Why I chose this costume:

With PAX East fast approaching, I was asked to help with The New England Institute of Art’s booth in costume. The idea was if I was in costume, it would generate more interest for the college so of course I said yes! With short notice I put out a call for ideas of quick costumes and a friend suggested Kotone/Lyra–a Pokemon trainer from the video game series, anime, and manga. It was the perfect idea for a video game convention.

How I made this costume:

I used an existing pair of jeans for her overalls, which I cut into shorts and used denim fabric for the bib and straps. The same fabric was used to cover the buttons. The socks were two separate pairs, stitched together. The hat was a regular baseball cap, covered with cotton fabric and stuffed with polyester for the puffy look. The shirt was bought as a simple red long-sleeve, which I then cut up to make it more accurate to Kotone’s shirt. I also included her white hood, and red shoes which I altered with foam to make them appear taller.

The purse was made a few weeks later from yellow cotton fabric with details stitched into place. The purse is fully lined inside and has a working zipper, so all of my personal items could be stored inside safely. The Pokedex on the outside of the purse was made from foam that was cut, layered and glued together. I added beads for the buttons and a pom-pom to the top of the cord that it is attached to the purse from. It’s one of my most favorite accessories that I’ve made.

The pokeball is a smooth styrofoam ball that was painted by hand with red and black paint.

Thoughts on this costume:

I certainly helped bring a crowd to the NEiA booth, and I got a lot of photos taken. It was a lovely convention and I hope to go back again soon!