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

I need wig help!

After another bun-sliding evening last night, I've decided to go the wig route after all. You'd think with waist-length hair I should be able to pull this off, but my hair just isn't the right consistancy to hold the buns large enough.

So does anyone have advice for where to find a better quality wig to use with this costume? I haven't actually ever had my hands on the licensed version, so I don't know how that is for quality, but I'm willing to pay more for a better wig that's styled the same way.

Any help is appreciated!

Sonnet

(If this is too close to asking for non-licensed dealers, please send me PMs, but I wasn't sure if looking for a 'wig with buns' counted.)

 

There is a licensed Leia wig available -- a quick google of "Leia wig" will turn up dozens of places that sell it. I don't think it's particularly great, though.
I think, if you're not too tired of fighting with it, it would be a shame not to use your natural hair.
What styling products have you tried?
Backcombing some of the base hair (which will be covered by the rest of the bun) may give it more oomph, and make bobby pins sit more securely.
If your hair is very silky, a texturizing gel or styling glue may be the ticket.

 

Yay! I found the pattern on www.sewingpatterns.com! I'm sooo happy! This will be my first costuming experience! Wish me luck!

 

Good luck Pappy! I'm going to be creating this soon as well, sometime after I finish the cermonial gown.

Here are a couple pictures of the belt for this dress. The guy in the picture, Darthtrader, made the metal pieces and figured out a way to put them on the belt. All I have left to so is attach the snaps.
[image=http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v239/JediDajuan/Star%20Wars/costuming/leiabeltdajuan.jpg]
^me
[image=http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v239/JediDajuan/Star%20Wars/costuming/leiabelteric.jpg]
^Darthtrader
[image=http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v239/JediDajuan/Star%20Wars/costuming/Leiabelt.jpg]
^belt

 

Nice belt!

For the hair question:

I have long hair, yet it's just not thick enough for what I term "healthy buns".

I add loose hair extensions to my own hair to fill out the buns. It stays really well, just requires a healthy dose of bobby pins. I usually have my own hair as a mini-bun in the center, then add the fake hair to fill it out. I've also "mixed" the fake with my own before winding both into the buns, but that doesn't work as well for me.

If you can find a color and texture like your natural hair, most people won't know where your hair ends and the extra stuff begins. Unfortunately, the first batch I bought (very inexpensive, at a beauty supply place) was more of a maroon than brown, and the texture was a lot coarser than my own.

[image=http://atlantic.photoisland.com/sessions/88411812324/24298811lg.jpg]

 

Oh goodness! I thought I'd try sewing something for practice, since it's been so long, before I jumped into the Leia costume, and so I found a vest pattern and some ugly fabric my mom had on hand and gave it a go...It was TERRIBLE! Absolutely awful. A DISASTER! You get the point. I feel very unsure now, and I'm regretting ordering the pattern.

I couldn't make sense of the pattern at all, and then when I did try to cut it, It was all over the place and not very neat. I was very dejected. I didn't even try the sewing part...and this was a simple vest! How am I going to do a whole costume?!

 

PappyCat: It's all right--sometimes I have to have a good *stare* at a pattern before it makes sense. Just go slowly and carefully. It helps me if I read the directions on the pattern first, figure out what pieces I'll need, how they go together, and then cut out the pattern. Pin all your pattern pieces to your fabric very well so it doesn't shift around on you while you cut. It's really frustrating to get everything cut out and then discover that your pieces are shaped funny because something funky happened when you were cutting. If you're feeling very unsure, just do something easy, like a pillow or something, that will let you do some sewing without the brain cramp that patterns can cause.

I was crazy and started out by making formal dresses...sometimes just taking a step back and breathing deeply will help.

 

PappyCat, don't despair! I think we've all had frustrating sewing experiences, and some of us (moi, for instance) still have them on a very regular basis.

You can do it.

Just take rvqavalon's advice and go slowly and deliberately. Read all the instructions that come with your pattern before you even think about cutting anything out. And make as many mock-up versions of the dress as you need until you feel comfortable cutting into your real fabric.

And don't hesitate to ask us questions about anything along the way. Someone will surely know the answers!

The good thing about sewing is the more you do the better you'll get at it. Don't quit now! You can do it!

 

Thanks guys...I calmed down a bit, and decided that I didn't want to give up on this..before I even start! So, my mom is going to help me get reaquainted with the sewing machine, and we'll hope it works out!

 

As a rather big guy, who is going to an Halloween party as Leia(!!!), do the patterns for her ANH outfit allow for my larger dimensions, as a friend has said she'll have a go at making one for me.

Cheers.

 

Yeah, I'm a larger lady, so I'll have to adjust my pattern as well.

 

Pappy, since you seem to be new to the boards you might want to see if there is an active FF group in your area. Many clubs have one or more costumer and a few have extremely active costuming group. In addition to getting help from your mom and from the lovely people here, it might be a good opportunity for you to meet with people for a hands on workshop.

Good luck with your sewing!

~H~

 

That's a good idea! Do you know if there is one in Oregon?

 

For those needing a hair tutorial for this costume you can find one here:

http://www.jedi-academy.com/leia_anh_hair02.html

 

Allrighty, I got my pattern! Hurray! I've been pouring over the pattern, trying to learn everything I can about it.

I was wondering about what fabric I should use, and about how much it's going to run me. Also, is there a cheap fabric that is similar to the actual fabric that I could do a practice costume on?

I need your help!

 

When I saw the MoM exhibit, the fabric for the dress really looked like that poly-knit that was so popular in the 70's.
For a test run, almost any knit with a good drape will probably do -- and often, if you lurk and trawl, you can find knits on a sale table at most fabric stores -- even Wal-Mart, on occasion.

 

For cheap practice fabric, dig through the $1 bin at Wal-mart. It doesn't have to be the same color as your real material, what's important is that it behaves like your real material so you can spot any problems you might have before they happen in the final version.

As for scaling up the pattern, the latest issue of Threads magazine (#113, witht all the Chinese brocades on the front) has a good, detailed article about how to do that so that all the pieces still fit together properly.

 

Hey all, I found this site and looked at the boots and thought they'd be good for the Leia Costume.

http://www.gothamshoes.com/mall/lobby.htm

I also concur with digging through the Walmart $1 section. That is what I did. Purchased enough to make a Leia dress for myself and my daughter.

 

That's where I bought my boots from. I suggest the Yumas Corps style/parade boots. And ordering them over the phone, as online orders get lost. (Mine did, twice.)

More possible boot suggestions here: http://www26.brinkster.com/leiacost/anhrobe/boots.html

 

Do you find them comfortable???

 

They're really comfortable. Only thing you might want to watch out for is that they only come in four sizes. 5, 5 & 1/2, 9 & 1/2, and 10. Not a problem for me since they carry my size, but if you're anywhere in between, their Dallas drill team boot would work (has a bit of a heel), and so would the Biker boot (has the black sole like Leia's; that top buckle shouldn't matter too much, as it'll be hidden by the dress most of the time).

 

I like the style you have, StormtrooperPrincess, but they didn't have my size. I chose one similar to the Drill Team boot, and it's really comfortable!

 

Did anyone include shoulder seams in the dress?

I'm just about to remake mine, and I'm wondering if I should follow the Obi-Wan's Jedi Academy instructions (which has those shoulder seams) or go without the seems? I'm going for a more authentic look this time around.

Actually, this will be the first time I make the dress. I was lucky enough to have a friend make it for me the first time around. I decided to start out my official costuming ventures with a very familiar and (compared to a lot of the other costumes out there) simple dress.

Thanks for any and all help!

 

My first ("quicky") version of it did, because I used the out-of-print Butterick pattern and I was in a hurry. The gown has since been passed on to the girl who borrowed it for an event last May, who doesn't care about the accuracy. My current version has no shoulder seams. Just side seams.