Do you know how many of you think this is a D. Gray Man-
or Death Note hat?
It's-It's Detroit, like...
the sports...
Over my last decade of cosplay,
I have worked with a wide variety of fabric types.
Some of these I've hated--
I'm looking at you brocade. -.-
You are so pretty, but when you do the fraying thing...
*no jus-just no face*
But we are not here to dwell on the negative.
Instead, I wanna share my top 5 favorite fabrics for cosplay-making.
Obviously, certain types of clothing will require certain-
types of fabric.
You can't really make a tutu without tulle-
and you can't really use bridal satin for a bodysuit.
But this list is intended to share my personal favorite-
fabrics that I've encoutered while making cosplays.
So, let's begin the count down starting with Number 5.
I love microsuede since it can be used to add texture to-
otherwise plain solid colors.
Microsuedes don't shrink, fray, or pill, and they come in a
wide variety of both natural and fashion colors.
I personally love using microsuedes for applique and embroidery-
and they look especially cool when paired with fake leather or vinyl.
Best part-- it's super budget friendly.
On the not-so-budget-friendly side of the spectrum,
is silk charmeuse.
Because it is 100% silk, it's definitely on the pricier end
but it's perfect for those more luxurious costumes.
It has a pearlescent surface that isn't overly shiny-
and it's really soft.
You can use it for dresses, tops, accessories, skirts, etc.
My favorite part of it, is how easy it is to dye and paint.
Moving on to Number 3,
I, personally, try to avoid using real animal products
in my costumes, even if it would be more authentic.
And one of my favorite solutions for fake leather is-
clothing PVC.
This is an awesome fabric for jackets, pouches, gloves, armor pieces, boot covers--
pretty much anything goes.
It cuts like butter and sews like a dream--
plus, it's super inexpensive compared to real leather.
Not to mention, the bit of stretchiness it has comes in
super handy for a bunch of different applications.
I've made a lot of superhero costumes in my day-
and when it comes to stretch fabrics, my favorite is-
spandex moleskin.
It's a little thicker than milliskin and super soft so-
wearing it is definitely comfortable.
It's very durable too making it great for those superhero-
bodysuits and gloves.
And, saving the best for last-- cotton sateen!
*claps and cheering*
This is, in my opinion, one of the most versatile fabrics-
for cosplay.
It can be used for pretty much every non-stretch garment.
It's thicker than regular cotton-
and has just the slightest bit of shine to it, but-
it still appears matte in photos, so it can still-
be used for plain clothing and not just fancy garments.
It dyes beautifully-- you can paint it, you can manipulate it
you can use it for appliqué.
Honestly, there's very little this fabric can't do.
Best part-- you can find it at pretty much every fabric store
in at least the basic neutral colors-
which you can then dye, so it's super accessible.
If any of these fabrics caught your eye and you want to use them on one of your upcoming projects,
please check the description for tutorials on how to work with each particular fabric.
Before you leave, be sure to like, subscribe, and
don't forget to leave in the comments what your top 5
favorite cosplay fabrics are.
I'm MangoSirene and as always...
Happy Cosplay!
*Chill Piano playing*
(P.S. Sorry if I butchered any of the sewing terms or fabrics >.<)
*Piano continues to play*
