Any Hunger Games (book) fans? I made a pretty!!

[Mermaid Margarete]

Hey Mers!

I thought I'd share with you my version of Katniss Everdeen's 1st Interview Gown which I designed based off the descriptions of it in the book. I'm a HUGE fan of the Hunger Games books and was super dissapointed with the gown they created in the movie SO I made my own!!

I created the gown (with some help) out of 12.5 yards of Italian silk which was hand dyed with vibrant, all natural dyes from France. I then glued on over 10 THOUSAND Swarovski crystals, by hand, with glue and tweezers.

Details brought to life in my design include (but may be hard to see):
*Sparkly eye lashes
*Gold body shimmer
*Flame inspired henna/body paint up arms
*Blue crystals on tips of crystal flames on gown (I used crystals instead of precious gems >.> SUPER hard to see in pictures, tho)
*Flames painted on nails
*Red lips, darkened eyes
*Red extentions weaved into hair

I wore it to ECCC 2013 and managed to collect 1st place in the Scifi/Media/Fantasy catagory of the coplay contest ^^

I'm going to be doing an official photo shoot much later in the month, but for now you can see what photos I have here (this album will be updated as I find more photos): https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.558811454136698.1073741825.345187305499115&type=1

[MerEmma]

Congrats! Looks amazing! I love the colors.

[Mermaid Margarete]

Thank you!! ^__^ I love how the color turned out, too!

[Kanti]

I never actually read the book but I went to see the movie and I thought it was pretty cool!
To be honest I forgot what the dress even looked like xD

But still, very cool! I especially love the tattoos! They look like henna O:

[Mermaid Margarete]

BASICALLy the one they did in the movie was a red prom gown that had CGI flames on it when she spun.

In the book the gown is covered in precious gems that are in a flame design - no fire when she spins.

And thanks!! I fell in love with the henna flames the makeup artist did! It was done with tattoo ink body paint - which stays on/doesn't smear/only comes off with rubbing alcohol.

[Spindrift]

That's really cool! Congrats on your win!

[Mermaid Margarete]

Thank you!! =D

[Mermaid Margarete]

SO since the pictures are all so flat I made a silly video of me dancing in the dress so show of just how sparkly it is ^^


http://youtu.be/JLKfZzBthV8

[MerEmma]

So pretty, seriously. It's a gorgeous dress.

[Mermaid Margarete]

Thanks, Emma!! <3

Sorry, I'm just SO proud of it.

I lost A LOT OF sleep last week getting it done in time for ECCC (I got 2-3 hours a night) T__T

And I couldn't be happier with how it turned out after all of that hard work.

[Mermaid Arianna]

Did you enter the "Hunger Games fan of the week" on facebook? Your dress looks sooooooooooo much better than those lame prom dresses. ITS GORGEOUS!!

[seagirls626]

SOOOOOO PRETTY!!!! I'm a HUGE Hunger Games fan! And when I say huge, I mean huge.

[seagirls626]

Oh, and I am NOT a movie fan. Full time book fan.

[Mermaid Margarete]

Thank you, so much!

I'm a HUGE book fan, too! and was super sad when I finally watched the movie =( Tho, I did like the twist with the Game Maker's death... that's was clever.

I'm plotting to enter it into the "fan of the week" thing once I have professional photos of it. The ones I have right now aren't the best. I've got a shoot scheduled on March 30th with a photograher who is also a HUGE fan of the books so she's got some great concepts in mind =D I'm super excited to get those photos! I'm srsly DYING for better photos so I can properly show it off!

[MerEmma]

I loved the movie and the book. What wasn't to like about the movie?

[Mermaid Margarete]

I'm a hard core "the book was better" sort of fan for all books-to-movies. A lot of the time they twist things, aren't true to things/cut corners (for example not only did they really screw up Katniss's 1st Interview dress, but also Katniss's and Rue's relationship, the split victor's crown, Katniss's fear of President Snow etc etc).

I'm a very detailed orientated person who has the "Go big or go home" sort of attitude. If you're going to do something, do it right.

Like it doesn't upset me that they cut out the Mayor's daughter or the Avox's as long as they don't try to bring them in later (cause that will just confuse people who haven't read the book).

But they weren't true enough to the book for what they did include in the movie for, my taste, and cut corners where they could've easily not. I understand needing to cut some things out for the sake of film time, but when you include it and just do it wrong... that irriatates me =)

[MerEmma]

I loved the movie and the book, haha. I thought it was a fantastic book-to-movie. :P

[Sephina]

I've never read the books/seen the movies, as I know I personally would be comparing it to Battle Royale through the whole thing. >.> (Bad me, I know) But I sure can appreciate the gown! This is gorgeous! And I know the kind of work it takes to place that many gems, I had to do it on one of my own costumes. It looks fabulous and congrats on your win!

[MermaidBrittany]

WOW! I absolutely LOVE that dress! You should be proud of it it looks amazing!!!! :)

[Mermaid Jewel]

Ah I'm a big fan! I love your version of the dress and the body paint! I was disappointed in the movie a little because though it captured the feel of the Capitol I don't think it quite captured the truly outlandish fashion. And of course I memorized like every detail haha. I actually had an idea of that particular dress completely different from everyone else who read the book (I really don't know why...) but I love yours and wow. So many sparklies :D

[Mermaid Margarete]

Sephina - I actually saw Battle Royale before I read the books and was still able to enjoy it. Tho, to me, Battle Royale, had a slight humorous undertone XD and The Hunger Games lacks that, so it was easy for me not to compare the two. AND THANK YOU!!! Putting on the crystals was mind numbing x_X the dying took longer than anticipated so we were a few days behind! I was getting 2-3 hours of sleep, going to work then put crystals on til the sun was coming up, to get the dress done in time for the convention.

MermaidBrittany - Thank you!!! I am so so SO happy with how it turned out ^__^

Mermaid Jewel - That's actually why this cosplay was the hardest cosplay I have EVER designed. Doing something from a book is SUPER hard cause so many people see different things when they read a book x_X But thank you!! and yes, lots and lots of sparklies... I sometimes find myself just staring at the gown O.O

[Mermaid Jewel]

Mermaid Jewel - That's actually why this cosplay was the hardest cosplay I have EVER designed. Doing something from a book is SUPER hard cause so many people see different things when they read a book x_X But thank you!! and yes, lots and lots of sparklies... I sometimes find myself just staring at the gown O.O

I would too! I'm hoping one day my sewing skills are enough that I can make the dress I see in my head :) Oh and if I find the right kind of crystals ;D

[Mermaid Stark]

Thank you, so much!

I'm a HUGE book fan, too! and was super sad when I finally watched the movie =( Tho, I did like the twist with the Game Maker's death... that's was clever.

I'm plotting to enter it into the "fan of the week" thing once I have professional photos of it. The ones I have right now aren't the best. I've got a shoot scheduled on March 30th with a photograher who is also a HUGE fan of the books so she's got some great concepts in mind =D I'm super excited to get those photos! I'm srsly DYING for better photos so I can properly show it off!

Yeah, I was kinda disappointed with parts of the movie too. Like, where is Madge? And WHAT'S WITH THE THE NOTHING HAPPENING WITH PEETA'S LEG THING? ISN'T HE SUPPOSED TO LOSE IT??? It'll be funny to see what happens with that in Catching Fire...

[MermaidBrittany]

Yeah, I was kinda disappointed with parts of the movie too. Like, where is Madge? And WHAT'S WITH THE THE NOTHING HAPPENING WITH PEETA'S LEG THING? ISN'T HE SUPPOSED TO LOSE IT??? It'll be funny to see what happens with that in Catching Fire...
I KNOW!! This part made me the most angry .. I mean really?? That was a HUGE part of the story line -_- It shall be interesting to see what they do....

[Mermaid Caspiana]

Great job! And congrats! That is amazing! Better than the movie! You alos look like you are hving so much fun twirling! :) ;)

[spottedcatfish]

Just Gorgeous! I love your dress!

[Mermaid Margarete]

OMG! The "not losing his leg" AND you totally don't get the vibe that Katniss fears for her life at the end - no splitting crown and such. My mom, who hadn't read the book but saw the movie, had no idea Katniss was on the Capitol's "bad" list until I was venting about book to movie things they screwed up.

And thank you for the compliments!!... and I do have way too much fun spinning in it XD

I did an editorial type shoot this weekend with a local photographer who is also a fan of HG. The thought behind the shoot was "If the Capitol were to have done a magazine spread that featured each tribute individually, these would have been the photos of Katniss"

4 hours of hair and make up later...
Here's the teaser image from the shoot:
10471

[MermaidBrittany]

OMG! The "not losing his leg" AND you totally don't get the vibe that Katniss fears for her life at the end - no splitting crown and such. My mom, who hadn't read the book but saw the movie, had no idea Katniss was on the Capitol's "bad" list until I was venting about book to movie things they screwed up.

And thank you for the compliments!!... and I do have way too much fun spinning in it XD

I did an editorial type shoot this weekend with a local photographer who is also a fan of HG. The thought behind the shoot was "If the Capitol were to have done a magazine spread that featured each tribute individually, these would have been the photos of Katniss"

4 hours of hair and make up later...
Here's the teaser image from the shoot:
10471

Absolutely STUNNING! Wow you and the dress look beautiful :)

[Mermaid Margarete]

Absolutely STUNNING! Wow you and the dress look beautiful :)


Thank you :$ I'm super excited to see the rest of the images - At least the photographer is saying I'll have them sooner than later.

[MerEmma]

Where are the rest of the pictures? :D

[Mermaid Jewel]

That was you! I spied you in the corner of the stage in the SyFy show Heroes of Cosplay and I was like "WAIT I KNOW that dress! I've seen her before!" haha! I just HAD to check :) Gorgeous!

[Ariadne]

Absolutely stunning!

[Miyu]

Oh gosh, I am in love! Just hearing the materials is enough to make me drool - instead of making a Katniss costume, you literally re-created the dress from the book! As a fellow fiber nut and dyer, I have to say I am just dying in love with those colours. And the crystals! Ohmygoodness! You deserve to win first place in costume contests 4 LIFE. I'm blown away. The super-big costume nerd in me (well, she's not hiding that deep, that's pretty much my main passion) just wants to wash my hands and caress that fabric all day...

And your video is awesome! It looks like Katniss (if she were the type to dance) venting after the interview - in dance :)

Super-big book fan here, but I do enjoy the movie. I know the books well enough my brain fills in what's wrong :P

[mermaidtigris]

That dress is amazing! Yea, I didn't like how they messed up some stuff but it's kind of like that with all book to movies. After I read I Am Number Four and then watched the movie I was pretty mad. They did the same with Percy Jackson, Kronos is supposed to rise in the fourth book not the second and Poseidon never used a sword and so they pretty much ruined greek mythology. Did anyone see Catching Fire? I thought it was better than the first one but I wish they would've put the hanging tree song in there and wasn't Katniss supposed to meet two runaways from district 7 in the woods?

[MermanZen]

LOVE IT!!!!