closet cosplay Archives • Jessica Smith Creates

September 4, 2014

Subtle Cosplay Thursday – Briar Rose

Introducing a new Thursday installation!

I’m planning that every other Thursday I will be posting a subtle cosplay outfit. Of closet cosplay. Or whatever you would like to call it.

I realized recently that I have more or less neglected my subtle cosplay page, though I’ve definitely worn some inspired outfits. And, being completely honest, my momentum of the moment in posting is mostly due to a large backlog… That will run out at some point.

Since I started grad school, my project-ing has mostly been relegated to work avoidance… like the math homework I’ve got due tomorrow…

But one thing I can do regularly is subtle cosplay.

So I’ve decided to alternate between Design Donnerstag and Subtle Cosplay Thursday.

Presenting the first cosplay:

Aurora, or to be more specific Briar Rose, from The Sleeping Beauty

I handily used my new grey circle skirt, topped it with a cream knit shirt. I added a black cardigan, to simulate her black corset.

In my hair there is a thin black headband, but honestly it somehow blends with my hair. I also used my Claudia owl ring, and wore an ivory necklace which has a rose carved in it. My grandmother gave it to me, and it is the most delicate and lovely vintage necklace I own. Or rather, second to the first necklace she gave me.

Will this continue? I don’t know, but I certainly like the idea of Subtle Cosplay Thursday!

May 14, 2014August 19, 2018

First Time in Forever

So I volunteered at the movie theater on campus, and a few weeks ago we showed Frozen.

May I start by saying that I love the movie? There are many flaws, I know, but the songs are so catchy!

And when I saw it I really was looking at the outfits. I think I finally hit the point where I not only admire the costumes of movies and shows and stuff, but that I want to make and have all of it. I’m not 100% sure that’s a bad thing, but I know its not necessarily good either…

For our showing of Frozen, though, I definitely thought it would be fun to subtly cosplay Anna.

I knew I wanted a circle skirt that wasn’t already attached to a dress, specifically one that wasn’t black. I’ve got a flowy RTW black skirt, that honestly I don’t wear often (perhaps due to the fact that I stick out enough on campus that it isn’t worth the weird looks), so my plans for the upcoming black skirt will lead to a shorter and less flowy skirt, more A-line.

But I really like the freedom and comfort of a circle skirt. And now that its been warm, I appreciate the flow and minimum fabric involved.

The fabric for the skirt is a blue crepe. It’s kinda heavy but surprisingly cool, and though I don’t know the fabric content at this point I don’t entirely care. It’s comfy, especially for around the house when I don’t have to care if people see the bike shorts I’m wearing underneath. I do think I need to angle the waistband a bit, but that will happen later, and I need to finish my skinny hem, but I’m thinking embroidery and it’s a long hem. And I needed something to wear yesterday.

On another topic I started on my drapey cardigan objective! Knowing I wanted to do this subtle cosplay gave me a great direction, and a reason to get started. This is a super lightweight rayon fabric that squishes into the size of about a child’s shoe, when given opportunity. Its really so soft and squishy, and comfy.

I’m not done with it though. It will gain sleeves at some point, but I didn’t feel like drafting them at the time, so that will be for after I’m done moving for the summer. Give me a month or so… and then maybe some.

But for now I’ll be frolicking through the summer heat in my Anna subtle cosplay!

February 8, 2014August 19, 2018

Oi! Spaceman!

It’s been a while since I wrote up a real post on subtle cosplay, actually nearly a year.

So it’s time for me to introduce my favorite character from Doctor Who:

Donna Noble! (played by Catherine Tate)

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She’s the oldest of the new companions, if we’re not counting Jack Harkness of course, and we meet her on the happiest day of her life.

Her wedding day. Of course, since it’s Doctor Who, it quickly becomes the weirdest day.

Her fiancee turns out to be using her to serve his Mistress, an arachnid from the dawn of the Earth whose brood forms the core of the planet. He had been serving her energy particles in her coffee, in order to rescue her Mistress’ children.

Donna is the one that ultimately stops the Doctor from destroying the entire brood.

We don’t see her again for a season, as the lovely Martha Jones is the new companion, but then she returns the following season.

And is generally brilliant, but never really sees herself that way, until the end.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Where she finds that she and the Doctor had been brought together by fate to save the universe and in the process becomes part Time Lord part human (the Doctor-Donna) and ultimately her brain begins to break down under the imaginary weight of this and then the Doctor has to remove all of her memories of him and saving the world and she goes back to being a temp.

***END SPOILERS***

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Because she’s a little older, she has a slightly more conservative style, by which I mean her clothes are less T-shirts and sweatpants and more office casual day appropriate.

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Like other companions, she does have a leather jacket, though instead of a bomber jacket style, it’s almost a coat.

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She’s got bangs and a slightly longer than shoulder length haircut, which works very well with the ginger hair. Sometimes her hair will be up in a ponytail, and sometimes it’ll be down, depending on the adventure.

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She’s often in a nice shirt and jeans. And by nice shirt I more mean fancier than a simple t-shirt but not quite to blouse status.

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She’ll sometimes wear nice blazers, or sweaters.

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But my favorite thing about Donna is that she’s always up for an adventure. Whether its dressing up to meet Agatha Christie or just saving the world, Donna is up for anything!

Oh, and did I mention she’s really the first of the new companions that wasn’t in love with the Doctor? I mean, he’s dreamy, but it can be nice to get away from the “Will they?” question to focus on the fun adventures.