Just about everyone can find the fun in dressing up for Halloween. But while most of us don't go much further than finding a wardrobe and maybe a wig, some people truly elevate costuming into an art form.
Just about everyone can find the fun in dressing up for Halloween. But while most of us don't go much further than finding a wardrobe and maybe a wig, some people truly elevate costuming into an art form.
You can find her on Instagram @alysontabbitha. Alyson, who has nearly a million followers, is well known for her scary accurate cosplay creations. Cosplay is a portmanteau of "costume play". Basically, it means taking playing dressup to the next level.
With a perfectly curated wardrobe, hairstyle and makeup selection, Alyson pulls off a solid Cinderella. But as we'll see, her cosplay game is strong. So strong, in fact, that you'll wonder if there's any look she can't pull off.
I have a soft spot for the Lara Croft outfits that draw their inspiration from the blocky, blocky polygons of the original PlayStation game. But Alyson clearly prefers the more stylish, moody Angelina Jolie depiction.
Now that there are fifteen different comic book movies in the theater at any given time, it's easy to forget that, back in the 90's, Batman was just about the only game in town. Here's her take on Poison Ivy from 1997's Batman and Robin.
The Fifth Element was kind of a weird fever dream, but those who like it really like it. With orange hair, crop top and, uh, futuristic suspenders, Alyson pulls off a perfect Leeloo.
Hey, speaking of weirdo fever dreams, anyone remember Labyrinth? I forget darn near everything else in the movie, but I'll never forget the late, great David Bowie's portrayal of Jareth the Goblin King.
Long before he was Jareth, Bowie took on this visage for his 1973 album Aladdin Sane. Alysson totally nails Bowie's facial contours with cleverly applied makeup to her cheeks.
Video game themes are big at cosplay conventions, and we've already seen Alysson's take on Lara Croft (even if it was the movie version rather than the video game version). Here's an impressive Overwatch cosplay.
These comparison shots really show just how much effort Alysson puts into making each cosplay look just right. You can see how it's her under the makeup and hair, but it's still pretty uncanny.
Every superhero needs an origin story, and Wonder Woman's is one of the better ones. Here we see her before she had her neato costume, in her training armor on her home island.
Captain Jack Sparrow is a popular costume for cosplayers, but it's tough to truly nail it. The wardrobe, wig and beard help, but it's the makeup that really makes this one work.
Alyson clearly nailed Depp's distinctive face with her Captain Jack costume, so why not try a take on Sweeney Todd as well? I'd love to see her pull off Depp's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas vibe.
Frozen was about the biggest thing ever when it came out, and hype for Frozen 2 is already out of control. We'll likely see a lot of Elsa costumes this Halloween — but few will be as good as this.
In the original trilogy, Luke Skywalker whined and whined and whined some more. Meanwhile, Princess Leia (the true hero of the movie), picked herself up from the canvas, dusted herself off, and helped save the day.
History hasn't been all that kind to the prequels, and in many ways, I'd like to pretend they don't exist. But Alyson's take on Queen Amidala is impressive enough to allow.
When Wonder Woman finishes her training and gets her full, heroic wardrobe, she's a fearsome sight indeed. Alyson's outfit is a dead ringer for what Gal Gadot actually wore in the film.
Alyson is a master of makeup, but in this case, she needed to sculpt proper ears to pull off this Legolas look. Remember to check Alyson out on Instagram!