Construction Details:

This costume wasn't really difficult to make; it mostly required a lot of prep work before it could even begin to come together. All told this was about 90 hours of work from the first test-dye to the last stitch (and it still needs touchups).

The robes are made with a sateen and a posh(?) lining found in NYC. The colors I could find were all wrong, though, so I matched their tones using a Golden Yellow Rit Dye bath. Note: washing dye from fabrics sucks when your bathtub doesn't drain quickly. =/

The costume was patterned from scratch. The orange trim was constructed using a seamless trim method, which produced a satisfying lack of wrinkles. The collar was particularly difficult and had to be ladder-stitched down. The trim details of curliques were created with a zigzag stitch over loose threads, creating some additional dimensionality. These parts were then ladder-stitched in place.

The sun/yin-yang, moon, and front detail designs were appliqued to the outfit using heat&bond and satin stitching.

The sleeves are 48 inches wide at the wrist. The bells were given to me by simplesignifier years ago specifically for this costume and attached with a whipstitch.

The shirt underneath is a basic mandarin collar button-down shirt held together with frog clasps. The sleeves are pleated at the cuff and the front is faced, but it is not lined.

The hat was an exercise in experimentation. The pattern was created, then pinned together, then checked again until it fit right and looked right. The yellow and orange patterning on the sides are constructed separately from the base and are attached only at the hairline, as they are in the manga. The orange was appliqued to the yellow with heat and bond and a satin stitch. Then the hat was re-fitted because it had come out too small. XD;; The jewels on both sides are cast resin laid on a black material background. It stays on my head by pulling it down and with a single bobby pin in the back.

The sword is wooden with model magic modifications to the crossguard. It was painted with acrylic paint and the red jewel is resin-cast. The charm is made of a styrofoam ball painted and laquered, eye hooks, red rope, and fringe glued into a tassel shape.

Personal Thoughts:

This costume was a long time in coming. I'd dreamed of making Syaoran's traditional card-capturing robes since the mid-2000's, but didn't get around to the attempt until this year - and I'm glad I waited this long, because I don't think past me would have had the ability to pull it off.

Huge thanks to both Chira and breathlessaire for cosplaying Sakura opposite my Syaoran, you're both amazing and I'm super-honored!

Styling Notes

styled by knightarcana.

Wig Review

soft and lots of volume, as expected of Arda!

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