Okay, so I decided I wanted to put together a fantasy getup. Not for anything specific at first, maybe a local faire later on, but mostly ’cause I thought it’d be a fun project. I always liked those rugged, slightly worn fantasy looks, you know, like a ranger or something who’s seen a bit of the world.
Getting the Idea Down
First thing, I didn’t go super complicated. I wasn’t about to try and build a full suit of plate armor in my garage. Nah, I aimed for something more achievable. I thought about layers: a decent tunic, some rough trousers, sturdy boots I already had, and maybe some leather-ish looking bits like bracers and a belt.
I grabbed a notepad and just sketched out some rough shapes. Didn’t need to be fancy art, just enough to get the pieces straight in my head. Key parts I wanted:
- A long-ish, earth-toned tunic. Green or brown maybe.
- Dark trousers, nothing flashy.
- Arm guards (bracers).
- A wide belt, maybe with a pouch.
- A cloak or cape would be cool, but maybe later. Start simple.
Hunting for Materials
This part was kinda fun, actually. I hit up a couple of fabric stores. Man, some of that stuff is expensive! I was looking for texture, something that looked a bit coarse, maybe linen-like or a heavier cotton for the tunic. Found a decent forest green cotton blend that wasn’t too pricey. For the ‘leather’ bits, I wasn’t messing with real leather working, not for this project anyway. I found some thicker brown vinyl fabric, sometimes called pleather, that looked okay and was easy to cut.
I also rummaged through my own closet. Found an old pair of dark brown cargo pants that were comfy and kinda fit the rugged look. Score! Saved me making trousers. And I had an old wide leather belt that just needed a bit of roughing up to look less modern.
Putting It All Together
Alright, the making part. Started with the tunic. I laid out the green fabric, used an old t-shirt that fit well as a rough guide, but made it longer and wider. Cut out the front, back, and sleeve pieces. My sewing skills are basic, like, really basic. I just used my old sewing machine for the main seams – straight stitches, nothing complex. Took my time. Had to redo one sleeve ’cause I put it on backwards. Classic me.
For the bracers, I cut the vinyl into shape, basically rectangles that would wrap around my forearms. To give them some shape, I actually glued some craft foam inside before folding and stitching the edges. Punched some holes along the edges using a standard hole punch (worked surprisingly well on the vinyl) and threaded some cord through for lacing them up.
The belt I already had, but I took some sandpaper to the edges and surface just to scuff it up a bit, make it look less like it came from a department store last year. I found a small drawstring pouch, like the kind you get jewelry in, made of a rough canvas material, and attached that to the belt.
Trying It On & Tweaks
First time putting it all on? The tunic felt a bit stiff. Ran it through the washing machine and dryer once, which softened it up nicely. The bracers looked okay, maybe a bit too clean. I thought about adding paint but decided against it for now. Keep it simple. The trousers and boots worked perfectly.
The main issue: the tunic neck was a bit plain. I cut a simple V-neck into it, which looked much better. Then I used some leftover vinyl strips to create a crude facing around the neck opening, just hand-stitched that on. It gave it a bit more character.
End Result
So, yeah. Got my simple fantasy costume. It’s not movie quality, not by a long shot. But it’s comfy, it looks the part well enough, and I made it myself. Took me maybe two weekends, poking at it here and there. It was a good time, figuring things out as I went. Definitely learned that having a solid, simple plan is better than trying to do too much at once. Maybe I’ll add that cloak next.
