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Cosplayer Luluko > Costume of Matoi Ryuko (Kill la Kill)

Most Recent Photo
07-15-2014
Series
Kill la Kill
Character
Matoi Ryuko
Special Variation:
ending theme school uniform
Year Completed:
2014
Construction Difficulty:
Normal
Costume worn at:
Anime LA 2014
Taiyou Con 2014
Permanent Link:
About this Costume
Construction Details:
Basic school uniform, nothing special construction-wise, but I ran into several difficulties concerning the proportions of literally EVERYTHING, even the bias tape, so this didn't come together quite as quickly or as easily as I'd hoped. This is only the second seifuku I've ever made though, so I guess I have a good excuse.

The skirt and collar are poly poplin, the scarf is bottomweight, both found in my stash. The shirt a stretchy bottomweight-type fabric I found at SAS. It doesn't iron out as nicely as I'd like, but it has a very nice weight and it was opaque enough that I didn't need to line it.

The collar gave me the most trouble and prevented me from finishing this in a timely manner. Both the patterning and the method of finishing it so that it looks not crappy stumped me. Maridah-senpai was kind enough to show me how she finishes her collars, and then I promptly set aside the project for several weeks (partially due to frustration, mostly due to school). After Christmas I wanted to try and finish this to wear at TaiyouCon and I still ran into the same troubles. After searching endlessly for an actual sailor collar pattern (harder to find than you'd think!!!) I tried this method of patterning http://solai-tsukada.deviantart.com/art/Sailor-Collar-Pattern-295889731 AND WOW WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT SIMPLE AS THAT IT WORKED. I made a couple tweaks - made it 16 inches long instead of 15.5, used my curved ruler to give it shape, and adjusted the neckline to fit my shirt but yeah a fucking rectangle with two triangles that is literally all that pattern is. From there I easily patterned a facing and a beautiful new collar was born.

I did attempt to make bias tape and I even bought a new tip for my machine to do it with. However, making bias tape that small is AN ENORMOUS PAIN IN THE ASS. I did make enough for the sleeves and my first draft of the collar but when I figured out how to make a collar I was happy with, I REAAAALLY did not feel like ripping out the bias tape I'd already made or making more, so I bought grosgrain ribbon instead. Normally my hand-made bias tape that matches colors/fabrics perfectly is a point of pride in my costumes but DAMN IT JUST NEEDED TO BE WHITE AND I JUST WANTED THIS COSTUME DOOOONNNNNEEEEE. I'll probably wear this all of like, twice anyways so who cares

Oh and I guess her collar is supposed to have two stripes BUT IN THE FRAME I USED FOR REFERENCE IT ONLY HAS ONE and two looked really bulky on my collar so I used one and if you criticize me for this I will probably just laugh at you
Personal Thoughts:
So I was trying really hard not to get so obsessed with Kill la Kill that I would end up cosplaying it before the show ended... then the second episode aired. When I first watched it (about an hour after it aired in Japan) the ED didn't have any animation at all? But when I watched it again later that evening (yes, again) the ED had animation... in which, of course, Ryuko is wearing a uniform that doesn't show as much skin. AND THEN I LAID AWAKE IN BED FOR HOURS BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT MAKING IT. I love Ryuko so much but thought I'd probably never cosplay her since I'm just not in the right shape to, so it was A REVELATION to be given a way to pull her off.
I was hoping there would be more flashbacks involving her wearing this so I could use that for photo shoot ideas but THERE WASN'T but that's okay I can continue to be proud of my hipster status for cosplaying her least recognizable outfit.

This cosplay ended up being way more enjoyable to wear than I expected, it's already gotten so much love. I don't often love any character as much as I love Ryuko so to be appreciated for my portrayal of her is really wonderful.


i just love ryuko so much no one understands
Wig Details
Wig Brand
Unknown
Wig Name
Flippy Layer w/ Bangs
Styling Notes
THIS WIG IS SO OLD I bought this for my genderbent Lelouch back in the day and in the interest of making this a quick costume (which it obviously ended up not being) I chopped up this wig since it hadn't been used in years. Sewed in extensions from Hot Topic (AGAIN... WAS TRYING TO FINISH THIS QUICKLY) and eventually got around to styling it using heat and a lot of freeze spray. I'm happy with how well the style held up, I didn't have to do anything to it after traveling to LA with it.
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