Thursday, March 17, 2016

The Making Of A Ghostbuster (Cosplay)

Slowly, ever so slowly, I'm gathering the bits and pieces of this Ghostbuster cosplay like an obsessed ferret. For some reason, I decided to start with the unique eye wear collection worn by Dr. Jillian Holtzmann. The frames vary from Deco era spectacles to 1950s nerd gear, and both have the signature yellow lenses and mesh side protectors.
I don't know about you, but I think they're totally stylin'.

My first find was an antique pair that was a really close match to Holtzmann's wire rims (above photo),but a little rounder. Look closer and you'll see hers have a slight shaping to them.
Mine don't have the yellow lenses either, but I can always change those outTinting them yellow in Photoshop helped me with that for now, so I could see what they would look like.

Deco darling...


I also found another pair, pretty much exactly like hers. Same shape this time, but still no yellow lenses and in need of a little TLC. Even with these issues they were a steal at $30, and I can do the repair work myself. These would be worth having a professional switch out the glass with yellow Polycarbonate lenses:


 ...or 'Geek chic'. Both have form and function!

As for her alternate pair of glasses, the ones I'm calling 'geek chic'; those were an easier find on Ebay.
Originally I had found a similar pair that I was going to pop the lenses out of myself, and buy replacement yellows, but had a hard time finding ones that would fit. Then I stumbled on these, and they were on sale for $20. Done deal. They may even be the very same ones used in the film...we shall see if I'm right in July:


Monday, March 7, 2016

Calling My Inner Ghostbuster: Holtzman

I'm really looking froward to the upcoming Ghostbusters sequel, featuring the new team of hilarious yet no-holds-barred genius ladies. As I watched the newly released trailer, I could see myself and so many of my own female friends in these characters' personalities, twisted senses of humor and overall camaraderie.  So, it was inevitable that a few of us are already planning our cosplay's based on this band of ghost-busting babes of science and fantasy.


I'm planning to create mine based on Dr. Jillian Holtzman, played by the awesomely talented SNL comedian and fellow weirdo, Kate McKinnon.
So far in my search for all the bits and pieces, I've come up with a possible option for the coveralls I could modify the hell out of, and two types of the safety glasses she seems to have various versions of.
Exhibit A: The ones in the above scene/gif look like these, but with yellow tinted lenses. That's an easy enough modification, swabbing a thick mixture of yellow Rit dye onto the plastic lenses to stain them.
Exhibit B: I also won these (below) on Ebay. They're nearly an exact match to her wire framed versions, except for clear glass lenses:

(Seller photographed them upside-down...I have no idea why)

I can spend the extra cash if I want, and have these replaced with some plastic safety lenses in a yellow shade. Based on a previous experience, the cost to do this isn't too high, and even less for frames that open (like these do, where the earpieces attach), and that are non prescription.
As always, it really depends on where you go to have it done. Some places may charge upwards of $70+, while others will run you around $45 to $50.


Still debating on the coveralls; I've found something that would be perfect to throw in a taupe khaki dye bath, add details to, and modify with new pockets. being a fabric addict and seamstress, the thing I get hung up on of course, is the damn fabric weave.
The film worn versions have an obvious vertical herringbone texture, and you can see it in many of the available stills and promo shots. I'm not finding used and vintage herringbone weave coveralls that are similar in color, or a color I could dye. Nor am I finding modern coveralls that, while have the right details and would be easy to dye/modify, do not have that herringbone weave.
I may just need to get over it...at least for this first version.
Later on, if I can find some of that fabric in white I'd dye it and make my own coveralls from scratch, but I also really like a good time-saving shortcut that has great results.
I have other more challenging things on this list if I want this done by late August, in time for Dragon Con. Like figuring out what the hell necklace/pendant thing Holtzman is wearing, and this absolute madness:

The new Proton Pack!

I hate having to wait until the middle of Summer to see this film! In the meantime, I'll just keep on with the image digging.
OXOX