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Tomb Raider Costume

  • October 8, 2009 1:09 am

Not surprisingly I haven’t been able to find a plus size Lara Croft, Tomb Raider costume. But if you are a good raider you can find some items in your closet or at your local discount store. Angelina-as-Lara-Croft

Personally I prefer the movie version over the game version. Mainly because one is worn by Angelina Jolie and one isn’t. But mostly because I find the movie version more sexy than slutty. There are a number of different costumes to choose from but the one at right would be the easiest (or at least cheapest) to replicate.

What’s needed:

Here’s a little trailer to get you in the spirit:

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3 Quick Last Minute Costumes

  • September 14, 2009 3:22 pm

You’ve left it to the last minute and now there is no time to order a costume. No worries. Here are three last minute costumes that will get you through your immediate event.

  1. Dress in a black turtleneck, black jeans (or thick black tights), black boots or black shoes, black gloves (optional). Slick hair back into a tight ponytail if it is long (black band). If you have a black cap (no logo) great but no worries. Put on some dark eye make up. Now you are a spy go get some intel.
  2. Put on your bathing suit and wrap a white sheet around your body under the arms and tie two corners over one shoulder (tuck the other shoulder strap of your swimsuit in). Find a sash you can use for a belt — one of those corded curtain ties would be perfect but any neutral colored strip of material would be great. Curl your hair and prop it up on your head. Use real or fake flowers to decorate a few of your curls. Slip your feet into a pair of strappy sandals. Now you are a Roman princess.
  3. Borrow an old suit from a father or uncle. And a Fedora if you can get it (love fedoras). Draw on a thick black mustache and dark eye make-up and you are a silent film star.

They may not be the highest choice on your list for costumes but when you are in a pinch you can’t be picky. Next year you’ll plan ahead better.

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Homemade Pirate Costume

  • September 13, 2009 1:37 am

I made this for my husband last year but it can be easily used for a woman pirate. First up, buy a pair of pleather pants from the second hand store in your size or bigger. The bigger you get the more material you have to work with. I say pleather because it would be a waste to cut into leather and it’s cheaper. I found a pair of pleather pants for $13 and they were in excellent condition.IM006529

Pleather-Pants-Cutmarks

The red dash lines are cut lines. Before I started I had to cut out the thin material liner which was easy enough. A. on image at left — The pleather pants had a 2″ waist band and a side zipper that I cut out. B. and C.  are additional cuts just above the knee and again about 6″ longer. D. is a cut line to remove the seams in crotch.

The material on the lower half of the pant makes up the buccaneers of the pirate costume (the boots). The small section between B and C makes the fold over at the knee. The small piece is turned inside out and placed a few inches within the top of the larger piece and hand stitched around. I used waxed floss because it slid in and out nicely and didn’t break easily. The stitches were large enough to hold pieces together. Nothing fancy as it won’t be visible anyway.

Buckeneer-Shoe-CoversI cut the remaining large pieces of fabric in half up the crotch and opened them. One piece makes up the back of the vest and the other piece I cut into two pieces out to make the front part of the vest. I didn’t use a template, I just eyed it. The front pieces were cut into point which made the vest longer in front and short in back. Out of leftovers I cut long strips about half an inch wide and as long as I could make them.

I poked holes in the shoulders where the front pieces would be attached and the side pieces where the front would connect with the back. I then threaded the long strips through the holes in a cross pattern as if lacing shoes and tied the two ends in long knots. The size of the vest can be adjusted by the ties.

To finish off the costume he wore his work cords, a white shirt I had in the closet, a noisy silver belt I picked up from the second hand store for $3, and a black stretch sash I had around his head a pair of black shoes. I put some dark eye make-up on him and finished off the look with a sword I picked up from the costume store for $5. Total cost $21.

This could be adapted for a woman: black skirt (short or long) or mens baggy pants, white or red blouse, bandanna or sash on head, and wide belt at waist.

IM006531Pirate-Vest

Plus Size Costumes

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Plus Size Princess Leia

  • September 8, 2009 3:07 am

Even after twenties Princess Leia from the Star Wars movies is still a popular choice for a Halloween costume for women. Carrie Fisher has immortalized the look with white clothing and of course the buns. She was definitely at her slimmest during the Star Wars days but that is no reason for her character not to be interpreted with a curvy figure.

Princess-Leia

Most costume shops like Buy Costumes, Costume Crave, Annie’s Costumes (they also have a plus size Jedi costume up to size 22) carry the traditional Princess Leia garb in sizes up to 12 or plus sizes in the one size fits all which usually fits under size 18. The kit includes the dress, wig, and belt.

Princess-Leia-Costume

But truly the best plus size Leia costumes I’ve seen so far is the Star Princess from Big Gals Lingerie which comes in sizes 1x to 12x for $59 to $69 (depending on size). It includes the dress only and as you can see it is a little sexy than the movie version. You would have to come up with some buns, accessory belt and boots. If you didn’t want to be so leg bare you could cover up with a pair of white opaque tights from We Love Colors.

Star-Princess-Costume

If you are not going to, or don’t have enough hair to make your own buns Buy Costumes has fake buns for $8.99 as well as seven pairs of white boots from $26 to $55 including one wide width:

Leia-Buns-Boots

As for boots there are a couple of different styles at Zappos. I suggest Zappos because they will be better quality shoes (and an excellent return policy) and you probably don’t want to mess with your feet. Their prices range from pricey wide calf boots at $160 to more affordable gogo boot at $45:

Zappos-White-Boots

If you have enough hair to do your own buns here is a great tutorial on Japanese buns that would totally work for Leia buns. When you get to the part about wrapping it around you could do it as shown or braid the hair first:

If you are looking for something last minute and a little more economical go with a baggy super white t-shirt, white jeans, and white boots (or shoes). Find a black space gun from the dollar store, do your hair up like Leia and you are good to go.

May the force be with you!

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Rosie the Riveter

  • August 31, 2009 9:36 am

Who’s Rosie? She’s a feminist and cultural icon that was used to depict the women who worked in the factories during the Second World War. Rosie-Riveter

Target has a Rosie Riveter plus size costume in queen size for $34.99. It includes the shirt and headband.

You could easily make this costume with items from your closet:

For the bottoms you can use black capri pants like the ones shown or you could use mens jeans with the bottom cuffs rolled up. Even overalls would work.

Any dark blue cotton or denim work shirt would work with the sleeves rolled up passed the elbows.

If you don’t have a red headband you could easily pick up a bandanna from the dollar store. You can finish it off with a bunch of buttons and a black lunch box (also from the dollar store–paint it black and write Rosie on the side).

You can do it!

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