Felicia

Darkstalkers

I've been hooked on the Darkstalkers anime for some time, and this pert little catgirl was one of my favorite characters right from the very beginning. Not only is Felicia adorable, she has a big heart, and her fun-loving, playful nature is very similar to my own. I'd wanted to cosplay her for the longest time, and am happy that after hunting for just the right materials and coming up with a "convention-friendly" design, I managed to successfully make her costume.

A lot of work went into designing my Felicia costume; I've never liked the way her costume looked when done with a bodysuit, but I've never had any desire to run around in public with strategically glued fur, either. In the end, I decided to sacrifice accuracy for modesty, and came up with a bikini-ized version instead. To make up for the accuracy I had to give up, I tried to put as many little details into my costume as I could, such as the little puffs of fur at the ankles, wrists, and ears, the yellow butterfly that flitters around Felicia occasionally in the Darkstalkers video game, and the curly blue ribbons in her hair. I've also never thought of her as being overly "furry", and hunted for several months to find just the right kind of fur. My prize ended up being a super-soft microfiber stretch fur, and though it cost a pretty penny, it was worth it!

I'm very happy with how everything turned out in the end. The wig was purchased from a shop in Las Vegas that styles showgirl and drag queen wigs, then teased up even more to re-create Felicia's giant hair. It really sets off the whole costume, and when paired with the nun robe I made as a modesty cover, it's a real head turner!