Entry tags:

costume design, life of ming

batgirl loves patrolling suburban backyards!
so, i dressed up as a ridiculous homemade batgirl for halloween and wandered around salem in full costume. i got called "batgirl" thrice, "batchick" twice, and "batwoman" once. but the best part was when i held a door for a young woman in immaculate renaissance faire garb and she nearly screamed "OH, COOL!" upon seeing the bat on my chest.

the "street clothes" portion of this costume consists of a pair of yellow and black puma sneakers, a black t-shirt, black 3/4 length sleeved hoodie, black puffy skirt, and black footless tights.

the bat accessories are a modified bat mask from newbury comics ($6.95), a modified pair of black opera length gloves from hot topic ($3.99), a Batman™ utility belt from a halloween superstore ($10.99), and handmade bat chest insignia and cape with scalloped batwing border.

the bat "high school graduation yearbook portrait" pose!



the bat "look up into the sky as if a gigantic yummy cupcake
was about to land very close to but not directly
on top of you" pose!



the bat "crouching tiger, hidden dragon bamboo forest fight" pose!



the bat "trouble is probably lurking somewhere
in this backyard and i am onto it" pose!


the bat "mighty is justice and mighty are her servants!
...do i have a gut in this uniform?" pose!



the bat "METALLICA RULES!" pose!
i cut up an old yellow disneyworld mickey mouse poncho for the lining on the cape and bat insignia, and i totally felt like michelle pfeiffer from batman returns in her catwoman transformation montage. and if that's not a great way to prepare for halloween, i don't know what is! ;D

(93 comments) - (Post a new comment)

	siyamau 2007-11-01 06:17 pm UTC (link)
	Genius! Homemade costumes are the only PROPER ones. Anyone can buy one from a shop :op You look ace! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:11 am UTC (link)
	thanks, lady! and i agree with you; there were three or four other batgirls in salem yesterday, but i was clearly the only DIY one. i'm hardcore. ;P (Reply to this) (Parent)

	elismor 2007-11-01 06:20 pm UTC (link)
	OMG. That is an AWESOME costume! Also: I saw this and thought of you http://www.byroglyphics.com/2007.html (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:14 am UTC (link)
	gah, my stupid internet connection is having trouble loading that page, but i'll try to check it out again later. but i can thank you right now for the costume comment, so, thanks! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	mskatej 2007-11-01 06:20 pm UTC (link)
	That is the best costume ever. You look hot. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:16 am UTC (link)
	aww, thanks kate! mainly i felt goofy, but that's not necessarily a bad way to feel so i just went with it. ;) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	traveller 2007-11-01 06:20 pm UTC (link)
	FOMG. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-01 11:39 pm UTC (link)
	YOU LOFF EET. <3 <3 <3 (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - traveller, 2007-11-02 03:54 am UTC (Expand)

	glossing 2007-11-01 06:25 pm UTC (link)
	I love this - I mean, you're *gorgeous*, natch, and the yellow sneaks just put this over the top. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:18 am UTC (link)
	aww, gloss! my heart, you have touched it. though i do agree, the sneakers are a big part of what makes this. and to think i used to be afraid that they were too reminiscent of a taxi cab, when clearly they are batgirl's colors! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	mordicai 2007-11-01 06:26 pm UTC (link)
	the yellow tennys rule. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:18 am UTC (link)
	thanks, mordicai! did you end up dressing as your dnd character, or was it too hard to find an appropriate robe? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - mordicai, 2007-11-02 11:44 am UTC (Expand)

	wabbitseason 2007-11-01 06:28 pm UTC (link)
	Love the costume! I'd be with the Ren Faire girl, if I saw that out and about. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:19 am UTC (link)
	thank you! batgirl always appreciates exclamations of "OH, COOL!" they fortify her on her long patrols. and stuff. ;D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	yellow_oranges 2007-11-01 06:29 pm UTC (link)
	Fantastic! Thanks for the pics! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:20 am UTC (link)
	ha! thanks, and no problem. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	cynical_terror 2007-11-01 06:30 pm UTC (link)
	Love it! :D (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:20 am UTC (link)
	*kiss kiss!* (Reply to this) (Parent)

	winterlive 2007-11-01 06:34 pm UTC (link)
	MINGALING! YOU LOOK ASTONISHING! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:21 am UTC (link)
	thanks, dannytasticbombastic! yesterday wherever i went, i was all *HANDS ON HIPS, JUSTICE POSE!* it was great fun. :D (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - winterlive, 2007-11-02 03:26 am UTC (Expand)

(no subject) - _ming, 2007-11-02 03:33 am UTC (Expand)

	chrispiers 2007-11-01 06:34 pm UTC (link)
	Very impressive. You are quite talented. (Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:21 am UTC (link)
	thanks so much! this costume was just about the most involved home ec project i've ever attempted. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Reply from suspended user)

	ginnytonnick 2007-11-01 06:35 pm UTC (link)
	I'm not sure how I ended up here, but just thought I'd chime in with how awesome your costume is from design to execution. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:23 am UTC (link)
	well, thanks for letting me know you'd dropped by and for the comment! the costume took kind of an embarrassingly long time to put together, so i appreciate the "omg." ;D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	brown_betty 2007-11-01 06:42 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, cool! I like the Cass-look of the insignia. Woohoo! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:24 am UTC (link)
	thanks betty! i was totally aiming for the cass aesthetic. she is my eurasian batgirl soulmate. <3 (Reply to this) (Parent)

	gdwessel 2007-11-01 06:42 pm UTC (link)
	Nice job, that! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:24 am UTC (link)
	thanks bunches! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	rubynye 2007-11-01 06:50 pm UTC (link)
	You look like the very embodiment of gorgeous asskicking. Which is exactly how Batgirl should look. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:29 am UTC (link)
	thank you, ruby. i consider you a foremost expert on characterization and asskickery, so those words mean quite a lot. <3 <3 <3 (Reply to this) (Parent)

	smithereen 2007-11-01 06:52 pm UTC (link)
	You say ridiculous, I say ridiculously badass! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:30 am UTC (link)
	aww, thanks! i will take your interpretation over mine any day. <3 (Reply to this) (Parent)

	(Anonymous) 2007-11-01 06:59 pm UTC (link)
	WOW!!! can you could totally be the new batgirl????? and Metallica does rule (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:30 am UTC (link)
	i've been the new batgirl all along, but shh; it is a secret identity thing. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	luckykitty 2007-11-01 07:13 pm UTC (link)
	Lady, you're too cool for school! ♥ (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:31 am UTC (link)
	good thing i'm not in it anymore, then! wheeeeee! <3333333333333333 (Reply to this) (Parent)

	coffeebased 2007-11-01 07:31 pm UTC (link)
	*fangirls so hard she knocks over a glass* Great costume! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:31 am UTC (link)
	wow, that sounds messy but enthusiastic, and i am flattered! thank you! :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	dryponder 2007-11-01 07:32 pm UTC (link)
	the sneakers totally make it. you rule SO FLIPPING HARD, ming. please for the love of thomas and martha wayne send these in to fights flights and tights today! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-01 11:47 pm UTC (link)
	yay, dean! thanks! :D i just sent an e-mail to editors @ projectrooftop.com, but last time i tried to send you guys something i guess the e-mail got lost. so if you don't get this one, could you please consider me entered anyway? all my pictures and info are on this lj! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	tammylee 2007-11-01 07:34 pm UTC (link)
	*plays a guitar riff on her guitar hero* ROCKTASTIC! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:33 am UTC (link)
	*STRIKES A JUSTICE POSE!* *ROCKS THE HECK OUT!!* SANKYUUU VELLY MUCH!! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	darkdanc3r 2007-11-01 07:46 pm UTC (link)
	dude! win! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:34 am UTC (link)
	yay! *collects prize* (Reply to this) (Parent)

	petronelle 2007-11-01 07:47 pm UTC (link)
	I adore your costume, your poses, and yourself. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:36 am UTC (link)
	thanks THIS MANIES, petra! i am only slightly ashamed to say i worked hard on the costume, but mainly stupidly pleased. ;D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	abrassea 2007-11-01 07:54 pm UTC (link)
	that's not at all what i was expecting when you said a ridiculous batgirl costume, that's pretty good! and batwoman... psssh. batwoman has red hair! don't they know anything?!? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:39 am UTC (link)
	ha, thanks! and i know, i always wanted to correct people when they called me something other than "batgirl," but i somehow managed to restrain myself. ;) (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)

(no subject) - abrassea, 2007-11-03 03:04 am UTC (Expand)

	hradzka 2007-11-01 08:18 pm UTC (link)
	Adorable! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	_ming 2007-11-02 03:43 am UTC (link)
	thank you! :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

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(93 comments) - (Post a new comment)