Finny wears a plain white shirt trimmed in red. The neckline is a simple circle with a v-shaped notch in front. The red is likely to just be bias tape, very simple to apply. The red bias tape is also around the bottoms of the shirt as well as the edges of the sleeves. The sleeves are 3/4 length, straight down. The fabric is likely to be a simple medium-weight cotton.
His pants are a glorious golden, brown, and red plaid. The musical is the best reference for the print. HERE is a good tutorial for making the plaid yourself if you can’t find it in a store. They don’t appear to have any visible pockets. There are belt loops for his tool belt, but it fits him perfectly so that he doesn’t need the belt to hold them up (noted because the toolbelt hangs loose). The anime does not show these belt loops but the musical includes them probably because the toolbelt would slop all over when running across the stage if it wasn’t held down.
His boots are black wellingtons (likely to be rubber) with red soles. The pants tuck into them.
The toolbelt, as noted, hangs to the side. The buckle is on his left; the pouch is on his right and a little to the back. It’s hard to see in the musical but in the anime the strap wraps around the pouch with a buckle in front, indicating that it’s removable.
In the anime, the pouch is usually shown with a green-handled trowel and a red-handled pair of snips or scissors for visibility. The handles look natural in the anime. Alternatively, a side pouch like that (as long as it closed firmly) would be good for keeping your ID in at a con instead of carrying a backpack or purse.
Finny’s straw hat has a red band, and the strings are just right to hold it on. He doesn’t wear it on his head but just riding behind his neck. This could be a pain and it looks like for the musical it was tacked down to the back of the shirt so that the string doesn’t choke the neck. (See reference above) This is the really logical thing to do.
Don’t forget Finny’s tattoo from his days as a human experiment. It says S-012 in a plain stencil-style font. (It’s possible that it’s a brand but a tattoo is easier to fake)
HERE is a method for making a temporary tattoo with gel pens or sharpies. Because of its location you will need a friend to help you apply it.
Finny wears three hair clips on his left and two on his right. Usually he is seen with white gardening gloves, short-cuffed.
Check out our full reference gallery on Pinterest, perfect for mobile viewing!
Susan wears the cap askew to the left so we can not see the top button.
Again, I do not have a color reference. I instinctively imaged it as a maroon leather, and it appears to be about as dark as Carole Ann Ford’s hair (near-black brown) or Susan’s collar (black).
Whether black or a near-black maroon or brown, it must be very dark.
Seen In:
An Unearthly Child – An Unearthly Child
Publicity Shoot
Please follow for more Doctor Who cosplay breakdowns! I am currently working on a Susan Foreman archive.
Potential spoilers… just don’t poke too deeply into the haircut and you should be fine. This is the outfit that Leo wears when he’s not in school.
TAILCOAT
This is a wonderfully complicated piece of work.
The tailcoat is double-breasted, with six buttons that he keeps buttoned up all the time; quite proper. It has a flat notched collar to match this look.
It’s made of two panels on each side of the front. The first is under the buttons, and includes the triangle at the bottom and goes up to the shoulder – but notice the seam for the second panel up by the armhole. It’s really hard to see but I’m guessing that at the end of the visible seam on the right picture it angles up to meet the armhole. The second panel goes over to the side seam and angles down to include part of the tails.
If you look at the back, it is made of three panels. The two on the side probably are identical mirrors of the two on the sides in front. The buttons are at the waist, over the seam to the panels.
On the back image, there is a crease down the sleeve but the other images above do not have this: it’s probably just a crease and not a seam. The sleeves are fitted down to the elbow and then widen for the floofy sleeves. There is a slit down the side/back of the sleeve (so when he’s standing the slit is under his wrist). However, I don’t think that this is on the pre-haircut outfit – notice the difference in the sleeves between the pre-haircut and post-haircut versions.
Side note – there is probably a gusset under the arm because it is so tightly fitted. I cannot imagine such a well-tailored suit not having a gusset to achieve the sleeve shaping.
The tails have the back seam continuing down them, and should fall roughly past the knees.
SHIRT
As we never see him without the tailcoat, the shirt has to be deduced from what little we can see as Leo moves.
The sleeves are floofy and spread out through the slit mentioned above in the tailcoat’s sleeves. There are two layers of ruffles, but the sleeve probably widens slightly to accommodate this as well, beginning right past the elbow, based on the shaping of the tailcoat.
The collar is different from your typical dress shirt. It’s an ascot collar. (source) Yet he is not wearing it with an ascot, but with a really nice ribbon. (I ran across a piece of art with a light-coloured wide ribbon/bow instead, but I can’t find the source. May or may not be canon. This purple ribbon is both pre- and post- spoiler!haircut.)
This art from the 2012 calendar gives a good view of the ribbon. It’s got this large pin over the knot – a darker purple gem to match the ribbon, edged in dark silver. The ribbon looks a bit shiny so it’s not grosgrain. Yet the more slippery kind of ribbon is hard to keep in shape like this so it may have some wire along the edge or down the middle.
CROWN
This is never in the manga – artbook only. Yet it’s a good accessory and adds to the ouji look. As there has not been another artbook yet since Leo was revealed to be [SPOILER SPOILER], I believe this is the only official art including the crown.
It’s a mini-crown that is a little bit of a fascinator, because of the sheer black fabric coming down over the side. It probably pins underneath with a clip or a hatpin (or multiples thereof). This sheer black fabric is what covers the base of the crown. It only comes down the one side, though. It layers downwards similar to the cravats worn by other characters (Break, Gilbert), and the edge is finished with black tatted or crocheted lace. (I would put my money on tatted, personally. Crochet-work tends to be a little thicker for the volume shown; although I’m neither a tatter nor a doily-crocheter.)
Details can be seen in the picture for embellishments – there’s beading that divides the crown into most likely eight sections, a cross on top, and a muted grey and black band along the bottom.
PANTS
Quite simple – dress pants that match the tailcoat in colour. The key is in the upkeep. They must be neatly pressed. Notice the crease in the front, which is distinct all the way up to the waist.
SHOES
Leo wears Oxfords – quite appropriate for a schoolboy of the nobility class. (note: he counts as part of the nobility class because he is Eliot’s personal manservant) They are black to match his outfit. Most interestingly, ribbons to match his collar are the laces.
Note: Oxfords usually have the eyelets on those flaps, not underneath. This must be a variant. Also notice the top-stitching (or possibly perforations which would make it a quarter-brogue variant on an oxford). (Thanks to Wikipedia for research on types of Oxfords!)
Break most often wears a top hat with his least-often seen outfit, which I’ve termed his butler outfit. This is usually when he’s out and about with Sharon in high society or other situations where it would not be appropriate for him to be wearing the white coat.
The Hat With the Sash
The best pictures of this are in the artbook, but it’s also the hat he wears when he meets baby!Gil in episode 11 and Retraces XII & XIII (chapters 12 & 13)
First, let’s note the outline. This silhouette is the best I’ve found.
It’s pretty traditionally shaped for a top hat. A little bit wider at the top than at the bottom of the crown. Gentle curved brim which is better seen in other panels.
Next, the size. It is NOT a mini top hat. (Should be obvious but then I better say it) It also needs to fit correctly – not be too big. It will not fall into his eyes although he can tip it downwards. It’s not so tight, though, that it mushes his hair a lot. It’s just going to rest, just so, like a properly fitting top hat.
The sash should be of a sheer material that has some texture to it so it doesn’t just slide around. (Silky but not too silky!) It’s quite wide as well, probably between 6 and 8 inches. Length varies but a good safe length would be about halfway down your back when the hat is sitting straight on your head. Notice here how the edge is cut:
Watching this scene in episode 11 is very informative about the shape of the end of the sash. The end here is like a long triangle, tapering off.
The sash is wrapped around the hat at least twice. There is only one end dangling so the second end must be hidden, probably under itself at the beginning. I think that the knot at the front is actually just in one layer of the sash as a decoration. It falls right off center in front.
The other decorations on the hat are three roses and a piece of paper. Positioning and size of these varies as well, especially between the artbook and the actual anime/manga.
In the anime/manga the roses are all the same size and are nearly always lined up one after another. The piece of paper is stuck behind the third. It’s unreadable – just scribbles.
In closeups in the manga as well as in the artbook, the roses are different. There is one big rose and two smaller roses. In the manga panel above, the two smaller roses are to the right of the big rose. In this artbook piece, the big rose is to the right. (Note also that it clarifies that knot in front to actually be more of the sash looping around itself as in the back. Without testing it I’m not sure if this is possible)
To complicate matters more, this other artbook piece shows a different arrangement:
All three roses are the same size but two are stacked on each other to pin down the paper.
In my opinion, as long as your roses look good any of these arrangements are acceptable, as are different sizes of paper. Make it look pretty!
As for colours, the sash should match the cravat, a sheer light pink. The hat should match the suit, a very deep purple that is almost black. The roses should be a light mustard – definitely not bright yellow but not pastel yellow either. It’s a very unique colour as far as roses are concerned. The colour of the paper is not clear in the anime but the artbook shows it being discoloured/weathered and it really fits with the overall look.
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If you don’t know how to make a top hat, check out this tutorial. I like how this artist uses plastic canvas for a durable base and wire to shape the brim. http://curiouschilde.livejournal.com/6033.html
For more details as well as a variant of the tophat, check out the Pinterest board below:
Just started watching this series, and I absolutely love Mami’s magical girl design! I feel that it is very reminiscent of the 1940’s cowgirl look; notice especially the colours, the boots, and the skirt. The pillbox hat and fluffy fascinator brings it back a little farther to the 1910-1920 range – but the 1940’s cowgirl always was a little timeless, reaching back as far as the late 1800’s. (Yes, I was a big Dale Evans/Roy Rogers fan as a kid. XD) Let’s look at Mami’s magical girl take on it closer.
The basic construction of this outfit is deceptively simple, and you do have some options. The first would be to make the dress all one piece (white on top and brown for the skirt). The second would be to make the top and skirt separate. I believe that it would be more comfortable to be separate, and it’s more likely to be put together this way. (We never see her without the corset so we don’t know) Either way, the corset appears to be a separate piece that goes over the rest.
I’ll cover the pillbox hat, soul gem hairpin, boots, and stockings at the end, as well as the arm covers. The last, by the way, are not attached at all to the dress. They just match really well!
SHIRT
Ever so slightly off-white. Think just a bit of muslin or beige. Not so beige that it blends in, but pure white will make it look too comic-y. Mami comes off as a very mature individual, and this shows in a more muted colour range. For proof, note the difference between her white fascinator and her shirt. Just a bit tonally different.
The shirt is well-fitting but not tight. (The well-defined shape actually comes from the corset sitting under the bust rather than over, and not from the tightness of the shirt) The collar stands up but not straight – it tips away from the neck slightly.
There’s a bit of puff to the sleeves, but not too much. It’s a fairly straight sleeve gathered down to the single-button cuff which causes the puff. You can tell because the puff is closer to the bottom of the sleeve than the top. I’d experiment and figure out if it needs any widening before the cuff, but it very well may not. And a little white/clear shirt button would be good for the cuff button here. (Alternatively a matching fabric covered button would be a good option as well!)
Between the bodice and the sleeves there is a stripe of brown to match the corset. It’s debatable how this goes on. I would wager bias tape sewn down for a decorative look rather than an actual piece of fabric in the sleeve hole. That’d be just too complicated, lol.
The mustard trim is deceiving but it really does not continue down over the corset. It just matches. Hidden zipper down the front under a mustard edging (probably bias tape) The top of the zipper is hidden by the slightly brighter yellow ribbon – matches her hair! The little crosswise strips on the trim are decorative and could be held down with snaps, velcro, or another invisible fastener of your choice.
CORSET
Caveat emptor: do be careful with corsets. Do your research. Practice wearing them for short periods of time. And for heaven’s sake don’t lace them so tight that you hurt yourself!
That being said, a well-fitting corset does not have to squeeze your insides and can be a great cosplay piece such as this one.
The basic corset here is one brown wrap-around piece; it appears longer in the back than in the front although part of that is a visual illusion due to that it sits under the bust, which hides some of the front length. The boning is probably under the yellow stripes as well as the barely-visible seam right next to the buckle in the picture above.
As in the first picture, it’s a V-shaped corset – points down in the center back and in the center front. It does give Mami a very hourglass shape; however, if you are attempting to mimic this, remember that if you are having difficulty breathing it is DEFINITELY too tight.
The belt-style buckles across the front are chiefly decorative. The actual fastening would be a bunch of brassiere hooks under the yellow edging or possibly an invisible zipper.
The white, rough trim at the top and bottom edge of the corset should actually match the shirt in colour. It’s not rick-rack (which would be a more definite zig-zag). I’ve had it suggested that it be grosgrain ribbon for a textured look that would make sense. Otherwise I’m not entirely sure what it would be other than perhaps a strip of the shirt fabric sewn down without binding off the edges? I can’t imagine this looking as neat – certainly not as finished a look as the rest of her outfit.
Quick look at the back – seam down the back probably has more boning in it, and the bottom stripe of off-white turns into a bow. The simplest way to do this would be to sew down a bow rather than to leave two ends of ribbon to tie a bow into. Prevents it from coming undone as well.
This also allows for the second set of ends coming down off the bow as in the first back screenshot at the top of the page. (Sorry for all the scrolling!) They can either be ends of the ribbon coming off the corset under the bow or they can be sewn into the bow itself.
SKIRT
The skirt definitely has at least some petticoat under it despite that you never SEE any. I’d wear a short petti under the skirt to give it the shape, especially as the V of the corset will be pushing the skirt down.
EDIT: elephantbirdcosplay has pointed out that a petti is not needed to achieve this look. Their outfit looks great without it! Adding their comment as a quote:
I disagree about the petticoat. With enough care put into the structure of the skirt, it’s possible to make it that puffy without one. My costume I box pleated it, used interfacing (the stiffer the better), a 3″ horse hair braid in the hem, and wired ribbon as the bottom trim. It’s also two full circle skirts, so it’d be very full even without all of that. A lot of work, but it was very puffy on its own which is more accurate than trying to hide a petticoat.
The skirt itself is a pale brown or tan, trimmed with a brown edging. It’s very full. There are no pleats or seams visible, so I am going to peg it as a circle skirt. Plenty of space under that for a petti!
STOCKINGS
In my sleep-bemused mind, I am calling these Tenth Doctor stockings. And sure enough, they’re pinstriped brown stockings. The pinstripe even shows up as pale blue on all of these shots, although I would wager that it’s really mustard yellow. They’re thigh-high – Mami doesn’t show much leg.
BOOTS
Cowboy boots, without the traditional exterior embroidery. Also different from most cowboy boots, the v shape is only in the back and not in the front. They match the rest of the outfit – the same browns as the skirt and corset, with a pale trim that could theoretically either be the beige or the mustard.
HAT
Same brown as the corset. It’s a pillbox style. Because of the fascinator, I’m going to say 1920’s for a good starting research point if you want to use a period pattern, although the pillbox style came and went for years. The basic idea is that it’s a very short, round hat. On this particular version, the top does curve gently up. It often has to be pinned on with a hatpin. The fascinator probably is theoretically meant to serve this purpose, although as in this picture below it is not actually close enough to the hat to do any good!
FASCINATOR (SOUL GEM)
This picture tells more than I could ever describe regarding the details of the soul gem itself. The soul gem is turned into a lovely piece of wire & gem jewelry. Have lots and lots of fun creating this piece! The long tuft of fur turns the entire piece into a fascinator. Definitely make sure that the fur flies back away from the head and does not droop – needs to be stiff enough to be posed properly.
ARM COVERS
There is no visible cuff at the top of the arm covers. It could be held on with elastic; it could be held on with an interior cuff. At the bottom they have a cuff just like the cuff of the sleeves. Again, they’re poofy without being TOO poofy.
Under the arm covers, Mami wears a pair of tight brown fingerless gloves. They’re like gloves with the fingers cut off, only intentionally. They match the corset, with the mustard yellow trim at the ends of the fingers. As we never see her wrists bare, they probably go up far enough under the cuff to make sure they never slip out.
Have something to add? Something I missed? Comment below! I review all comments for possible (and credited) addition.
Check out the Pinterest board here for reference pics on the go!
(Also nicknamed Finny.)
The toolbelt, as noted, hangs to the side. The buckle is on his left; the pouch is on his right and a little to the back. It’s hard to see in the musical but in the anime the strap wraps around the pouch with a buckle in front, indicating that it’s removable.
Don’t forget Finny’s tattoo from his days as a human experiment. It says S-012 in a plain stencil-style font. (It’s possible that it’s a brand but a tattoo is easier to fake)
CORSET
Under the arm covers, Mami wears a pair of tight brown fingerless gloves. They’re like gloves with the fingers cut off, only intentionally. They match the corset, with the mustard yellow trim at the ends of the fingers. As we never see her wrists bare, they probably go up far enough under the cuff to make sure they never slip out.
