[Sponsored] MoviesCostume review: Star Wars Luke Skywalker cosplay costume!

Hello geeks around the world!

Firstly I need to apologize for this review being so so late; I've had a really rough time for a while now and some other issues delaying the review, in particular, which I'll mention later.

MoviesCostume contacted me for a collaboration offer a while ago, I accepted as I like to spread the honest word around about different cosplay online stores because seriously, there's a whole ocean of cosplay shops out there! I'll admit that I had not heard of them before this but after looking through the site I saw a lot of similarities with CosplaySky. I suspected they were related and after getting my costume I'm almost certain they are.

I had a bit of trouble deciding on a costume to review as I had to stay within a certain price range. I ultimately decided on going for Star Wars again, mainly as I have been more drawn to movie characters and video games lately. I choose Luke Skywalker, the staple character and front figure of Star Wars to many – and I ended up having to pick the "old man Luke" outfit from the newest movie, also known as The Last Jedi. Now I am very well aware that the fan opinions on this movie in particular range from pure unadulterated hatred to those who actually think it's the best in the series or at least enjoyable – I won't go into that as it's a fandom hellhole of galactic proportions and gets really toxic really fast but I'll just say that I liked the movie and yeah, haters gonna hate I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But if we get back on track I want to say that MoviesCostume seem to have a pretty large selection of costumes for affordable prices. They carry a wide selection of cosplays ranging from TV-series and movies to anime and video games, you should be able to find something you like.

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 completely honest review of MoviesCostume! I hope you will find this post 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 generally observant when I browse online cosplay costume shops – I have a habit of scrutinizing even the smallest details (I'm a perfectionist to a fault, lol) and comparing them with official reference photos to see how accurate they really are. I do often strive to find the most accurately made costume possible but I also keep realistic expectations in mind – you won't get something that's 100% accurate, well-made and with high-end quality fabrics for cheap. Ever. 
"You get what you pay for" is something that I always keep in mind when I browse cosplay shops, especially once you know the process (I study sewing and fashion) and what things would actually cost if an experienced seamstress made it custom for you. I think most people who have done their research know by now that no Asia-based cosplay shops really are "tailor made" so yeah, I do lower my standards and expectations accordingly for most online bought costumes (unless custom commissioned), to give a fair review based on the quality that can realistically be expected.

 ~ Contact, packaging and shipping ~

So many things have happened since I originally started contact with MoviesCostume that I honestly don't really remember much, so sorry about that. Truth be told I've had an (ongoing) harsh depression period eating at me for a while now and I struggle, hard, with literally everything. The only thing I have a faint memory of is that the shipping took somewhere between 1-2 months from China, which is to be expected. I'm sorry I suck so much. ;_;

Shipping.

Costume bag.

The costume arrived in this green plastic bag that I had to pick up from the nearest postal office. Once you opened that up you were met with the costume bag itself, a ziplock style clothing bag and yes, it's in every way identical to the ones CosplaySky uses – a big reason for why I do believe that these two stores are related, or possibly even the same company. The costume bag is roomy, clean and actually really usable – you should definitely keep it for storage!

~ Fabrics and sewing quality ~

A quick look on the costume's product page tells us that the costume is made of PU, linen and "cloth" – whatever that is. Seems really vague to me and that's often not a good thing. But based on my previous experiences with online costume stores you can almost certainly assume the fabric to be polyester or a poly blend and I'm 99% sure that's the case this time too. Oh and yeah, PU most likely refers to PU-leather, aka fake leather.

Inconsistent sewing quality.

My first impression was that most of the fabrics felt thin and kinda cheap, save for the tunic and the cloak which appear to be linen (although it's hard to be 100% sure without doing a burn test as it could be a chemical fiber imitating linen really well) and notably thicker and more rough to the touch than the rest, in a good way. I don't really expect any costume parts to last more than a couple or so rounds through the washing machine but honestly, who really diligently washes their costumes anyway, lol? I only wash mine if I literally spill something on them or get some dirt etc that won't go away, otherwise I just air the costume out after wearing for a few days.

Okay so, I inspected the costume parts for a while and noticed that the sewing quality is kinda inconsistent. The majority are straight neat stitches and that's good but there's also some, err, questionable stitches. Mainly some hems were uneven, bunchy, warped or such. Nothing that ruins the costume in itself (as the seams still obviously hold the costume together) but when you study to become a professional tailor it's among the little things that you immediately notice.

Closer look on one of the tabard's lesser quality sewing.

One thing I also couldn't help but notice was the staggering amount of random loose threads poking out everywhere. Like I'm not even kidding, I can understand that there's a couple or so as when you tidy up your finished work it's easy to miss a few but seriously, whenever I cut one off it felt like soon enough three more sprouted on another spot! Sure it's really easy to just take up the scissors and snip them off, so in a sense it's really no big deal, but to me it gives a sloppy impression when there's random threads poking out literally everywhere I look.

What is included:

• Tunic

• Coat

• Tabards

• Under-belt 
• Belt (with pouch)
• Pants
• Feet wrappings
• Glove
• Cloak

What is NOT included:

• Boots
• Wig
• Any props (lightsaber, mechanical arm etc)

~ Detailed description of costume parts ~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: I had to go to school and dress a mannequin as, sadly, the costume doesn't fit me and I still needed to present it for the review somehow. :( More about that at the end of the post. Also, I'm sorry but I had no way to iron the costume before taking the photos as I did this after school time, so it's basically "straight out of the bag". Oh and yeah, in my class we pretty much only have female mannequins so sorry about the tiddies lmao.
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Tunic: I'm not sure if it even is a tunic but that was what I saw it called on a quick Google search so yeah, I'll roll with it. Basically I'm talking about the collared under shirt. It appears to be made of linen, medium-ish thickness with a visible texture. It's one of the two clothing items that feels like it's of decent quality.

Tunic back close-up. Zipper.

There's a dress zipper in the back to get it on as the fabric does not stretch at all (linen, duh). The zipper feels okay and more sturdy than I expected, I'm not sure but the zipper head/lock itself appears to be of metal (painted white) while the zipper 'teeth' are plastic. I swear I had a photo of how far down the zipper goes but the photo magically disappeared from my camera and I can't find it anywhere.

 

Shoulder seams and collar visible.

The length is approximately to my hip bones so it's not super long or anything. This was also one of the few clothing items I could sort-of wear but it behaved in an unflattering way on the upper torso, it's hard to explain but the cut was kinda boxy and awkward, especially around the shoulders. Most likely a sizing issue.

Sleeve mouths.

Coat: Again, I'm unsure what to call this but I refer to the vest-like cream colored garment Luke wears that is the main part of his outfit. This piece is of a thin, polyester or poly blend that is smooth and has a very slight matte shine to it, in certain lights. I don't really like this fabric and feel like it's way too "flimsy" feeling to fit anything in Star Wars, to be honest. Only good part with it is that this fabric is light-weight and thus will easily flow in the wind and look cool, assuming you have ironed it.

Coat button. Grandma style. :'D

I honestly can't remember Luke's outfit having a button (at least not a visible one?) so I think this might be inaccurate. Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. The button is where the coat fronts overlap.

Notice the fastener on the shoulder, the tabards have matching ones to
keep them in place.

The coat is long, full-length pretty much, with the sides split starting from the waist and going all the way down. I had a photo that showed the split but it's somehow gone as well, but you can kinda see that the coat splits at the sides on the full body photos farther down.

Tabards: Basically two long rectangles that drape over the shoulders and just kinda hang there, in classic Star Wars style. Although when I laid them out they didn't seem to be completely straight but actually had a slight curve to them. These are made of the same creme colored fabric as the coat, except that there is some kind of interfacing between the layers to make them a bit thicker and less floppy. The tabards stay in place thanks to a plastic fastener on the coat's shoulders, so you won't need to be tugging at them constantly as they won't be inching towards your arms after a while.

Tabards attachment.

Under-belt: Not so much to say, a simple sash with velcro closure that goes under the actual belt. It helps to hold the tabards in place at the lower half too. Same thin cream fabric as the coat.

Under-belt velcro fastening.

Belt: Faux leather belt. My least favorite part, sadly. It just feels really cheap in every possible way – it's not sturdy at all and awkward to wear. The belt doesn't stay put and the material is so flimsy that it just kinda buckles up and down, leaving gaps between the belt and your body you know? I can guess that the complete lack of any kind of tightening or adjustment option is the main reason for this and, honestly, there's literally nothing even keeping it in place as there's no proper closure in the back. What the heck.

Belt front.

I just don't like the "belt buckle". It's just a fabric shape stitched on top of the belt, it looks off to me. Only points I can give it is that it looks just like on the stock photo so I did expect it to be like that but yeah, as soon as you take a closer look it looks weird. And it feels almost a bit sticky to the touch?

Belt back.

Belt back. Closer look. Seems okay right?

The belt's "closure" seen from above. See what the problem is?

In case you don't see it I'll make it clear. Look at the photo above, see that little leather "strap" that goes in the metal clip? Well, on the backside/underside there's nothing to secure it to anything whatsoever. No button, no velcro. Nothing. So yeah, the belt totally comes off if you as much as move a meter. This could just as well be a single miss on my particular costume but as it's what I got to review –and it doesn't work– I have to mention it.

I've also tried securing the belt strap the "normal way" (as in first under the metal clip edge, over the middle part and then under the other edge of the clip) but it's no better because there's no prong nor belt holes to keep it in place and so it just slides off anyway.

Pouch.

On the belt comes a pouch that is attached to it. You can freely move it around as it's attached on a belt loop. It's fully functional and the flap closes with velcro. This pouch also reveals that the fake leather is fabric on the other side.

Pouch opened.

Pants: Same cream fabric as the coat and all, again. It feels way too thin for pants, like I honestly fear that if these would have fit me they might have torn if I sat down. The pants feel really costumey but they at least look like proper pants on the outside. The darts and stuff are there, belt loops and there's even functional pockets! The pants close with a button and zipper. I don't trust the zipper to last though, the tunic's zipper seem to be the better one of the two.

Pants front. Close-up.

Pants closure.

Pants back.

Pants inside, just to show pocket pouches.

Feet wrappings: Not much to say, same cream fabric again. It's basically just two long strips of fabric that's overlocked around all edges to not fray. You are supposed to wrap them around your lower legs like Luke seemingly has. There's no velcro or anything so you either just tuck them under themselves or tie the ends off or something to keep them in place, once wrapped.

A photo of all the costume parts I couldn't dress the mannequin with.

Glove: Fake leather single glove. Luke covers up his mechanical arm with a glove on his right hand. It has some shine to it and feels like you'd expect any inexpensive fancy dress leather glove to feel like. Good thing it's easy to modify as this thing is as shapeless as a potato sack. It's basically the same width all through with some chunky fingers and yeah, remember when you were a kid and outlined your hand on paper and cut it out? It looks like that. :D Okay, I know that making actually fitting gloves and patterning those can be a major pain in the ass but this is like such a level of bad that I don't know if I should laugh or cry, especially if we are to believe the "professional tailor" claim. I can't think of any human being who would have swollen shovel arms in these proportions – that's gotta be a hypothermic neanderthal or something lol.

Inside of the glove is different color. (notice really uneven hem)

Glove, "above" view.

Glove, "under" view.

Cloak: And here's the best for last, the cloak! My favorite part of the outfit. It appears to be made of a grayish brown linen, slightly softer in touch than the tunic and less textured. It's basically a hooded full-length cape and it's really wide. Shame it gets wrinkled easily but it's still pretty sweet to twirl in and watch it flare out in the wind! There's no sleeves and to keep it in place there's a tiny hook closure at the front. I can see a lot of use for this cloak on live-action roleplays and such as it's generic and fits many fantasy settings more than just Star Wars.

Cloak worn on top. Front.

Cloak worn on top. Back.

Cloak hook closure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below is a couple "full" (minus the cloak, pants, glove and feet wrappings) cosplay photos dressed on a torso-only mannequin.
All photos taken by me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Front without cloak.

Back without cloak.

Front close-up.

In all fairness this particular costume is about 90% accurate to the stock photos on the site. I knew what it would look like but I was hoping for the fabrics to be a bit more fitting but, then again, I'm not surprised as this is the typical China quality, give or take. But hey, make sure to study the stock photos carefully as you are likely to get something similar to it if you buy from MoviesCostume.

Feeling a need to dress up to align with the Force?

Link to MoviesCostume main page: MoviesCostume Online Cosplay Store

Luke Skywalker TLJ costume link: Star Wars Luke Skywalker Cosplay Costume Version B

All Star Wars costumes: MoviesCostume Star Wars costume selection

MoviesCostume store & Luke Skywalker costume rundown – Pros and cons:

+ Accurate to store's stock photos
+ The linen fabric is pretty okay
+ Sewing quality is good for the most part
+ Quick processing & making time
+ Shipping time as expected
+ Packaging
+ Easy to deal with customer service
+ Replies fast to emails
+ Clothing bag

- Despite ordering custom size some parts are too big and others too small
- A lot of loose threads and a few uneven/bad stitches
- The main fabric (creme colored) is thin polyester, doesn't fit idea of Star Wars
- Not applicable for Legion 501st etc standards
- Not for those who demand screen-accuracy
- The belt lacks any closure to keep it in place without falling off (mistake?)

~ Sizing ~

I have already realized that "custom size" is in reality not custom size with online costume shops. It can't possibly be with big factories that creates a full costume in less than a week. Because to do custom size you generally need to draw the pattern from scratch for each customer etc.

Which means that previously when I've had "custom size" costumes fitting it has been because I've been lucky with having my measurements corresponding to the ready-made sizes once they were mixed and matched; aka "custom size" is most likely just the store taking whatever pre-set sizes they have and making each costume part to whatever pre-set size lands closest to your given measures, for example M for pants, S for shirt etc.

Most of the costume parts were in this case too small, which is harder to do something about as bigger you can (almost) always take in but smaller you're stuck with. I would always prefer to wear the costumes that I'm showcasing myself but this time it was not possible so I had to resort to another solution, hence the mannequin. It was my only way to get the review done, I hope you can understand. 

Luke Skywalker reference image.

~ Conclusion and final thoughts ~

Okay, so despite how harsh my review might sound I want to stress that the costume does look like the stock photos and if that is good enough for your costuming needs then you need not worry, especially if you are not picky about fabric choices and fit into standard sizes. MoviesCostume are, based on my experience, really patient and easy to deal with.

MoviesCostume's turn-around times are comparable to other overseas costume shops, so be sure to plan in advance and order at least a couple months prior to the event you need the costume for, just to avoid any stress. Their costumes might not be the most character accurate out there but will work as decent bases if you can't sew from scratch but want to do some small modifications to an existing costume. There's a lot of crappier satin monster cosplay stores and scams out there so yeah, MoviesCostume is actually decent if you count in the whole spectrum of online shops. Some of the issues could potentially be fixed if you're sewing savvy.

Overall, I can say that I would only recommend this Luke Skywalker outfit for those who are new to cosplay, for Halloween, a movie showing, themed parties or your Star Wars crazy nephew's birthday and the like. Basically it's a "quick fix" costume or one on which you don't want to spend a lot of time doing research beforehand and are content with simply being recognized as "old man Luke" as this will do it. But if you're looking for a screen-accurate or authentic feeling Luke Skywalker costume then keep on looking, this is not the costume you're looking for. But if you don't care too much about details or don't mind being a grumpy old Jedi on a budget then by all means go for it, it's not expensive for the fun that can be had with it! May the Force be with you.

Final Grade (from A-F): C

Recommend to others: Maybe

That about sums it up. I hope you found this review helpful and hey, do hit that "follower" button if you aren't reading my blog yet, I always appreciate new faces!

A huge thank you goes out to MoviesCostume for making this review possible and to you for reading this! ♡
~  Shiro Samurai says goodbye.

Cosplay waste as a result of falling out of fandoms

Hello guys!

January has been a quiet month for me it seems, it wasn't intended but I just honestly have a lot of stuff on my mind stressing me out and the blog is one more such thing right now. ^^"

I still want to write something and, as I've been thinking, I came to the conclusion that there's something with choosing what and who to cosplay that has changed for me over the years. Yes, I'm talking about the process of choosing cosplays. I'll apologize in advance if I repeat myself over the post a lot or if it's just really incoherent and messy but I want to get my thoughts out about this topic. It might be similar to this post and this one in some ways but I'll try to keep this one on a different note.

Let's go!

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I didn't really notice it much at first but during my earlier cosplay years, when everything was new and exciting, I was more... spontaneous. Like I would watch a new anime and immediately decide that I want to cosplay that character and start making the costume, without any second thoughts. What this led to in some cases was that I ended up with a half-finished cosplay lurking in the back of my wardrobe like a ghost of the past, never returning to finish what was started. Why? Because I lost interest in the fandom or character too fast. This, in hindsight, feels like a massive waste of time and resources as the hype in some cases is really fleeting and short-lived and honestly, what am I gonna do with the costume now? How could I even have known which series will last and which ones will die off? It's so daunting.

I have a few unfinished cosplays that met this tragic fate, just lying around whenever there's space and I prefer not to think about them. I punch myself mentally in the face when I see those costumes as it reminds me that all that money and time I could have used on "the right costumes" instead. I feel really conflicted about those unfinished cosplays – some I even have blog drafts about that are to this day unpublished and I just don't know what the fuck to do with them. I don't wanna just delete as I have documented them, taken photos, written about the constuction etc but publishing a post that dates back several years feels really... not relevant? Especially if the costume is not even finished and likely to never actually be debuted. Argh.

The problems arise when I try to figure out what to do. Having them unfinished stresses me out as I'm a perfectionist at heart (and at the same time a massive procrastinator, geez what a godly combo) but I just have little to no interest to go back to the costume, for whatever reason. And knowing me I don't have the determination to scrap it for materials either as I'm a hopeless "what if" thinker and will inevitably sit there and play out scenarios in my head about how angry I would be at myself if I scrapped the costume and later, somehow, got back the interest to actually finish it... or if the parts of the costume would double up for a future cosplay or even an OC, assuming they're generic enough.
Like I completely acknowledge that the odds of getting re-hyped about long past fandoms is small but still I'm holding on to that... or maybe it's just an excuse I make for myself because I put emotional value and feelings into everything I do and just don't wanna scrap it yet. I honestly don't know but it annoys me because it makes me a hoarder that can't easily part with anything without constantly being afraid that I might need it eventually. Not gonna lie, when I was a child I even kept trash like empty candy wrapping papers as I felt guilty throwing them away, as if they were living and feeling things. I know, it's kinda cringy but I was a really sensitive and overthinking kid.

All this has in turn led to a sort of fear of being too quick when choosing a costume – even if it is from a fandom that I have enjoyed for multiple years and deemed "safe to invest in". Truth is that I've lately been feeling distanced even from fandoms that I thought would be sorta eternal to me and now I don't know if I surely want to do some cosplays that I had planned and even bought fabrics for years ago already. I feel so horribly, horribly torn and a really bad economy makes it all worse as I'm constantly stressing over money and have started to feel like cosplay is too expensive for me to afford right now. So yeah, it's a real mess inside my head and nothing feels safe anymore; I feel bad about all the costumes that I'm unlikely to rewear or finish because it's too much of a hassle to sell them and I still can't get myself to scrap them either. 

So nowadays when I get into a new series I might find myself wanting to cosplay some characters really much but I'll hold on to that temptation and see what happens after some months – if it lessens I'll bury the idea and move on, if it stays I'll wait a bit longer. Seems healthy but at the same time it feels a bit like intentionally suffocating new cosplay hype (which is among the best feelings) but I can't afford any "cosplay waste" in my current situation, even though there's a whole different level of fun of doing something while it's new, exciting and your friends are doing it too. A part of me wishes I had the option to be more spontaneous, more forgiving of my own mistakes and that I didn't dwell so much on if I should do something or not. 

Nowadays it feels like every new costume has to be really carefully chosen (unless it's something I can mostly pull out of the closet) and while that's a good thing it makes me feel really doubtful and critical of every new potential candidate as well. Not to mention group and pair cosplays – I really want to do these more often but over half the time I regret saying "yes" before the next week comes around, even if it's a fandom I'm currently into. It's mainly me getting anxious about committing to something because it means I might get crap for it if I bail out, especially if the other person(s) already got started. Don't wanna be seen as a "bad friend" or "flaky cosplayer".

Oh and yeah, of course it's pretty safe to assume that you will eventually lose interest in pretty much any costume you've made but as long as it gets worn enough to make "the cost worth" it gives me no bad feelings and actually feels satisfactory – especially if I get good photos of it too. The issues arise with all the costumes that I only wear like once and then drop or that I never finish. The whole thing is basically just me questioning if my cosplay chosing process is reliable enough and if being picky hurts me or not in the long run, especially as a part of me yearns for wanting to be part of whatever is the hype train of the season – at least once. Despite the blasphemy my brain screams at me for wanting to do something popular as all my life I've been actively avoiding what's mainstream, lmao.

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Honestly I don't know where I'm going with this and I think I lost the red thread somewhere along the way. xD Not sure it even makes sense or if I'm being dramatic again but really, I'd love to hear from you if you have had similar experiences and/or thoughts about costumes that fell short? Spill the beans in the comment field below! I don't wanna be alone with this, lmao.

Thanks for reading my first post of the year!
~ Shiro Samurai out.

Year of Cosplay 2018

Good morning!

The clock keeps ticking and somehow 2018 is already almost past us, how?? Like, I swear every new year feels shorter than the one before it and it's just... extremely anxiety-inducing when you're one of those depressed people who feel like you haven't really achieved anything in your life, rip.

I have really mixed feelings about this year on the cosplay front, but before we get to that I'll do the traditional list of what conventions I attended during 2018:

Okamicon - Sundsvall, Sweden

Kummacon - Oulu, Finland

Närcon - Linköping, Sweden

Chibicon - Oulu, Finland

Skecon - Skellefteå, Sweden

That's 5 cons, even less than last year's personal lowest at 6. I've been feeling like I'm falling out of it, like it's not as enjoyable going to cons as it used to be. The magic and the passion isn't there and I mainly just feel uncomfortable and anxious if I dress up and that kills me as I used to love cosplaying. It's a chore to put on a costume and I feel devastated when I only get ugly photos, if any at all. :( I think I long for something new and different, along with getting to feel better about myself. Not even lying but this year has been horrible regarding my mental health and of course it naturally bleeds into my hobbies and yeah, cosplay isn't an exception. And it didn't help that I lost a dear family member too.

2018 is still notable though because on January I finished my biggest and most badass challenging cosplay prop to date, the Eldaora's Taus from MH4U and I'm really proud of it, even though I could have made it more detailed etc if I wasn't on limited time and resources. I don't think I'll surpass it anytime soon, at least not in the prop department. I definitely want to make more Monster Hunter props and this one gave me a good taste of what it's like to do huge cosplay weapons.

Regarding cosplays I've only worn three costumes to cons, which at least is good in the sense that they were all new cosplays being debuted for the first time, even though two of them I had finished already long before the con. ^^" When I think about it I believe this is the first year on which I haven't recycled a single costume. I did two other cosplays too but those were for review purposes and stay undebuted for now, so I can't really count those as proper photoshoots, which means I haven't done a single photoshoot this year. Ouch.

...

...

...

You know what's coming. 

I'm in this kind of cosplay decline on which I feel bad wearing costumes out to cons and I don't feel inspired to make cosplays but I still want new cosplays and good photos of them, ya know? I'm so conflicted, lmao. I also keep thinking that to ignite that passion again I would need to try something refreshing – either go to cons in new countries or start competing or something else that would change the pattern up, as I feel like I've seen everything and it's becoming too repetitive at cons. Also, it concerns me that I'd rather go casual than dress up in cosplay as I can't be bothered and feel too uncomfortable for a myriad of reasons, probably half in my head only but my anxiety has skyrocketed over the past couple years and I just can't act nor think like before. I'm beating myself up over almost everything and I hate how I look in my cosplays – there, I said it.

Here's a little list of what I wore at the cons I attended this year:

Okamicon: I wore my shiny Mightyena gijinka (Pokémon) on Saturday for a short time between my work hours. Otherwise I was in workwear.

Kummacon: Casual, no regrets.

Närcon: No cosplay on Thursday but changed into Hotaru (Samurai Deeper Kyo) on Friday evening once the worst heat had passed. On Saturday I wore Team Aqua Grunt (Pokémon) on the evening to avoid the heat again and on Sunday I only had breakfast at the con and then left.

Chibicon: I was geeky casual and part of the work force.

Skecon: No cosplay as I worked and had a worker t-shirt.

If I have to pick a favorite con for the year it would be Närcon. That's where I wore my two "proper" cosplays for this year, both which I finished years ago but only got to debut now. I'm happy with both costumes, except that Hotaru needs some slight fixing, but I lack photos of both. I generally had fun at Närcon and I even occasionally had that fuzzy con feeling going on, which was nice to remember what it felt like. Only sad thing was that I went there alone and because I'm so awkward at approaching people I did sometimes feel like I was a bit... lonely. It's just not the same thing when you don't have your squad with you, or at least someone you feel safe with. But yeah, I still say that Närcon was the best con this year for me, followed by Skecon or Kummacon.

~~~

Wow, this is such a depressing read but honestly, I can't always hold up the happy facade. I just simply don't feel good at all and cosplaying is another stress factor for me right now when it should be something relaxing and fun. :( I sometimes think that what I really need is to do cosplay groups with friends again, to feel that unity and camaraderie – I feel like I've been doing solo stuff for a long time now and while it's cool to not be bound to all the things that come with group planning I still feel like I need my friends, probably more than ever right now.

And before I end this post I want to thank all my friends who are still there, readers and everyone else who visits my blog – I hope you all have enjoyed your time reading my ramblings. Thank you so much for staying with me, like really I mean it. I'm gonna try to activate myself again.

Bye bye & Happy New Year 2019!

Lens review: Vassen Lollipop Green

Hiiiii~

I will review a lens with a really unique and eye-catching design this time, it's the Vassen Lollipop Green! I'm pretty sure that it's the same lens as I.Fairy Cara Green as Vassen is the manufacturer of many of I.Fairy's lenses as far as I know. I'm not sure though why it says Winky Green on the vial caps, maybe it's another name for these but to be honest, I've never seen Winky used. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Oh well, let's get on with this review already!

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 42% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

I remember having been curious about these for years, mainly because of their really different and extravagant print. I haven't seen another brand with a design even close to this – it's like a galaxy explosion or some sort of magical supernova or something. It's super colorful and cartoony at the same time! How can you not be enticed to try these?

One lens in.

 

Holy shiiiiiiiiiiieeeeet! These are pretty as fuck, not gonna censor myself. I'm amazed by how they're just perfectly transparent enough to "suck in" my real eye color into becoming a part of the design, it makes the color look more realistic instead of doing the ultra bold crazy lens effect that I was half-way expecting. I'm also a bit surprised by how the super harsh pupil opening disappears into my eyes, I was expecting it to do a really ugly 'clash' effect because there's no visible fading and the print just abruptly ends. Of course it's still visible where the edges are but I think the transparency is working its magic here to lessen the eyesore.

The color is AH-mazing! It's like a huge ball of sparkly candy, the eyes of an otherwordly being, a glittery sea's surface... you get the idea. It's really magical and ethereal at the same time. I'm in love with the design and the color, the green is immensely pretty, deep and has a depth I can't even begin to put into words! There's a thin limbal ring framing the lenses and it brings an 'anime' look along with making the lenses appear bigger.

Lens photos ahead!

All photos taken by me during a morning with a semi-clear sky with the sun super low on the horizon line (polar night is a thing here). 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, bright yellow room light.

 

Indoors, more distant yellow light.

 

Facing window. (shadow side)

 

Flash photo.

 

Outdoors, back against sun. (facing wall)

 

Outdoors, facing sun while it's blocked by a roof.

 

These lenses are really thin, to the point they are floppy and don't hold their shape really well when I try to insert them – I had the lenses flatten themselves on my finger multiple times. Thankfully once they're inside the thinness is a great plus as I don't feel them in my eyes! The Lollipop Greens are really comfy and I can easily see myself wearing them for 3-5 hours despite having really dry eyes. There's no blurred vision or colored corners.

I wish I would have reviewed these earlier and not on December (the shittiest month to review on as the sun barely comes past the horizon line, no joke) but I had no time. :( I would have loved to see what these would look like in a clear, bright sunlight. Oh well, I have a good idea even like this and all I can say is that I would definitely recommend these lenses for anyone who likes fancy, beautiful lenses that stand out from the crowd. These sport a great punch of color, multiple shades of green mixed with yellow and it's just simply fantastic. I'm probably just gushing at this point but seriously, try these for j-fashion, live-action roleplay, cosplay and basically anything where they get the chance to shine and steal the spotlight. I'm sure these are gorgeous on any eye color!

Distance photo!

Short summary:

Color: 10/10 
Beautiful, multifaceted green that's incredibly rich in color and depth.   
Design: 9/10 
Absolutely gorgeous design that looks like it's a magical explosion or a shiny gemstone.
Opacity: 7/10 

It's opaque enough to be green but lets my real eye color, in a beautiful way, affect the final outcome.
Enlargement: 7/10
Definitely on the bigger end.

Comfort: 7/10 

Thin and invisible to wear. They're a bit floppy and thus flatten on my fingers but overall a great lens with no discomforts.
Naturalness: 1/10

Seems to belong to a being from our fairytales.

Thank you so much for reading, I love feedback if you liked this review!

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: Vassen Diamond Blue

Hi guys!

Another lens review up for you all to dine on, let's do this! It's the Vassen Diamond Blue today, my third and likely last color from the Vassen Diamond series. I was surprised once again by how the blue ones became my favorite, despite being the "most boring" color as my eyes are naturally gray-blue.

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.5 mm

Water content: 42% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

It's a sparkly diamond print that's impossible to miss. It's really pretty and gives glimmery gemstone eyes in a second. The black detailing adds depth and a crystalline reflecting look when worn, it's honestly beautiful! I feel like because of my real eye color being similar to the lenses it looks even more gorgeous than usual and I'm in love, haha. *q*

One lens in.

It's a fairly big lens and it has a pretty light-ish blue color that even looks a lil' dreamy coupled with the diamond print. It's a youthful, precious design and the overly artsy print actually doesn't clash as much with my eyes as one might initially expect, most likely because of the closeness in color. Of course it doesn't fade perfectly either but I like the look anyway. There's also a thin black limbal ring to help make your eyes 'pop' more and add an illusion of bigness.

Lens photos ahead!
All photos taken by me during a morning with a semi-clear sky with the sun super low on the horizon line (polar night is a thing here). 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.

Natural room light indoors.

Yellow room light indoors.

Facing window. (shadow side)

Flash photo.

Outdoors, back against sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing the sun while it's blocked by a roof.

What had me surprised was that this blue pair was actually more comfortable than the green and the red – I probably just got lucky but still. I was really taken by how thin and invisible these were to wear, I literally didn't even feel like I had lenses on as soon as I popped them in! They're really comfy and I would estimate around 4-5 hours of wear, possibly 6. I do have really dry eyes naturally so anything past 3 hours is already good. 

I feel like the camera doesn't really do these justice, I swear they look more alluring in real life! There's something magical happening every time light hits the eyes and it's lovely. These look so nice with my natural eye color, almost like a really fancy enhancing lens! I was positively surprised by how much I ended up liking these and I would recommend them to anyone who likes to try more fabulous lenses. I can definitely see these used for many different fashion styles and yes, I would say that they are versatile. I can also see these work for cosplay, especially for shoujo or bishounen characters.

Distance photo! 

 

Wanna see more diamonds?

Check these out: Green, Red

Short summary:

Color: 7/10 
I'm surprisingly fond of the lightish medium blue shade. It evokes a feeling of calm.
Design: 7/10 
A glamorous, fancy diamond print that provides sparkly and gleaming eyes.
Opacity: 7/10 

There are hints of transparency but the overall color covers well.
Enlargement: 7/10
These go into the dolly category.

Comfort: 7/10 

Really thin and I literally don't even feel them. Anywhere around 4 to possibly 6 hours on really dry eyes, which is definitely good.
Naturalness: 3/10

Unless you were born to be fabulous then I don't think so.

Thanks for reading my blog, I hope you liked this review~

Shiro Samurai out.

Lens review: GEO Animation CP-A1

Hello guys!

I still have time to cram in a few more reviews before this year is over so here goes. Today I'll review the GEO Animation CP-A1, a pink animation/crazy lens! I'm gonna have to say that I didn't really expect these to look as creepy as they do. xD

Base curve: 8.6 mm
Diameter: 14.2 mm

Water content: 40±2% 

Life span: 1 year (I recommend 6 months)

The design is very obviously made to mimic manga eyes, sparkly shoujo eyes in particular I'd say. There's a lighter pink half and a darker half, separated by black parts which are probably supposed to be "shadows" in a very cartoony way. There's these thin streaks all along the pink areas and sometimes they are accompanied by white thicker streaks meant to be light reflections.

I remember being very curious about trying these out and I was not quite prepared for how freaky they look in real life. xD It's not as bad on the photos but my first reaction was almost jumping back from the mirror, lmao. Like there's something that looks off but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is and this sadly makes me not quite like these lenses as much as the other GEO Animation lenses I've tried.

One lens in.

They don't look as weird on photos as they do in real life, somehow? Actually look pretty okay on photos, haha. I have to admit though that I had a hard time figuring out which way you are supposed to wear these, aka which part of the design is supposed to be up and which down – I took a wild guess and poked my eyes until the lighter half was up. Oh and yes, these do spin in your eyes. Slowly.

As is to be expected these look really... anime. The colors are super opaque and bright and the design is really far from natural. This is a cosplay lens or perhaps for some really funky colorful fashion styles? There's a slight enlargement effect so it's suitable for most people.

Lens photos ahead!
All photos taken by me during a morning with a semi-clear sky with the sun super low on the horizon line (polar night is a thing here). 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.

Natural room light indoors.

Yellow room light indoors.

Facing window. (shadow side)

Flash photo.

Outdoors, back against sun. (facing wall)

Outdoors, facing sun while it's blocked by a roof.

These are thin and comfy to wear. It's worth noting though that these lenses do greatly obstruct my vision in the sense that a part of my vision field is black at the corners. It's a bit annoying and makes a sort of 'tunnel vision' effect that's more or less constantly there as soon as I step outside the door. I can't imagine these being all that nice to drive or bike with because of the restricted vision. But besides that little detail I have no issues with these and I do think that I could wear these somewhere around the 3-5 hour mark.

So yeah, it's a cosplay lens definitely but I just personally somehow don't like these as much as I thought I would – mainly because of hos unsettling they look face to face. They're okay on photos and even look great from a distance but afhdsfdsjs, I just can't explain why I'm not warming up to them. I think it's something with how obvious the thin streaks are in real life and it somehow makes these look eerie and "too busy"... but I'm not sure at all. I guess some would love these lenses but I feel like the other GEO Animation lenses do the anime look better. It's not bad by any means and definitely worth a shot if you need this kind of pink-violet color as it's really hard to come by. I'm sorry this sounds so negative, I don't mean to. ^^"

Distance photo! 

Short summary:

Color: 9/10 

Really bright violet-pink color that shows up well from a distance.

Design: 6/10 

It's cool with the 'anime eye' look but something makes them look creepy to me.

Opacity: 10/10

Really covering, as you'd expect from an animation lens.

Enlargement: 4/10 

Small-ish size increase. Suitable for most.

Comfort: 6/10 

Thin and comfy. Beware of very prominent black corners and 'tunnel vision' outdoors (at least in the light conditions I had).

Naturalness: 0/10 

I was legit afraid that I'd scare the piss out of a small kid who passed me by while I was outside taking photos...

Thanks for reading my blog!

Shiro Samurai out.