Debuted at BlizzCon 2013
Why I chose to make this costume:
Since I started playing WoW in 2008, Sylvanas has been one of my favorite characters from the lore. Shortly after, when I started cosplaying, I added her to my list of costumes I wanted to make. Over the years of being unable to attend BlizzCon, and then unable to attend in costume I have seen many Banshee Queen Sylvanas costumes. In 2011, when I attended my first BlizzCon, my younger brother suggested I still cosplay Sylvanas, but instead as her live self before she was mutilated by the Lich King.
How I made this costume:
The majority of this costume was made with the thermoplastic, Worbla. Initially, I wanted to make the armor from leather, but Worbla ended up being a slightly more economical option so I used this material instead.
I scouted several different conventions and renaissance festivals for the corset I wore. Eventually finding one at GenCon in 2012. I used the Demon Hunter concept art as my reference as well as Sylvanas' model from Warcraft 3 and decided to go with the corset look.
The cloak I made from a royal blue suede-cloth and some gorgeous gold lace I found on ebay. The cloak is fully lined with a rayon navy blue lining.
The leggings and shirt were purchased, and the boots were ones I had on hand.
I used several different references as inspiration for the armor. Mainly her current in game model, the demon hunter concept art, and the fan art included in this album. I wanted to make sure her armor was still recognizable as hers while still making it stand out from anything that had been made previously. I think I succeeded here. The gems were made from Sculpey clay which I hand molded and sanded down into form. I then painted them and used a heavy gloss coat to give them a nice sheen.
Thoughts on this costume:
I love the way this costume looks, but I was extremely uncomfortable all day while wearing it. I need to make adjustments to the straps that hold the pieces on so they dig in to my shoulders and back less. Additionally, I made the mistake of shaping the breastplate over my dress form, so unfortunately it's the wrong shape for my body.
I learned a lot making this costume as I had never worked with Worbla prior to this. I definitely took my knowledge into the next costume and will continue to learn with this material.
The most important, and probably smallest (most missed) detail was the inclusion of "The Lady's Necklace"
For those unfamiliar, Sylvanas' sister Alleria received a necklace with three gems in it, an emerald, a ruby, and a sapphire. She had the necklace melted down and re-forged into three lockets, two she gave to her sisters and one she kept for herself. Sylvanas was given the Sapphire. It's a personal touch I felt needed to be included, so I scoured the internet for months searching for the perfect sapphire blue locket. It's a detail I'm glad I included, despite no one really noticing it :)
