Ow, she bit me! What'd you expect fairies to do?
January 25, 2016 10:04 AM Subscribe
On Saturday, I'm attending a Labyrinth-inspired masquerade ball. I have everything I need for my costume except pants.
I will be wearing a silver sparkly mask, a poofy white pirate shirt, a black vest, this blazer, and black shoes with fkae pirate boot toppers. I have black slacks, and black slacks with white pinstripes, but I think that might not be the right look. I don't want the dance pouch and tights look from the movie, but I don't know what to look for in stores.
I will be wearing a silver sparkly mask, a poofy white pirate shirt, a black vest, this blazer, and black shoes with fkae pirate boot toppers. I have black slacks, and black slacks with white pinstripes, but I think that might not be the right look. I don't want the dance pouch and tights look from the movie, but I don't know what to look for in stores.
Black skinny jeans or skinny chinos could work (and not be as form-fitting as tights). These skinny joggers with button fly, skinny suit pants with velvet trim, skinny pants in patterned velvet or with sequins are other options.
posted by melissasaurus at 10:37 AM on January 25, 2016
posted by melissasaurus at 10:37 AM on January 25, 2016
For the costumes in the labyrinth masquerade scene, a normal thing for men (or for people wearing coats/blazers) is underknee-length pants (men's pantaloons), revealing hose/sock covered calf.
You probably don't have knee-length pants, but there are lots of ways to fake them. Some baseball pants are cut this way (limited color selection though). Some women's pants are cut this way, and can be in silk or other decorative material which works for the outfit. Or you can cut the bottom off some old pants and make a quick hem. Or you could just experiment with rolling up the cuffs of pants inside the leg and safety pinning them.
The shoes are typically more dance slipper than pirate boot, but I can see some combinations working.
Failing that, black regular pants are easy to find, which by virtue of being black they won't draw the eye, so any shortfallings (eg only jeans) may not be obvious :)
posted by anonymisc at 11:41 AM on January 25, 2016
You probably don't have knee-length pants, but there are lots of ways to fake them. Some baseball pants are cut this way (limited color selection though). Some women's pants are cut this way, and can be in silk or other decorative material which works for the outfit. Or you can cut the bottom off some old pants and make a quick hem. Or you could just experiment with rolling up the cuffs of pants inside the leg and safety pinning them.
The shoes are typically more dance slipper than pirate boot, but I can see some combinations working.
Failing that, black regular pants are easy to find, which by virtue of being black they won't draw the eye, so any shortfallings (eg only jeans) may not be obvious :)
posted by anonymisc at 11:41 AM on January 25, 2016
If you wanted to to use pants you already own, i.e. your black slacks, the key is to make sure they lie flat under the boots, and stay that way. They will not want to do that because there's extra fabric; they'll tend to slide up your leg every time you move, until there's a big pouf of fabric around your knee. So if you want to make the slacks work, your best bet is to turn them into temporary stirrup-pants: get a piece of elastic, and pin one end to cuff of your pants just at one ankle bone (outside seam) then pass under your foot (stretched taut) and pin to the inside seam. In fact, you'd be best served to fold the fabric over so that you've taken out the extra width and are pinning multiple layers. If you had this sheet-holding gadget in your house, I'd use that.
But realistically, if you can convince yourself to wear the most taper-leg pants you can imagine yourself wearing, the costume will benefit. You may feel that you look funny in taper-leg pants, but I guarantee having your pant-legs go all poufy around your boots will look funnier than that.
posted by aimedwander at 11:44 AM on January 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
But realistically, if you can convince yourself to wear the most taper-leg pants you can imagine yourself wearing, the costume will benefit. You may feel that you look funny in taper-leg pants, but I guarantee having your pant-legs go all poufy around your boots will look funnier than that.
posted by aimedwander at 11:44 AM on January 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Ok, after raiding my wife's closet, I think I have an outfit. I'll post pictures.
posted by mkb at 6:25 PM on January 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mkb at 6:25 PM on January 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Here we are. Notice the different coat. Despite measuring and checking against the sizing chart, the red jacket was still so small I could not button it.
posted by mkb at 7:51 AM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mkb at 7:51 AM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Pants success!
posted by phunniemee at 8:27 AM on February 1, 2016
posted by phunniemee at 8:27 AM on February 1, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
With the rest of your costume on point, your goal should be to make your pants not be the first thing people notice, and tight and black (i.e. leggings) will accomplish that. As a dude, you may, for reasons of support, want to wear a pair of (unpadded) cycle shorts underneath.
posted by phunniemee at 10:13 AM on January 25, 2016 [1 favorite]