Marge Simpson

@vespaphotographyperth hosts an annual pink themed photoshoot event raising money for breast cancer. I figured this was an excellent opportunity to finally make my Marge Simpson Chanel suit. Turns out I bought this fabric and wig mere days before I was hit by a car over two years ago. So, naturally, this project fell far to the wayside. Thanks to @stephanie.cullingford for not letting me give up on this costume and for the fabric suggestion.

I made this costume in about 30 hours over the course of a month. On the day of the shoot I was madly sewing the costume and styling the wig right up until my makeup artist @twistcreativ arrived. She did a fantastic job bringing my vision to life. I wanted to embody Marge in a way that captured her beauty and humanity rather than trying to garishly force a cartoon character into the real world without translation.

It’s a shame I could not find pink heels anywhere! It really would have tied it all together. Oh well, next time. I’m overall just proud to see how far I’ve come as a seamstress, this might be the best tailored jacket I’ve ever made. And that black velvet trim was a nightmare to sew! But it all came together in the end.

Fun fact: Marge is stated to be 34 years old in season 1. Meaning we are nearly the same age, what a wild thought. Marge was always the mother I wished I had, now she’s a peer.

by Categories: CostumesTags: , Leave a comment

Metal Gear Solid : Peace Walker- Date with Kaz

Carpe diem: I’ve wanted to do a Peace Walker Kazuhira shoot for years now, but I could never find a photographer to do it. The old community of amateur photographers has all dissipated. I decided to not let that stop me, you want a job done right, do it yourself. This shoot was struck with a case of Murphy’s Law however, anything that could go wrong, did go wrong, but I charged ahead anyway. I accidentally packed my wig tape and cap in my storage unit. I forgot to put on my holster belt. The stand for my phone broke, my DSLR just would not focus on me. But the weather was nice, there was hardly anyone on the beach on a Monday afternoon, so despite it taking longer and being more challenging than expected, it all came together in the end.

These photos were shot on both my phone and DSLR, I don’t think you can even tell the difference between the two these days with the way the technology is now.

By the way, that jumpsuit is actually my work uniform. Other cosplayers have to fake the weathering on their costumes, but me? I wear my costume week after week for years to look suitably lived in. I’ve come to regard this uniform as my default look, almost like a cartoon character.

by Categories: CostumesTags: , Leave a comment

Cosplay Couture MGSV: Revolver Ocelot

A big thanks to Snap Happy Ian for these most excellent photos.
This Revolver Ocelot costume was mostly assembled from pieces found at op-shops and military swap meets. I added the capelet to the jacket about a year ago, and dyed the bandolier and styled the wig the night before the expo.
I wear a lot of these items as part of my everyday wardrobe, with the intention of minimising the waste and excess that cosplay often entails.

by Categories: cosplay couture, CostumesTags: , , , 1 Comment

Cosplay Couture Henry Sturges

From the archives, November 2013:

Cosplay Couture interpretation of Henry Sturges from Abraham Lincoln:Vampire Hunter

Costume (pants, cravat and wig) and styling by Courtney Coulson

Photography by Luke Milton

Location Karrakatta cemetary

Our belated Halloween themed shoot!

I absolutely adore this movie and the book, I also love Dominic Cooper, so Henry is easily my favourite character. He’s got such a cool, anachronistic design that I often dress like him in my daily life. So it was only natural to turn this into Cosplay Couture as I had most of these pieces in my wardrobe already. To me Henry is all about the hair and the sunglasses, so I spent most of my time getting those right. At first I attempted to make the glasses, failed miserably and only then did I find some similar glasses on eBay when I realised Johnny Depp in Dark Shadows had ones almost identical.

The wig was one I bought ages ago from Five Wits and it’s seriously awesome. It was originally a bit longer and a light brown, I was able to dye it and cut it without destroying it, which can happen with cheaper wigs. Styling it was a lot of fun although a bit challenging because Sturges has such a specific haircut. The make-up is all reds, burgundys and greys which I think somehow still look beautiful while giving one an unnatural look.

While Henry isn’t seen in vampire mode too often, I have long wanted to dress up as a vampire, so I couldn’t resist baring those fangs! They are actually fake nails, I can’t believe how cheap, easy and comfortable they were, based on this tutorial right here :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx-uXJYSZAY

In terms of personality and physicality, like Henry’s outward appearance, he’s a bit of a rockstar, he’s badass, he’s a little too serious but he can also be a bit cocky.

-Courtney Coulson

For me this was really about finding the right colours and textures in our various locations and then mixing in some sepia tones to capture the mood of the film. This was another really good example of finding little pieces of interest in a vast environment and using them to our advantage, attempting to make things feel more other worldly than our actual surrounds. I also wanted to achieve a real contrast between the fully costumed, formal Sturges and the wilder Sturges with the axe in the woods.

– Luke Milton

by Categories: cosplay coutureTags: , Leave a comment

The Cyclops and the Existential Dread of Being

Two years ago, July 22nd 2022, was the day I was hit by a car and my life changed forever. I refer to it as my Baptism of Pain. I look back on who I used to be before that day and I don’t connect with her at all, she was a lost, frivolous, materialistic, childish girl. 

Then I was thrown straight down to Hell, but I crawled out, my eye wide open. Full of venom.

Is my life better now? Depends on how you define it, my life isn’t happier, or safer, or less lonely. But it is better because I finally see the truth. I see the cruelty human beings are capable of, even family, friends, and doctors. I see now how utterly alone we all are, and any authority you turn to is ultimately looking to exploit you.

I had once walked through life like a dream, believing that we lived in a world of order, and justice, and reason. Always assuming that, should the worst happen, someone would rescue me. Oh, some people pretended to rescue me, but they ended up hurting me worst of all.

No, hope is a mistake, trust is a delusion. 

I saved myself. 

Following the accident, my world became very small, I was just trying to survive, trying to endure the pain. I used to be an avid consumer of stories, not anymore. I don’t connect to much of it these days. But there were two characters I understood and who I could draw strength from. Big Boss of Metal Gear Solid, and Guts from Berserk. Through them I saw the same existential dread reflected, how does one begin again when everything has been taken from you? How does one continue in a life destined for suffering? Why continue struggling day after day when there can be no hope of peace in one’s future?

The answer is, you abandon the very concept of hope and replace it with willpower. I stick around almost out of spite, I’m still standing because I will it so, despite my body’s protestations. 

Wisdom coming at the cost of an eye is a price the god Odin himself paid. It is fitting then that Snake and Guts had their awakenings after their right eyes were blinded. Mercifully, I wasn’t injured so severely, but the Ptosis in my left eye has become a constant feature in my life, almost a trademark. It is the most visible mark of that baptism. 

One might imagine I would become bitter, and angry, and removed from society, and for a while, I was. I had every right to. But no, I later developed my own moral code to live by:

Strength. Truth. Integrity.

I choose to put the love and kindness into the world that I was never shown. I choose to love, and to love fearlessly, with not even the hope of reciprocation or even a thanks. I love you and I want the best for you. I want to help you in the ways I never was. I want you to feel safe and that you can trust me.

I’m not going to let this horrible world defeat me, I am going to defeat it with love.

I cannot be hurt anymore.

by Categories: ArtTags: , , Leave a comment

Drawing Blood from Stone

“Drawing Blood from Stone”
This is a personal piece I’ve been working on for months, it’s taken me a long time to learn to work with colour.

This image came to my mind fully formed one day. It’s a visual manifestation of how I’ve been treated these past few years by those who I thought I could love and trust.

There are various tellings of Medusa’s story. The one I’m working with says that she was punished by Athena for having an affair with Poseidon. Her only crime was seeking love. And from then on she could no longer be loved, for every heart around her turned to stone.

by Categories: Art Leave a comment