Eowyn, Cosplay Refs and Help
The Return of the King
Part 2 of the Eowyn refs. Part 1 covers the outfits from The Two Towers.
Beacon Dress: Very similar construction to the White Wool gown from The Two Towers, including undersleeves, although the actual sleeves reflect the Green Velvet Gown in the way they’re turned back. Material is difficult to determine, but is either dark brown velvet or very soft wool. Trim is the same gold as the undersleeves. There is a loose hip belt that is highly decorated, with two large gold grommets and a large (4-6 inches) triangle in place of a buckle. The color is possibly bright red, but I’ve seen it done with all colors and look good. Ties are left to dangle, and are different shades of brown decorated with brown and gold beads. Worn with the jewelry from the White Wool gown.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2)[the maidenfair links are broken!] (3)
How to make: (1)
Victory Gown Underdress: An egg shell blue gown made of matelasse fabric, of silk damask. There is a floral depressed pattern with lots of leaves on the fabric, and the sleeves are lined with a light blue silk silk. The bust features 6 small buttons and a high but not quite empire waist seam. There is no train, although the short model makes it look as if there is. Sleeves are fingertip length, fit to the elbow then widened out to drape almost to the ground.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2) (3)
How to make: (1)
Jeweled Coat: A bejeweled outercoat worn over the Victory Gown during the Victory Celebration. The coat is waist length and likely zips in the back with an invisible zipper. The sleeves are just as drapey as the gown’s but open in front to show the underdress sleeves. There is a jeweled front trim set between contrasting strips of gold fabric that run up the front and around the waist and sleeves. The main fabric is similar to that of the underdress, but is a silk dupioni so slightly heavier with the depressed pattern is laced with gold.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2) (3)
How to make: (1)
Ice Blue Coat: Long, ice blue wool coat with a several foot train and very loose fit (think two sizes larger than your usual fit - it’s supposed to be drapey!). Lined with white wool. Plush white fur makes up the collar, in a V from neck to halfway to the waist. The sleeves are folded up with a wide band of the white wool showing, but unfolded they would reach just at or past the fingertips. This coat has no fastenings.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2) (3)
Riding Gown: This dress is frustratingly hard to pin down, mostly because all of the pictures we have are low lighting and limited visibility. Best guess is that it’s made from dark moss green wool or silk velvet of a heavy blend, with the bodice and the assumed split skirt possibly attached to each other (we know the skirt is split in front, but are speculating the rest and opinions are split). The bodice has nine round buttons closing the front and is topped by a dark colored velvet cowl (likely brown or brick red). The cowl covers about a third of the upper arm, is edged with leaf and star patterned gold embroidery about an inch to an inch and a half wide, and is clasped in the front into a V shape with the top front button (which goes all the way through, unlike the others). Sleeves are fitted, held tighter to the wrist with gold lacing loops buttoned up to the elbow. Worn with the same belt as the Beacon dress, as well as dark leggings or trousers. Complete with high dark boots (not above the knee).
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2) (3) (4)
Shieldmaiden Dress (occasionally worn with the Camp Skirt): From the “Art of ROTK” by Ngila Dickson: “The fabric of the dress is the softest [cream and ribbed] silk, with very detailed pin-tucking and embroidery at the neck. We hand-wove the lacing that holds the sleeve back - an important element for fighting as we didn’t want Eowyn to be inhibited by the volume of the fabric in the sleeve. The rich brown suede of the corset is quilted, then embroidered in a delicate gold thread. It took a lot of experimentation to get the balance of the embroidery right - adding decoration while still keeping a practical value to the garment as a whole."
The Camp Skirt is slightly lighter brown than the vest, made of silk with the waistband sewn at a 3:1 ratio (or 3 inches of fabric for every one inch of waist). Hemmed slightly high to see the tip of the brown boots.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2) (3)
How to make: (1) (2) (3)
Dernhelm (Armor): Olive green, long-sleeved, almost-to-the-ankle undertunic that laces up the chest and has a split front and back for mobility. Trousers are also green and tucked into the boots. Leather vambraces on her arms and leather gauntlets. Her knee-length chainmail hauberk is also split front and back with sleeves to the elbow. Then a leather cuirass, then leather faults (hip protectors, also called tassets I think). Her sword is slung over her shoulder and around the waist. Her helm has neck chainmail (called aventail), and the whole outfit is occasionally topped off with a green woolen cloak. Nearly all of the leather wear is laced with leather cord and dyed in fading reds, greens, and dark browns with gold detailing.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2) (3) (4)
How to make: (1)[scroll to bottom]
Starry Mantle and Healing Gown: The Healing Gown is a glorified dressing gown, made from long white china silk with sleeves that flare in a triangle shape. Keep in mind that in many of the images she’s also wearing a white bandage on her arm, but it is not part of the sleeve!
The Starry Mantle is probably a long, narrow rectangle patter rather than a half circle like usual. Fabric is a midnight blue velvet with star-like beading. Drapes from the neck to just below the butt at it’s highest and to the floor on the two edges, and the inside is lined Trimmed with 3 inch wide gold brocade only on the top side.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2) (3) (4)
Coronation Gown and Cloak: From "Art of ROTK”, quote by Ngila Dickson: “The dress is made from a silk bagatelle, dyed gold with silk satin lining. We designed specific embroidery for the edge of the cloak, the neckline, and the belt, based on the flower of Rohan, and this was woven in three different golds, with small red glass beads throughout. We had threaded and stitched small pearls round the sleeve ends, neck edge, and belt. The arm bindings are hand plaited gold thread.”
The gown has a wide neck similar to that of the elven dresses, but not as deep. Worn with the circlet and flower jewelry from previous outfits, and the white boots from the White Wool Dress.
Image details and costume analysis: (1) (2)[fabrics, embroidery, and trims] (3) (4)
Accessories:
Circlet - same 5-point flower motif repeated throughout Eowyn’s wardrobe
Jewelry -same 5-point flower motif repeated throughout Eowyn’s wardrobe
Wig (note - if you wear a wig, which we always recommend, make sure you purchase a wig cap! You can find cheap ones at most drug stores like CVS and Walgreens, as well as general goods stores such as Walmart, Kmart, and Target) - a 28" length is just about perfect for this character. The ideal color is somewhere between a blend of light and golden blonde, and between a frizzy light crimp and waves from a loose braid depending on the outfit. Wig should be mostly one length, with no bangs.
Coronation boots and stockings - in this image, the wearer held the stockings up with garters. However, white tights would work just as well, and are potentially cheaper if you don’t already own garters.
General Tips:
Seamless trim technique
Craft foam or vinyl armor
Leather armor
Basic type helmet pattern
Easy and cheap metal rivets
Chainmail cheats and shortcuts
How-to shields (note - the tutorial is for Captain America’s shield but the shape and more is very modifiable)
Polystyrene swords
Lightweight weapons using expanding foam
Scabbard-making
Buying and working with wigs
General database of how-to’s
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