About this costume

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Selection Process: Every year, our family does a group cosplay. 2017 was Overwatch. I'm a Symmetra main, but I LOVE Widowmaker, plus my sister (who doesn't play) made a perfect Symmetra. 

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Construction: I used to have issues with purchasing costumes (an issue I have with myself only, no judgement if others do  it) because I felt that if I knew how to sew, I always should. But this would be my first adventure into making props and guns, and I also had no idea how to make the bodysuit. I purchased the bodysuit from MicCostumes, and while the quality isn't all there, it got the job done. It came with gloves, thigh bag, hip armor (I ended up making my own) and fake tattoos. I made the shoulder armor, arm bracer and visor from a combination of floor mat foam and worbla. The visor lights up, although it's hard to see in daylight. The gun was a challenge - it's made of a combination of styrofoam, foam mats, craft foam, worbla and PVC and measures 4 feet. I made the boot covers from craft foam. For the hair, I pulled my own hair into a bun and used color hairspray in white and then purple over my head. I made the ponytail by deconstructing a purple wig purchased from Amazon. The body paint is white and purple Ben Nye - the first time I wore it, I airbrushed it and application took forever. The second time, I used a makeup brush, which ended up caking on and cracking. Perhaps the next time I wear it, I will try different paint and method. When I wore this the first time to PCC 2017, I felt like a disaster - I had forgotten my shoulder piece, the bodysuit needed more alterations in the back and chest, and my visor sat too far over my eyebrows because of my ponytail placement. Luckily, I fixed all that the second time around. 

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Final Thoughts: This costume LOOKS amazing but is such a pain to put on and wear. I pretty much never eat or drink in it and it makes it extremely exhausting to wear. The contacts also have no power (I am near sighted) so that makes it difficult, too. I've only worn it twice, and I'm already considering retiring it.