ACParadise Forums

It looks as though my Shermie (from "King of Fighters") costume may finally debut at some 2007 event or other after so many false starts. However, while my grandmother thinks she can figure out the dress and the wig is taken care of (I'm the proud owner of the Shermie wig on Katie Bair's website), we're not so sure about the boots. I have an idea, but I'm not so sure it will work.

The idea I have is as follows: rather than using boot covers or the method previously used for Mona's boots, I was going to buy a pair of baby pink gogo boots and attaching buckles (with or without straps) to them myself. At the moment, I've bought the buckles but not the boots. How should I go about attaching the buckles to the patent leather such that they'll hold well (this costume will see more than one event)? Or should I forget it and hope there's some pink pleather/vinyl/whatever in the upholstery section of JoAnn's or wherever my grandmother and I go to buy the fabric for the rest of the outfit (thus making them using the same method as Mona's boots)? I've also considered ordering "boot socks" or "booties" from a couple different custom spandex sites (to cut the bottoms off of and attach to a pair of cheap (most likely secondhand) pumps or sandals), but neither of those sites offer any kind of pink material.

Here's the only reference pic I have/could find that shows the boots in any real detail. Given all that, what is the best way to go about them?

I think you should be able to attach the buckles to pink boots using straps as shown in the picture. Stitch the straps to the buckles like a normal belt so they won't fall off. Then you might need to use a combination of glue and a few well-placed stitches to attach the straps to the boots. Heavy-duty leather needle, thimble (to push), and pliers (to pull) would be necessary for stitching. They would reinforce the glue at key points like near the buckles and next to the zipper.

Alternatively, you could try rivets of the type used for purse/handbag straps. They can be found in fabric stores nowadays and should be able to punch through vinyl or leather since that's what they're designed to do. You might need to pre-drill with an awl or leather punch since the boots are probably thicker than most handbags. Anyway, they would work similar to staples to attach your straps to the boots in those key points stated above either as a back-up for glue or alone since they should be stronger than stitching.

I wouldn't use glue alone because it could peel off the finish of your boots as you wear them, and then your buckles & straps would come loose. The glue would be sticking really well, but only to the outer, shiny layer of the vinyl. Boots & shoes, even when we're trying to be careful, go through a lot of abuse in walking around, especially at a crowded convention.

Hope that helps a little. It's always kinda hard to explain without hands-on or pictures. ^_^