Lust is definitely a costume I never would have attempted had it not been for a specific role. For Metrocon 2008, I was cast as Lust, breaking my streak of playing male charcters for the convention (Reno in 06 and Zoicite in 07). I hadn't actually seen any FMA before that point, so the costume was more of a challenge than usual, since I had no reference of the character's movements and such. I had to research a bit before starting.

The dress itself was a pain, but at least we didn't have to draft anything for it. We found a bridal dress pattern in almost the perfect form, all that was necessary was adding a slit and lowering the bust line slightly, moving the shoulders down a bit to match. We added red knit applique before sewing the pieces together, and the sleeve was lengthened considerably to allow for a glove later. The entire dress is lined and has interfacing in the bodice area. I still kick myself for forgetting to add the slit to the top of the sleeve.

After the dress was sewn together, we experimented with gloves. After finally finding a method that worked (tracing the hand and sewing the glove together before cutting the fabric), we matched up some fleshtone mesh to the other side of the black extra fabric on the hands, creating the effect of palmless gloves. I'm most proud of the aspect, since it was a struggle and I think it came out nicely. The only problem is that I have to take off the entire dress to free my hands, which is a HUGE hassle.

Other than the dress, there wasn't much to this costume. The ouroboros tattoo was made from red vinyl, spirit gummed on. I was actually really happy with how it came out, since I managed all the details - I accomplished this by taping a print-out of the tattoo onto the vinyl and cutting with small scissors, retaping when necessary. It creates a better effect than drawing it on, and is reusable with little difficulty.

The wig has seen better days by this point after performances, and I wish it was longer, but it didn't require too much styling, and it's fun to flip around. The makeup changes a lot depending on who puts it on (sometimes myself, for performances, though, I had others do it), but I was always sure to have black lipstick on the top lip and dark purple on the bottom, since that was a detail I could always get right and enjoyed. The boots and the bodice underneath are what make this costume nearly unwearable at times (and impossible to have on and move for more than a few hours). The boots are five inch heels with a two inch platform and thigh high to avoid showing any skin at the slit. The bodice is, well, there for obvious purposes.

But I'll tell ya, fighting in a bodice, boots, and tight dress... not fun.

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