/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

[Anonymous No.6723621]

So I decided to cosplay Madoka for my next con, and my best friend wants to join in. She chose Mami. I told her I would help her make it. However, I'm rather nervous. See, my friend is rather chubby. She's not huge or anything, just short and chubby.

I've never made anything for someone... larger than 120lbs. I've made a few steel-boned, historical corsets, but all were supervised be a designer and I was provided patterns that I don't now have access to. I really want to help her look awesome, and she's excited for the costume, it's her first real cosplay. Are there any tips or suggestions for making larger girls look awesome in cosplay, or well, sewing for larger body types? I really don't want her to end up well... pic related.

[Anonymous No.6723633]

Shapewear and fitting costume, I guess. Don't try to make it too small or too big, although you probably know that already.

[Anonymous No.6723644]

I good strong bustier works wonders

[Anonymous No.6723660]

As a big girl who is working on a Mami cosplay, I can only offer this advice. Make sure that the corset part has some internal support to it. One of Mami's defining features is her silhouette. If you can get that indent in her waist to distinctly show her hips and bust and the separation between the two at the waist, the rest should fall into place. Make sure the shirt is fitting, but a little loose around the waist. I'm making mine by taking an underbust corset I already have and just wrapping it in fabric and just making the shirt and skirt. The corset will help emphasize the silhouette and completes the look. Also, her rifle. She needs to have it and it needs to be done well. It's a flintlock that is extremely long, a lot longer than most Mami cosplayers make it. I'm on a phone, but look up some scenes from episodes 2 and 3 for references of how big it is in proportion to her.

Good luck to you and your friend! Post pictures!

[Anonymous No.6723662]

>>6723660
*little loose around the bust
Whoops, sorry

[Anonymous No.6723721]

This is amazing at giving an hourglass shape

[Anonymous No.6723755]

>>6723721
Holy crap. That would be awesome under leotards and such. I'm so tired of seeing people's corsets stick out at the bottom in the front.

Sage for off topic.

[Anonymous No.6723830]

Things need to fit well. I would recommend taking more measurements than you would with a normal cosplay or having a "fitting" where you adjust the shape of the pattern pieces after making a mock up of some kind.

I work at Maurice's. The number one thing I've noticed is that chubby girls have more overall shape variance. The other thing is that a lot of modern clothing is designed to kind of give shape as visual interest to a figure without much shape. Like skater dresses- They don't work if you only size them up because the proportions look wrong. You need the waist to sit differently and chubby girls' legs don't look right at the short lengths because their calves and thighs have more taper.

[Anonymous No.6723835]

Wait... people cosplay characters with obvious corsets and don't use...
corsets?

[Anonymous No.6723846]

The problem with the girl in OP is that the bodice is not fitted at all. It's just a tube of vinyl with no shaping/tailoring. Even if she wore a real steel boned corset underneath it would still look bad. It just needs the proper shape and good boning. (Also a petticoat amoung other things)

For larger girls, shapewear, proper-fitting bras (I prefer a minimizer) and learning how to pose can go a long way.

>>6723721
Not particularly. If you don't have a waist to begin with basic spandex shapewear isn't going to do shit, and plastic boning won't help much. This coming from someone who is an apple shape and even after losing 50lbs and just 15lbs away from my goal weight still has no defined waist. I need corsets to get that kind of look.

[Anonymous No.6724550]

Can you afford to buy her a real corset and cover it?
>>6723660
Also, tips on what you did to cover it?

[Anonymous No.6724572]

>>6723835
There was a thread where people were bitching about that yesterday I think.
People like to cut corners.

[Anonymous No.6724575]

>>6723621
OP, there are some decent alterable corset patterns out there. I used Simplicity 9769 for my Mami corset and just altered the top of the pattern to make it an underbust corset. If you already have experience working with corsets and boning, I found flexisteel to be pretty perfect in giving a really nice shape, and then put the more rigid steel pieces where the corset closes in the front and back.

[Anonymous No.6724587]

>>6724550
Where could I buy a real corset?

[Anonymous No.6724590]

>>6723835
One could argue based on the lack of grommets/lacing that it's not drawn as a corset, though the ties at the back and the general waist shape make it a better bet.

[Anonymous No.6724600]

>>6724590
>One could argue based on the lack of grommets/lacing that it's not drawn as a corset

That's because it's an anime fantasy land corset, where you don't need to have traditional elements to make it work in the real world, since it's just a drawing, but to get the look in the real world you need to act like it's what it's suppose to be.

[Anonymous No.6724614]

>>6724587
When do you need it by? I'm planning an GO to an indian corset maker so they are pretty inexpensive for what they are.

[Anonymous No.6724717]

>>6724614
Oops, sorry if I had you under the impression I was OP! I'm not, just curious for a Mami corset as well.
I'd need it rather soon, so that may be out of the question. How inexpensive are they?

[Anonymous No.6724718]

>>6724587
I always hear people say timeless-trends.com is good

[Anonymous No.6724777]

timeless trends is best bang for your buck for quality

OP, if you've made corsets before, there's lots of resources out there for drafting patterns based on measurements. fat girls especially have more variation in the curvature so one made for her is going to fit best. underbusts aren't hard, comparatively, since you don't have to worry about cups

[Anonymous No.6724785]

>>6724587
>>6724718

Timeless trends is about the cheapest you will get for a solid steel-boned corset. I have two from them, an underbust ($100) and an overbust ($150), and they are very study. There's also a lifetime warrantee.

[OP No.6725165]

>>6724777

Thanks. I'm really nervous about making one that makes my friend look flattering. I'm contemplating emailing my boss. She's a Julliard grad who specializes in historical costume for theater. She also isn't very friendly or helpful, typically. I've drafted patterns before- I've sewn and boned corsets before, but I've never done both at once. Does anyone have any reliable corset resources? I know I have some, but they are particularly not very helpful when it comes to the layout for boning.

As for buying her one instead, that seems kind of silly, since I'd be paying a ton and still... doing about as much work?

> Simplicity 9769

Thanks for the suggestion! Did you like the pattern? I've found a lot of commercial patterns very frustrating. But I am also used to working from slopers and doing it myself. What did you do in regards to the busk? I suppose it could be diguised with the yellow detailing on the front of Mami's outfit?

[Anonymous No.6725258]

>>6724575
Simplicity 1819 is actually the one I would recommend, since its a full underbust and I think is closer to the overall shape of Mami's.

[Anonymous No.6725265]

>>6725165
http://sidneyeileen.com/tutorials/sewing/

This is my personal bible when I sew corsets.

[Anonymous No.6725306]

>>6724550
That part is still in production, but my basic concept is to basically make a one or two panel corset and attach it to the one I have now. I would find a light way to be able to attach it around the tops and bottoms (working on a couple different ways that won't damage the corset). The straps down the center would actually strap the front closed secure. I'm planning on making it out of pleather so it has some form and texture to it. I'm considering using pins or some sort of tape for it, but what to use absolutely, I'm not sure.

>>6724587
As someone said, Timeless Trends is good for a nice quality and decent price. I've had mine for 5 years and has yet to fuck up on me. It's just a plain black underbust and I love it. They also have a lifetime warranty, so that's always a plus. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, including for men. I would give them a shot.

[Anonymous No.6725314]

>>6725165

sewing and boning is pretty much the frosting on the cake of patterning and fitting. you know the mechanics of getting boning in and where generally it goes already, just apply that knowledge to your sloper after it's put together

check out all the free articles on foundationsrevealed.com. I also find the truly victorian corset patterns were really easy to alter into a variety of under/over/modified busts. wouldn't use the big three as the ladies on corset_makers say they're hard to modify.

[Anonymous No.6725632]

>>6724717
It would be some where between $30-40 plus shipping to you (less than 13 priority) for for a steel boned underbust corset.

[Anonymous No.6725636]

more like mami toomany amirite?
she done ate too many

[Anonymous No.6725658]

>>6725636

[Anonymous No.6725668]

>>6724550
god I love this Miami so much

[Anonymous No.6725673]

>>6725636
terrible

[Anonymous No.6725753]

>>6725636
LOL!

>>6725668
me too. she suits her very well.

[Anonymous No.6725802]

>>6725673
yeah, i knew it was horrible but i was compelled by the god of bad jokes to post it