriel's chiffon etc. There was a mix of clear AB double cut and satiny transulscent white ones.

    I'd have to check my notes again, on my site but I can't really be bothered;) I just remember there was a mix:)
     
  13. FenigDurak

    FenigDurak Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 6, 2002
    A while back (for the release of ROTK), I made that Arwen dress from that one reference picture on alleycatscratch. Unfortunately, you can't see the beadwork I did on the sleeves or neckline, but I promise that I'll take a better detail shot soon.

    I made the dress from fabrics found at the annex so that I wouldn't be spending an obscene amount of money on a costume I was intentionally making inaccurate. Heh, I'll explain. It was Denver. December, and I was going to be standing outside without a coat for a few hours. I layered my dress and made the sleeves bigger to act as blankets for those standing with me.

    Anyway, I had looked at just buying the Museum Replicas dress and using it for the sleeves so that I wouldn't have to do all that beadwork, or find a comparable lace, but since at the time there wasn't a good shot up close, I went for the least expensive option. Kind of glad I did now.


    [image=http://images2.deviantart.com/i/2003/52/1/1/Costume_to_see_a_movie_in.jpg]
     
  14. spacelady

    spacelady Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 16, 2003
    I about to get McCall's Pattern 3944 for the Bridge dress, but I can't seem to find it. :( Is there a better pattern for that dress? Thanks :)

    ~Spacelady
     
  15. Cow_Girl

    Cow_Girl Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 15, 2001
    [image=http://www.simplicity.com/assets/4942/4942.jpg]

    Oh, Thats It, I am so making my Dad a Theoden Costume! :D
     
  16. Darth_Eagle

    Darth_Eagle Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    > I have tried in vain to convince people there was no serging, just a narrow short zig zag stitch used
    > on the hems.
    >
    > I saw this on Galadriel's mirror dress you see.


    Neimhaille:
    *Cry Cry* :_| I shouldn't had spent so much time examining the Ringwraith as to miss the opportunity to examine that dress directly. But hey! I got both of Arwen's Outfits.

    FRIEND: DE! Stop peeping under Arwen's Dress
    ME: Err....I was just looking for spiderwebs.
    :p


    Spacelady:
    How about Simplicity 9125? Or why not just check out the patterns ACS-LOTR recommand. ;)

    I can't wait to wrap up my LOTR Costumes and Armors so I can start on my SW ones for next year. Or maybe I should just ditch all the SW costumes in favour of an Armor (Oh gosh! I'm such a bumb! [face_blush] ).
     
  17. Neimhaille

    Neimhaille Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    lol!

    I had people ask why I was spending so long squinting at Arwen's riding coat.. I was looking up the inside as well... trying to see tops of boots and layres;)

    I spent three hours basically starig at the Requiem, the Riding and the Mirror dresses;)

    I'm actually in the midst of making another:)

    Mantle, gown, circlet, belt... lots lof layers and trim.....

    meep!
     
  18. Darth_Eagle

    Darth_Eagle Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    Neimhaille, I was going under Arwen's Requiem Dress other than almost examining every stitches for the Chase Dress a month back. :p Was actually part of my job tho' I overdo it to learned so much more (will get the notes to Cat one of these days). And sad to say, because of that, I now, really, really, really tempted to do those 2 too as soon as I find the rite fabrics (Singapore's Range of Velvet and Micro Suede Colors is soooooooo limited :_|).

    My LOTR Costumes List seems endless now with half of them the materials are already at hand; only that I can't sew gowns yet (still working on Tunics, Sleeves and Collar now). :_|
     
  19. Neimhaille

    Neimhaille Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    heheh :)

    Our displays were mostly in plinths.. things that were about knee high, which made seeing the tops of the costumes hard.

    But I did see that the Riding costume collar is all cut in one;)

    Wasetful!

    I checked it several times to make sure,a nd took notes on my brochure with the pen I managed to sneak in;)

    And the suede was so uneven! I mean there were patches of skin still, shiny spots...

    But then it was supposed to be a hard costume as opposed to all the light floaty fabrics;)

    Oh, latest piccies of my ensemble:
    [image=http://costumes.glittersweet.com/movies/cosplay7.jpg]
    [image=http://costumes.glittersweet.com/movies/cosplay8.jpg]

    Just with and without flash. SOme colours work better with some without flash.
     
  20. Sister_Sola

    Sister_Sola Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2002
    Oooh!!! Neimhaille, your Eowyn funeral outfit looks fantastic!!! The necklace and belt look great too - do you have any closer up shots of the jewelry?

    Awesome job!!!!
     
  21. Neimhaille

    Neimhaille Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    Heheh, thanks:)

    Actually those were just pinned to place to check the bits all work together.

    The brooches need to be mounted on leather and some more gold added to make them larger.

    The belt and brnecklace and brooch at the base of the necklace need to all sprayed to the same colour as well;)

    Everything is all pinned in place. Really I just wanted to see if it all worked together and if it was worth finishing the project;)
     
  22. Darth_Eagle

    Darth_Eagle Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    Wow, Neimhaille, the dress is coming along great! :) Can't wait to see it completed and in all its glory on you. ;)

    Wish I can start doing my gowns soon but got a March Warden Suit to settle first. I need something with pants instead of gowns all the way. :p
     
  23. Neimhaille

    Neimhaille Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    Thanks:) Heheh, you have no idea how much I've been humming and hahhing over this costume;)

    Basically cost of going to the convention, vs meeting people again... vs making the gown as close as possible in some ways, not so in others...
     
  24. Darth_Eagle

    Darth_Eagle Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    Aduh! :oops:

    I just bought a metre of ~USD29/m French Lace for my Arwen Coronation Dress tho' it's not THE design or color (it's pale green and gold). And I still haven't gotten the Silk Satin or Silk Velvet (forsee a need to order it online) or Silk/Polyester Chiffon for it so think the pricetag for this dress gonna cost me as much as my Arwen Mourning Dress (~USD290, not including the possible cost my 1 year of research & fabrics hunting) even tho' I'm planning to making it myself. :(

    Hope I can still save up for my SW Armor, much needed next year for EpIII release. [face_hypnotized]
     
  25. spacelady

    spacelady Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 16, 2003
    Neimhaille, your dress is wonderful! :D I love that one! [face_love] :D

    I was playing around with Arwen dresses, and I think I came up with a pretty cool dress, it's a mmix of the Angel dress and the Bridge dress, I'm hoping for three or 4 layers in it, the top two sheer and the bottom poly. I think I came up with a set color, but it's between dyed light blue/Dark blue/Purple, or just light blue. Any thoughts on that will be cool! :p Anyways I hope to get that done pretty soon. :p

    Edit: Darth_Eagle, I'm sorry to hear that. :(

    Edit: Okay now I have pictures, the sleeves will be the Bridge: Bridge and the bodice will the the Angel: [image=http://www.quintessentialwebsites.com/lordoftherings/movieshots/arwen_asfaloth_lesnie.jpg] :D

    ~Spacelady
     
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