Carbon Costume

A new TV series has been going viral online for its spot-on live action adaptation of the video game franchise Fallout that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. This series depicts the aftermath of The Great War of 2077, where survivors take refuge in fallout shelters or Vaults, which are actually all created as different experiments on the people who live in them. It follows a woman named Lucy who leaves Vault 33 to find her father in the dangerous wasteland of what is left of Los Angeles. She runs into a Ghoul bounty hunter, originally named Cooper Howard. He was a film actor before the war. In this guide I’ll be covering his daughter, Janey Howard’s cowboy costume in Episode 1, where she matches her dad.

Although this costume looks complicated to make, this guide is doable for an artist of any level. Starting with the iconic blue and gold western shirt, use a kids size blue western dress shirt, like the boys shirt linked below (which works for boys and girls) as the base to build off of. For the gold/ cream section on the top portion of the shirt and the sleeve cuffs, cut either a jacquard patterned or brushed twill fabric to the shape of the top of the shirt and either glue it down (the edges will be covered by the fringe trim but iron and fold edges for a cleaner look) or sew the fabric on top. If you’re skilled in sewing and want to take it even further, seam rip the top section from the collar and sleeves and use the removed blue piece as a pattern for the gold fabric, adding seam allowance to sew back in place. You can also add cream piping/ bias tape along the collar and front button panels.

Next, along the edge of the gold fabric you added, either sew or glue on gold fringe trim, following the edge across the front, over the shoulder, and to the back.

Now for the details on the gold fabric: if you choose a printed jacquard fabric, you can keep as is. It gives the same effect of having variety to the surface. However if you have more time to add detail, choose the solid brushed twill fabric and paint and/or embroider a similar pattern of line drawings of scorpions similar to the photos. Doing a combination of both flat painted and 3-D embroidered icons gives it the same variety as the one from the series. You can also paint or embroider (or both) the icons on the collar.

For the rest of the costume, wear brown pants (I’ve linked both girls and boys sizes). Bootcut works better to cover cowboy boots like the ones linked below. On top of those, wear a brown cowboy holster belt. More accessories to complete the look include a cream cowboy hat, a sheriff’s badge and a gold neck scarf. To be even more screen-accurate for the scarf, take a solid cream or white bandana, and tie-dye it yellow.

To go as a parent-kid duo just like in the first episode, follow my guide for Janey’s dad: Cooper Howard. Even further, I’ve also created one for Janey’s mother, and Cooper’s wife Barb Howard.

Saori Kido (voiced by Keiko Han) is the reincarnation of the goddess Athena in the anime and manga series Saint Sieya.  As the reincarnation of Athena, Saori is surrounded by Saints tasked with protecting her, including Seiya, the protagonist of the series.  Saori has long purple hair with bangs.  In her reincarnated form, she wears a long flowing white dress.  Her accessories include a gold hairpiece, gold arm band, a gold necklace, and gold corseted belt.  She carries a staff with a round gold topper.  If a replica of her staff is outside your price range, choose a gold one with a curved shape at the top.

The Academy students are characters from the new Hunger Games film: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and is played by a large ensemble both in the background and some featured, in scenes featuring Coriolanus Snow as he prepares and during the games. The Hunger Games series of films are based off of the original books by Suzanne Collins. This film takes place 64 years before the original Hunger Games we know. In this new film we get to see Coriolanus Snow at 18 years old who is assigned to mentor Lucy of District 12 as the 10th annual Hunger Games approaches.

The students wear bold and red matching uniforms. They feature a red blazer, red pleated skirt, red pants, black dress shoes, a blue collarless shirt, and a matching gold pin to represent The Academy. This would make a great group costume for Hunger Games fans.

In My Life as a Teenage Robot, Brittany “Brit” Crust (voiced by Moira Quirk) is the poshier half of the Crust Cousins. Alongside Tiff Crust, she’s a highly fashionable and popular girl who bullies the students at Tremorton High School. Brit often clashes passive aggressively with Jenny Wakeman and her friends.

Rei (voiced in Japanese by Michiko Neya and in English by Morgan Garrett) is a secondary character in the anime/manga series My Hero Academia.

She is Shoto Todoroki and his sibling’s mother, and where some of them get their ice quirks from. Up until recently in the series she was recovering from the intense mental toll her husband’s behavior towards their family took on her, away from all of them.

For this article I’ve chosen an outfit that she wears in the newest part of the anime, as most of her other ones aren’t fully visible. Rei has long white hair with short bangs, and brownish-grey eyes, which stays mostly consistent throughout most of her appearances. In this outfit, she wears a long, slightly v-necked grey blue dress with 3/4 sleeves, with black tights, and dark brown simple loafers.

Xion (voiced in Japanese by Risa Uchida and in English by both Alyson Stoner and Hayden Panettiere) is one of the main important characters in the Kingdom Hearts game franchise, specifically 358/2 Days. If you would like her KH3 outfit, please check out this article here.

She is a part of Organization XIII, but never had an official title, as she was a created being meant to siphon the ability to wield the keyblade. Over time, she grew stronger and became more of her own person, to the point in KH3 where she was finally able to join Axel (now Lea) and Roxas for a happy ending with the others.

Xion has black hair, worn in a very reminiscent style of Kairi’s first game haircut, and vibrant deep blue eyes. She wears the standard Organization XIII cloak, with hers being a bit more form fitted, as well as black gloves, black fitted pants, and black heeled boots with a silver trim. She is able to wield the Kingdom Key keyblade.

Karlach is a popular Companion character from the video game, Baldur’s Gate 3. She is a Tiefling Barbarian. She fought in the Blood War as an unwilling soldier in Zariel’s army. Under her command she suffered, such as having her heart replaced by an infernal engine. Now free from Avernus, she’s been given a new chance at life and is never going back. The party can recruit her at the Risen Road. Despite her precarious physicality, Karlach is friendly and enthusiastic. She aims to enjoy her freedom to its fullest passion. Flip the wig to one side and buzz underneath for her bold undercut.

Ella of Frell is the protagonist of Ella Enchanted. The 2004 movie loosely adapts the children’s book as a fantasy musical comedy. As a baby, the fairy Lucinda gives Ella the “gift” (or curse) of obedience. This magically compels Ella to literally obey every command she’s given, even at the sacrifice of her own autonomy. Despite this, she is clever, headstrong, and ironically independent given that others control her life. Unlike other girls, she doesn’t swoon at the sight of Prince Charmont – which makes him more attracted to her. She’s portrayed by Emmy-winning actress Anne Hathaway.