Monday 1 July 2013

How to Create a Commander Shepard Costume

How to Create the Perfect Commander Shepard Costume
Mass Effect is by far my favorite gaming series of all time, even if it didn't quite end as I might have liked. One of my favorite things about it was its vast cast of strong, independent and interesting female characters, from the book-smart Liara to the wrench wench Tali to the out-of-her-mind but powerful Jack. At the top of the list though is possibly the most awesome woman in all of gaming, Commander Shepard. In this post I'm going to outline how you can cosplay as the Spectre herself. Note that all of the costumes on this post are either unisex or come in both male and female versions.

The Outfit

Mass Effect N7 Armour
Yes people have actually made wearable N7 armor. Yes, it is awesome. And yes, the jet lights at the back are fully functional and light up. This set is made from lightweight EVA foam and is fully adjustable to fit most sizes. Naturally a set this eleborate, time consuming to make and high quality isn't cheap, so if you are skilled at making cosplay props and costumes you might want to try making a set for yourself. It's an adventurous project but a tonne of fun - check out this guide on making your own foam N7 armor. To save you time, it is possible to buy replicas of the helmet and the hand-guard armour pieces. Sadly no one makes/sells FemShep's casual gear, which is a shame, but to make up for that here's a cute N7 themed hoodie.

Weapons and Accessories

Mass Effect 3: M-3 Predator
Full Scale Prop Replica
Next up you'll need some bad-ass scifi weaponry to help you in your quest. The gun on the left is an M3 Predator, but you can pick up some of Shepard's other guns if you search the net for long enough - Etsy often has a few. The Bioware website occasionally sells replicas but they tend to be limited edition and run out of stock super fast - if you see one, pick it up while you can. Its also possible if you are handy with a glue gun to make your own gun replicas: here is a guide to making the M8 Assault Rifle.

Another sweet accessory you can get for your costume is some Alliance military N7 dogtags, which I've linked to below. They're neat since you can wear them in your day to day as a fashion accessory as well as having them be part of your costume.
Mass Effect 3 Dog Tags
Necklace N7 Shepard

Have fun!


And that's a short guide to the Commander Shepard costume in a nutshell. It's not a cheap look to pull off unless you happen to be a costume maker, not by a long shot, but the end result is, at least in my opinion, well worth the money.

If you liked this post and are looking for some more costume inspiration, don't forget to check out the rest of my blog which features all of the best costume ideas for women on the net.


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