How I Made My Apocolypse Moon Knight Cosplay Part 2: Build

Once I had my designs prepared (see Part 1), building the costume was pretty fun. I was simultaneously working on Raven and Te Ka so I borrowed some techniques from each build to really make this design unique.

I'd like to say this costume went off without a hitch, but as with most builds, I hit my fair share of snags. The first thing I worked on was the body suit. I used a not so stretchy fabric and modified Yaya Han's body suit pattern. I wanted the front to be seamless so the applique later on went smoothly. I was decently proud of myself for my first body suit ever. I took in the side seams a bit and felt it worked.

I also had to do an applique, on stretchy fabric, for the first time ever. I wasn't sure how to hold the fabric down without slipping or rippling. I found this temporary adhesive called 505 and it was magic! I sewed my applique down and cut out the edges, then I put the bodysuit aside to work on the rest.

I worked on the blades next using EVA foam, PVC pipe as a core, and magnets to hold them together. The PVC helped strengthen the blades and create a stable base for the wobbly foam. A few coats of wood glue helped hold the shape before I did a layer of resin to keep the shape firm and resist chipping. I had two anchor magnets right near the handle of each blade, and a smaller magnet at the tip of the blades to prevent shape warping over time.

The blades were painted in a pearlescent white and the handles were wrapped in fabric.

My armor (shoulders and hip) was all made with EVA foam floor mats. Line details were carved and blasted with a heat gun. The belt details were carved down with a dremel and smoothed out with many layers of mod podge. For more details on my design process, check out Part 1!

I created elastic straps to go under my arms to hold the shoulder armor down, and a strap to go across my chest to hold the front together so it wouldn't spread apart or slip. The belt attached in the back with an adjustable strap as well, and both used parachute clips to connect.

I resin cast a few gems to add some sparkle to the costume and really accent the belt details. TIP: Need to cast multiple round gems quickly but don't have a multi-mold or time to get one? Check out my quick, cheap, and easy DIY here!

The arm bracers were made from craft foam to keep them slim, with worbla on the wrist to hold the shape. The boot details were made with craft foam as well, and they were very last minute. My original idea was to have the shoes attached to the body suit.

I used a thrifted sheet to create the skirts and capes. TIP: to create the drape effect, you have to cut the fabric into an irregular rectangle shape; an 'isosceles trapezoid' to be exact. A to B is your waist width, and D to C determines how many folds your fabric will have.

Once the fabric is cut, you bunch the sides (D up to A, and C up to B) and it creates nice folds! I used this technique for the front skirt, a basic ruffle for the back skirt, and a simple cape shape for the cape.

For the cowl, I traced my hood dimensions and then for the dangly scarf bits, I traced squiggles and curves so that when it fell straight it created interesting lines and looked more ragged than simple, straight lines.

I finished off all the fabric pieces by doing a light tea staining, ripping and shredding the edges, and dirtying up random spots. This was a huge challenge because I wanted it to look worn and tattered but still keep the crisp white that is iconic to Moon Knight.

They all attached to the armor with small squares of velcro.

Two days before I left I was doing a final test fit and was very disappointed with my body suit. There wasn't enough stretch in my shoulders for comfort and I literally just gave up. After a long, hard meltdown, Riley picked me up and a few sniffles later I decided to modify my original Moon Knight and make it work. This way I'd have a costume to wear and it wouldn't all be for nothing.

I spent my last day before leaving cutting up the body suit to make the pants work, and cutting up an old dress to make better matching gloves. It was a scramble but I got it done. 

After getting to Edmonton I spent the next few nights after visiting friends and family doing some last minute painting on my armor and accentuating details with black paint. It really makes the shapes and details pop, especially on white armor. 

​Alas I had finished the costume and was able to compete at Edmonton Expo in it. Due to my complications and last day scrambles, I wasn't really eligible for an award, but any stage presence and getting the chance to talk to the judges is a great experience! I'm so glad to add another Moon Knight look to my closet! A new bodysuit, and some minor upgrades, and this cosplay will come out again! Here's my breakdown on cosplanner!