Friday, December 13, 2013

All Kneel Before Party King Thranduil

It was a mad rush to complete my costume before the Desolation of Smaug midnight showing, but I did it, and it was totally awesome (and worth two consecutive nights of only four hours of sleep). I know I say this with every successive costume I make, but you guys, this is my favorite costume I've ever made. After all, does it get any better than the Elvenking who knows how to party?

The Elvenking of the Woodland Realm also knows how to Instagram. 

My sister Emily and I have been planning for this DoS cosplay ever since the five second scene in AUJ where we see Thranduil inexplicably riding an elk. Of course, comic artist Gingerhaze's ridiculously hilarious drawings expanding on Thranduil's partying personality definitely helped catch our fancy, too. 

Emily made the Party!Elk head out of cardboard and paper-mache, then wired it up with a battery-powered string of lights. The spray-painted tissue-box-boombox was a last-minute solution to the problem of elks and elves not really carrying purses. It was the perfect size for phones and gloves and keys and such. 

Here elk, lemme help you rehydrate. And yes, there was a random bathing nude lady mural at the theater. 

I'll post more in the upcoming week about how I made my costume, but for now, have some more picspam of my favorite cosplay so far!

A friend commented on my IG photo that "eleven parties are the best." As the party king, Thranduil agrees that yes, eleven parties are better than just one party. 
untz untz untz untz
All aboard the party elk!
On our way to pick up Legolas from school. Gosh, dads are just *so* embarrassing, aren't they?


And of course, we can't forget my usual partner in dressing up, Elaine...we were hobbits for the midnight showing last year; this year we were elves. 

Try to look normal. 

And now look goofy. 

The partying got out of hand. BTW, if you're ever in need of Tolkien-themed rap/hip-hop for your Tolkien-themed partying, check out The Lords of the Rhymes!


Oh, how was the actual movie you ask? Definitely liked it better than AUJ, overall, even though I wasn't a fan of some of the more egregious derivations from the books. But hey, Thranduil in the movie was everything I hoped he would be, so I'm not complaining!

Even though we weren't at an official line party like for last year's Hobbit movie, we still got a chance to meet lots of other equally excited, dressed-up fans, and squee over each others' costumes. We even did an entire-theater singalong of the Misty Mountains song before the movie started. You guys, I love geeks so, so, incredibly much. Irving Berlin might contend that there are no people like show people, but I, for one, think that show people have got nothing on geeks. 

The Elvenking deigns to party with his subjects, who are all apparently into jazz hands. 

Post-movie: all the collected denizens of Middle-Earth, including an actual Smaug! 

A part of me is just glad that all the costuming events for this quarter are done with (Halloween! TDW! DoS! All relatively-involved costumes in the span of a couple months!), but I also can't wait for next year.


39 comments:

  1. Eeeee! We look so awesome! Too bad passed out on the stairs Thranduil didn't make the cut!

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  2. This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. Trufact.

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  3. THAT. IS. AWESOME! You just made my day. Wow! I love Gingerhaze's stuff, do you read Nimona?

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    1. Oh, you know it! Best webcomic ever! My sister and I are planning to eventually do a cosplay of Nimona and Ballister!

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    2. Looking forward to that! I really enjoy reading it, the drawings are great and the story stays interesting all the time. I'm very curious about recent developments...

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  4. OMG!!!! This is brilliant!!! Looks like you all had a fantastic time, and you are so rocking the blond wig! :)

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    1. When my parents saw the wig, they were a little shocked at the level of my dedication to this costume :\

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  5. This is the best thing in the world ever.

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  6. Absolutely brilliant costumes, they rock!!!!

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  7. it's true. show people kinda suck.

    you guys are my favorite, ever. period. i thought you had a mic in your hand at first!

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    1. Aww, Oona, you do not suck! :) But yes, that staff does look like a mic, doesn't it?

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  8. This just may be the best Tolkien-related costume I've ever seen. Hands-down, the most fun! Thanks for the smile-- I'm stuck at work counting down the hours until I get to go see the movie myself, and it's already feeling like a long day!

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  9. I'm sick at home with the crud. Thanks for brightening my day.

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    1. Booo, so sorry that you're sick with crud :( Hope you get better soon!

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  10. This is pretty much The Best Thing.

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  11. Love it!
    I'm pretty sure headdresses like that should become everyday wear.

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  12. I have no words. You are awesome!

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    1. So pleased to hear that I can render people speechless :)

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  13. AHAHAHAHAHA! YES! Best costume ever!

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    1. It might be full of myself to agree with you, except that I totally agree with you :)

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  14. the fact that this exists makes me happy.

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  15. ROFL! Oh how you make me laugh! I hadn't seen those comics you linked to, but they are hilarious and you captured the fun with your costumes so perfectly! The red Solo cup is the perfect accessory, hehe.

    (I saw Frozen today and I want to make those costumes now!)

    ~ Brooke

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    1. Oooh, I have yet to see Frozen, but my sister and I definitely want to!

      I almost didn't bother with the Solo cup, but I'm so glad I did! I think it really brings the party idea across.

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    2. Frozen is the perfect "sister" movie! You will love it! (And want to make the costumes - just warning you!)

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  16. This is so... just... well, the best!

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  17. You are hilarious and awesome! Also, I love that silver fabric, even though I can't see much of it.

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  18. Party Fabulous Thrandruil is the wallpaper on my phone!! He makes me feel fabulous by proxy.
    You and your costume are amazing as usual! Fantastic job!

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  19. The awesome fabulousness of this just destroyed my mind!!!!! This is just SO cool.

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  20. Y'all just ain't right in the head. You can sit at our table in the lunch room, its the awesome one.

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  21. Just so much wow that I can't express it. You never ever ever cease to absolutely amaze me.

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