DIY Modest Nimona Cosplay Costume Without Much Sewing Required

All dressed up in cosplay at the convention, minus the belt.

Halloween is right around the corner, and in that spirit, I wanted to share some costumes that my daughters and I recently made and wore. They wanted it to wear to a Comic Con type event, but I told them that if I was spending money on this costume, their costume would be also for the upcoming holiday and not just for the convention. 

My daughters had very specific ideas of what they wanted to dress up as, and buying a costume like that is quite pricey. My 10 year old daughter, Rose, wanted to cosplay the titular character from the movie Nimona. 

The only costumes I see for that on Amazon are $45 or more, and there's something like that on Aliexpress for $27.50 but there's no reviews so I'd be very skeptical about the quality. The costume on Amazon isn't a full costume, as it doesn't involve a wig or shoes, and in addition to that and being expensive, it isn't a modest costume and we only wear modest clothes in our family, so that would have needed adjustments anyhow. And of course, I couldn't be doing all this sewing from scratch because my energy levels are quite minimal. Lastly, the last time I tried buying a costume from Amazon, it got ruined after just one wear since it was such horrible quality.

My daughter and I scoured Shein to find the right clothes that either would be perfect as is, or needed a few changes to make the costume. I used my local shein site, and almost everything on it is the same as the international site, but where it wasn't identical I am making a note.

We started with a red button down sleeveless shirt that we paid $6.62 for, but on the international site is $7.19. 

We then paired it with this burgundy long skirt that we paid $11.20 for but is being sold internationally for $9.50. My daughter loved that skirt so much, it is so comfortable on her and a terrific texture, that we bought it again in 2 other colors. 

We bought brown fingerless gloves for $2.97, which I can't find on the international site, but these are very close and they cost $2.10

We needed something to be the chainmail part of Nimona's outfit, but weren't sure what to use. We ended up finding this rinestone fishnet long sleeve top to cut to size. I paid $13.48 for it but can't find it on the international site, but this one for $14.69 is similar (minus the fur) and would do a similar job once cut.

We still needed a necklace and a belt for the costume, so I bought a large bown EVA foam sheet like this and silver stickers like these from a craft store for a few dollars, maybe $5 total, a large-ish plastic ring for a buckle for $2 from the craft store. 

Total for these? $41.27. Cheaper than the Amazon one. But the skirt is going to be something in my daughter's regular wardrobe.

Trying on the costume at home before the convention.

I cut and hemmed the skirt much shorter so it hits below the knee, and then we cut off the lower part of the sleeves of the rinestone top to become chain mail on her legs below the skirt. She wore the rinestone top over a short sleeve semi skin color shirt that she had.

We cut off the collar on the button down shirt.

Then we made the collar/choker out of the foam and stickers. The stickers didn't stick so well so we ended up gluing them into place. My daughter had the great idea to use some snaps from my sewing box to close the choker.

We made the belt just with more of the foam and that plastic ring as the buckle, but unfortunately my daughter forgot the belt at home at the convention, but she definitely will wear it when she dresses up next.

But, as I mentioned, that wasn't the whole costume.

We still needed a wig and boots, because hair and shoes really make the outfit.

I paid $12.80 for this pink wig that is now available for $11.50. We then cut the wig to give it a Nimona style haircut, with it short and messy everywhere but longer by the ears. 

Lastly, I bought her these brown boots for $24.30 which are being sold for $21.10 on the international site. These are her winter boots for the year, so I don't think the price needs to be counted as part of the costume since she needed boots regardless, but I'm adding these so you see the price of the whole thing.

So total for everything used for the costume? $78.37. The most frugal costume ever? Absolutely not. Did it make my daughter thrilled? Absolutely. 

The best part was going to the convention and having so many people walk up to her and say "Nimona?!?!?! Can we take a picture with you?" Or hearing or seeing people pass by and point to her and say "Look, its Nimona!"

We even saw another Nimona at the convention and they took this picture together.

This was a really fun project to make, the piecing things together to make a costume that my daughter loved, was a character she really likes from one of her favorite movies, and getting the recognition that her costume was identifiable was just awesome.

Have you ever seen the movie Nimona? Did you like it? Would you have recognized my daughter based on her costume? Do you like to make your own costumes or buy them ready to go?