Princess Leia Leia ANH First Gown...Help me... Obiwan Kenobi....;

Here it is! I took it with my mobile phone on a self timer. I'm a blonde, but my hair is such a dark blonde in places that it can pass as brown.

I'm standing at the doors to the entertainment room in my old house, they look cool don't they? perfect place to stand.

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Katana_Geldar/Leia-001.jpg]

And here's a detail of the belt.

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/Katana_Geldar/Belt-001.jpg]

 

I've posted this on RL and MWB already so Susie and Blue will be tired of seeing it already. LOL
But since I've asked questions and got help here, I wanted to post my finished costume:
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Free%20Comic%20Day%2008/P1010717.jpg]
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Free%20Comic%20Day%2008/P1010718.jpg]
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Free%20Comic%20Day%2008/P1010719.jpg]

The material is a cotton/spandex blend that I found 3 years ago and didn't feel like buying something different. So its a bit heavier than the JetSet. But the nice thing is that it really breathes and I didn't have to worry about making the gathers under the belt. They stay just fine with the cotton material.

I just loved wearing it to Free Comic Book day. After having so many EU costumes, it was nice for people to know who I was for once. LOL!

 

You look amazing! Job well done!

 

Wow Jade-Walker - you look so different as a brunette! Another great costume

 

Thanks, KayDee
I wasn't sure how well I could pull it off. I have a long rather than a round-shaped face. But I was pretty pleased with the effect. I was surprised as well at the difference hair color makes.

 

Your costume looks wonderful! You did a really great job!
Susan

 

You look beautiful, Jade. The dress turned out lovely and your belt is fantastic! It's such a fun costume, isn't it? Great work.

 

Beautiful job!

 

That looks great! You look good as a brunette

That costume is so much fun to wear to events. So, have any little girls asked if that was your real hair? I get them all the time asking how long my 'hair' is lol. I just stretch out my arm and tell them "This Long". Their eyes get HUGE and then they start playing with their own hair trying to see if it is long enough lol.

 

Katana, I don't know how I missed your post! You look great in front of those doors. Great job!

 

Thanks, that was the doors to the lounge room at my old house, looks very Star Warsy, doesn't it?

I no longer live there, but I did take a picture for compositing purposes.

Currently the dress has a million wrinkles in it after being packed in a box and I want to get it out for the Clone Wars premiere.

 

Those doors are cool for a backdrop, I agree. And costume looks nice on you.

I think I'm hooked now, Ladies. A princess for life now. LOL.
Love the story about showing the girl how long your hair is. LOL.

 

I have made about three versions of this dress and I finally have it the way I want it. My only major issue is the belt. I really don't have the resources to make one the way it is described on Obi-Wan's Jedi Academy. I thought I'd ask here to see if there were any alternatives to making it myself. I lack skills and tools needed to make one accurately out of leather and I don't know anybody who could do it. I think it would end up costing me way more than it should. The aluminum and leather itself is inexpensive, but the tools suggested (leather shears, leather punch, snap setter, drill) are not. I have even stooped to looking on eBay, but any belts listed on there are way over-priced ($199 for an accurate one).

My previous adventures making this belt included vinyl and cheap thin hobby aluminum that ended up bending and coming unglued. I also tried a canvas idea and that failed even more. Any suggestions on what I could do? Or perhaps some alternate tips for making one that won't fall apart?



edit: Per forum rules, soliciting via 'asking for someone to make and sell you an unlicensed costume and/or prop' is not allowed.

 

Well, since you live in the US you have access to all of the online shopping resources I had to use to make my belt. Just check Padawan's Guide. She has all the links to the sources I ordered leather from, ordered metal for the plates from, and the button blanks are just from JoAnn or Hancocks. You can cut the aluminum with metal shears, but you might have to also get some metal files and file off the slightly sharp bent edges the metal shears can make. But you can get strong metal shears at OSH, Home Depot, any of those places.

Don't forget that belts you order from people on ebay you are not only paying for their time to make it, but maybe they invested in some expensive tools to make the belts so you are helping pay for that cost as well.

 

I didn't actually use metal for my belt, just silver fabric which I put onto a firm backing. it'll stay on better, just not that authentic.

 

I made a very cheap belt the night before D-Con last year. It turned out surprisingly well. I used 1/4in thick white non-shiny vinyl flooring that had the texture of leather. I found it in the "rug" department of Big Lots. I got a whole roll- about 8 ft for $10 and used most of it on my Zam costume, but had plenty left over for my last minute Leia belt. For the shiny squares, I cut up the back of an aluminum "yard sale" sign from Wal-Mart which was easy to cut with scissors. Then used the large button covers and silver hammer-in snaps like the websites above mention. It was fast and cheap and has held up fine with parties and cons. The key is the type of glue, I've learned that epoxy is the best way to go (the more warning "hazardous to heath" labels the better, it's true!). You need to get the type of epoxy that you mix yourself. I think I used ?8 min epoxy?? It is holding my entire Zam suit together- great stuff! You can see pictures of the finished product here.

 

For my first Ceremonial Leia belt I used vinal and then got sheet metal from Home Depot in the roofing section and cut it out. I was using tape to hold it together but there is this glue called Goop that is really really strong and would work so much better.

Since I made that belt though I have upgraded to a leather belt with stainless steel plates. I understand compeltely about not having money, I'm a college student, but for me I think its soooo worth it to really invest in this belt and make it out of leather and better metal. Not only does it look alot better but it holds up strong.

 

Metallic fabric isn't that exoensive though, but you have to sew RIGHT on the edge.

 

Cressie's right; the glue is key. I've made versions with white vinyl and hobby aluminum before, and they've looked just fine. Actually, I don't know what metal it is; the packaging just says "metal." (Classy!) There are different thicknesses of metal sheets-- I found that the .032 was too thick, and the .008 too thin, but the .016 was juuuuust right.

 

Everyone has some really great ideas! The first two belts that I made were out of some sort of upholstery vinyl that I found at JoAnn's, and the metal was that cheap hobby aluminum that you can cut with scissors. I think I might try working with it again and using the epoxy glue suggested by cressie until I can get everything together for the real thing.

The store I work at is closing, so it looks like I'm going to have lots of free time when I'm not in class to work on costuming stuff.

 

The contact cement DOES NOT stick the metal to vinyl permanently. So I'd go with the Epoxy that people are suggesting. I've just had to glue my belt for the 3rd time.

But the vinyl and hobby metal look good. No one's ever noticed and commented on it not being leather. Much easier to put together.

 

Hi everyone, I don't post much on these boards, I normally just stick to my local Fan Force ones. But it's nice to meet new people and so here I am. I'm on version 3.0 of this costume and I'm planning on doing another (and FINAL!!!) version, wherein I will spend the time on it I need to to make it as accurate as possible, and I promise not to be rushed so that I want to fix something later. ;-)

My current one I actually made out of swimsuit lining, doubled up. Yeah sounds strange but I wanted something that draped a little more fluidly. I just broke down and bought a pattern (Simplicity 4443) to modify. The problems I have right now are, the sleeves are a bit too short, because the fabric just wasn't quite wide enough, and I hemmed the dress a tad too short. Yeah, smart. It originally was waaay too long, so of course I overkilled.

I've done the dress so far without a pattern, and I've seen other girls' dresses and they seem not so wide as mine, so I'm hoping this one will look a little better. And this time I'm going to self-line everything too.

I have the fortune of living very close to a Tandy Leather, so my belt is real leather painted white, and my dad works for the LA DWP as the weld shop supervisor, so he cut me the metal plates out of aluminum, I think. Here's what I look like now:


[image=http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e56/sohall/001med.jpg]

Yeah my hem is a little off-kilter in the front. It's from blousing it in the front. See? a problem with too short a hem.

 

You look great Symina!

 

It looks good
Don't worry about the hem. Mine is longer and all that does is gets it filthy dirty! I"ll likely hem it up a little higher in the future.

I loved being in the parade last weekend and hearing kids and adults say "Princess Leia! Princess Leia!"--second only to Vader.
*sigh* I love being Leia.

 

One of the best things about this dress is, even if is like wearing a tent, the hem is something you can adjust but pulling more out at your waist