hi im liv !

Marcille made her debut at Metrocon this year! I had a lot of fun wearing her and I actually got a lot of compliments and freebies from other attendees too!!

Marcille!! Yeah baby!!!! I’ve been cracking out this costume pretty consistently since February. Finished her about 2 months ago (April 2025) but didn’t quite get a chance to get any photos as her and do a wear test until now (Florida weather and job things getting in the way per usual)

Got a few things I’m gonna update before I take her to the con (the belts need some desperate remaking). But I will be wearing her to Metrocon for those that care..

Best investment for this cosplay were these prosthetic elf ears. I’m gonna get so much wear out of these bad boys: Marcille, Frieren, any outfits for ren fest ever.. They’re so much comfier to wear with a wig compared to those ear cuff ones I had before.

Fun fact almost everything for this costume (for the fabric) was thrifted! The dress and cape were made using bedsheets and pillowcases from Goodwill. I found the shoes at Goodwill as well. The linen pants were found at a local thrift, I just hemmed them and added an elastic channel at the bottom. The most expensive part of this costume was the wig, which is also the longest wig I’ve ever worn. I put so many hours into crimping and treating this wig before styling to keep it tangle free and so far it has stood up to the test!

Might drop a process post on this costume, but honestly I don’t know that I will since it was made using a premade pattern and didn’t really require me to make up anything like Frieren did. But if you have any questions about the process I can answer as well.

🪡 Dress and cape made using patterns by CosplayAlice/Alice in Cosplayland

💇‍♀️ Wig from Kasou Wig, styled by me

🧝‍♀️ Elf ears from Aradani Studios

xiao!! i missed wearing him so much, even if he is an overstimulating nightmare to wear

i think my xiao is overdue for a bit of a revamp after this year. the top didn’t hold up very well in the florida heat this year (a lot of the bias tape that was secured with hot glue melted off) so it’ll need some work regardless, but i’m also considering remaking the pants to get a more comfortable fit? it’d be a challenge, but i think it’d be possible if i choose to see it through. it’ll need more consideration though before i commit to that.

tried something new with the tattoo this year! i made myself a stencil and used body paint, instead of a temporary tattoo (which would often peel/crack/melt over time at the con). i like the look of this better, but i think application requires a little more finesse (especially on my own). but its a promising alternative!

also using this chance to show off my mask this year. left the spear at home — partially because it’s mostly a grail/photoshoot piece, but mostly because it broke last year and i’m scared of it breaking again 💔 but i love this mask a lot and i feel like i’ve never had the chance to flex it. completely handmade btw!

side note, i really liked my makeup this year!

FRIEREN IS FINALLY FINISHED!!

frieren staff speed build!! made in about 2 weeks. it’s not perfect and i’ll definitely be updating it in the future, but i’m satisfied for now. just glad i finished it in time to have a semi decent prop to carry this weekend!

i cut the base shape out of 5mm foam and then built up the shape with foam clay. molded the central ring around the red sphere in the middle (which is just a painted diy ornament) and attached it with wooden dowels. the fabric strip is cut from some cheap red fabric i had left over, with a foam bead i molded and painted gold at the end. the gemstone at the end is an extra crystal i had left after making the earrings!

the cuffs took a few days just to even draft up, with several attempts sewing them onto the mock up sleeves to figure out how they’d attach and hide the seams. i think i reached a pretty good final version, and honestly these cuffs in terms of construction and attachment really show my current skill set as a cosplayer and seamstress!

the stripes on frieren’s dress were made using the same method as the decal on my xiao shirt (freezer paper stencils). i used white fabric paint and then layered black on top to reduce the bleeding, but ultimately paint is just gonna behave like paint y’know. if i had the resources i think vinyl would have been a better choice but ultimately i used what was currently available in my skill set.

last but not least for this progress update: buttons! aren’t these buttons just the most gorgeous things ever? and i really lucked out with the color match and they’re also the exact size i needed. they’re so so so perfect and i’m super excited about them !!

and now we’re here! nearly finished after almost 6 months of on and off progress. for my first completely handmade costume, i think it looks stunning!

old -> new

(ignore the missing sleeve, i forgot to make a full length pattern for them so i had to harvest one)

on the original mock up i used a full circle skirt but it was soooo full that i just couldn't bring myself to love it. this new version is a 1/4 circle skirt which looks so much more accurate to frieren's design that im just soooo in love!

prepped my fabric today too so i'm nearly ready to start sewing the actual cosplay soon!

frieren mock up is nearly complete! i’ve been tirelessly working for 3 months on this costume. the patterning is deceptively tricky (sleeves are my enemy!)

!! fake cigarette !!

i don’t think i could ever properly explain how happy i was after remaking xiao’s shirt. the previous version (which was purchased) fit really poorly, and the fabric was not great. it constantly pulled out from the waist of the pants and it practically blocked any airflow. the solution was simple: remake it from a bodysuit. that way the shirt not only stayed in place but also already gave me a much better form-fitting base to start out with. the mesh panel in the back was the part i worried about the most but ended up being the part i’m happiest with! i used power mesh that i hand dyed to be close to my skin tone (though the color isn’t very clear due to my binder’s color).

the swirling pattern on the bodysuit is a metallic white fabric paint. i made a digital drawing of the pattern on procreate, then printed it onto freezer paper. after cutting it out with an exacto knife, you can actually iron freezer paper onto fabric (shiny side facing the fabric) and it creates a nearly seamless stencil for fabric paint! i see myself using this technique a lot in the future, it’s literally perfect!!

the black leather piece at the neck and shoulders was my biggest obstacle. not only have i never worked with leather, but it is also a non-stretch material i’d be attaching to the collar/neck portion that very much needed to be able to stretch to be pulled on. thankfully the design worked out that i could have 2 closure points, one on the back of the neck and one at the front of the neck. the entire piece is hemmed by folding over and gluing the raw edge to the inside, then i glued hem tape over those raw edges to cover them and make them softer on the skin (the entire leather piece is unlined, due to its complex shape). all the visible edges of the leather were satin stitched to give them a clean, crisp edge. the gold appliqués on the front and back are 2mm eva foam covered in a gold stretch fabric, then glued onto the bodysuit with e6000!

the two white pieces that frame the mesh panel on the back gave me more difficulty than i expected. their shape is a bit deceiving, and needing them to lie flat on my back without sacrificing the stretch of the main garment meant i couldn’t just top stitch them onto the back. and while i’m not super happy with how they ended up aligning (where they meet at the top is much further down than i was aiming for), i still think it came out really nice!

and that’s the finished top!

here’s a front and back of the finished top! the sleeve is held up with clear bra straps that hook onto the inside of the shirt at the shoulder. all in all, i absolutely love how this newer shirt came out.

i really liked this cosplay, there’s a few things i want to update before i wear it again but im very proud of it. the headband and swords are made by me!