Tips for a Captain America+Little Red Riding Hood cosplay?
August 4, 2015 8:59 PM Subscribe
I'm throwing together a Captain America/Little Red Riding Hood costume for DragonCon in September. I think I've got the costume figured out, but could use suggestions on accessorizing, and on any ideas for fun photo ops when I cross paths with Avengers cosplayers. Also, suggestions for any other fun/cheap cosplay ideas I might be able to pull off with the pieces I have.
So far I have the 'Marvel By Her Universe' Captain America halter dress, this red cloak, and this picnic basket. I'm going to DYI a helmet by spray painting this paintball helmet blue. I have some great red leather boots, which I'm hoping I can manage to get around in all day despite the hot muggy Atlanta weather. Not sure what to do about gloves -- they'd have to be fingerless so as not to interfere with using my iPhone, not sure whether they're needed. Don't think I can manage to carry the picnic basket and a proper-size shield, but this frisbee-sized one has a wrist-strap. Anything else I should get/make?
Second - I have a hard time smiling naturally in photos, it always seems to come out looking like a pained grimace when I'm trying. So, what are some good action poses I could do if someone does want to take my picture? I was thinking I should snag some extra rolls at breakfast to keep in the picnic basket to mock-throw, but I feel like I should be prepared to do something dramatic if I spot any Winter Soldier cosplayers.
Third - any other ideas for Red Riding Hood mash-ups? Mostly wondering if there's anything funny/simple I can do starting with the basics of the red cloak + basket, though there's always next year for something more elaborate.
So far I have the 'Marvel By Her Universe' Captain America halter dress, this red cloak, and this picnic basket. I'm going to DYI a helmet by spray painting this paintball helmet blue. I have some great red leather boots, which I'm hoping I can manage to get around in all day despite the hot muggy Atlanta weather. Not sure what to do about gloves -- they'd have to be fingerless so as not to interfere with using my iPhone, not sure whether they're needed. Don't think I can manage to carry the picnic basket and a proper-size shield, but this frisbee-sized one has a wrist-strap. Anything else I should get/make?
Second - I have a hard time smiling naturally in photos, it always seems to come out looking like a pained grimace when I'm trying. So, what are some good action poses I could do if someone does want to take my picture? I was thinking I should snag some extra rolls at breakfast to keep in the picnic basket to mock-throw, but I feel like I should be prepared to do something dramatic if I spot any Winter Soldier cosplayers.
Third - any other ideas for Red Riding Hood mash-ups? Mostly wondering if there's anything funny/simple I can do starting with the basics of the red cloak + basket, though there's always next year for something more elaborate.
what about attaching the shield to the basket?
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:24 PM on August 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:24 PM on August 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
Cap's gloves are fingerless anyway so that works out.
Don't forget to spraypaint an A on your helmet as well!
For poses I'd practice wielding the shield in some Cap-like ways, e.g. crouching behind it with it on your wrist (tho maybe that would look a little odd with a frisbee-sized one). Maybe look at some other cosplayers for ideas? If you bump into a Winter Soldier you could do some kind of "My what big teeth you have" pose.
posted by mymbleth at 1:04 AM on August 5, 2015
Don't forget to spraypaint an A on your helmet as well!
For poses I'd practice wielding the shield in some Cap-like ways, e.g. crouching behind it with it on your wrist (tho maybe that would look a little odd with a frisbee-sized one). Maybe look at some other cosplayers for ideas? If you bump into a Winter Soldier you could do some kind of "My what big teeth you have" pose.
posted by mymbleth at 1:04 AM on August 5, 2015
Not trying to talk you out of what sounds like a fun costume, but I'm not quite understanding the mashup. Do you have a funny mashup name for yourself, or any answer ready to go if somebody says, "What are you?" and then they just look confused when you say you're a Captain America/Little Red Riding Hood mashup?
I'm trying to think of a funny mashup name suggestion, but I don't know Captain America that well and I'm coming up dry. (I know he fights the Red Skull, and you could do some Red Skull/Red Riding Hood play on words but that sucks because he's the not the guy you're mashing up with. Damn.)
Little Red, White and Blue Hood? Little Red Captain America? Hopefully you'll think of something better.
If you're not a good smiler, maybe practice your hands on hips, gazing off into the distance, superhero pose. This fellow is the best example I can find, but you know what I mean. Stand with your feet wide apart, hands on hips, gut sucked in, and look off to one side and kind of tilt your head back and look up into the sky, as if you hear the call to adventure!
As for related ideas with those props... Maybe, Captain American Society of (your actual job here, or something else real world and not superhero-y)? Captain American Psycho, with a plastic, bloody see-thru poncho over your dress? Captain American Werewolf in London, with fangs and a fuzzy face? Captain American Splendor? Captain Wet Hot American Summer?
posted by Ursula Hitler at 1:35 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm trying to think of a funny mashup name suggestion, but I don't know Captain America that well and I'm coming up dry. (I know he fights the Red Skull, and you could do some Red Skull/Red Riding Hood play on words but that sucks because he's the not the guy you're mashing up with. Damn.)
Little Red, White and Blue Hood? Little Red Captain America? Hopefully you'll think of something better.
If you're not a good smiler, maybe practice your hands on hips, gazing off into the distance, superhero pose. This fellow is the best example I can find, but you know what I mean. Stand with your feet wide apart, hands on hips, gut sucked in, and look off to one side and kind of tilt your head back and look up into the sky, as if you hear the call to adventure!
As for related ideas with those props... Maybe, Captain American Society of (your actual job here, or something else real world and not superhero-y)? Captain American Psycho, with a plastic, bloody see-thru poncho over your dress? Captain American Werewolf in London, with fangs and a fuzzy face? Captain American Splendor? Captain Wet Hot American Summer?
posted by Ursula Hitler at 1:35 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Do you have a funny mashup name for yourself, or any answer ready to go if somebody says, "What are you?"
Captain Red Riding Hood would be my go-to. (DragonCon is anything goes costume-wise; from painstakingly detailed reproductions that people spend all year working on, to the guy walking around in just a towel and a sign saying "I lost my costume, can I borrow yours?", and the only-at-DC things like the guys who cosplayed in Marriott Atrium carpet pattern. I expect I'll fall into the 'gets a mild chuckle' category, which is fine with me.)
Forgot to mention - I have minimal skills with regular makeup (or hair), so any kind of special effects/gore is out of my wheelhouse.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:45 AM on August 5, 2015
Captain Red Riding Hood would be my go-to. (DragonCon is anything goes costume-wise; from painstakingly detailed reproductions that people spend all year working on, to the guy walking around in just a towel and a sign saying "I lost my costume, can I borrow yours?", and the only-at-DC things like the guys who cosplayed in Marriott Atrium carpet pattern. I expect I'll fall into the 'gets a mild chuckle' category, which is fine with me.)
Forgot to mention - I have minimal skills with regular makeup (or hair), so any kind of special effects/gore is out of my wheelhouse.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:45 AM on August 5, 2015
5_13_23_42_69_666 beat me to it: Attach the shield to the basket. With a little toy shield, you could probably just zip-tie it through the weave.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 5:00 AM on August 5, 2015
posted by Mister Moofoo at 5:00 AM on August 5, 2015
I'd look for a round wicker basket that could be painted to look like the shield. See if you can find some red belt pouches to turn the dress belt into a utility belt. Maybe some red-white-and-blue cookies to give out from the basket?
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:20 AM on August 5, 2015
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:20 AM on August 5, 2015
you should call yourself Little Red Riding America... because it sounds dirty. And, if you feel like getting flirty, you can sultrily ask people if they are your big bad wolf.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:54 PM on August 5, 2015
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:54 PM on August 5, 2015
This is, technically speaking someone playing America Chavez, but she fulfills the Cap role in her book and she's literally wearing a red riding hood
As for face posing. Don't go smiling, go for heroic. When I have to pose for a picture I drop my shoulders, steady my core (basically sturdy your gut muscles and kind of push your hips out), and square my pose. I noticed when I thought I was really twisting my face, doing a really cartoonish expression, it came out in photos as "normal expression" and my normal expressions weren't being camera read at all. Try some time with a mirror and phone camera doing what feels like widely over the top expressions , literally cartoonish, and get a sense of what reads on camera with you.
posted by The Whelk at 9:16 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
As for face posing. Don't go smiling, go for heroic. When I have to pose for a picture I drop my shoulders, steady my core (basically sturdy your gut muscles and kind of push your hips out), and square my pose. I noticed when I thought I was really twisting my face, doing a really cartoonish expression, it came out in photos as "normal expression" and my normal expressions weren't being camera read at all. Try some time with a mirror and phone camera doing what feels like widely over the top expressions , literally cartoonish, and get a sense of what reads on camera with you.
posted by The Whelk at 9:16 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also some ...places online sell SSR pins, which would be a nice accessory to pin or tie a hood or other bit of clothing
And if I met Captain Riding Hood and your basket had a Bucky or Agent Carter (or both) doll in it, I would, personally, die.
posted by The Whelk at 9:20 PM on August 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
And if I met Captain Riding Hood and your basket had a Bucky or Agent Carter (or both) doll in it, I would, personally, die.
posted by The Whelk at 9:20 PM on August 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Hey, so, the cosplay went great. The Whelk - I didn't find a Bucky bear or Agent Carter doll, but, I got one picture with a Winter Soldier and there were an abundance of Peggy Carters this year.
People get the 'Red Riding Hood' immediately from the basket+cloak+red hair, so, I think this is going to be my thing for many DragonCons to come. I mean, I went to one late panel in just a regular t-shirt & shorts with the basket & cloak and another fully-costumed Red Riding Hood stopped me to take a picture with her.
I'm thinking Little Mermaid Red Riding Hood for next year, I already have a Sebastien plushie, just gotta get the purple seashell bra, the fish scale skirt, and other props. But I'll play Cap again too, it was too fun running into other Marvel characters like this Wolverine.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:57 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
People get the 'Red Riding Hood' immediately from the basket+cloak+red hair, so, I think this is going to be my thing for many DragonCons to come. I mean, I went to one late panel in just a regular t-shirt & shorts with the basket & cloak and another fully-costumed Red Riding Hood stopped me to take a picture with her.
I'm thinking Little Mermaid Red Riding Hood for next year, I already have a Sebastien plushie, just gotta get the purple seashell bra, the fish scale skirt, and other props. But I'll play Cap again too, it was too fun running into other Marvel characters like this Wolverine.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:57 PM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
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Maybe evidence of an unsuccessful bear attack, if you're up for a little (or a lot) of gore makeup?
posted by Sunburnt at 9:21 PM on August 4, 2015