Adam Ant Then and Now, Adam Ant impersonation cosplay costume

I was ecstatic when I completed Adam's insanely famous tricorn, pirate, highwayman hat but then I took on the challenge of a from scratch build of his comeback tour bicorn. This hat is epic Adam Ant, designed and hand crafted by Phillipino Milliner, Mich Dulce. According to news posts, only two were ever made..... so mine is the third (insert maniacal grin here). Adam wore this hat on many world tours and embellished it further on each go around. The hat originally was decorated only with the single leather badge with Adam and Mich's names. Since then it has been enhanced with a playing card, a Scottish clan clasp, a piece of clan tartan, an 80's Adam Ant band pin and the final addition of feathers (possibly not in that order).

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:

A bit more progress and some comparison poses. The featherwork was a lot more intense than I had guessed. The feathers were a combination of fly tying and decor. Several were bleached, several stained, many were steamed and shaped, while others were trimmed.



So far, the only part of this hat that is not handmade is the pinback button of Adam.

a few changes, side burns, shading on the nose, heavier eye liner, @Chris Ellerby  's suggested plexiderm on the eyebags BIG  AAAAND I set up my self portrait studio again where I project the live camera feed alongside a picture of my target pose while using the remote to trigger the camera. I can get very close to the original pose. In this picture I hit 86% likeness to Adam. It is a repeat of an earlier pose but the facial enhancements bumped up the likeness.

The local stop for Adam's USA tour schedule is this Friday, the 3rd of May, 2024, in Salem, Oregon. I am healing up a bit from a quick Bard the Bowman appearance. I still need to treat myself to the same level of care expected for clients. Since I am my only client, I am too impatient on clean up and end up with rough, dry skin.

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.

The Adam "Now" costume was a complete success. I arrived late, on purpose, to avoid the line. We had purchased tickets in advance. We waited in the car until the line no longer wrapped around the building. I had to pray for a dry spell as the rain had stayed steady all day and as an Oregonian, I don't habitually keep an umbrella in the car. When the dry patch came, we started our trek. As we rounded the corner, I said "Perfect timing, there are only like 3 people left in the ticket line." but no one responded. I turned and my family was on the other side of a group of people. A lady who was talking with my wife came over and asked for a group picture and complemented my costume. I later found out she had already asked my wife if I was Adam and had been informed it was a cosplay. Soon, it turned into a line of people awaiting photo ops which then blossomed into a crowd. Then a large rush of people was coming back out of the building.  I still had no clue, quietly taking group pics with other Adam Ant fans, having a great time. 

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. 

Far later in the evening after the rush to leave had passed us up, my wife was taking pictures of the theatre. My daughter took this picture of me waiting for the wife. I post this one to show the pants and boots additions.with the full costume.




This is the Elsinore theatre in Salem Oregon, a beautiful location.

Much appreciated @Matt Winston, you and crew make it so attainable.