What am I? I am a passing housewife!!!
Hehehe just to explain, Izumi Curtis is a character from my favourite Japanese anime Fullmetal Alchemist. She always introduces herself as just a passing housewife, and so is the character I can relate to the most. And so, when it comes to choosing an anime character for myself… Izumi Curtis, I choose you!!!! …that’s a pikachu reference there, in case it did not translate…
Izumi Curtis, character and artwork by Hiromu Arakawa
So, firstly… WHY?? well, in Northbridge there is a retro video-gaming bar called Respawn that my kids like to go to… and I should just slip in here that this VERY MUCH a young adult’s kind of a place to hang out on Friday and/or Saturday night. Anyway, last night was Mum’s Night, like a nod to Mother’s Day last weekend, and the deal was that if you brought your Mum you all got free entry. So naturally, Sam and Cassie hatched a plot that I would be going along with them. Of course I said yes! how often do I get invited out on the town with my adult kids? pretty rarely, that’s what! I won’t say never, since my kids are pretty fun and relaxed and not usually embarrassed by my company, but going out to a nightclub in Northbridge is not generally a family thing to do, mmmm? Fellow Perthies will attest to that 😉
Another thing about Respawn is that people often cosplay it up… and so I set about planning and making my costume… I made a sleeveless white shirt-dress/coat-dress, I wore my recently completed Morgan boyfriend jeans, and I made a pair of Japanese toilet slippers like the ones Izumi always wears.
Coat-dress/shirt-dress:
I used two patterns; Vogue 8997, a dress pattern, and for the notched collar I adapted the neckline and spliced on the collar from Closet Case patterns Carolyn pyjamas.
Alterations: for the collar, I added width to the centre back lines of both collar pieces, to fit the width neckline I was after. I also squared off the collar points somewhat, so as to match the more square collar points of Izumi’s coat dress. For the dress; I cut the bodice fronts to have a centre front opening and adapted the neckline to have the notched collar bit, and added enough extra width in the centre front to accommodate the button and buttonhole band. Likewise the front skirt piece has the buttoned opening. Likewise I cut the back skirt to have a centre back seam, and added a bit extra to the lower part of the opening to hem it.
The bodice front and back are in double fabric, and self-lined, so as to enclose the princess seams within the layers. Even though this is just a costume, I reckon there’s no need to cut corners and do a shoddy job of sewing it! I had a small moment of shock when my own Mum suggested just cutting the collar in a single layer of fabric and leave it with a raw edge … oh the horror!! I dunno, call me obsessive, but nowadays I could probably not sew a garment all rough-shod like that in all good conscience. Making all my clothes for the past few years and I am now a fair dinkum full-on, signed up member of the well-made clothing snob club, right here.
Izumi’s coat-dress/shirt-dress is very well fitted, practically skin tight across her bosom which suggests a stretchy fabric. However the collar is also quite structured and stiff-looking, more like a regular woven-fabric shirt collar. So, to get that tight, fitted look; I used two different fabrics in my bodice, a stretch and a non-stretch. Actually, I used three different fabrics all together… but more on that later…. to get the fitted tightness of the bodice AND the structured collar, I cut the bodice front and back from stiff woven ripstop cotton, and I cut the bodice side fronts and backs from stretchy bengaline. This way, there is stretch at my sides, but the shirt fronts maintain that nice crisp look of a tailored notched collar shirt. When fitting the shirt-dress/coat-dress to myself, I left the side seams until the last thing, and the final step was to pull in those bodice side seams nice and tight.
And yes, the skirt is a different, woven cotton… one that is not so stiff and has a bit more flow to it, more suitable to a skirt than the rip-stop. All are long term residents from my stash, probably from Fabulous Fabrics originally. The white buttons were harvested from a recently chucked-out doona cover.
Slippers: Izumi always wears these Japanese toilet slippers…. this is to reiterate her status as a humble housewife and that she spends her days cleaning and doing housework. I made these very quickly and simply, the padding is cut from my good old yoga mat, covered with black cotton cut from an old Tshirt. For the uppers and the underneath bit, I used some very stiff thick black cotton from Remida, from when Meggipeg kindly invited me to go with her the other day. I did the WC letters on the top by couching with some thick, white wool, leftover from Cassie’s beanie that I knitted her for Christmas.
Another pretty important component of Izumi’s look is the Flamel tattoo. Cassie drew this on with a ballpoint pen; it was a little bit hidden on me, but ’twas there…
And, you may be wondering… did I wear this outfit, and these slippers in the streets of Northbridge and in the club? well yes I did! You can rest assured that the other Mums were of course wearing all black, and heels or ankle booties and the like… but not I! I am just! a passing! HOUSEWIFE!!!!!!
pictured in the club…
That is a hilarious costume. Did the other club-goers get it?
thanks BMGM! the “regulars” did, but it’s a reasonably safe bet the other Mums did not 🙂
You’re genius! It must have been a fun night-out. I’d join you wearing like Major General Armstrong if I were there, she is my favorite(^^).
We had great fun!, and yesI love her too! It’s hard to choose a favourite character, because full metal alchemist has so many awesome, strong and interesting ones in the population 🙂
You look fantastic and the kids would have been proud of you.
Pretty cool! How did your kids react?
thanks! they thought it was great! and we all had lots of fun 🙂
You’re too cool to be a mum! I thought the whole purpose of having children was to embarrass them at every opportunity, and especially so when their friends were around. You are an alchemist with fabric and design – a true Izumi.
I’d be so proud to have such a clever, creative and free-thinking parent!
aw, thank you so much Karen! that’s so sweet of you to say 🙂
fantastic, love the outfit, great adaptation, and really sharp tailoring, and of course brilliant ‘back story’….. the only comic hero I have ever aspired to was jessica rabbit,, so envious of that cool voice, and them curves
thanks! haha, I don’t don’t know if I could ever pull off Jessica Rabbit, those curves are something else!
I love your costume — it’s also really wearable. I guess it’s fair to say it’s a costume disguised as a regular outfit 😉
I haven’t gotten very far into Full Metal Alchemist yet, but now I have to!
Yes! it’s a long series but so very worth it. I got all inspired after this and am currently watching it over again! 🙂
I always love your blog Caroline! I’ve shared it with my sewing circle many times – I love this costume and how you “hacked” it all together using a few patterns and different materials. What a fit! I’m in awe of your work as usual 🙂
thank you so much Kathleen! 🙂 I really appreciate your kind comment and for reading too; thank you!
Wow, you really nailed the costume! You are so creative!
What a great story! I like the bar people’s idea of the free mother-children entry! I have to admit that I don’t know any of those series but your costume adaption is so clever. You have been right to sew a real collar and i love how you used the different materials using their best qualities. You are able to surprise us time and again!
Love the costume! You could probably wear it lots – I would anyway.
Awesome job. I only saw bathroom slippers once while in Japan. It was a bit of a puzzle because everyone has their own slippers for the house/room but everyone shares for the bathroom….
(at least in the hotel we visited).
This doesn’t look costumey at all.
What a lovely idea, brilliantly executed. I hope you wear this outfit again, it is very flattering! Very cool post!
Bit tame for a costume don’t you think! But absolutely wonderful for casual wear. Hope it gets another outing.
If you knew full metal alchemist you’d get it. My costume was spot on for the atmosphere of that bar, for me, in that particular crowd and on that night. And the passing housewife might appear subdued and domestic and humble, but she’s actually pretty kickass!
The outfit looks on you exactly as it does on the character!!! Bloody brilliant! Love that raised waist seam
My daughter says, “Oh my gosh, that is an amazing Cosplay.” She loves full metal alchemist and that is one of her favorite characters! She keeps says, “oh my gosh, that is so cool!” Straight out of the mouth of a 12 year old. 🙂
aw, thanks so much Shirley, and thank you to your daughter too! I’m pleased to say the young folk in the bar thought it was pretty awesome too, so I was so glad I went to the effort! Also, now I have an outfit all ready for ComicCon, yay!
so cool! your kids must have been so proud of their mum – i hope you all had a great night out! 🙂
we did! and thank you very much! 🙂
The only thing you need to work on is a vicious expression. No offense, but I think you’ll fail.
Seriously, not only is the costume spot on; it’s uncanny how well it works as regular clothing. I’m seeing a new silhouette and new opportunities. Nothing we didn’t already know about well cut skinny pants, of course; but the sleeveless overcoat is a new kind of cool. It has a cosmopolitan edge that intrigues me. I could see this white top over a pair of fancy shorts, hearkening back to the maxicoat/micropant fad of the 1960s. A miniskirt might work, too. Obviously, a pair of white cigarette pants. Duh.
To take it a step further, what about making this top again in silk organza? Below the knee-to-mid calf length. Translucent, except for the french seams. In black, over a black cami and pants. In white, over whites. In an edgy color organza – iridescent yellow, silver, orange – over cleverly coordinating cami & pants. What stunning, unique evening attire you could make using this template!
More fun from the House of Carolyn. Thanks.
Haha, I was totally doing a vicious expression in that last picture, but it just turned out like a weird smirk because we were giggling too much at the time!
You truly have the coolest ideas, thanks so much for those fabulous suggestions. Now you’ve suggested it, I’m dreaming of lots of new outfits with it… now I totally need some white cigarette pants and maybe some camo ones too, and am even seriously considering an organza version of the coatdress. You temptress you. 😉 Seriously, do you have a blog?
I love the idea of this as everyday wear too, costumes are all well and good but if you’re going to put the work in it’s nice to think you can wear the thing more than just a few times. I think this costume does work pretty well as ordinary out-and-about clothing, although, as you said, it’s not a particular “trendy” thing at the moment, it is a good shape and stye. Those anime artists have some great ideas re clothing, well worth checking out 🙂
Thank you so much again for your amazing commentary! xx 🙂
LOVE it!!! You have such a superb sense of humor and are a fantastic mother! You are especially beautiful in the last shot taken in the club as you must be having such fun with your kiddos. Soooo glad you put the pattern info up because as I read your post I kept scrolling back and forth as it was hard to believe how you combined and modified those patterns to become such a cool top. I think the top looks great on its own and you should wear it as part of your regular wardrobe. 🙂
thank you so much Lisa! xx 🙂
Haha, you’re so cool! Love the outfit!