July 5, 2018

[Sponsored] Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi photoshoot!

Good day everyone!

To better showcase my new Star Wars costume from CosplaySky I wanted to have a photoshoot with it! This is my first time cosplaying a non-anime character, aka a movie/real-life actor/face character, which is a huge step out of my comfort zone. Obi-Wan was my first favorite character when I watched all Star Wars movies for the first time last year (yes, I'm late to the party) and I felt like I wanted to do him, despite the challenge it would provide as I feel like I'm too young to pull him off realistically. I wish I had darker crepe wool for the facial hair (as I can't grow my own in the same shape as his) but all of the darker colors were out of stock when I ordered, rip. ;_;

I will include some links after the photos on where you can get Jedi tunics like this – or any other costume you desire! Be sure to check them out~

But now it's time to indulge in a galaxy far, far away.. enjoy!

Cosplayer: Shiro Samurai (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Photographer and stylist: Sacchan
Photo editor: Shiro Samurai










Want to be one with the Force too? Check out the links below!

Link to CosplaySky main page: CosplaySky Online Cosplay Store


I just want to say a few words about this costume as well. ^^
It's nice, easy and comfortable to wear, except that the tabards like to fall off my shoulders if I move around a lot but that makes sense as they're only secured in place by the belt. x) This is great even as a generic Jedi outfit (you don't have to be Obi-Wan) if you want to dress up for the next Star Wars movie marathon or something! Fans who don't have super high accuracy standards will surely enjoy it, just like I do. Overall I'm really pleased with this costume and I'd warmly recommend CosplaySky to my fellow geeks and costuming fans alike.
Pssst, be sure to check out my detailed and 100% honest review about them here ~

~ Bonus photos ~

One does not simply oppose the high ground.
Jedi frog dance. Remember to serious-face.

That's all I have to say for this time!
Thanks for reading my blog and may the Force be with you.

A big thank you also goes to CosplaySky for sponsoring me!
Shiro Samurai says farewell.

July 3, 2018

[Sponsored] CosplaySky review: Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi cosplay costume!

Hello geeks from all over the world!

It's cosplay costume review day today and this time it's not your typical anime bishounen that I have chosen but someone from a galaxy far, far away. Yes, of course I'm talking about Star Wars. ;) CosplaySky took contact with me and together we teamed up, which means that they sent a costume for me to review here on my blog! I'm pretty stoked, not gonna lie, as I've been wanting to go beyond my comfort zone and try cosplaying from movies for a while now!

For those unaware – CosplaySky is a big, established and well-known online costume store that has been around for a long time and is selling mainly cosplay costumes, but also props and wigs for affordable prices. They sport a wide selection of costumes ranging from TV-series and movies to anime and video games.

My reviews are always 100% my genuine opinion, no matter if the items were sponsored or bought with my own money. I never compromise my honesty and true thoughts to my readers. 

With all of that said I want to welcome you to a honest review of CosplaySky! I hope you will find it helpful and feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions after you're done reading. 
Let's go! 


~ "Forewords" ~ 

I feel like I should mention that I am observant when I browse online cosplay costume shops – I have a habit of scrutinizing even the smallest details (I'm a perfectionist!) and comparing them with official reference photos to see how accurate they really are. I do often try to find the most accurately made costume possible but I also keep realistic expectations in mind – you can't get something that's 100% accurate, well-made and with high-end quality fabrics for cheap. The simple and often true saying of "you get what you pay for" is something that I always keep in mind. :) Most cosplayers do agree on that quality goes before price, meaning that they are willing to pay more for a nicer costume and yes, I'm in that cast too. I do believe though that CosplaySky has an overall fair price versus quality standard, meaning that considering the price you pay you do get something that is worth the money (especially if you are aware of how much it would cost to have a private seamstress do it custom-made for you). There might be some flaws or sizing issues but considering the affordable prices it's often a non-issue.


 ~ Contact, packaging and shipping ~

CosplaySky contacted me on the later half of last year, around late November. Yes, I acknowledge that this review has been super delayed and I'm terribly sorry for it but yeah, I got stuck in an economical crisis (still am) and didn't have any spare money to buy the remaining supplies that I needed to do this review in time. ;_; I also had issues with getting a photographer and with the weather being bad whenever it would have been possible to take the photos for this review.

I am not sure when or how long exactly my costume was produced, but I can assume it took around one week based on the dates set on my costume information sheet that came with the package. I have no sure-fire way to track or know how long the costume took to arrive (as I received no notification on exact shipping date) but from my email conversations I can land it somewhere between 1-2 months from China to Sweden, which is reasonable.

Costume bag.
The costume basically came in a plastic bag and inside a zippered costume bag. The costume bag is pretty neat as it's roomy and all costume pieces fit nicely in it and because of the zipper it keeps all kinds of dirt out. Definitely keeping the bag for storage!


~ Costume thoughts, fabrics and sewing quality ~

Okay so, on the site it says that the costume pieces consists of three different fabrics: linen, cotton and polyester for the robe. That should be enough of an indication for the serious Star Wars fans who are looking for a 501st Legion approved costume to keep on looking, as this won't be anywhere near screen-accurate despite the costume page claiming it is. It's a good jedi outfit for a casual fan or someone who just wants to dress up for fun (or to a convention) but if you're applying to be a part of any Star Wars costuming group with rigid costume standards then this likely won't fly. I'm gonna have to admit that I'm pretty new to the Star Wars universe (I only watched all movies for the first time last year, don't judge me lol) so this also means that I haven't spent countless hours staring down details on the screen and thus I am blissfully unaware of how screen-accurate this budget-friendly jedi outfit really is. For me, as a new fan, it's great for the price and fills its purpose!

What is included:
• Inner tunic (kimono style)
• Outer tunic (kimono style)
• Tabards
• Belt
• Under-belt
• Robe
• Pants

What is NOT included:
• Boots

My first impression was positive. The outer tunic, tabards and the under-belt feels like a medium thick cotton or linen fabric, which is nice when you've gotten used to expect everything from China to be polyester despite what the description says. xD The brown inner tunic seems to be a polycotton blend and is really thin but still okay. The robe is polyester and kinda thin too, which is good in the sense that it picks up wind and flies easily but not so good in the sense that it looks... cheap, for lack of better words. At least I always imagine Star Wars robes to be thick and warm.
The belt is fake leather with a metallic purely decorational clasp in front and it closes with velcro at the back, same velcro closure goes for the white under-belt as well. You will need a sash or cord or something to hold the inner tunic in place as it's a wrap-around kimono style tunic, just like the outer tunic is. The tabards are two really long rectangular pieces that you throw over your shoulders and secure in place with the belt(s). Pants are really ordinary pressed brown pants with a zipper and button closure and that has belt loops, if needed.

Belt close-up. Photo by Sacchan.
There's a leather pouch attached to the belt, I don't know enough to say anything more about it. ^^" Sewing quality is generally good and consistent, straight seams and such. There were some loose threads poking out in a few places but those were easy to just cut off. 
One thing that I really don't get is why the robe has strings at the front, as if for tying it closed near the neck? I really don't get it and those strings just end up looking goofy and out of place when they live their own life on photos – I'd definitely cut them off or remove them as they are quite annoying and long enough to get in the way.

This particular costume is about 95% accurate to the stock photos on the site, which is solid. The only difference I notice is that on the stock photos the fabrics perhaps appear to be thicker? Make sure to study the stock photos closely as you are likely to get something really similar to it if you buy from CosplaySky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photos taken by Sacchan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Front view.
Side view.
Back view.
Without the robe.
Want to be one with the Force too? Check out the links below!

Link to CosplaySky main page: CosplaySky Online Cosplay Store
All Star Wars costumes: CosplaySky Star Wars costume selection

CosplaySky store & Star Wars jedi tunic rundown Pros and cons:

+ Actual linen and cotton costume parts for the most part
 + Comfortable and easy to wear
+ Very accurate to store's stock photos
+ Affordable and recognizable
+ Decent sewing quality
+ The costume came in a convenient clothing bag
+ Great for fans who just want to have fun
+ Can be worn as a generic Jedi, doesn't have to be Obi-Wan

- The pants don't fit despite ordering custom size
- Likely not applicable for Legion 501st standards
- Not for those who demand screen-accuracy


~ Sizing ~

The sizing is generally adjustable with this kind of mainly wrap-around, loose-wearing outfit. Everything fits me despite the pants, which wasn't really a surprise anyway as I struggle with finding pants even in normal life as I don't have an ideal body type. The pants being unwearable (I can wear them but they're too small/narrow to be closed) is of little concern to me because I have a pair of fitting brown pants from another costume that I can use instead.
I ordered custom size but I'm not too sure how custom it really is – it might just be that custom really is just mixing and matching sizes from the standard sizes to get as close to your measurements as possible. So if you want to be safe (especially if you are a bit bottom heavy and/or have some belly) then order a size up as it will pretty much only affect the size of the pants and the belts (because of velcro closure), the rest is more or less one size with only the length varying. The fabrics have no elasticity.


Obi-Wan Kenobi reference image.

~ Conclusion and final thoughts ~

Okay, so to wrap up this review I want to make it clear that, despite some of my ehh-moments (robe ties mainly) I am overall very pleased with this Force-positive costume that I received and with CosplaySky's service. ♡ I voice my humblest apologies for how overdue this review is but I really enjoyed this collaboration with CosplaySky and I'd warmly recommend their store forward.

Both beginners and more seasoned costuming fans can enjoy what CosplaySky has to offer. They are a reputable online costume store with a huge costume selection and decent quality. They are also pretty fast with the turn-around times, but as with any online purchases from overseas you should plan in advance and order at least a couple months prior to the event you need the costume for, just to avoid any shipping delays. Their costumes also work as decent bases if you can't sew but want to do some small modifications to an existing costume.

I can recommend this Jedi tunic for Star Wars fans who want to have fun while dressing up – you don't even have to be Obi-Wan to wear it as it just so happens that his outfit is the most generally recognized one by the masses and thus you can use it as a base to do your very own Jedi character; I've seen countless Obi-Wan inspired Jedi creations come alive! Have fun with it and may the Force be with you.

Final Grade (from A-F): B+
Recommend to others: Yes


That about wraps it up. I hope you found this review helpful and hey, do hit that "follower" button if you aren't reading my blog yet, there's a lot more content coming up soon, including an Obi-Wan photoshoot!

A huge thank you goes out to CosplaySky for making this review possible and to you for reading this!
Shiro Samurai says farewell.

July 2, 2018

Area 88 Shin Kazama costume progress [part 1]

Hello geeks!

Around winter 2016 I started to work on my future Shin Kazama cosplay from Area 88. I don't have a set deadline for this costume so it might or might not be a long-time project, depending on how much trouble I have sourcing some of the military equipment for it etc.  

Note: I had this post saved as a draft for over a year and I had completely forgotten to publish it when I originally wrote it, oops. Thus most of the progress on this post (and all writing, except for small edits to make it clear that this was done on last year, not this year) were done during summer 2017!!

Earlier I had an incredibly lucky strike and managed to find a suitable fighter pilot helmet that I could use for Shin's iconic helmet. I haven't continued with the helmet yet but instead I managed to find some perfect military surplus leather gloves! These are actually replicas of gloves used during WW2 by American paratrooper soldiers and in the original light brown color to boot – and thus pretty awesome for Shin.

This image shows of Shin's gloves pretty well.
And here's the gloves that I bought:

It's real leather with that vintage smell.
I bought these from Varusteleka. I highly recommend their shop
if you need any military gear!
After Christmas (note: Christmas 2016!) I stayed some extra nights at my mom's and decided to make use of the time there and draft the patterns for Shin's flight suit. I checked through mom's old patterns and managed to find some sort of 80s overall pattern and, on first look, it seemed to be decent to use as a base but then I noticed that I'd get some issues with some details and so I decided to draft another one that I found in a sewing magazine. Even this pattern needed some modifications to work (mainly the collars) but at least it didn't have some weird shoulder tucks... or be ridiculously generous in size. I mean, I appreciate loose fit and all but when it's roomy enough to double as a sleeping bag for two, then I'm not sure if it's so flattering to wear, lol. xD It was easier to just use the pattern from the magazine as a base and then alter it, even though it was originally a jumpsuit pattern.
So yeah, I cut out the pattern pieces and saved the modification process for when I bring out the fabrics.

This cosplay progress was on halt until 11th April 2017, when I went back to mom's to celebrate Easter. While staying some extra days there I decided that now is a good time to continue on my cosplay!
I had already picked out some proper overall fabric called Enstex, or something really similar to it. Mom told me that she had bought this fabric roll personally from Finlayson back in the days when she had her own fabric store. Yes, this totally means I didn't have to pay for it! So yeah, this fabric is not the exact same color as Shin's flight suit, a bit more yellow-ish in tone. It's just that color that drives you crazy when you try to decide on if it's more yellow or more orange, lol. I thought it was close enough to work for Shin (I mean, this type of fabric doesn't come in many colors normally; the color I have at hand is already rare enough to find), just the right fabric type to give the legit "workwear look" and so I went with it. Besides, it's water and dirt resistant – hella convenient for conventions, especially outdoor cons like Närcon, where I currently plan to debut this cosplay.
By the way, I went to check for the same type of fabric in a local store, just to check the general color choices and yeah, it was mostly black, red, white, a really unflattering neon yellow (think safety vests) or that kind of prisoner suit orange, the really vibrant ones. Both of the latter ones would look like shit on me so yeah, suddenly mom's yellow-orange fabric seemed ten thousand times better, even if the color is not 100% accurate. :D

Okay so, I started to cut out the pieces that I needed from the fabric. I think I used about 3 meters of fabric, more or less. I also needed to modify almost all of the patterns to make them wider because it turned out that especially the sleeves and legs were narrower than I first had thought. Then again, this jumpsuit pattern was originally supposed to be made in a stretchy fabric and obviously Enstex isn't elastic and won't give in at all. So yeah, I needed to widen the patterns to make sure that I could fit into the costume and sit in it without any unwanted surprises. I also had to modify the neckline and add a collar to it (there was none on the original pattern). The collar pattern that I started with was just an ordinary dress shirt collar.

Fabric cutting.
I cut out all the pieces, save for the collar, which I'll modify and cut out later on. I also went to dig in mom's zipper boxes and found two fitting zippers for the suit – now I'll just need to wait and see which one is better, the 45 cm one or the 60 cm one. Couldn't find one in the exact same color (not a surprise) but at least I found a yellow one that would look okay with it.

All pieces (except collars) cut out. Both zipper options visible.
A few days later I zigzaged around all the edges and then I started sewing the pieces together. I started with the pockets and yes, I added pockets because why not? It's useful if I need to store small stuff during a con. This was my first time ever sewing pockets, lol.
During the sewing process I got a few shit strokes because at least a couple times the sewing machine suddenly just shut down in the middle of everything! It never did it before and of course I panicked because yeah, I feared that I might have ruined mom's expensive sewing machine. D: Luckily it was just the power cable not being properly plugged in...

There's not so much interesting to say about the sewing process itself – everything went rather smoothly, except that the fabric is kinda hard to sew. I had to rip off and replace the pockets with bigger ones though, because the first ones didn't align properly with the pants (since they had been widened and not the pockets), oops. I had some problems fitting the sleeves nicely so me and mom made a deal – I peeled the potatoes for the Easter dinner and she sewed on the sleeves for me. Win-win!

Early try-on. I still had to add the zipper and hem
the sleeve/leg openings. Collar is also missing.
Soon enough it actually started to look like something wearable and mom joked around and said that I looked like an escapee. Stepdad said that I looked like a smurf instead... I have no idea where he got that from, lol. I wanted to say that I'm supposed to be a fighter pilot but oh well, let them have their fun. xD
At first I was worried that I accidentally made the suit too small but turned out that it was really big once I could actually try it on. Unflatteringly big in the torso area, to be precise – I looked like a tent. Jälleen kerran yliarvioin omat läskini. Then again, it's safer to make it too big at first than vice versa since this fabric has no stretch mercy and I can always just sew in the excess, which I'll most likely end up doing.

I continued by hemming the leg openings. It was kinda annoying because the fabric would always wrinkle in the end and yeah, the end result wasn't the prettiest. Good thing I'll wear boots over so no one will ever see them, lol.
Hemming the sleeve openings was even worse; I had to redo it twice and still it came out fugly. I ragequitted. The problem is that the sleeve mouth is too narrow to be threaded into the machine, once I take out the bigger part of it. My explanations are glorious, I hope you can understand what I mean. :'D But yeah, because I couldn't thread it to the machine it made the whole sewing complicated and just... fffffffffffuuuuuu.

Welcome to bunch kingdom. Yes, that's the sleeve opening.
Omg I hated this part! The fabric was always in the way and I had to make sure that I didn't accidentally sew the sleeve shut on the other side and... blergh. I can't explain. It sucked major balls!

You shall not pass. 8C #wrinklelandia
I left the sleeves unfinished for a couple days and then, on my last day at mom's I suddenly realized how to do this shit. I just had to bring out the seam ripper, open the sleeve's seam a bit (starting from the sleeve mouth, of course) and then stitch/hem the mouth and finish it up by sewing the sleeve seam closed again.

I've partly opened up the sleeve seam (top, notice the hanging thread) and stitched the mouth
hem in place. Time to sew the sleeve seam back in place again.
I've come to notice that this particular color is a bitch to photograph. It gets overexposed easily, even in indoor lights on a sunny day (and it also looks vastly different in different light conditions). I will probably have to be careful where I photoshoot this cosplay, haha. One thing's for sure though – I'll be easy to spot at whatever con I wear Shin too – or, as stepdad said, you can see me even in a dark cave. Well, at least my con friend's won't have a hard time finding me!

Notice that I've attached a slip to the front opening, on one side.
As you can see on the photo above I had cut out some slips, or whatever you call them, to support the front zipper or whatnot. I also cut the collar opening deeper (incl. the slips) to make room for the big collar, which would be sewn on later. Or well, not actually deeper, just a bit more V-shaped.
Of course I sewed on a slip on both the right and left side of the front opening, the photo just shows the process when I had only sewn one on. :D I turn them to the inside of the suit and ironed them so that they'd stay inside. Next I'll have to attach the zipper itself, which is gonna be interesting because I've never had to sew on a zipper before...
Oh and yeah, I know that the suit looks humongous on the above photo but it's actually just spread out on a small sewing table and part of the suit (mainly the legs and other front half) are actually hanging off the table, but because of the awkward photo angle (taken from above) it's hard to notice where the table ends and so my suit looks like it's a size fatass.

This costume was on a small pause until approximately a month later, on mid May 2017 or something. Meanwhile I was working on another cosplay project I continued with Shin's collars while the other project was drying. To make Shin's huge collars I started with an ordinary collar pattern from a dress shirt that I modified to make it bigger.

Modified collar parts cut out.
I zigzaged the pieces and sewed them together to get full pieces, creating a seam in the middle of the back on both parts. I added interfacing fabric on the inside of both the upper and the lower part of the collar.
But when I started test pinning the collars in place I noticed that they were a bit too long and, also, that the front opening of the suit was not identical; I had to go in and change the curve so that the front openings would be as similar as possible. I also realized that I couldn't put the zipper starting from the very top of the suit as then it wouldn't look right, seeing how Shin's suit has that V-shape going on. So yeah, the original plan to use the 60 cm zipper got changed into the 45 cm zipper.

Fixed front opening more similar, to make collar
attachment easier.
Top part of the collar with interfacing. Ready to be sewn on.
I must say that this whole costume process just makes me incredibly happy. I know it's kinda cheesy but I can't help it and yes, I'm smiling like a mofo just by putting on the helmet! You know, that kind of almost childish excitement and joy – that's what I feel when I think that finally I'll get to be one of my childhood figures. It's an incredible feeling. ♥ Every cosplayer should do at least one childhood cosplay one day. Words can't describe how stoked I am for this project! This kind of nostalgy cosplays are of the best kind, really. Because you know the inspiration will not flicker.

I'll end this progress post here as it's getting pretty long by now. ^^" A second part will come later where I finish this suit and start making the harness!

June 27, 2018

Lens review: Vassen Kirei Green

Happy summer folks!

Today is a day for another circle lens to be brought to the spotlight and reviewed – the Vassen Kirei Green (sometimes also found as I.Fairy Kirei Green)! Don't let the name fool you though, this is not your average green lens but a turquoise or seafoam green one!



Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm
Water content: 42% 
Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)



These lenses look very blue in their vials, but when compared next to the Kirei Blue you can tell that these do have a greenish tint to them. I personally really like the design on these lenses and think that it's a great cosplay lens! The color is really vibrant and the thick black limbal ring adds to the 'anime eye' effect.
This is the kind of lens that looks best in sunlight, outdoors and close-up shots; in some indoor lights they lose a bit of their 'oomph' and look slightly more... sophisticated? It's not a make-or-break type of deal at all but yeah, these lenses really shine in the ideal light conditions so make use of that when you wear them out! o/

One lens in.
As you can see my real eye color is a light blue-gray and these actually look pretty nice on me! The bright color doesn't clash at the center badly, probably thanks to the slight fading and the yellowish shades around the pupil hole. These lenses have a respectable size increase and yes, looks quite dolly indeed. Also, if you like the so-called 'halo effect' then you'll enjoy these lenses as this pair does provide it! It's not the most obvious halo ever but it's there and it's lovely when it shows up.

Lens photos below!
All photos taken by me during a June afternoon with a semi-clear sky. There's no color filters or such on the close-up photos and that's so that the colors would be as true to real life as possible.

Indoors, natural room light.
Indoors, yellow room light.
Flash photo.
Bathroom light.
Indoors, poor (natural) light.
Indoors, unlit corridor.
Outdoors, facing sun while being under the roof's shadow.
Outdoors, facing sun while being under the roof's shadow. Cloudy.
Outdoors, back against the sun. (facing wall)
Outdoors, facing sun.
Outdoors, facing sun. Cloudy.
The comfort had me surprised. On all times I tried these before writing this review they were uncomfortable at first, mainly scratchy when I moved my eyes and they also blurred my vision. This discomfort lasted for somewhere around 15-30 minutes and once past that these were incredibly comfy! I had my doubts about these but after 4 hours it still felt like I wasn't even wearing lenses (despite starting at a screen all along, which normally makes lenses dry out even faster)! I have really sensitive and dry eyes naturally so 4 hours is really amazing in my standards nowadays. I think I could quite easily wear these anywhere between 4-8 hours, which is basically a con day. These also seem to be quite thin, which made them a bit hard to insert but, in return, it's probably a reason for why they feel so invisible once I got past the initial scratchiness – which only occurred if I moved my gaze, for some reason.

On all accounts this is a lens that is very suitable for cosplay, especially for characters with this kind of turquoise eye color! It's a beautiful lens, nice color payoff and the design is simple enough to be versatile yet striking. This kind of color is personally one of my favorites with circle lenses and I would recommend you to try these if you are of the same mind. :)

Distance photo!


Short summary:

Color: 8/10
Super nice and vibrant turquoise shade that is between green and blue.

Design: 8/10
Simple but very cute, youthful and versatile. A great cosplay lens!
Opacity: 7/10 

Approved color coverage, the pixels are dense but there's still enough transparency for a 'halo effect'.
Enlargement: 8/10
On the bigger side but not too big I'd say.

Comfort: 7/10 
Uncomfortable upon insertion (scratchy when I move my eyes, blurs vision) but once I endured the first 15 or so minutes then these were godly. I could easily wear these past 4 hours and it didn't even feel like I was wearing lenses, despite me having really dry eyes naturally.
Naturalness: 2/10
Too big, anime and colorful to fool anyone.

Thanks for reading my circle lens reviews! Stay cool out there!
Shiro Samurai says sayonara.