Surma Outfit Questions for Costume

[lady]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I've been saying I would make a Surma costume if Tom went to San Diego Comic Con this year. With his new announcement that he is going, well, I guess I need to make the costume!

The outfit I will be making is the one featured on this page of the comic:
www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=496
It looks like she's wearing a black choker in the same fabric as the ruffles on her dress. However, I'm not sure what's going on with the necklace. Is it a black ribbon? A chain? Does it have a pendant on it or a ring?

As a young girl, Surma wore a turquoise tie in her hair, as seen here
www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=546
Does she also wear this as an adult? Also, what type of shoes does she wear as an adult?

If anyone has any insights (comics I've missed, or if Tom can chime in!) I would really appreciate it. I'm a big stickler for accuracy when I make my costumes.

Thanks very much in advance!

[Yin]

To the second, yes. The slight difference in colour may be attributed to Ties' sepia tones throughout.

Also, she's bedridden as an adult in all the instances we've seen, so we've not seen her shoes.

[Miri]

Ah, the fun of making costumes with only one reference picture. Extrapolation/interpretation is unavoidable, I'm afraid....I've looked into doing this costume before - it's really beautiful.

The second necklace could be anything, really - my advice would be to get either a dark, relatively heavy metal chain, or an extremely thin black ribbon, maybe wired to help it keep that wider U-shape on your neck. The shape on the end does look like a ring to me, which would weigh it down somewhat (unless you got/made a particularly light ring).

Shoes...you say you'll be wearing this to SDCC, so you'll first and foremost want shoes that WON'T make you want to rip off your feet and stick them in a freezer. I've been there. Not fun. With that dress of Surma's, I'd say that the comfiest pair of black flats you can find would do nicely. It screams simplicity to me, and black flats visually disappear with almost any costume, especially floor-length dresses.

Obviously if someone finds a comic I've also missed or Tom chimes in, anything I say goes right out a very high window.

Good luck with this! I always love seeing more Gunnerkrigg cosplay. And now I wish (more than before) that I could make it to SDCC! I would totes bring Antimony, and my Rey and Parley. Also, personal interest, this - do you happen to have a Coscom account or any other sort of online portfolio? As a fellow accuracy maven, I'd love to see your work. =)

[the bandit]

Even if incorrect, I don't think you'd go amiss with the assumption that the necklace bears the antimony pendant.

[Tom Siddell]

It's just a silver ring on a loop on a silver chain.

[lady]

Thank you to everyone who's chimed in (especially Tom!)

With no official footwear...I shall find some comfy shoes and make sure they blend in well enough to not stand out in photos!

Miri - Here's my Coscom account www.cosplay.com/member/359/ My first costumes were pretty lame, but I like to think I improved over time. (Argilla, Arshtat, and Steampunk are the most recent costumes I've done.) I think I found your Coscom acct...if so, I see we also share a love of Last Airbender!

[Mr Pitchfork]

Yay Tom!

I too suggest black shoes, as they fit well with the black ruffles. You can probably go to a thrift store and get cheap dress shoes that are plain in color but used enough to where they are flexible and comfortable.

I also wouldn't put it past Surma to not wear shoes at all.

EDIT: www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=489

[lady]

And an update!

I'm -almost- done with the costume. I ran out of black fabric for the bottom ruffles, so I need to buy that, nab shoes, a ring, and style the wig.

Here is an in-progress shot. I've since added the belt and sleeve ruffles. (And I hope the sleeves and belt are supposed to be purple - they looked that way in my print-out of the picture and a bit on my computer screen. )



I'll try to get another photo taken before SDCC!

[Casey]

Looks like the same color to me! Great work there, should be a knockout outfit!

[Ulysses]

It's looking good! I wish I went to enough cons to make making an outfit worthwhile. Also I'd have to learn how to make an outfit...

Looking forward to seeing the finished creation!

[dawngazer]

Tom has touched this thread...*Grovels*

[wittgen]

Just noticed that it is certain that Surma wore those hair clips till the day she died.

www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=532

Hope that helps in some small way. The dress looks pretty cool.

[lady]

Thanks, wittgen!

Dress is completed.


And I did a quick makeup test. Please forgive the wig wonkiness - I just tossed it on rather than actually secure it properly (I also haven't styled it yet ).

[wittgen]

I'm impressed.

[Nymeria]

Holy shit, no way. 'Nother long-time lurker here, made an account just to reply to this thread...

I'm working on an Antimony costume for SDCC (and I may have a Jones with me as well) and it makes me really happy to see someone else with GKC cosplay plans! It looks amazing so far.

...Would it be too presumptuous of me to ask if we could try and meet up to get some photos together?

My cosplay.com account's here (www.cosplay.com/member/88991/) though it's a little out of date, need to upload recent stuff...

[lady]

Jul 12, 2010 2:57:48 GMT Nymeria said:

...Would it be too presumptuous of me to ask if we could try and meet up to get some photos together?

Oh man, oh man, oh man! It would totally rock my socks to get together for pics! Right now I'm thinking of wearing Surma Sunday, since that's the day of the Archaia panel with GKC. Did you and your Jones have any particular day in mind for Gunnerkrigg?

(I love your costumes! Such gorgeous craftsmanship!)

[Tom Siddell]

Just so you know, I will not be there on Sunday, as I have to get my flight back home at 7:00 that morning.

[lady]

Ack! I definitely had hoped to bump into you at some point (preferably in costume). Will you be at the Archaia booth at all during the convention?

[Tom Siddell]

I will be there Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though I don't know the specific times I'll be at the booth. If I'm not there, be sure to ask.

[Nymeria]

Jul 12, 2010 12:43:12 GMT lady said:

Oh man, oh man, oh man! It would totally rock my socks to get together for pics! Right now I'm thinking of wearing Surma Sunday, since that's the day of the Archaia panel with GKC. Did you and your Jones have any particular day in mind for Gunnerkrigg?

(I love your costumes! Such gorgeous craftsmanship!)

Let's do it then! =D We're planning on either Friday or Saturday, possibly both. I guess Sunday for the panel would be a possibility too, although I'd have to change to make it to the Joss Whedon gathering at 5:30. And thanks for the kind words!

[lady]

Jul 13, 2010 1:55:51 GMT Nymeria said:

Let's do it then! =D We're planning on either Friday or Saturday, possibly both. I guess Sunday for the panel would be a possibility too, although I'd have to change to make it to the Joss Whedon gathering at 5:30. And thanks for the kind words!

I think Friday will be the best way to go, if that works for you! Is there a time that's better or worse for you and your Jones? I don't have anything planned from 12:30-4pm on Friday of the con! (My Thursday and Saturday are both packed with events and have costumes slated to be worn.)

Are there good places for photos? This is my first SDCC, and my first time to California, so I'm not familiar with the area!

Also, where would you like to meet up? I figure the Archaia booth will work well for meet-up, but let me know if I'm wrong!

Oh man, this is so exciting!