Designing a 'wuxia' heroine costume

[sniffles]

I shall reveal the depths of my geekishness for you all to point and laugh at.

I regularly attend science fiction and fantasy fan conventions each year (these are not Star Trek conventions, which are similar but much more narrowly focused).

One feature of these conventions is known as "hall costuming", which refers specifically to costumes people wear around the event space all day in lieu of everyday clothes. It's like Halloween, but generally geared toward sci-fi and fantasy themes. People may dress up as their favorite sci-fi movie characters, fantasy movie or book characters, comic book characters, tv characters, mythological creatures, or characters from their own imaginations. Sometimes small prizes are awarded. Other event-goes will take pictures. It's grown-ups playing dress-up.

I've been admiring the costumes in various wuxia tv shows I've watched over the past year or so, and I decided that in some ways wuxia fits in with the fantasy genre. People who can virtually 'fly' and use their qi to perform superhuman acts could be considered fantasy or superheroes. I thought it would be fun to introduce more of this concept to my fellow F& SF fans at a convention. One occasionally sees anime characters represented at these events, but I've seen very little representation of any other kind of fantastic fiction/entertainment from Asian culture.

So a friend of mine is going to sew me a costume based on the clothing wuxia heroines wear in some of the tv shows (she made a Dongfang Bubai costume from the movie Swordsman II for another friend years ago). My costume won't be based on a specific character's costume; I chose the fabrics based on what I like, so the costume will be unique to me. I thought about purchasing a commercially-made hanfu costume from a website, but I really wanted something unique.

As an accessory to the costume, yesterday I bought an inexpensive taiji sword at an Asian import store. The convention I'll be wearing the costume to allows people to carry swords and other weapons, but they have to be confined so that you can't actually draw your sword. I'll just have to carry it around in my hand the way the tv and movie characters do.

I'm having a little trouble finding appropriate footwear, though. I haven't been able to find a retailer who sells the soft canvas boots that everyone seems to wear in wuxia tv shows. There are canvas boots available through ordinary shoe retailers, but they're either too expensive or lined with fur, which would be really hot running around indoors all day with layers and layers of fabric on. I'm not sure I'd be able to find a pair of actual Chinese boots that are big enough for my huge Caucasian-American feet, though.

Anyway, I just thought I'd take the risk and share this part of my personal wierdness with you all. Feel free to ask questions if you want.

[xJadedx]

You could try to make it yourself, or modify soemthing.

This reminds me that I still need to figure out a Halloween costume.

[sniffles]

I can't sew anything but buttons. I thought about modifying something but decided it would probably end up looking crappy. My friend can sew really well. We already bought fabric, and she has some patterns.

Or were you talking about the shoes?

[jiang bao]

Yes, it is very geeky, but if you’re into it, who cares. If you don’t mind some good natured jabs, that’s even better. My preference would be for something simple, like XLN’s (2006) white dress. Oh and post a pic of yourself in costume if you can.

[xJadedx]

Or were you talking about the shoes?

The shoes. It may be possibel to just alter some shoes.

The thing with these kind of cosplay is that, as long as you do it right and it looks good, it's not as geeky, especially for girls. I absolutely cannot stand it when people cosplay and it looks horrible, then it's just geeky and stupid.

[jiang bao]

http://www.howoldami.co.uk/people/Ho...0219233512.jpg

[Radken]

Can we see pictures of your costume? Or you wearing it?

How are you gonna dress up your hair?

Are you going by yourself to the convention? Or with a group of friends?

What wuxia tv series have you seen? Which one would you say has the most influence on your costume?

[sniffles]

http://www.howoldami.co.uk/people/Ho...0219233512.jpg

LOL! I'll probably look just about as silly. I'm not any younger than that guy.

Can we see pictures of your costume? Or you wearing it?

How are you gonna dress up your hair?

Are you going by yourself to the convention? Or with a group of friends?

What wuxia tv series have you seen? Which one would you say has the most influence on your costume?

When the costume is done I'll try to post pictures of me wearing it. The convention isn't until April so it may be a while. Or maybe I'll do some "in progress" pics.

I'm going to wear a wig. My hair is short. I already have a wig I think will work.

I'm going to the convention with my husband. He's going to accompany me as a Buddhist monk. He shaves his head normally anyway. Our friend is going to sew some robes for him, and we're shopping for a long strand of big wooden prayer beads.

As for the shows I've seen, I've watched ROCH 2006 and LOCH 2003, ROCH 95 Singapore, XAJH 2001, Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain 2007, and Bi Xue Jian 2007. And a little bit of LOCH 2008. I'd say that XAJH and BXJ are the biggest influences on my costume concept.

My original inspiration is the orange outfit An Hui wears in BXJ. It's fairly simple. I don't want anything too elaborate or big sleeves that could catch on things like door handles, and I'll have to climb a lot of stairs so I don't want a floor-length gown. I've done some costuming before and I have a pretty good idea of what's comfortable and easy to wear under these circumstances.

[Radken]

I hope you will post those pics because I always did fantasize about going to a convention in wuxia attire. Just never had the chance to.

A wig is cool. You're gonna style it?

A heroine and buddhist monk. Still not as blasphemous as my idea of a couple going as Monkey King and Gwan Yin. Heh.

Wow, even I haven't seen most of those series yet. You'll look like one of characters but can you pose and act like one too?

What other characters have you cosplay as?

[jiang bao]

Why don't u guys just organize an spcnet costume party and show up as your fav. hero/heroine?

[sniffles]

I hope you will post those pics because I always did fantasize about going to a convention in wuxia attire. Just never had the chance to.

A wig is cool. You're gonna style it?

A heroine and buddhist monk. Still not as blasphemous as my idea of a couple going as Monkey King and Gwan Yin. Heh.

Wow, even I haven't seen most of those series yet. You'll look like one of characters but can you pose and act like one too?

What other characters have you cosplay as?

My wig is already pre-styled so I'll just let it alone. I'm hoping my husband's monk costume won't offend anyone.

I'm planning to practice some poses so if anyone asks to take my picture I can go for an appropriate xia look. It will be a challenge for a middle-aged Caucasian woman to look like an Asian wuxia heroine.

Most folks around where I live make a distinction between the kind of costuming I do and 'cosplay'. Cosplay is only used to refer to anime costuming. Anything else is just 'costuming'. I have a pirate wench costume - I wore it to a pirate festival last month. I've also been various generic Western fantasy characters, elves and so forth. I have a wizard costume, complete with wand and spellbook. I'm also working on a Victorian steampunk costume, and I used to do some Star Trek costumes, but they don't fit anymore.

If I were going to do some actual cosplay, I'd love to have a Sango costume from Inu-Yasha. But I haven't got the figure for it.

[xJadedx]

I thought cosplay is jsut dressing up as any character. It doesn't have to be anime only. I know some people who are or used to do professional cosplay, and they do anything from anime to video game to TV characters.

I think my Halloween costume is going to cost me again this year.

[HuangYushi]

That's cool, sniffles!

Two years ago, my students put up a 10-minute skit (in Mandarin) based on one of the chapters in the XAJH novel. Off-the-shelf costumes were (and still are) non-existent where I live, so I had a mighty fine time haggling with the neighbourhood seamstress as to what was right/wrong and what could/couldn't be done during the process of making the outfits. (The seamstress knew zilch about wuxia).

If you have problems getting/using suitable boots, try wearing a pair of plain-coloured canvas ballerina flats with white opaque knee-high stockings/socks. Add a small puffy ball of threads (like a miniature pom-pom) to the front of each shoe. Looks good with long trousers/gowns, and the top of the stockings/socks won't show unless you lift your clothes, and that's something you won't do anyway.

It will be a challenge for a middle-aged Caucasian woman to look like an Asian wuxia heroine.

You could tweak things a bit and look like a middle-aged West-Asian wuxia heroine, such as someone who might live out in the areas occupied by current-day Xinjiang like the female martial arts teacher (her name escapes me at this point; someone, please help) of Huo Qingtong from the Book and the Sword.

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I think it would be fun to dress up in wuxia-type clothes, but the weather around here is too hot to wear layers of clothing (for authenticity) for long periods of time.

---

Edit:

Another idea for the shoes.

If you still want to wear boots, wear your ballerina flats and have your friend sew you some canvas "socks" that go on, on the outside of those shoes. Add some anti-slip material as soles, and there, you have some makeshift boots to take photos in, and walk around indoors for a bit.

[sniffles]

That's cool, sniffles!

Two years ago, my students put up a 10-minute skit (in Mandarin) based on one of the chapters in the XAJH novel. Off-the-shelf costumes were (and still are) non-existent where I live, so I had a mighty fine time haggling with the neighbourhood seamstress as to what was right/wrong and what could/couldn't be done during the process of making the outfits. (The seamstress knew zilch about wuxia).

If you have problems getting/using suitable boots, try wearing a pair of plain-coloured canvas ballerina flats with white opaque knee-high stockings/socks. Add a small puffy ball of threads (like a miniature pom-pom) to the front of each shoe. Looks good with long trousers/gowns, and the top of the stockings/socks won't show unless you lift your clothes, and that's something you won't do anyway.


You could tweak things a bit and look like a middle-aged West-Asian wuxia heroine, such as someone who might live out in the areas occupied by current-day Xinjiang like the female martial arts teacher (her name escapes me at this point; someone, please help) of Huo Qingtong from the Book and the Sword.

---

I think it would be fun to dress up in wuxia-type clothes, but the weather around here is too hot to wear layers of clothing (for authenticity) for long periods of time.

---

Edit:

Another idea for the shoes.

If you still want to wear boots, wear your ballerina flats and have your friend sew you some canvas "socks" that go on, on the outside of those shoes. Add some anti-slip material as soles, and there, you have some makeshift boots to take photos in, and walk around indoors for a bit.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm probably going to buy some suede boots that I can then wear for other purposes than just this costume. I've found some that have tie cords attached, which I may dress up with Chinese tassels to give them a more Asian feel. The gown hem will be above the knee and worn with trousers underneath, so my boots will be fully visible all the time.

The layering will actually be good for me because this event is in Seattle in April and it's usually cold.

Now my husband has decided he wants some rush sandals to wear with his monk costume. That's going to be more of a challenge to find than my boots. I think I may try to talk him into wearing cotton canvas slippers instead. I know where to get those easily and they'd probably be more comfortable for him than the sandals.

[PJ]

I regularly attend science fiction and fantasy fan conventions each year (these are not Star Trek conventions, which are similar but much more narrowly focused).

Sounds like you and Ken Cheng have a common interest

[patricia n]

sounds like a cool project. i'm asian and i wish i had the guts to dress up like that for halloween but my s.o. will end up laughing his head off at me. that punk!

good luck on the costume. keep the hair simple. you can always accessorize with hair pieces and ribbons. sorry, i'm not very creative with the costume, but seeing how much effort you've invested in it, i'm sure the costume will be beautiful.

and i don't think you're geeky. you're just a fun woman!

[sniffles]

and i don't think you're geeky. you're just a fun woman!

Thanks!

But I am geeky - I just don't think it's anything to be embarrassed about.

[JamesG]

The footwear of the actors in Wuxia series have always given me the impression that the soles were made of felt. They must have some kind of firm insole to protect the feet from rocks etc. Just for the heck of it, I searched the web for ancient Chinese footwear and could find nothing quite like the ones from the series.

[sniffles]

The footwear of the actors in Wuxia series have always given me the impression that the soles were made of felt. They must have some kind of firm insole to protect the feet from rocks etc. Just for the heck of it, I searched the web for ancient Chinese footwear and could find nothing quite like the ones from the series.

I think the shoe soles are actually made of layers of cotton folded and stitched. I've seen shoes made that way.

The nearest thing I've been able to find is Peking Opera footwear. But the boots have big platform soles, which I don't like, and they're also awfully ornate. http://www.stylishcn.com/Chinese-bei...sho-p-398.html

I can easily obtain some of the cotton canvas slippers with the layered soles. In fact, I've had a pair of those for years. But I've never seen them in any color other than black. And they're not boots.
http://www.mandarintouch.com/index.php?cPath=52

[patricia n]

hmm...maybe you should go to hong kong and invade the tvb wardrobe department and steal their shoes. i hate the current tvb so you will be doing me a favor.

those black shoes are great and so are the kung fu socks. how did you manage to find them?