HOME | DD

Description
Character: Effie Trinket
Source: The Hunger Games
Seamstress/Model: Tess (cupcake-rufflebutt )
Photography: Vicky Bartolo
Location: Katsucon 2016

Construction Notes:
Long time no see, friends! It's been a while since I've shared any new costume photos, but I'm hoping to be a lot more active now that the school year is winding down. I have a ton of notifications to catch up on, not to mention a HUGE backlog of photos that I can't wait to share with everyone! So let's get started with Miss Trinket...

Effie is one of those characters that I immediately wrote off cosplaying, simply due to the complexity of her outfits. Everything she wears is just OH SO FABULOUS, and most of it is well above my skill level as a seamstress. But after watching "Mockingjay - Part 2" last winter, I was hellbent on sharing the Effie love. It took a lot of talking myself up, but I finally settled on her butterfly dress from "Catching Fire." The design itself is very minimal (just a structured dress, really) but the details are EXQUISITE.

I started with a mock turtleneck dress pattern, which I altered to include the extra-wide hips. I was initially a little paranoid that the hips wouldn't maintain their shape, but between the crisp suiting fabric and the adhesive from the butterflies, the dress turned out solid as a rock. (Fun Fact: The dress can actually stand up on its own; it's that stiff.) Since I fly to most conventions, the collar piece is detachable so that I can more easily transport the dimensional butterflies. Speaking of butterflies, over 300 artificial butterflies were dissected for the dress alone, giving it the definitive title of "Most Expensive and Just Plain Ridiculous Garment I've Ever Made." The butterfly design was initially daunting, but once I started glueing, I couldn't stop. It was fascinating to see the dress take shape over the course of several evenings! The fascinator was a fun little piece to make, and I love the way the butterflies sway and float around when I wear the costume. The gloves and boots were purchased, and I added a slight yellow ombre to the wig with floral spray. One of my favourite Effie details are the Paperself eyelashes she wears, and I was lucky enough to snag a pair on eBay that are identical to those she wears in the movie. (They have the cutest woodland scene with butterflies and deer!)

All in all this was a VERY fulfilling project, and I'm glad that I finally worked up the courage to cosplay Effie! She's a terribly fun character to "be" at a convention, and I got lots of fun interactions from people. XD I also want to acknowledge the many talented costumers who have already made this costume and posted tutorials online. I borrowed a lot of their techniques and research, and they definitely made this costume a lot more doable!

Special Request:
Please no critiques/criticism; I'd like to keep this gallery happy! :3

Description
Character: Effie Trinket
Source: The Hunger Games
Seamstress/Model: Tess (cupcake-rufflebutt )
Photography: Vicky Bartolo
Location: Katsucon 2016

Construction Notes:
Long time no see, friends! It's been a while since I've shared any new costume photos, but I'm hoping to be a lot more active now that the school year is winding down. I have a ton of notifications to catch up on, not to mention a HUGE backlog of photos that I can't wait to share with everyone! So let's get started with Miss Trinket...

Effie is one of those characters that I immediately wrote off cosplaying, simply due to the complexity of her outfits. Everything she wears is just OH SO FABULOUS, and most of it is well above my skill level as a seamstress. But after watching "Mockingjay - Part 2" last winter, I was hellbent on sharing the Effie love. It took a lot of talking myself up, but I finally settled on her butterfly dress from "Catching Fire." The design itself is very minimal (just a structured dress, really) but the details are EXQUISITE.

I started with a mock turtleneck dress pattern, which I altered to include the extra-wide hips. I was initially a little paranoid that the hips wouldn't maintain their shape, but between the crisp suiting fabric and the adhesive from the butterflies, the dress turned out solid as a rock. (Fun Fact: The dress can actually stand up on its own; it's that stiff.) Since I fly to most conventions, the collar piece is detachable so that I can more easily transport the dimensional butterflies. Speaking of butterflies, over 300 artificial butterflies were dissected for the dress alone, giving it the definitive title of "Most Expensive and Just Plain Ridiculous Garment I've Ever Made." The butterfly design was initially daunting, but once I started glueing, I couldn't stop. It was fascinating to see the dress take shape over the course of several evenings! The fascinator was a fun little piece to make, and I love the way the butterflies sway and float around when I wear the costume. The gloves and boots were purchased, and I added a slight yellow ombre to the wig with floral spray. One of my favourite Effie details are the Paperself eyelashes she wears, and I was lucky enough to snag a pair on eBay that are identical to those she wears in the movie. (They have the cutest woodland scene with butterflies and deer!)

All in all this was a VERY fulfilling project, and I'm glad that I finally worked up the courage to cosplay Effie! She's a terribly fun character to "be" at a convention, and I got lots of fun interactions from people. XD I also want to acknowledge the many talented costumers who have already made this costume and posted tutorials online. I borrowed a lot of their techniques and research, and they definitely made this costume a lot more doable!

Special Request:
Please no critiques/criticism; I'd like to keep this gallery happy! :3