Report on Arisia Con Costumes

        D and I spent the weekend at the Arisia sci-fi/fantasy/geek culture convention.  I was really there because I was in the art show, but of course that makes a good excuse to check out the fabulous scene.  The most noticeable part of the scene is the costumes.  D and I don't wear costumes (although I do like to plan imaginary costumes that I could put together from the items I own, and I confess that I finally broke down and bought an inexpensive pair of steampunkable goggles!)  We aren't enough of exhibitionists to want to parade in the spotlight, but we certainly do enjoy sitting on the sidelines and admiring (or raising eyebrows at) the costumes that others so boldly display.  So, what did we notice this year as opposed to two years ago when we were at Arisia before?  Extreme high heels seemed less popular, much to my satisfaction, and I was surprised, but not sorry, at the absence of zombie hordes.  Steampunk is still definitely hot, but not as dominant as before.  My favorites in this genre were two women with steampunk fairy wings.  One set was sharp-edged panels, three on each side, that could

be fanned out by pulling a cord or something.  The other was constructed of copper tubing outlining a butterfly-wing shape.  They flapped when someone turned a crank on her back.

        There was more Star Trek this year, including some fun twists on the classics.  For example, we were amused by a red-shirted "Ensign Lucky," and by a Vulcan in a classic Star Trek uniform shirt, plus leather corset and black gauze tutu.  Not the regulation Starfleet uniform!…  There were plenty of Hogwarts outfits, a few Jedi, and a couple of excellent Hobbits… I saw two fans dressed as Merida from "Brave," two Sallys from "The Nightmare Before Christmas," and two Korras from "Legend of Korra."  (There was also an excellent firebender, though I'm not sure if she was Firelord Ozai or someone else.)…  There were a lot of superheroes, including an all-female band of Avengers…  and of course lots of Anime characters, none of whom I recognize…

        But the real surge this year was "Doctor Who."  (One of the vendors was even selling a series of tea blends inspired by the different Doctors.  I didn't buy any, but they smelled nice.)  Wandering the lobby there was at least one Fourth Doctor (the Tom Baker version with the long scarf) and a number of Eleventh Doctors (the current one, usually sporting a fez).  There was an Amy Pond and several daleks.  There was a most excellent remote-controlled K-9 being surreptitiously driven by a companion Leela.  And finally there were at least three Tardises all in blue.  The most elaborate was called "The Princess Tardis" and had a royal blue ball gown with a front panel that opened up to reveal a hand painted scene of the Tardis's interior -- Larger on the inside!

        All in all, we had a grand time and my sales were decent, so I'm sure we'll be going again another year!

[Pictures: The Doctor, K-9, and Leela, photo by DLN, 2013;
Green Fairy with a Twist, photo from batwrangler, 2013;

The Princess Tardis, photo from KarkatLaw, 2013.]