I am passionate about cosplay and design, creating hairstyles, wigs, makeup looks, costumes, etc. for characters as well as unique designs for performances. Here is a (work-in-progress) list of some of my biggest accomplishments in these departments.
Light-up Jacket [Cy8er:LInk project]
About the source
"This outfit is an original design inspired by the aesthetics of the group "CY8ER", which my cover group "CY8ER:Link" pays tribute to through performance. We started with basic concepts to draw from for a sense of group cohesion, but each designed our own jacket/outfit. The white color scheme is inspired by CY8ER's music video for "Dead Boy, Dead Girl". The fox mask is directly inspired from CY8ER's own design, but each of us decorated ours in a unique way.
Since this outfit was initially constructed for Salt Lake City's "Illuminate" event, which revolves around lights and art, we wanted to light up along with the rest of the atmosphere. Therefore, all of our outfits featured EL wire. I still wish I would have gotten better pictures in this, but I haven't worn it again since 2019 when it debuted!"
Since this outfit was initially constructed for Salt Lake City's "Illuminate" event, which revolves around lights and art, we wanted to light up along with the rest of the atmosphere. Therefore, all of our outfits featured EL wire. I still wish I would have gotten better pictures in this, but I haven't worn it again since 2019 when it debuted!"
Construction/key Techniques
"We all planned to wear white outfits underneath, so the jackets would be transparent to show the white through. I actually ended up using a shower curtain with a faint holographic pattern for a budget-friendly vinyl fabric choice. I essentially patterned the jacket straight onto the vinyl using a dry-erase marker. The most logical choice would have been to sew with clear thread, but from my previous work with clear thread I knew that it might not hold up to my dancing, so instead I used a hot pink thread that matched some of my trims. I reinforced every seam with zigzag stitches. The jacket itself is sleeveless, with separate flared sleeves. I ended up not wearing the sleeves as much as I planned because it turns out dancing in vinyl keeps you very warm, even in the freezing cold weather.
For the details, I added white pockets, a pink knit collar, and a shiny hot pink belt. I think the final design is a good mesh between my own aesthetics and CY8ER's."
For the details, I added white pockets, a pink knit collar, and a shiny hot pink belt. I think the final design is a good mesh between my own aesthetics and CY8ER's."
Personal connection
"It's honestly so fun to match with a group sometimes, and I love the impact of all-white outfits with colored accents. We looked really good at this event!"
Cyber Zarya [Mashup Design]
About the source
"Zarya is my favorite character from the game Overwatch. I fell in love with her stunning pink hair and powerful presence, and she ended up being a lot of fun to play as, too! She is a strong Russian woman who is a champion weightlifter.
The costume itself is inspired by the "cyber" set from Love Live!, an anime/game/music franchise about high school girls who aspire to be idols. I thought that this mashup would be perfect because it would present Zarya in a different way, since she embodies many "traditionally masculine" qualities while the girls from Love Live! embody mostly "traditionally feminine" qualities, and would show that one can rock both qualities at once!
The basic design was inspired by Eli Ayase's cyber outfit specifically, which is extra special because Eli is part Russian! I mainly chose this design for the cat ears (my personal favorite of the three animal ear types featured in the set: cat, bear, and rabbit) and the stunning blue colors, which also happens to be one of my favorite colors of EL wire because of how bright it is. Blue is one of Zarya's main colors in her color palette and I think it looks so nice because of how it contrasts with her pink hair."
The costume itself is inspired by the "cyber" set from Love Live!, an anime/game/music franchise about high school girls who aspire to be idols. I thought that this mashup would be perfect because it would present Zarya in a different way, since she embodies many "traditionally masculine" qualities while the girls from Love Live! embody mostly "traditionally feminine" qualities, and would show that one can rock both qualities at once!
The basic design was inspired by Eli Ayase's cyber outfit specifically, which is extra special because Eli is part Russian! I mainly chose this design for the cat ears (my personal favorite of the three animal ear types featured in the set: cat, bear, and rabbit) and the stunning blue colors, which also happens to be one of my favorite colors of EL wire because of how bright it is. Blue is one of Zarya's main colors in her color palette and I think it looks so nice because of how it contrasts with her pink hair."
Construction/key Techniques
"This costume was a challenge because I had a lot of experience with sewing at the time, but not as much with prop construction or working with unconventional materials like vinyl. The bow still had some issues holding together with sewing alone and ended up having to be glued in some places because the vinyl was so thick.
I also made a tulle underskirt that housed the lights underneath the petticoat to add some extra glow. Pre-made light-up petticoats were definitely an option that would have been faster, but I already had a petticoat I really liked for this that was plenty short! Most of the options I saw at the time were not at all long enough for my tall figure, I already felt like I was pushing it with the length which is why I made custom bloomers to match."
I also made a tulle underskirt that housed the lights underneath the petticoat to add some extra glow. Pre-made light-up petticoats were definitely an option that would have been faster, but I already had a petticoat I really liked for this that was plenty short! Most of the options I saw at the time were not at all long enough for my tall figure, I already felt like I was pushing it with the length which is why I made custom bloomers to match."
Personal connection
"I always feel extra confident when I put on my Zarya wig, whether I'm getting ready to wear this outfit or just planning to make a few TikToks in something casual. I think the reason for this is because there is a lot of pressure in the cosplay community and from the media in general to look a certain way and embody certain qualities if you are a woman. Zarya defies gender roles in a way that is very inspiring to me. While I might not have big muscles like Zarya, I don't look like the size 0-2 woman that is frequently championed (and objectified) in our society simply for looking small. When I step into Zarya's shoes for just a few hours, I feel extra empowered in my bigger body."
