Construction Details:

The basic shinigami shihakusou was made using light weight cottons, customizing from a kimono pattern for the open Bleach-style sleeves.

nI used the Folkwear pattern for the haori, and also customized that for the style worn by Ukitake. I did make one mistake in using polyester lining, and learned after getting heat sick a few times I do better with cotton or Bemgerg linings. For the designs on the haori I used cotton iron on patches cut out with Exacto knives. This technique worked very well and still looks in excellent condition.

nThe hakama were a used pair from my iajutsu training.

nI made 3 swords for Ukitake's "sougyo no kotowari": the regular zanpakutou and the shikai version. I hand-sawed them out of 1/4" pine and created beveled edges. Then built hilts around the tang, using the same techniques when I made Kenshin's sakabatou: thin wood base with painted corkboard to simulate shark skin, wide laces for the wraps, and Friendly Plastic/MagicSculpt for the end caps. I made the tsuba (sword guards) and the shikai charms from layers of mat board cut out and glued together. The charms were sewn in place using invisible thread around the red nylon webbing that connects the two shikai.

Personal Thoughts:

This was my second cosplay to finish and I still enjoy wearing it. And it's another of my cosplays that has been worn to over 30 conventions and photoshoots.

Styling Notes

I cut the side locks, and the layers of bangs for the sections that tuck behind the ears and the sections that sweep or hang over the face. To keep things in place I used Got2BGlue. The first wig was actually a Cosworx Ivy, and after that one wore out, I had to get a Clover L, as the Ivy had been discontinued. Now that I need to get a third wig as the second one is worn out, it's a lot easier to find long, white wigs.

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