This post should be titled "How to make a Buzz Lightyear costume in three days." If you have more time, money and ability, you can make something truly awesome, like this guy did.
Seriously, the more of these I see the more embarrassed I am by the slapped-together-and-drunkenly-planned one I made (The Artist would call that "slapdick"). Instead of acting like it didn't happen though, I think I'll use it as motivation to try again. I really want to try the vacu-foam technique, when I can find some time (2019?). I'm sure I could eventually make a more accurate version than what I did. So I'll dub mine the "charming, homemade" version, which is always code for "kinda shitty."
Anyhoo, so after night one I sort of had parts sort of painted and sewed. I decided to build the upper body on a black sweatshirt ($3), so I measured off lengths of the foam insulation, cut them lenthwise and hand-sewed them near the zipper in the back. I left them the dark gray/black instead of trying to paint them completely black; I learned from the alien costume neckpiece that the foam really really hates being painted and will thwart your every effort.
Back to the wings and jetpack. I had to start adding on parts for authenticity, including the lightedtorches on the wingtips. So I painted some floral foam (cut into cones) and cut out notches so they'd fit securely on the wings. I did 2 cones, bottom to bottom, for each wing and covered them in matching green foam. (The blinking lights fit into the tips)
As Mr. Lightyear is a toy, he needs screws to hold all the parts on, so I made some foam screws and painted them silver to go on the jetpack. (I assume these are supposed to hold the wing mechanisms in place and allow them to pivot outwards.)I know the wings are part of the costume, but there was no way he could move freely inside with the wings on. So I made the jetpack three pieces: the main, wearable pack, which is worn with the assistance of the back of an old Paradise Jam backpack and includes the bulk of the pack and the exhaust features, the wings, and the outer workings (including the screws and the karate chop action button/fan). All three pieces were fitted with velcro (industrial strength! Ooooh!) so he could wear the wings or just the outer artwork. I had to figure out how to place the velcro at about 4am, and I'm still impressed I got it right. *pats self on back*
One of my favorite bits of the costume is the DANGER! JET EXHAUST" signs on the jetpack, as they are not only a warning, but a fart joke. What? I'm immature, what can I say?
Speaking of the warning signs, I have to thank some geek on the internet for scanning in all the stickers on the toy so I could print them out for this project. (My husband says that after this, I'm not allowed to refer to anyone else as a geek.) M quite enjoyed putting on the armbands and space rangering around. I also put the appropriate stickers on the now-green chestplate.
A note on the chestplate: I scored some easy, cheap points with the red button. While it is supposed to trigger the wings, instead it triggers the voice. I bought this ($10) and took the talk button out. As it turned out, the button itself was futuristic and interesting-looking, so I just slapped some red paint on it and embedded it into the foam plate. {M has the now silent Buzz doll, she doesn't seem to mind it doesn't talk... I heard her telling it "You can't talk because my daddy took your voice away."}
At this point, several weeks later, I can't remember all the details. But at some point I made a belt and altered the ski bibs. The bibs were a size S, which just wouldn't do, so I had to buy some stretchy white fabric and replace the elastic panel in the outer thighs. Word of advice: ski pants are a certain size. Just let them be the size they are. All the cursing aside, they turned out very well and you couldn't tell at all they'd been altered. Score one for a bad bad seamstress.I also put more of the green foam around the cuffs of the bibs. I didn't get around to adding detailing on the front of the knees or the articulating parts of the back of the knees.
One part I did not like and will not post is the boots. I could NOT FIND proper boots to paint. I had such grand plans; I was even going to scrawl "ANDY" on the bottom of the sole in Sharpie. But I ended up buying some POS tennis shoes at WalMart and painting those instead. They basically sucked, but looked okay from far away. Let's move on.
The costume-building experience was a good one. I wish I'd had more time, more planning, more materials and skill. Mostly more time. I like working by myself in the dead of night, although it does make me think up questions I'd never previously considered, such as "How does he pee?," which leads to "Is he an android or a real person?," and then "If the laser is on the right arm, then is a lefthanded Space Ranger SOL?"
If I try it again, there are some specific improvements to be made. Better boots, for one. I want the laser button to be a button, and for there to be a blinking red light on the gauntlet. I want the plastic fishbowl helmet, but that's something I'm just going to have to order on the 'net. I want better joints in the elbows and knees, and a general "clean up" of the whole costume. If I'd had a few more days these are things I could have done for this go-round, but with work and family and school and cookietopia, I just couldn't swing it. Sadly, I have to sleep occasionally.
Until we were walking to the Halloween festival, DJ had never worn the whole suit together, and I was fairly sure it was going to be the biggest damn mess ever, with parts sloughing off and wings snatched by the wind. But amazingly, it worked. The kids loved it, M had a blast, and I stopped worrying about what if the wings should fall off and just concentrated on having a good time.
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