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| All photos in this post from Aperture Ashley! |
Ramona Flowers (Movie Version)
Another Ramona to add to my line-up! This is the first time I've cosplayed a real-life character (other than my shadowcasting days) rather than an animated character. It's different to try and replicate reality, rather than translating fiction to reality.
I wanted to do this outfit in particular because it's iconic and matches several of my friends' costumes from the movie.
Conventions
Materials
- Wig: Secondhand (but new) from this Facebook group, cut and styled by me
- Dress: Ebay, old Calvin Klein (hemmed)
- Shirt: Amazon, stripes painted on with Tulip fabric paint
- Gloves: Etsy
- Subspace bag: Amazon
- Belt: Amazon
- Boots: Amazon
- Hammer: EVA foam, spray paint, duct tape, hot glue, a broomstick, string and a bell
The Process
This costume looks deceptively simple! I started by purchasing the base pieces - the wig, dress, shirt, boots, and bag. The dress took a while to find. While I couldn't find an exact replica, there are tons of green army dresses out there. I only had to hem this one (it was originally knee-length) and it worked perfectly.
I couldn't find the official shirt from the movie, so I decided to hand-paint stripes on the shirt myself. It was a really tedious, boring process, but the end result turned out pretty good! The stripes look almost screenprinted on, and the colors are spot-on.
The wig began as a straight, shoulder-length blue wig. I trimmed it down, put braids into it, and thinned it out. Ramona has a black layer in her hair, so I tried to dye part of the wig black, but it just never took. I'll have to try another method for next time.
I made the hammer using this YouTube tutorial's measurements and general method, but I used EVA foam instead to try and avoid using duct tape. EVA foam is my new favorite material! It's super light, pretty affordable, and easy to use. I was able to make the hammer in just a few hours.
Another puzzle with this cosplay was the makeup. Trying to look more like Mary Elizabeth Winstead was a challenge! I finally nailed my Mary Elizabeth face by Sunday, but hadn't quite nailed it at my photoshoot. Even so, I really feel like I did a good job replicating her look, especially since Ramona doesn't wear much makeup in the movie.
I've now done 4 Ramona costumes, so I think it's time to put this character on hold. I'll probably make more of her costumes in the future, and of course I'll re-wear the ones I've worked so hard on, but it's time to give some other characters some time in the spotlight!
