Cloak embroidery close-up + the one photo with my eyes/hair in it:

Almost everything in the Rythian cosplay was made from scratch, save the boots, shirt, and belt. The coat is a modified Victorian men's coat made from cotton-linen blend with polyester piping, cotton lining, and wooden buttons; the waistcoat is a 1910's low-fronted vest made from polyester damask with metal buttons salvaged from a marching band jacket; the cloak is a modified Victorian women's opera cloak in a linen-viscose blend, with metal buttons, polyester mesh lining, and hand-embroidery; the pants are Victorian men's pants in red dupioni silk; the hand wraps are made of muslin; and the mask is purple dupioni silk with bubble gauze linen lining and hand-embroidery. The mushroom earring and ender pearl cage pendant are also hand-made! It didn't make it into any of the photos, but I also bleached a streak into my hair in the front LMAO.

As for the origins of this project, I was able to unearth these photos courtesy of my mother. The first is from October 31st, 2013, and the second is June 4th, 2014; note the unhemmed Party City doctor coat with painted-on piping, the H&M jeans, the transition-lens glasses, and the knockoff Uggs. The split in the cape was also unhemmed, and I think the ender eyes on the back were glued-on felt. Truly the "how it started, how it's going" of my sewing journey.