Tifa Costume - Final Fantasy Advent Children
One of my best clients commissioned this costume for Northeast Ohio's Colossalcon. She and I studied reference images to duplicate the character as completely as possible. The biggest challenge was what appeared to be an apron around her hips with the skirt cascading over it. I constructed a sturdy hip belt to support the apron front and pleated back skirt.
The costume consists of a pair of black shorts, a pleated half-skirt (with exactly the number of pleats in Tifa's skirt), an apron with Snap-on pockets, a cropped sleeveless top with exposed zipper and a gray cropped tank top. A tiny bit of the tank top was exposed in every picture we found, so it is secured in the right position with clear snaps.
I used moleskin for the black portions of the costume. It has a suede-like appearance without being too heavy for the skirt and apron. The tank top is cotton knit.
This is one of my client's favorite costumes. She has worn it to numerous anime conventions. It was recently exhibited in the Cosplay Gallery at Ohayocon, one of the ten largest cons in the U.S.