Construction Details:

Gi Top - Pretty basic kimono pattern, which gets a lot of use in cosplay. I used black sateen, a cotton blend with a lovely sheen to the surface (only downside is, it collects a lot of lint). I installed a false white collar and sleeves to make it look like I was wearing a white gi underneath as well. The collars snap together where they cross, so I don't have to adjust them all day.

Haori Coat - Made of white sateen, also customized from a kimono pattern. The dash-and-dot pattern at the hem was hand painted, as was the 'ten' kanji on the team placard at the back. The placard is a separate piece, edged with black bias tape and sewn on. I custom died the teal inner lining to get the right shade.

Hakama - The part I was most nervous about. I'd never made hakama before, but I followed a basic pattern shape from http://imadeitbyhand.blogspot.com/2010/05/drafting-hakama-pattern.html. It was less painful than I had thought. Also made of black sateen.

Wig - An eBay purchase. The bangs and spikes are heat shaped and hairsprayed to death.

Waraji Sandals - Probably the most time-consuming part. I followed a tutorial on how to hand-weave sandals - http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-Bleach-Cosplay-sandals-waraji/?ALLSTEPS. I heard that they were fragile and tended to unravel easily, so I decided to purchase a cheap pair of flip-flops and take the tread off. I injured myself slicing off the tread. :S But after that, I used Gorilla Glue to join the sandals and tread, making the sandals a lot sturdier and street-friendly.

Hyourin-maru - To make his sword, I purchased the cheapest katana I could find on eBay and set about altering it to match. I painted the tsuba-ito (handle-cord) light blue, and the hilt beneath it tan. Re-wrapping the tsuba-ito was quite an adventure. I removed all the metal hardware and painted it bright gold. The hilt-guard itself couldn't be removed, so I had to smash it off with a hammer and remove the last vestiges with a metal hacksaw.
The star-shaped hilt guard was made of wood, and given 3D trim with foam pieces. The whole shebang was then sealed and painted gold, then I 'aged' the metal by painting the nooks & crevices with a mix of black and green paint and wiping away the excess.
The hilt was painted dark blue and varnished. The green sash is made of cotton, and the gold flower was made of Fimo, spraypainted, and then given the same 'aging' treatment as the hilt.

Makeup & Accessories - I powder down my face and lips with mineral powder foundation, and paint my eyebrows with white eyeliner. I give them more definition by blending in some gray eyeshadow at the base of the eyebrows. I also use white mascara and white eyeliner to make my eyelashes match.
To change my figure, I wear double sports bras to flatten my chest, and wrap a thick cloth around my waist to thicken it. The top is loose enough that a binder's not really necessary. Thank god I'm not too busty.

Personal Thoughts:

My first crossplay! I think I have a good face for crossplay, at least for a short prettyboy like Hitsugaya. Sometime in the future, I would love to have my sister play my Matsumoto.

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