Alright folks, buckle up because I finally tackled making that Queen of the Damned costume everyone keeps asking about. Wanted something killer without breaking the bank or my sanity. Total DIY job, using stuff mostly from the thrift store and the craft dungeon under my stairs. Here’s how it actually went down:
The Stuff Hunt & Starting Point
First things first, I gotta find the base. Didn’t wanna spend $200 on some flimsy corset online. So, hit up Goodwill and scored this long, black, kinda stretchy skirt with a weird elastic waistband for like $5. Seemed big enough to maybe cut into something. Felt hopeful, maybe stupid. Also grabbed this ratty black button-up shirt that looked three sizes too big – figured cheap fabric is cheap fabric.
Back home, I chopped that skirt apart. Like, no mercy. Used the longest vertical sections I could get for the corset front and back. The shirt? Sliced up the back panels. Had my scissors, hot glue gun (the real MVP), some acrylic black paint, cheap chains, and a bunch of safety pins ready to roll. Oh, and an old silver necklace my kid broke last Halloween – perfect.
Building the Damn Bodice Thing
This part was weirdly frustrating but simple. I basically laid the biggest, sturdiest pieces of skirt fabric on top of each other. Wanted that corset overlap look up front. Grabbed the hot glue gun – the crappy $3 one from the corner store – and started sealing the sides. Left gaps for my arms. Tried sewing a bit, hand-sewing sucks, so just more hot glue. Lots. Looks messy inside? Totally. Doesn’t show.
Next, took the sliced shirt fabric pieces. Roughly cut them into longer strips. Started wrapping and gluing them around the waist area, letting them hang down unevenly like ripped rags. Glued some scraps vertically at the front for texture. Felt kinda medieval but messy. Good messy.
Slapping on the Straps & Chains
The cheap necklace chain was clutch. Measured loosely where I wanted chains to hang – one diagonally across the chest, another maybe draping over the shoulder. Just hot glued the ends onto the fabric inside. Not heavy, stays put. Super easy.
- Used wide safety pins like little clasps: stuck one end of the chain to the bodice, used the pin as a ‘hook’ for the other end. Quick release? Kinda.
Added a couple more short chain bits dangling near the hip area. Why? Looked cool. Used scraps of black fabric to make rough straps glued to the top edge over my shoulders. No fuss.
The Headache Crown (Literally)
Here’s where things got funny and a bit irritating. Had this old plastic tiara thing – super cheap, maybe from a birthday party bag? Spray painted it silver ages ago and forgot about it.
Grabbed some thin craft wire and cheap little glass-looking gems. Made a few wire loops. Like, twist wire around a marker, slide it off. Glued gems onto the loops randomly. Then tried to hot glue the loops onto the tiara base. Total pain. Glue blobbed, loops wobbled. Got one glued upright in back, stuck a couple facing sideways near the front. Super asymmetrical. Tried wearing it. Poked my scalp. Not comfy, but looked rough and spiky – good enough for the vibe. Wore it for five minutes to take pics. Worth it? Maybe.
The Finishing Messy Bits
Hit the whole bodice and straps with watered-down black acrylic paint mixed with a tiny bit of brown. Brushed it on messy, dabbed it off with a rag in spots. Made it look kinda dusty and stained. Dried fast.
Slashed the ragged parts with scissors where it looked too neat. Safety-pinned some of the dangly bits higher or lower depending on how they hung. No perfection here. Mess was the goal.
Final Look? Okay, threw on some black leggings underneath (thrifted, $3), ratty black boots I already own, did my face all washed-out pale with super dark eyes and messy black lips. Stuck on the crown. Took pics. Bodice held, glue held, chains didn’t fall off. Crown wobbled. Total cost? Maybe $15 max. Did it look like Akasha? Probably not exactly. Did it look like a seriously messed-up queen who crawled out of a tomb? Heck yeah. Huge relief it didn’t fall apart mid-pics. Would I do it again? Yeah, but skip the tiara next time, my scalp still remembers.
