Costume Query

August 21, 2013 1:35 PM

I'm almost done with my Booker DeWitt costume for DragonCon - only thing left to do now is to finish the shirt. But seriously, what is up with this shirt? Can someone, accomplished costume-maker or otherwise, make sense of my reference image?

Here is the main reference picture I'm going on: http://pxlbyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/booker-dewitt.png

I've got everything set and it looks pretty good - now I just need to finish the shirt. Do I need to basically attach a white tuxedo shirt collar and cuffs to a regular black shirt? The only reason I'm thinking maybe not is that the white is visible despite the sleeves being rolled up. Is he wearing two layers of shirts? If so, where's the black shirt's collar?

Any help identifying what to do with this last aspect of the costume is appreciated. Right now I'm thinking of just cutting the black shirt I have off around the elbows, sewing a white shirt's collar to it, and just keeping them rolled up all the time at the con - but that doesn't seem right to me. Maybe I need to roll up the cuffs a specific way? I don't even.

posted by Urban Winter to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

He's wearing a black shirt whose inside is white. So no, it's one layer of shirt with a black vest on top. You could get this effect with a white collar and cuffs but a tuxedo shirt might be a little stiff for what you're trying to do.

Right now I'm thinking of just cutting the black shirt I have off around the elbows, sewing a white shirt's collar to it, and just keeping them rolled up all the time at the con

It'll basically work for what you're trying to do.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:41 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Here's a shirt on Amazon you can buy.

Maaaaybee something like this (I'd have to see the cuffs better.)


The search term I used was: Mens shirt contract cuffs.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:47 PM on August 21, 2013

Mens shirt contract contrast cuffs.

DYAC, FTFY.
posted by tilde at 1:51 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Considering the timeline of the game, it's probably a black shirt meant for an attachable collar and cuffs. So, yeah, your plan would work fine.

Here's a better shot of the collar. It's definitely a black shirt w/ a white collar.
posted by griphus at 1:51 PM on August 21, 2013

And another where you can see that the collar is attached to the shirt separately.
posted by griphus at 1:52 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Ebay has some options
posted by kitkatcathy at 1:57 PM on August 21, 2013

If you hunt around you can actually buy the collars and cuffs if you want to get the traditional look, and either sew them in so they look like they are held in with the old fashioned studs or go get a shirt that uses the stud collar and cuffs. Try ebay or maybe etsy, or even the local tuxedo rental place if it's upmarket enough it might have some options.
posted by wwax at 1:59 PM on August 21, 2013

Yes, I think sewing in the white elements makes the most sense. For the cuffs, maybe sew the white onto the inside of the cuffs, so when they're rolled up the white is exposed?

For the record though that looks way more like a black denim shirt to me than just a regular black cotton dress shirt (also a denim texture would look super cool), if that's something you could find.
posted by sonmi at 2:10 PM on August 21, 2013

I think you want a shirt like this, then paint the collar and insides of the sleeves white or something. Also those buttons are wrong, they should be black and those are kind of mother-of-pearl or whatever they are. But yeah, denim shirt, not dress shirt.
posted by jabes at 4:10 PM on August 21, 2013