Revolutionary Threads

Hi! I saw you answered my post - thank you very much! I haven’t bought anything yet cause I was hoping to find something around, but there are no thrift shops where I live and me and my mother can’t sew at all so I have to rely on normal shops and that’s why I searched for thing on the internet too. I’m new to cosplay so yeah, if you could give me some links it could be really helpful (I’m still on a budget because when it comes to buying online I need my parents approval so that’s why I didn’t want anything too expensive, but I can always give the money to my friend and ask her to order things for me like I’m doing with the wig and and spend some more) Btw, I still have time and I’m going to keep searching in shops and markets so pray for me.

Thank you again for your advices and not ignoring my post!

Hey there! (( And no problem – word limit can be a real pain sometimes.. :/ ))

I completely understand your problems as that was where I started out when I began cosplaying quite a number of years ago now… I was limited to what I could find in shops and had to get a friend to order things for me as my parents certainly didn’t approve of me ordering items online.. and probably still don’t but that another story for another time. 

Now – where to start? Let’s break down what we need for Grantaire: 

Black/ Dark brown curly wig. 

19th century shirt (in white or ivory)

Green shawl collar waistcoat 

Tan Fall Front Trousers

Striped cravat

Suspenders

Shoes/Boots

Wig: I personally would start with the wig. Arda Wigs (( I noted you posted a picture of one of their products )) can be notoriously expensive and even more so if taking shipping into account if you do not live within the US. Another option is eBay. This is predominantly where I get my wigs as I don’t have a lot of money to throw around and I personally consider my wig to be just as important as the rest of my costume – if not the most important. 

Some wigs I’ve managed to track down with a basic search are: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Now I know there is always the wonder of what product you will be receiving when ordering online, but I’ve found if you stick with sellers with a 98% or above approval rating, you tend to be pleasantly surprised with the result. Of course most wigs purchased will need trimming and styling as quite often they get squished during shipping. However, with a little TLC, a wig can go from an-out-of-the-bag mess to a masterpiece you are proud to wear on your head. 

Shirt/Waistcoat: The shirt and waist coat will probably be the most difficult part to either track down in person or find for cheap online. A few links I’ve found that could possibly be within a budget if corners were cut elsewhere are listed below:

Shirt:

Men’s Regency Cotton Dress Shirt

Reproduction 19th Century Men’s Shirt (only ships within the US)

Waistcoat: 

Formal Tuxedo Waistcoat

Men’s Green Hunter Vest with Notch Lapel

Vintage Green Wool Vest (only one and in one size)

Trousers: As for the trousers, there are several possibilities as you can either purchase fall front trousers as were worn during the time period or if money is an issue, mens dress pants will serve the same purpose minus the fall front. And as an aside, zippered flys were coming into fashion so it’s not actually all that inaccurate after all… If you are still interested pursuing a pair of fall front trousers, a few links are: 

Men’s Fall Front Trousers

Regency Fall Front Trousers

However, again, if money is an issue simply locate a pair of men’s tan trousers (with a thin white pinstripe if accuracy is a must) and sew a few buttons on for your suspenders and you’re good to go! 

Cravat/ Suspenders/ Shoes: These are all personally up to you as it is probably easiest and best to find something local as it would save on shipping costs and you would have completely control over what you purchase. 

The cravat can either be a strip of fabric, or in a pinch, a tie which is tied in a knot at the base of your neck holding your collar in place. 

Suspenders are generally buttoned to the pants and can be any colour as they will not be seen under your waistcoat. These are an optional item, again if money is tight, especially if the pants fit you perfectly and need no help staying in place.  

Shoes can be what makes or breaks your budget if ordered from online. There is no guarantee they will fit and be comfortable. Shipping costs also tend to eat up a lot of one’s budget as they are heavier than your average package. I find its best to source these locally as one, you have complete control over how they feel and look; and two, you’re not paying any extraneous costs which could otherwise be avoided. 

I do hope this helps – I know what it’s like to be on a strict budget and still want to make your cosplay as accurate as you can. If there is anything else I can help you with feel free to drop by again. I enjoy helping people with these problems as I’ve faced a lot of them myself and if through my experience I can assist others I’m more than happy to do so. 

All the best of luck in this venture!

Emily Langridge’s Wedding Dress in the 25th Anniversary Production of Les Miserables may be my favorite version of this dress. I just love everything about it!

 The only thing I wish they had done was make the sleeves fuller but I’m mostly alright with it because of how well it is made! It fits her perfectly and flatters her really well! I love the lace around the sleeve and collar. I like that she’s wearing pearls. I adore how her garland comes up in the front instead of being flattened to her head.

 I really really like how they styled her wig with the “traditional” Australian swoops in the front, it makes it look very natural where a lot of the more recent Cosette wigs look like they have been hairsprayed and then slicked back to the actresses head. Instead the swoop gives a very light fluffy look that I deeply appreciate!

 She must have a bum roll and a petticoat on under the dress because look at the flow in the skirt! Dang! It is just a gorgeous over all look!

Enjolras Vest #2! 

Made with three different widths of gold trim braided and laid over red cotton velvet to create the famous “xylophone” look, topped off with 85 gold buttons and laced with grommets and suede cord in the back. One of my very favorite costumes from Les Miserables and really spectacular to see through to completion again.

It’s always exciting to revisit a costume because you not only have a good grasp of how to do it from the first time, you know what pitfalls to avoid, so while my own personal Xylophone vest will always be the love of my life, this is one is in every way a new and improved version. 

Let’s hear it for Marius’s classic black suit and blue-gray leaf-patterned vest!

Not only is the black suit simple yet elegant and dignified, it compliments the costumes of the two most important people in musical-Marius’s life: Cosette and Enjolras. Marius and Enjolras look almost identical, clothing-wise, when we first see them in “Look Down,” which reinforces our sense of their shared revolutionary goals and bond of fellowship. But the black also mirrors Cosette’s dress, making the two lovers a perfect visual match set.

And then there’s the vest, the only part of his costume that sets it apart from Enjolras’s. The soft, modest blue-gray and botanical pattern contrasts perfectly with the bright, solid red and shining gold of Enjolras’s iconic vest, making Marius look gentler, more innocent, less of a fighter and more of a lover. (I wonder if it was intentional on Neofitou’s part to have Marius and Enjolras look more-or-less interchangeable at first, but then have their looks diverge as their different destinies become clear?)

The entire costume also brings to mind a certain other character, who wears a similar black suit and patterned blue-gray vest in both of his two stints as an upper-class gentleman…

I don’t know if Neofitou meant anything by the similarity or not, but maybe it’s significant. Maybe it subtly points to Marius’s role as Valjean’s “heir” – the “inheritor” of Cosette and of the hope she symbolizes – and forecasts that his destiny isn’t to die in battle, but to follow Valjean’s example and live a good, compassionate life.

Les Mis movie meme | 2/6 outfits

 Eponine is finished!

 This costume was actually really easy. The hard part was sourcing the material! That skirt material was a find! I never thought I would find fabric so perfect for the skirt!

 This costume is up for sale on my etsy here. It includes the blouse, skirt, belt, and hat! It is perfect for a halloween or even a stage costume!

You fight for the world and I fight for you.

So we all know that colours are written in the format #000000 and a while ago I saw a thing about how #246010 is this colour and this happens:

So then, because I’m investigating juxtaposition, I wondered what colour ‘246010’ is backwards, and I am so angry right now because #010642 is:

And you’ll never guess what the goddamn costume department did