Anyone else making something for Dragon Con?

I have to admit, I don't have any idea what these things are like.  My BIL has asked me to make a Joker costume for him for Dragon Con.  What are these things like?  Does everyone dress up?  Do most people make their own costumes or buy professional ones?  I know that this is one of the bigger conventions, right?  Just trying to wrap my head around this one.

I'm feeling pretty intimidated at the moment.  I'm really afraid that this is going to look too homemade.  He's found a suit jacket that fits him pretty well that I'm taking apart to use as a pattern.  He also has given me a pair of dress pants to copy.  I've got a pattern for the shirt and vest.  So really, I just need to stick to the plan and it should work out, right?

For Dragon Con and Comic Con people either make the costumes themselves or commision them. Some people are very picky about how authentic the costume is (ie Star Wars props) and spend years getting it just right.

Making a Joker costume - I'm thinking you got off waaaaaaaay easy.

Have fun with it and learn everything you can. Before he goes decide if you are willing to do it again, because if his costume is good you will get plenty of requests.

LolaJo - I ran across this the other day - maybe you could contact her for ideas?

http://mamafitz.blogspot.com/search/label/jester%20costume

Lol!  I definitely got off easy with this one!  He's also a huge Star Wars fan so it could have been way more intimidating than a suit.  I pretty sure that he chose Joker because this girl that he's going with liked it.  It works for me.

Thanks for the link Madrona.  That Jester is awesome.  We're going with a wide shouldered suit and dress pants with a bright yellow dress shirt and bright green vest.  Here's the pic I'm going off of:



I hope I can pull this off.  We did joke that I should make up business cards for him to give out to his friends.  Lola Jo Costumes: Send Me Your Freaks!

I just realized that I've got the shirt/vest backward already.  I had better print out the picture and put it on my sewing room wall!

Oh - not *A* joker - you mean THE joker!  haha.

That is a great inspiration shot - you could have so much fun with the costume! Share some progress pics!

I have gotten started on the suit jacket and I've posted the first part of my pattern making here:

http://longwindedlolajo.blogspot.com/

It's going pretty well so far.  I've taken apart the suit my BIL found at a thrift shop, made a pattern from it, made a test suit from the pattern, and had a first fitting with the test suit.  I've also traced out the pattern for the pants from a pair that my BIL gave me that fit him well.  I'm ready to go get the real fabric.  Just waiting to see what coupons I can come up with first.

I'll post some more pics as I get further along.

Just in case anyone is interested in the outcome of this project, here is the finished costume.  I've learned a ton and my BIL is at Dragon-con right now, probably walking around dressed in this.  Hope he has a great time!



More details on the blog: http://longwindedlolajo.blogspot.com/

Wow, LolaJo - that came out AWESOME!  Great job!!   

That's awesome!

Thank you!  There were so many "firsts" for me in this project.  I'm still surprised how well it turned out.  I did make spats just after this picture was taken and he found some white gloves.  He's already talking about his next costume.  I told him to give me a few months so that his brother doesn't kick me out of the house for taking on too much!

Wow!!!! You are a STAR!!!!  You did such a great job.  Aren't costumes fun?  Thanks for posting the pics of the final product.  It really was a big undetaking.  Barb.

Oh my goodness, that came out insanely well!  Excellent work!

Thanks!  I was so nervous because I couldn't find a good purple in a suiting fabric.  I just kept thinking that he'd be walking around with all of these elaborately costumed people and he'll be wearing quilting cotton!  But it worked and the color was perfect.  Once I lined it and added the padding it worked and I guess it's appropriate for a crazy, evil, clown to wear a suit made of Kona cotton, poly satin, and taffeta!