Adam Ant Then and Now, Adam Ant impersonation cosplay costume
Darrell Green
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In progress, apologies for partial post, draft feature seems to not be working on my phone.
I have spent quite a bit of research time on Adam Ant's decades of style, in costumes and everyday attire. I am attempting to recreate some of the innumerable looks he has cast over his 40 plus years of fashion design. Oh ya, same guy, ultra famous pop/punk singer, song writer, choreograoher, set designer.......ya......actor, father, mentor, and coming to my own home state this May on his 2024 world music tour.
I had started with the intent of one 80's costume and one 2020's music tour costume but iit has devolved into an endless list of possibilities.
Along the way I am creating costume clothing, hats, jewelry, makeup and aging/de-aging techniques and props. This first batch is what I had earlier listed in "What's on your workbench", here on Stan Winston School.
I have spent quite a bit of research time on Adam Ant's decades of style, in costumes and everyday attire. I am attempting to recreate some of the innumerable looks he has cast over his 40 plus years of fashion design. Oh ya, same guy, ultra famous pop/punk singer, song writer, choreograoher, set designer.......ya......actor, father, mentor, and coming to my own home state this May on his 2024 world music tour.
I had started with the intent of one 80's costume and one 2020's music tour costume but iit has devolved into an endless list of possibilities.
Along the way I am creating costume clothing, hats, jewelry, makeup and aging/de-aging techniques and props. This first batch is what I had earlier listed in "What's on your workbench", here on Stan Winston School.
- This season finds me losing weight to finally get my pose pictures for my Will Turner cosplay.... still. However, I am touching up my Bard the Bowman for a skinny me attempt at a passable likeness. I was about 30 pounds overweight on my original pics. Since both outfits were very nearly complete, I took on the insane task of an Adam Ant cosplay both Then and Now. 80s, 2012 and 2020. So I get to really use my Stan Winston aging tricks, up and down the ages. My current work is mostly props, rings, clothing, hats, etc. but will get into facial hair and aging nearer to pose time. Here are a few of my hand made or customized items (some still in progress):
This replica is 30 dollars in lieu of Adam's 20,000 version. - My apologies. I forgot to mention that I did not make the silver skull ring nor the belt buckle ring. The red skull ring I made from a base skull ring reshaped and then painted. All other rings are made from blank base stock rings by me. The watch was modified only on the face. The bracelet was modified by the addition of center catch and side clasp. All chrome items were repainted to have a more classic silver look. The heart pendant was repainted only and I added the extra silver band. The glasses started as a larger lens version and were dismantled, shaved considerably and rebonded then painted. The tricorn was started on a base felt tricorn and had only the matching edging upgraded. The bicorn, not yet complete, is completely from scratch. The Indian head nickel ring was the most difficult and has two mini coins and one main coin bonded to it. The small black pinky ring was made without a starting blank. It is complete scratch built from aluminum window trim, cut, shaped and painted.
Clipping this post here for length - continued...
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Thread 'Adam Ant, Then and now' https://www.therpf.com/forums/threads/adam-ant-then-and-now.352898/
But here are some of my finished poses, props, and comparison pictures (many months still to go):
So far, I have fashioned a hat from scratch, fashioned the leather badge from scratch, printed the playing card, printed and crafted the clan pin, created a small portion of tartan and purchased the appropriate band pin. Here is one of my demo pictures showing the current state of this build:
And here is a far more recent picture (stylized) of Adam and his bicorn:
So far, the only part of this hat that is not handmade is the pinback button of Adam.
All costume parts are accounted for and I will do a fully suited test pose prior to Friday but I am still nervous. The modifications to the boots, belt and pants were the final hurrah.
I don't have any real hopes for pics with Adam because this tour is day after day after day location hopping. My goal is to suit up, make the drive, enjoy the concert with my family and get some pictures while there. It is actually a really great excuse to wear this elaborate costume for the entire day AND to see Adam Ant, live perfoming, for the first time in my life.
/Chris
Then, three things happened at once, the lady on my right says "We have 15 friends that drove a long way to see you, they will all want a picture with you.", a lady at the back of the crowd yells "We love you Adam" and one of the gentleman taking pictures starts chanting "Prince Charming, Prince Charming" and the light bulb in my brain finally turned on and I figured out what was happening. I immediately announced it was just a costume. I turned to the lady on my arm and said "My name is Darrell.", in my best Russian tech support accent, channeling the famous "My name is Peggy" vibe. That shattered the ice and everyone laughed at once. They were all very kind and several thanked me for not leaving them hanging to still think I was Adam. Two people hugged me and said they would have been so embarrassed to have left thinking I was him and they would be bragging to their friends only to find out it wasn't. The gentleman who had started the chant said, "well if you aren't him then I need to tip you for the performance", and I received my first ever tip for a street performance, two dollars. The photos continued throughout the night with other diehard fans that had dressed up. The number of mouth open, blank stares was enough to make the whole costume worth it. As for the concert, it was worth many times more than ticket price. English Beat opened, playing decades of their hits, mirror in the bathroom being a true favorite for me, and then Adam did what Adam does.... dominate the party with his permanently high energy, open invitation to join him in what was, moments earlier, a concert but is now a free for all party.
My daughter got this perfectly timed picture of these ladies beckoning to their friends to join.
Stan Winston School has ruined me for living a normal life. The ability to become someone else, so convincingly, is just too much fun to stop. I don't wish to be anyone else. I like being me just fine. But being me, the guy that took classes from SWSCA and can crush that cosplay....that is a better form of me to be.
This is the Elsinore theatre in Salem Oregon, a beautiful location.
/Chris