Most photos of baby costumes are adorable, funny and sweet. These? I’ll go with weird and controversial.

Danish-Norwegian artist Nina Maria Kleivan dressed her baby in various costumes of evil dictators. Her point? That all evil dictators began as little babies, and its up to parents (and society) to set them on the right path.

“We all begin life the same. We all have every opportunity ahead of us. To do good, or inexplicable evil. You need to be conscious that your actions have consequences that impact on your fellow human beings.”

It’s a very interesting way to explore the nature of good vs. evil, I’ll give her that. But I’m a little stuck on the fact that a mother decided to dress her baby up as horrible murderers. Hmm.. what do you all think?

[YouBentMyWookie via BoingBoing]

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One of the things costumers and designers have wrestled with for a long time is the adaptation of a specific look to either a specifically male or specifically female context.  This isn’t difficult when you have a general idea of what you want and the resultant male and female versions reflect that general idea, but things get a little trickier when you’re trying to take a specific male character and turn it into a female costume, or vice versa.

I want to show off a project that I’ve been working on so far in defense of my extremely vocal presecution of the “make-it-a-mini-skirt-and-voila” process of “female-izing” costumes.

I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with this fellow:

Vincent Valentine, of Final Fantasy VII fame (owned by Square-Enix, not me!).  His is a costume which has been replicated over and over and over by (giant dorky) fans like me!  As you can see, his design has already undergone a little original tweaking from the original 1997 official game-art (by Nomura Tetsuya) to the 2006 game Dirge of Cerberus which features Vincent as the main character (Official game graphic version).

As a general rule, guys have no problem imitating this costume.  It’s built for a guy, and even if he’s not RIDICULOUSLY thin, it can still look really good.  Girls, though soooo many of us adore Vincent, find ourselves quailing a little at the thought–though some are still brave enough to try it.  In a moment of insanity last year I ordered this costume from a seamstress on Ebay, thinking that I could make it work.  What I got in the mail a few weeks later was a pair of skin tight pleather pants that fit me smack at the natural waist, a costume shirt, glove and cape.  The real problem was (as my female readers already know) the pants.

I finally figured it out!  HIPS.  The problem is HIPS!!  No woman, no matter how small, can look like the above picture if she has any kinds of curves at all (Sweeping statement?  Oh yeah, you bet).  I set out, then, to make a version of this costume that would not only capture the essence of what is our much-loved Vincent Valentine, but would also not make my pants look like I had forced two pigs into leather sacks and strapped them to my waist.

This was the resultant concept sketch:

I admit I got a little crazy with the buckles.  I love buckles.

Now–what we have here really isn’t that different from the original, and that’s what I was looking for.  I’ve borrowed liberally from both versions of the character design and included a few of my own touches, but the costume is still essentially Vincent.  The main difference lies in the trouser style and the width and positioning of belts.  I dropped the waist-band of the trousers to fit at the hip (a very modern fit–I’m sure we’ll all want something different in ten years) and widened the two belts to really chunky things, rather than the thin sleek belts Vincent sports.  Also, instead of a pleather or leather fabric for the trousers, I’ve opted for a low-sheen black denim. 

Why do all these things?   The drop in waistline is not only more comfortable for those who are used to modern, hip-riding trousers, it also allows the torso to appear lengthened, creating the illusion of fewer curves (some of the younger cosplay crowd get around curves by binding their chests, but I frankly find this to be totally barbaric and I refuse to participate).  The problem with low-waisted pants is that they usually hit at the widest part of the hip, which can make the hips look even wider, if you’re not careful.  To help counteract this, chunky belts are added–this draws the eye away from the line of the trousers over the hip and gives the observer the idea that the width is the result of the belts themselves.

Lastly, the change in fabric from a high-gloss to a low sheen eliminates awkward highlights.  Pleather is really a very reflective material, and nothing can make something look curvier than a dramatic set of highlights showing up in a picture from the flash.  Black denim absorbs light, and as everyone knows, black makes anybody look thinner!

This costume is currently about half done, so I’ll leave off here with the promise that I’ll post the rest of it as I get finished, including the golden glove/claw that I’m working on.  What I really wanted to do with this post was prove that you can take a male costume and make it not only feminine, but attractive as well WITHOUT resorting to the tired, old and totally uncreative minidress or miniskirt designs.

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Hahahahaha…. sigh. *face palm*

WHAT?!! A sexy dog costume? LOL, this is so wrong. Leg Avenue, known for its lingerie and exotic wear, has a line of costumes as well.

This is a sexy schoolgirl costume for dogs! And that pose is sooo on purpose. Who are they trying to entice with that? This isn’t Doggy Fashion, it’s more like… Doggy Style.

And now I’m wondering what my dogs do when I’m away from home.

[via Leg Avenue]

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For years now, Lucasfilm has been going after Andrew Ainsworth, the man who created the stormtrooper design, for selling unauthorized replicas of the stormtrooper helmet and armor.

In 2006, the U.S. courts ruled in Lucasfilm’s favor, but recently the British courts sent Lucas an entirely different message: The Stormtrooper design is not art.

In Britain, copy protection of art lasts 70 years. But the courts ruled that it’s not art, but rather industrial design – which only carries copyright protection for 15 years.

From CNET: Ainsworth was, at the time of the costumes’ creation, an industrial designer. This is what he told the Times of his design: “I didn’t even know it was for a film to begin with.” At the time the costumes were made, the machine Ainsworth used was, he told the Times, “churning out kayaks and watersports stuff.”

Hmm. It’s not art? How is that possible? Doesn’t seem right to me. If the famous stormtrooper costume is a mere industrial design, then why is Ainsworth getting so rich from Star Wars fans? A stormtrooper costume is not a toaster, it’s not a kitchen appliance or CD player.

Ainsworth is the creator of the stormtrooper, he has the original molds for the helmet and armor. It might be nice if Lucasfilms would allow him to sell his creation – but that’s really a separate issue.

Is it art? I’d say of course it’s art. It will be very interesting to see what happens next when Lucasfilms appeals to Britain’s Supreme Court.

[via CNET]

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When I was a kid, I thought it would be cool to visit Sherwood Forest in hopes of running in to Robin Hood and his Merry Men. It never dawned on me that the legendary forest might harbor a more sinister company of thieves…blood thieves.

No, my imagination hasn’t gone off kilter (again). I just stumbled on to some news that a modern re-imagining of Robin Hood, with a horror twist, is in the works.

“Sherwood Horror” will follow ex-con Rob Locksley home, after a six year absence, only to discover that his town is under the rule of an evil sheriff and his horde of bloodsuckers. Locksley will have to join forces with his old roughneck hunting buddies to rid the town of the sheriff and his vampire minions.

Hmmm, a modern day Robin Hood southern gothic horror adventure? Could be interesting…what do you think?

Hopefully, it won’t totally suck.

[via Dread Central]

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There are two things I remember most about the Wizard of Oz…the scary-as-crap flying monkeys and the odd little people called Munchkins. As a child I didn’t realize Munchkins were real people. But now I have proof…they just happen to live in a village in China.

Seriously, folks, a group of dwarves in southern China have built their own community to escape discrimination from us “normal” sized people.

The 120 residents of the mountain village, located in Kunming, cannot exceed the maximum height of 4ft 3 inches tall and they have their own police force and fire-fighting brigade run by community members.

But the most interesting thing here is…these little people have turned their community into a tourist attraction, building mushroom-shaped houses and living and dressing as fairy tale characters.

Holy Lollipop Guild! Can you say Munchkinland? No, really, check out this video of the Wizard of Oz Munchkins and take special note of the mushroom-shaped houses in the background.

This story makes me wonder about something…if you could build your own freakin’ village, what would it be like? Who would you exclude from your community? I fancy I’d live in a world that resembles LOTR’s Rivendell (below), where reading, taking naps and eating dessert are the most popular pass times and ALL decent folk are welcome…even Munchkins.

[via Metro.co.uk]

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The lovely and talented ThatCostumeGirl has made a video tribute to the TV show Reading Rainbow, which recently went off the air after a lengthy 26-year run.

She does a great job! My favorite part is towards the end, when she goes full nerd in costume. Adorable!

[via ThatCostumeGirl]

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The Twilight fandemonium may be skeptical about Yen Press’s announcement that it plans to publish a manga-style series of novels addapted from Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight” books. But apparently, the author has given the project her blessing and she is reviewing each page (I think the sketches of Edward and Bella [above] actually look pretty good).

Meyer, herself, is headed for the comic books. Bluewater Productions will feature the “Twilight” author in the publisher’s next “Female Force” standalone bio comic. “Female Force” honors women of accomplishment in society and pop culture. Meyer’s issue will be released in a standard 22-page edition as well as a 40-page collector’s item with bonus material.

What do you think, Twilight fans, are you ready to cross over to the Manga side? Will you read “Twilight” comics with as much relish as Meyer’s original books?

[via Comics Alliance]

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Want to learn more about Furries? This is a great video, sent in by an anoymous tipster who asked MyDisguises to give more attention to Furries. I’m happy to oblige.

So… does anyone want to talk about Furries? Share some stories or further insight into this culture?

I can see how people could think it’s… a bit odd. But I like the idea of being true to yourself and finding others with the same interests. It’s far too easy to go through life being fake and pretending to be normal.

I have to hand it to the folks who can embrace their inner strangeness and have fun at the same time. And come on – going to a party where everyone is wearing animal costumes sounds fun, right?

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Here’s is an interesting bit of news. The scientific community is buzzing about the psychological inkblot test known as the Rorschach test. Many psychologists are angry because Wikipedia has published the Rorschach images, and they claim Wikipedia has ruined the test by giving patients the answers.

If you’ve never seen the movie Watchmen, one of the superheroes is named Rorschach, and he wears a mask with inkblots that constantly shift into patterns resembling the real Rorschach test.

During a scene in the movie, a psychologist shows Rorschach these images, but Rorschach knows how to answer.

Doctor: “Tell me what you see.”
Rorschach: “A pretty butterfly.”
Doctor: “What about now? What do you see here?”
Rorschach: “Some nice flowers.”

I guess I’m kind of wondering what’s the big deal. The Rorschach test is almost 100 years old, and the images are in the public domain. A group of psychologists are taking legal action against Wikipedia, but I don’t think the doctors stand a chance.

What do you think? Should Wikipedia take down their Rorschach entry? Feel free to comment below.

[via Yahoo!, Wikipedia & New York Times]

In related news, here’s an awesome tutorial on how to make a moving Rorschach mask by the special effects gurus at Indy Mogul.

 
I think I’ll conduct an experiment of my own. Stare at this for a while, and tell me what you see….

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Initially, I was very excited about ABC remaking the popular 80’s sci-fi series “V”.

Until I saw some clips from the yawner. You know how you see a preview and it gets you so excited that you go see the movie and realize all the best clips were in the preview? Well, that’s an effective preview, wouldn’t you say?

You’d think ABC would want to promote something as iconic as “V” with a montage of some of their best scenes. But no. These clips are as dull as a documentary on, well…nothing. And where did they dig up that “Party of Five” guy–Scott Wolf, is it?–I thought he was dead?

Any way, take a look and tell me what you think. Were you as bored as I was? Let’s hope, in this case, that the series is more than the sum of its previews.

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I have my reasons for liking Sci-Fi…and none of them have to do with the dangerously appealing male characters in other-worldly costumes. Yeah, okay, that was a lie. The truth is, I fantasize about men in sexy Sci-Fi costumes.

So, I was hardly opposed to taking a peek at Convention Fans’ Top 20 Sexy Male Sci-Fi Costumes when it was presented to me by a friend. While I agreed with some of the elected winners, others left me perplexed and unimpressed.

That’s when I decided to make my own list. It is my opinion that this list should be expanded to include Sexiest Male Fantasy (including the paranormal genre) costumes as well. While technically Fantasy is NOT Sci-Fi, and visa versa, there is a great deal of overlap between the two genres which both fall under the umbrella of speculative fiction (so there). Besides, it’s my list so you don’t really have a say in the matter…but I highly doubt you’ll be disappointed!

Anyway, here’s what I came up with…

Medieval Majesty

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy – The chivalrous medieval-style warrior, whether peasant-like or knightly, will ever attract the romantically-minded female.

Lusty Leather

Jason Mamoa as Ronan Dex in Stargate Atlantis – # 7 on the CF Top Twenty List. Nothing says “All Male” like distressed, form-fitting leather.

Keith Hamilton Cobb as Tyr Anasazi in Andromeda – The long dreads and fitted leather vest strategically cut to highlight one firm pec really made Andromeda worth watching (no, I didn’t watch it for Kevin Sorbo).

Eclectic

James Marsters as Captain John Hart in Torchwood – The blending of historical, weathered and modern costume elements creates a Steampunk-feel that’s bad-boy appealing. (# 20 of the CF Top 20 list).

Adrian Paul wore many costumes in his role as an immortal, from kilts to aviator gear to tuxedos…and he wore them all well. But if I had to choose, the traditional Scottish plaids would be have to be my fave.

Attired for Adventure

Brendan Fraser as Rick O’ Connell in The Mummy – Reminiscent of the tough adventurer persona in Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones character. It has a rugged quality that says “I’m man enough to protect you, battle supernatural forces AND find you a nice little treasure!”

Military Masculinity

Michael Beihn as Dwayne Hicks in Aliens: Military togs give off that strong, fit and disciplined vibe that compels women to croon, “I love a man in a uniform.”

Tantalizing Tanks

Hugh Jackman as James Howlett (aka Logan) in X-men Origins: Wolverine – What girl wouldn’t smack her lips in the presence of the feral Wolverine looking alarmingly virile in muscle tank, dog tags and denim…GRRR! (#3 on CF top 20 in his X-men suit)…simple but savory.

Steve Bacic as Telemachus Rhade in Andromeda – His snug sleeveless T-shirt and long fingerless, leather gloves compliment his muscular arms perfectly (by the way, this guy also looks great in SG-1 in a Gladiator-like costume…that’s him at the very top of post).

Vampire Vestment

Alex O’loughlin in Moonlight – Thank heaven’s vampires no longer wear the goofy high-collared black cape and tuxedo-like suit. This long black duster over a tasteful button down Henley and snug jeans is more likely to seduce a woman into letting the undead bite her…right, ladies?

Werewolf Wardrobe

Jason Behr as Varek in Skinwalkers – Biker denims accessorized with leather holsters, arm cuffs and a cool tattoo (Oh, and great facial hair) hint at the beast within.

Michael Sheen as Lucian in Rise of the Lycans – Knowing that a primal creature lurks under all that structured warrior-y leather goodness could drive a gal wild.

“Dressed” to kill Dragons

Christian Bale as Quinn Abercromby in Reign of Fire – If one is going to slay the dragon and save his people (including his damsel in distress) he needs to demonstrate that he has the strength necessary to get the job done. I’d say this less-is-more “costume” rather proves that Quinn is up to the task. The minuscule proportion of the teeny-tiny neck scarf augments the broad expanse of his ripped chest (I think I’ll buy my husband one of those scarfs).

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