Creating a Dark Rey cosplay
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“Something inside me has always been there, but now it’s awake.”
So, I put together this cosplay for C2E2 2020 and the response was overwhelming to say the least. I received so many inquiries about it that I was encouraged to write this blog post breaking down how I assembled the outfit!
I’ll be honest, this look was not the most affordable since I combined a bunch of quality pieces I already had in my wardrobe. I suppose it was cost effective for me since I didn’t buy much for this cosplay specifically, but it won’t be cost effective if you are buying it all at once! As I go through my breakdown, I will also include more affordable substitute pieces.
I’m a geek fashionista first, cosplayer second. I love dressing up but have zero crafting or sewing ability. As a disclaimer, my cosplays are usually comprised of pieces I can just purchase, which is why the final look ends up being my own personal interpretation of a character, not an exact recreation.
Ok I’m going to break this down piece by piece, let’s go!
Before we begin, I do want to say that this all started because I saw the below piece of concept art from The Rise of Skywalker. I was so inspired by it — shook even, as the kids say — and since I already had a dress that looked similar to what Rey is wearing here, I immediately decided this was the direction I wanted to go in.
The Dress
The base of this look is a handmade dress from Church of Sanctus. Sometimes it’s not available and sometimes it is; I would recommend following them for updates on collection launches. However, any black dress that fits your personal style would work! Some examples:
My original Church of Sanctus dress
Belt
My belt is from Deandri, just worn upside down! I had a super particular shape I wanted for this outfit, and finally found this perfect Deandri belt after a ton of digging. But, if you want more of a Jedi or punk look there are plenty of inexpensive options for either.
Belt I wore from Deandri
Leggings
I already had these high waisted moto leggings from Target, any black legging that you like best or already own will work out great.
Shoes
I adore my black leather Rey Po-Zu boots. Not only were they perfect for this cosplay, but also they are extremely comfortable for many hours of convention walking. Unfortunately, these are discontinued but some combat boots or booties would work just as well!
Rey boots I wore
Final details
There were a few more items I added to tie the whole look together (and add a personal touch)!
The piece I definitely spent the most time on was the wrap since I had to make it. I purchased 2 yards of black fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics for about $25 then enlisted the help of my sister-in-law to cut and sew the fabric to the length we needed, then hemmed it. If I did this again, I might go up to 3 yards, because mine ended up just a little short. I just wrapped it around myself and the belt held everything in place!
Backpacks are always a MUST at conventions, so I brought my amazing Kylo Trash backpack from Alchemy & Ink for both convenience and jokes. I also carried my trusty lightsaber which I built at Galaxy’s Edge and love more than life itself.
I hope you enjoyed this breakdown and that it helps inspire your own looks! Please reach out to me on Instagram or Twitter (or fill out my contact form!) if you have any questions, or if you want to share your own version of Dark Rey.
MTFBWY
Alyssa 🖤
Alyssa Bradley
I’m a professional fangirl with over 10 years experience creating visual art. I create content around all things fandom, fashion, and lifestyle with my unique eye for the dark, romantic, and spooky.
