Shadow Lady

That playful, sexy, mischevious thief of the night is the main character in this awesome manga series that's captured the hearts of many...and if you haven't read it, you're definitely missing out!!

Shadow Lady first captured my attention in an issue of Animerica...I forget which it was, but Animerica did do an article on her! After reading the storyline and eyeing the costume, I thought it'd be a fun one to check out. However, it pretty much ended there, cause no stores by me sold manga. -_-

Then, before AI 2k1, I decided I wanted to make "demon," or bat wings, and pair up with my friend Lauren, who'd be wearing angel wings, and we'd wear shirts that say "Love" and "Peace." Get it? Love and Peace! Trigun! ^_^ But, then someone else said I'd be more recognized if I had an actual costume...and then I remembered...Shadow Lady has demon wings!!!

ANIMEIOWA 2001

1.About a month before I start making my demon wings...do you know how hard making demon wings is? Maybe its just me...but it took me at least 5 tries before I got a decent pair! I kept making them totally wrong, and had to keep sending my mom out to buy more and more yards of black fabric....sorry mom ^_^;;

2. 2 weeks before AI I finish the wings, by adding the silver "webbing" and wire around the outside, and sew up the bottom...I tried to get a black leotard with a collar, and then add a skirt for the costume...but there weren't any like that in town, so I went for a black shirt thats the same style, and I got a black pleather skirt...really, I wasn't too concerned about the costume, seeing as I hadn't read the manga, had no clue what it was about, I just wanted my wings! *lol*

3. A week before AI Now, I gotta do something about the symbol on her chest! I take more of the silver fabric from her wings, make a pattern on paper and cut it out of the silver, then cut a smaller circle of tan colored felt for the middle. (I'm not as outgoing, nor do I have the chest, to actually cut out that circle...no, no ^_^;;) I sew the silver symbol on the shirt loosely, so I can take it off and still wear the shirt, and then tacky glue the tan cirle onto the silver.
Oh, and her armband! Use more silver for that, got a blue gem from Hobby Lobby and did the black parts on that with puffy paint ^_^ Fastened it with velcro, and ta-da!!
4. The con! Complete! (well, as complete as it was gonna be!) I had some almost-knee-high black boots that I wore with it to, so I was semi-accurate, and I bought some evening-length black gloves at Hobby Lobby...and that's my first showing of Shadow Lady!

This costume...was rather crappy, I gotta say -_- I apologize to Katsura-san for totally butchering his character! *laughs* Here's the only picture I've kept ^_^

Shadow Lady and Hikaru with Mokonas...weirdness, anyone?

ANIMECENTRAL 2002

1. A few weeks before the con I really didn't do much with this one, actually...I was going to be more accurate so I bought a funky silver wig from Factory Card Outlet, then got cheap clip-on earrings (my ears aren't pierced ^_^) from Claire's and glued black poof-balls on them. Then! I wanted a De-Mo. (Shadow Lady's sidekick, you could say) so I got some Crayola model magic, and made me a De-Mo! I painted him with Testors model paint, and did his face with a Sharpie. He turned out rather nicely, I think! I should put up a pic of him sometime ^_^

2. At the con Well this is a short table, isn't it? I decided to go all-out accurate here and went crazy with pink eyeshadow...only, I'm not a make-up artist or anything so you can't see it toooo well...and when you do though, it looks weird...anywho though, see for yourself in the pics!

My good friend Arek from So Desu Ne Cosplay decided to cosplay with me, as Bright Honda! So we had some fun times with pictures:

Shadow Lady and Bright, partners in crime? ^_^

The impossible's been attempted! Shadow Lady....CAUGHT?

Shadow Lady with her night's plunder and Lauren in a white kimono

And now for a special treat:

Me as Shadow Lady,

drawn by good friend Lauren! Isn't it cuuute ^_^

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

^ That's De-Mo, by the way! =^_^=

ANIMEIOWA 2002

Now for the long part...for AnimeIowa 2002, I decided to totally, 100%, re-do the costume, so it'd actually do some justice to the character and the series! Thiiiiis took me quite a while, and I have quite a few horror stories...but on to the table ^_^

1. About three months before the con I found a pattern for a dress with the type of collar I need, and I go buy 2 yards of black spandexy fabric...which is rather expensive, by the way -_- I've never paid $16 a yard for fabric before! =O Anywho, I lay the patterns out, altering for length, and cut.

2.Um...a little later ^_^ So, I'm sewing everything together, and I come to the part that needs a zipper, on the back by the collar. I didn't think I'd need too long of a zipper, and I didn't want much of a zipper showing (I'm going for maximum correctness, here!) so I buy a 4-inch one. I put that in, and it took forever, cause I don't have a zipper foot and I suck at sewing zippers -_- But eventually I got it in, and went over it a few times to make sure that thing wasn't goin anywhere! I put the collar in, everything was going well, until I try it on....and realize that because I bought too short a zipper, I can't get the costume over my head...talk about frustration!!!!
So I try to rip the seams and pull the zipper out, but that wasn't working at all, black thread embedded deep in black spandex, I was tearing more fabric than thread! So, terribly terribly frustrated, cause I couldn't think of any other solution than to totally re-make the dress again from scratch, I decided to take a few days off and not even think of the costume! -_-;;

3. A few days later Well, I didn't even make it the few days I had set off...I came back early and decided to sit down with my costume, have a talk, and rip that zipper out, no matter what! So....I did ^_^ It took a rather long time, but I got that sucker out, and the costume only suffered a few minor holes ^_^;; Then, I had to get a longer zipper (7" this time!) and re-do the whole zipper-getting-in process...that was an adventure as well, but I got it in ^_^

4. About 2 months before AI 2002 I finish the collar, put in fasteners, do everything according to pattern....then I try it on again, and the collar's too short...-_- as in, I can't even fasten it without enduring strangulation!! And...thats kinda bad ^_^;; Sooo...*sigh* more ripping of seams that don't like to be ripped, re-sewing fasteners and some minor adjustments (aka fudging) and the collar's done! I put in a very narrow hem, cause I found out I cut it a bit too short initially, and I got her basic dress! Finally! I was very, very excited ^____^

5. A few days after that! Now, on to her boots! As you can see, Shadow Lady doesn't have high-heeled pleather boots, as some other costumers have worn...no, hers are more like sneakers! So, in my quest to be accurate, I buy black tennis shoes, and then a pattern for socks. (Yes, really, there are patterns for socks!! That was so cool ^_^) Using that sock pattern, I altered it to yield really looooooong socks...thigh-high, are you seeing where I'm going? I finished those with no complications, and then set to adding the details! Go back to that picture, and you can see she's got, like, rolls on her boots...yea, to make them look...boot-y...but anywho, who's on a quest to be accurate?

6. A week or so after That's right I'm on a quest to be accurate! So, using scraps from the dress and boot fabric, I made fabric "tubes," if you will, stuffed those with fiberfill, sewed the other ends together and then attached them to the "sock." Now, this was fun! I couldn't very well attach these "tubes" without actually wearing the sock, so I'd put the long sock on, then the shoe over it, and then place the "tube" where its supposed to go, and sew it on...but since the sock was so tight, being spandexy and all, every time I put the needle in, I'd prick a piece of skin...so guess what? By the time I was done with the lower half of her boots, there were outlines, no kidding, of pricks where the "tubes" were on the socks...and I actually used the marks on my one leg as reference as to where to place the "tubes" on my other sock! Isn't that sad ^_^ What one will do for a costume, ne? ^_^

7. Right after the boots! Time to work on her chest insignia! I found some really cool silver fabric, smooth, shiny, and didn't fray! Awesomes...so, I make a pattern on paper of the symbol, and I also make a smaller version of that pattern for her armband. Then, I ironed Wonder-Under to the silver, cut (both) patterns out, and ironed the big symbol to the chest of the dress. Oh, BTW, the back of the silver fabric is black, so I cut the smaller symbol and ironed the Wonder-Under to the silver side, so the armband would be all the same fabric, but just different sides ^_^ Then I cut another circle from flesh-colored fabric and Wonder-Undered that to the center of the chest symbol, for reasons explained earlier ^_^

8. A few weeks before the AI 2002 Using my armband from previous Shadow Lady, I cut out a similar one from the cool silver fabric, ironed on the black symbol thing, and using fabric glue, secured the blue gem. Then, I fastened the armband with strips of black velcro.

9. About 2 weeks before AI 2002, aka 1 week before I leave for college and band camp -_- I ordered a silver wig from this one online company, like, weeks and weeks before, hoping to get it weeks before AI so I could style it and all...well, it hasn't arrived yet...and that makes me sad, cause I can't be as accurate as I wanted to...mouuu....So, I work on making more "tubes" for the top part of her boots...I managed to finish most of them, but had to leave before I could get them fastened on :(

And that, my friends, is the story of the new, improved, Shadow Lady costume!!! *ta-daaaaa!* At AI, Arek (who decided to cosplay as Bright again, also new and improved) persuaded me to enter the cosplay masquerade, seeing as I have spent so much time and energy on this costume!! So, I kinda arrive at the masq a little late, but still good, we do our skit (which was so much fun!!) and afterwards! (Oh, BTW, you know my good friends that cosplayed with us as Lodoss chars last AI? Well, they cosplayed as Trigun bad guys this AI and won an award! They're so cool! ^_^) Afterwards, Arek and I did a little re-enactment of the Shadow Lady manga...I got chased around the hotel with all sorts of interesting little gadgets!! That was rather different ^_^ And during a hiding spree, I hooked up with friends and we dropped skittles from the top floor into a Nabeshin's huge 'fro on the ground floor...that was so much fun, sorry Nabeshin!! =^_^=

But yea! I definitely like this costume a whoooole lot more than the previous, and I'm not even officialy done with it! The wig came in a day before AI, so maybe before Acen I'll fix that up, along with the boots and maybe more work on the dress, and be a super-supremo accurate Shadow Lady at Acen! Watch out! ^_^

Now, the pictures!! ^____^

From the skit: "What do you mean, has been gaining weight?!!"

What, the impossible again? Shadow Lady caught?!

Bright got clever, cornering her in the masq waiting line!!

And that, folks, is it so far!! This should still be labeled as a "costume in the making," as I am still working on improvements! Hope you enjoyed my chroniclization (is that even a word?) and more pics coming up! (soon as I finish off this camera roll...^_^;;)

~~~Special thanks to:~~~

Arek, of Scramblenews.net

A Fan's View

and The Sunset Grill

For their wonderful photography! =^_^=

Back to Main!

1.About a month before	I start making my demon wings...do you know how hard making demon wings is? Maybe its just me...but it took me at least 5 tries before I got a decent pair! I kept making them totally wrong, and had to keep sending my mom out to buy more and more yards of black fabric....sorry mom ^_^;;
2. 2 weeks before AI	I finish the wings, by adding the silver "webbing" and wire around the outside, and sew up the bottom...I tried to get a black leotard with a collar, and then add a skirt for the costume...but there weren't any like that in town, so I went for a black shirt thats the same style, and I got a black pleather skirt...really, I wasn't too concerned about the costume, seeing as I hadn't read the manga, had no clue what it was about, I just wanted my wings! lol
3. A week before AI	Now, I gotta do something about the symbol on her chest! I take more of the silver fabric from her wings, make a pattern on paper and cut it out of the silver, then cut a smaller circle of tan colored felt for the middle. (I'm not as outgoing, nor do I have the chest, to actually cut out that circle...no, no ^_^;;) I sew the silver symbol on the shirt loosely, so I can take it off and still wear the shirt, and then tacky glue the tan cirle onto the silver. Oh, and her armband! Use more silver for that, got a blue gem from Hobby Lobby and did the black parts on that with puffy paint ^_^ Fastened it with velcro, and ta-da!!
4. The con!	Complete! (well, as complete as it was gonna be!) I had some almost-knee-high black boots that I wore with it to, so I was semi-accurate, and I bought some evening-length black gloves at Hobby Lobby...and that's my first showing of Shadow Lady!

1. About three months before the con	I found a pattern for a dress with the type of collar I need, and I go buy 2 yards of black spandexy fabric...which is rather expensive, by the way -_- I've never paid $16 a yard for fabric before! =O Anywho, I lay the patterns out, altering for length, and cut.
2.Um...a little later ^_^	So, I'm sewing everything together, and I come to the part that needs a zipper, on the back by the collar. I didn't think I'd need too long of a zipper, and I didn't want much of a zipper showing (I'm going for maximum correctness, here!) so I buy a 4-inch one. I put that in, and it took forever, cause I don't have a zipper foot and I suck at sewing zippers -_- But eventually I got it in, and went over it a few times to make sure that thing wasn't goin anywhere! I put the collar in, everything was going well, until I try it on....and realize that because I bought too short a zipper, I can't get the costume over my head...talk about frustration!!!! So I try to rip the seams and pull the zipper out, but that wasn't working at all, black thread embedded deep in black spandex, I was tearing more fabric than thread! So, terribly terribly frustrated, cause I couldn't think of any other solution than to totally re-make the dress again from scratch, I decided to take a few days off and not even think of the costume! -_-;;
3. A few days later	Well, I didn't even make it the few days I had set off...I came back early and decided to sit down with my costume, have a talk, and rip that zipper out, no matter what! So....I did ^_^ It took a rather long time, but I got that sucker out, and the costume only suffered a few minor holes ^_^;; Then, I had to get a longer zipper (7" this time!) and re-do the whole zipper-getting-in process...that was an adventure as well, but I got it in ^_^
4. About 2 months before AI 2002	I finish the collar, put in fasteners, do everything according to pattern....then I try it on again, and the collar's too short...-_- as in, I can't even fasten it without enduring strangulation!! And...thats kinda bad ^_^;; Sooo...sigh more ripping of seams that don't like to be ripped, re-sewing fasteners and some minor adjustments (aka fudging) and the collar's done! I put in a very narrow hem, cause I found out I cut it a bit too short initially, and I got her basic dress! Finally! I was very, very excited ^____^
5. A few days after that!	Now, on to her boots! As you can see, Shadow Lady doesn't have high-heeled pleather boots, as some other costumers have worn...no, hers are more like sneakers! So, in my quest to be accurate, I buy black tennis shoes, and then a pattern for socks. (Yes, really, there are patterns for socks!! That was so cool ^_^) Using that sock pattern, I altered it to yield really looooooong socks...thigh-high, are you seeing where I'm going? I finished those with no complications, and then set to adding the details! Go back to that picture, and you can see she's got, like, rolls on her boots...yea, to make them look...boot-y...but anywho, who's on a quest to be accurate?
6. A week or so after	That's right I'm on a quest to be accurate! So, using scraps from the dress and boot fabric, I made fabric "tubes," if you will, stuffed those with fiberfill, sewed the other ends together and then attached them to the "sock." Now, this was fun! I couldn't very well attach these "tubes" without actually wearing the sock, so I'd put the long sock on, then the shoe over it, and then place the "tube" where its supposed to go, and sew it on...but since the sock was so tight, being spandexy and all, every time I put the needle in, I'd prick a piece of skin...so guess what? By the time I was done with the lower half of her boots, there were outlines, no kidding, of pricks where the "tubes" were on the socks...and I actually used the marks on my one leg as reference as to where to place the "tubes" on my other sock! Isn't that sad ^_^ What one will do for a costume, ne? ^_^
7. Right after the boots!	Time to work on her chest insignia! I found some really cool silver fabric, smooth, shiny, and didn't fray! Awesomes...so, I make a pattern on paper of the symbol, and I also make a smaller version of that pattern for her armband. Then, I ironed Wonder-Under to the silver, cut (both) patterns out, and ironed the big symbol to the chest of the dress. Oh, BTW, the back of the silver fabric is black, so I cut the smaller symbol and ironed the Wonder-Under to the silver side, so the armband would be all the same fabric, but just different sides ^_^ Then I cut another circle from flesh-colored fabric and Wonder-Undered that to the center of the chest symbol, for reasons explained earlier ^_^
8. A few weeks before the AI 2002	Using my armband from previous Shadow Lady, I cut out a similar one from the cool silver fabric, ironed on the black symbol thing, and using fabric glue, secured the blue gem. Then, I fastened the armband with strips of black velcro.
9. About 2 weeks before AI 2002, aka 1 week before I leave for college and band camp -_-	I ordered a silver wig from this one online company, like, weeks and weeks before, hoping to get it weeks before AI so I could style it and all...well, it hasn't arrived yet...and that makes me sad, cause I can't be as accurate as I wanted to...mouuu....So, I work on making more "tubes" for the top part of her boots...I managed to finish most of them, but had to leave before I could get them fastened on :(