Category: My Costume Projects

Various historical (and eventually, other) costume ensembles I’ve put together, designed, or made. More specialized than Outfits of the Day.

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Disney Haunted Mansion cosplay in Retro Lovely’s Mousequerade

I love pinup, I like cosplay, and Disney theme parks have been my jam since I was a lazy-eyed baby in an eye patch singing “A Pirates Life for Me” like a drunken sailor. So it isn’t a stretch (haha, just wait for this pun payoff!) to assume I’d want to submit something to Retro Lovely‘s Disney-themed Mousequerade special edition.

Catherine Morland's Sally Slater Haunted Mansion Cosplay
Catherine Morland’s Sally Slater Haunted Mansion cosplay, photographed by Marilee Caruso.

Since the Haunted Mansion is my favorite Disneyland/Magic Kingdom attraction, I decided to go with a Sally Slater-themed cosplay. In case you didn’t know, that’s the “new” official name used for the slackrope-walking girl perched above the hungry crocodile in one of the stretching room portraits (see? I got PUNS).

More after the jump… Continue reading “Disney Haunted Mansion cosplay in Retro Lovely’s Mousequerade”

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Retro Lovely Bond Girls pinup: I cosplay Plenty O’Toole from Diamonds Are Forever

It’s not a secret that I’m into “Bond Girls,” so when I saw it was a theme for one of this year’s Retro Lovely special editions, I immediately knew I had to submit something. I chose one of my favorite James Bond film girls to emulate: Plenty O’Toole from 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, played by the gorgeous Lana Wood.

Catherine Morland cosplays as Bond Girl Plenty O’Toole.

Marilee Caruso did the pretty hair and makeup and took the photos for our six-page feature. I didn’t think I’d be able to pull off an early-1970s look, but Marilee made it work and I ended up loving the results. She also shot Missy Maybe’s lovely cover set for the same issue!

Catherine Morland cosplays as Bond Girl Plenty O’Toole.

More after the jump…

Continue reading “Retro Lovely Bond Girls pinup: I cosplay Plenty O’Toole from Diamonds Are Forever”

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Valentine pinup in Retro Lovely Magazine…and not a heart in sight!

Valentine image of Catherine Morland by Marilee Caruso

Marilee Caruso shot a beautiful Valentine’s Day-themed pinup set for me last month, and you can see the result in Retro Lovely’s Valentine’s Day special edition #4!

Valentine image of Catherine Morland by Marilee Caruso
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso.

More after the jump…

Continue reading “Valentine pinup in Retro Lovely Magazine…and not a heart in sight!”

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Blade Runner cosplay meets published pinup

I love Blade Runner. It’s my favorite neo-noir film, and one of the rare novel adaptations that’s at least as good as the original source material. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I recently cosplayed my favorite replicant character from the movie, Rachael, for a photoshoot with Marilee Caruso.

Catherine Morland cosplays Rachael, Sean Young's replicant character in Blade Runner
Catherine Morland cosplays Rachael, Sean Young’s replicant character in Blade Runner.

Marilee did the 1940s-inspired “Rachael” hair (yes, there are rolls present) and makeup, and we used her classic “film noir” set, brand-new lamps, and some neon-red lighting to get a 1980s-does-1940s-gritty-mystery look. I’m wearing the Mariette Jacket by Pinup Girl Clothing with the Bad Girl Pencil Skirt in faux leather from the Vixen by Micheline Pitt line and Re-Mix reproduction Babydoll pumps.

Catherine Morland Blade Runner Cosplay in Retro Lovely Masquerade
Blade Runner Cosplay in Retro Lovely Masquerade No. 28, photographed by Marilee caruso. There are four more images from this set published in the issue.

The fruits of our labor are published in Retro Lovely’s Masquerade No. 28. You can find this issue – and all of my other recent pinup publications – here, via my Linktree.

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New Year Pinup: My first Retro Lovely Holidays special edition cover

I was super-excited to work with Amanda Torres of Feathered Flash Photography last month, and she didn’t disappoint! Amanda is lovely and her work is amazing. I am over the moon with the Christmas-themed pinup photography, makeup, and hair she did for me, and proud that we both got our first Retro Lovely Holidays special edition cover this year!

Catherine Morland on the cover of Retro Lovely Holidays
Catherine Morland on the cover of Retro Lovely Holidays, photographed by Feathered Flash Photography.

More pictures after the jump…

Continue reading “New Year Pinup: My first Retro Lovely Holidays special edition cover”

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Christmas Pinup in Bombshell Magazine…

Marilee Caruso (photographer) and Rockwell DeVil (makeup and hair) teamed up to make me look good for the holidays! My Christmas pinup set is featured in the holiday issue of Bombshell Magazine, and I’m on one of the covers.

Catherine Morland Xmas Bombshell Cover
Holiday Bombshell cover.

I love red velvet and Christmas lights are basically in my blood at this point, so everything about this set is essential Catherine Morland, LOL. Marilee did a wonderful job for me. Every set is even better than the last, and I am grateful for her inspired work.

More after the jump…

Continue reading “Christmas Pinup in Bombshell Magazine…”

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Northanger Abbey Cosplay Pinup: Catherine Morland does…Catherine Morland

Hurray, another nifty Retro Lovely cover photographed by Marilee Caruso Photography (who also did the makeup and hair)! This time, it’s in Retro Lovely’s cosplay title, Masquerade No. 26!

You can grab a copy of the magazine or a cover poster via Magcloud, and use code BF25 to get a discount (on these or any Magcloud publication) through 11/28/2022 (the actual discount varies by publisher and issue, btw). Note that I don’t make any money off of purchases direct from Magcloud, just the Tiki issue and posters (I have one mag copy left and a handful of posters if you want to help feed my pinup addiction. I mean, support me as I pursue this noble hobby! Ha!).

This one’s kinda meta, because my nom-de-pinup is Catherine Morland and I’m actually portraying Jane Austen’s heroine from Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland, in the photo set. As she’s into gothic romances and horrid novels of all kinds, we have Catherine reading novels by candlelight in a spooky forestscape of her imagination. Eat your heart out, Emily St. Aubert!

Retro Lovely Masquerade Catherine Morland Cover
I cosplay as Northanger Abbey’s Catherine Morland…my pinup namesake!

More after the jump…

Continue reading “Northanger Abbey Cosplay Pinup: Catherine Morland does…Catherine Morland”

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Victorian Pinup: Retro Lovely Victoriana Cover

While it’s not strictly pinup, the late 1860s dinner gown pictures Marilee Caruso took of me at the California State Capitol are in Retro Lovely’s inaugural Victoriana issue!

Marilee also did the beautiful makeup and hair, which works well with the fashion aesthetic even though we intended it to be fantasy. The dress is by Kay Gnagey of Originals by Kay and is based on an original ensemble in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s fashion collection. The Chantilly lace shawl is an antique, and the fan is from Amazon with a vintage silk ribbon from Etsy.

Victoriana Cover
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely's Victoriana special edition
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely's Victoriana special edition
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely's Victoriana special edition
Catherine Morland photographed by Marilee Caruso for Retro Lovely’s Victoriana special edition.