How Much Did It Cost?

Even the most expensive Sesshomaru costumes rarely cost more than $1,000 to make, so when I say I estimated mine at going to come to some $4,000 the first thing people ask me it: Why is this going to cost so much?

Well, for starters they either did not listen, did not believe me, or did not fully understand what it was I meant when I said I'm making his ENTIRE WARDROBE. When I say I'm making his entire wardrobe, I mean EVERYTHING, all of it. Every single article of clothen he has ever been seen wearing in the anime, the movies, the mangas, the art books, the calenders, the trading card, the birthday and Christmas greeting cards, the gift wrapping paper, the official VIZ chibi art, the VIZ calenders, EVERYTHING. If a picture was drawn of Sesshomaru wearing it, than I am making it!

My current count is some 45+ items including 6 different suits of armor, 8 different kimono, 4 different hakama, 5 different najuban, and all the various obi, jima, shoes, and accessories that go with them.

On top of that I am making these items, not accurate to the anime/manga, but instead accurate to what would have been worn by a real cross-dressing Lord of the Tang Dynasty era, with the kimono all being done in authentic 16th century Noh style right down to the elaborate hand embroidery. What I am making is not what you would expect to see in a regular CosPlay comic book convention, but rather, what you would expect to see in a very high budget live action movie.

Typical CosPlay materials includes such items as cardboard armor, plastic swords, and modern day cloth. You will find none of that in this costume. His armor is being made of leather, the metal spike are real metal, his kimono of real handwoven silk imported from Japan, the embroidery is all being done by hand, using real 16th cen Japanese motifs, his tail is even being made of real fur attached over an armature "skeleton". When I say authentic, I mean authentic. And that answers your question, because authentic materials cost a whole lot more than cheap imitations.

The lists on this page, are a detailed set of lists as to what I have bought and how much I paid. You will notice that some sections say no materials were purchased yet, well, that means just what it says: I am making those items for this costume, but I have yet to buy any of the materials to make it with yet.

I have separated each individual item into it's own section, and when available have included with that section my own sketch art/concept drawing of the article in question and how it should look, more or less, once I have finished sewing it. At the moment I am without a camera, as mine has decided to stop working, but once I get another one, I'll post actual photos of said items, in addition to my drawings.

Each section includes the title of the item in question, followed by a list a materials needed/used to make the item. I have tried to include as much info as possible about each item, in case there is some looking to make a Lord Sesshomaru costume and wish to use any of the same materials I used with mine.

If I have already bought the item, that the first thing you will see is the price I paid in USD (United States Dollars). If it says x 2 after the item, this means I purchased 2 identical items, in which case the price paid shown, is the total amount I paid for both items not each items individual price.

If an item is listed, but no price is displayed next to it, this means that I have not yet purchased it and am either still looking for "just the right one" or am just waiting for it to go on sale so I can get a better price or some other such reason. I will be listing not yet purchased items in italics to make it easier for myself to find them and add the price paid once I have bought it.

After each item, typed in bold print, is the name of the store, company, or dealer from which I purchased the item. Most of the materials used in this project was purchased from one of the following:

Koyoto Antiques
Michael's Crafts
Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts
Wal-Mart

If you are in the US than most states have a Micheal's, Jo-Ann's, and WalMart. If you do not live near by one, than all three have websites where their items can be purchased online. Most everything I've purchased from these places can be bought from any of their store locations and online.

Koyoto Antiques however is an antiques dealer in Koyoto, Japan, all of their items are "one of a kind" and once I've bought it, you can not get another one like it, though they may have something similar. I purchase items from them via their eBay store, which I've provided a link to farther down on this page.

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

An elaborately embroidered kimono after the Noh fashion.

$49.99 + $20.00 SH: 1 bolt (7 yds) 15" wide Handwoven Japanese Tancochirimen Silk (Koyoto Antiques)

Embroidery Floss: (Michaels' Craft Store)
100% cotton; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien


.35C: DMC 152
$1.05: DMC 712 X 3
.35c: DMC 718
.35c: DMC 778
.35c: DMC 915
.70c: DMC 917 X 2
.35c: DMC 962
.35c: DMC 3607
.35c: DMC 3687
.35c: DMC 3688
.35c: DMC 3689
.35c: DMC 3726
.35c: DMC 3731
.70c: DMC 3770 x 2
.35c: DMC 3774
.35c: DMC 3804
.35c: DMC 3805
.35c: DMC 3806
.35c: DMC 3840
$1.29: DMC 4010
$3.87: DMC 4150 X 3
$5.16: DMC 4160 X 4
$1.29: DMC 4170
$1.29: DMC 4230


Embroidery Floss (Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts):
100% cotton; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien


.75c: DMC 602 X 3
.75c: DMC 718 X 3
.75c: DMC 915 X 3
$1.00: DMC 917 X 4
$1.00: DMC 3607 X 4
.25c: DMC 3688
$1.50: DMC 3687 X 6
.50c: DMC 3803 X 2
.25c: DMC 3804
.75c: DMC 3805 X 3


Embroidery Floss: (Michaels' Craft Store)
100% rayon; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien


$1.89: DMC 30720 X 2
.99c: DMC 30744
.99c: DMC 30899
.99c: DMC 30915
.99c: DMC 33607
.99c: DMC 35200


Embroidery Floss: (Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts)
100% rayon; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien


.49c: DMC 33607


Embroidery Floss: (Michaels' Craft Store)
6 strand; 8.7yds per skien


$2.09: DMC E898
$2.09: DMC E3857
$2.09: DMC E5200

Total So Far: $112.09

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

$29.99 + $20.00 SH: 1 bolt (7 yds) 15" wide Handwoven Japanese Rinzu Silk (Koyoto Antiques)

Embroidery Floss: (Michaels' Craft Store)
100% rayon; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien

.99c: DMC 30321
.99c: DMC 30666
.99c: DMC 35200

Total So Far: $52.96

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

$29.99 + $20.00 SH: 1 bolt (7 yds) 15" wide Handwoven Japanese Rinzu Silk (Koyoto Antiques)

Embroidery Floss: (Michaels' Craft Store)
100% cotton; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien

.35c: DMC 3834

Embroidery Floss: (Michaels' Craft Store)
100% rayon; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien

.99c: DMC 30211
.99c: DMC 30552

Total So Far: $52.32

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

$29.99 + $20.00 SH: 1 bolt (7 yds) 15" wide Handwoven Japanese Rinzu Silk (Koyoto Antiques)

Embroidery Floss: (Michaels' Craft Store)
100% cotton; 6 strand; 8.7yds per skien

.35C: DMC 341
.35c: DMC 995
.35c: DMC 3839
.35c: DMC 3840
$1.29: DMC 4010
$1.29: DMC 4230

Total So Far: $53.97

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

$15.96: 4 yds 60" Black Velvet: (Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts)

Total So Far: $15.96

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

$37.50: 6 yds 45" wide Crepe Backed satin - Ivory (Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts)

$1.39: Coats & Clark All Purpose Thread - Ivory (Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts)

This Item is Completed: Total Cost: $38.89

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

FREE: 8' galvanized electrical conduit (got this from a construction site of a building being torn down; YAY! I love free... best price there is!)

$5.99: 12' phone/internet cable wire (WalMart)

$4.99: Morning Glory Low Loft Quilter's Polyester Batting 81"x96"x1/4" (WalMart)

$4.99: Morning Glory Cluster Stuff 16oz Cluster Fiber (Teddy Bear Stuffing) (WalMart)

$1.99: DMC Crochet Cotton - natural (WalMart)

This Section of the Mokomoko if Completed: Total Cost: $17.96

$22.75: 2.5 yds 59" wide Furry Fleece Novelty Silky Fleece - Ivory (Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts)

This Section of the Mokomoko if Completed: Total Cost: $22.75

$44.70: 4 lb Raw Cotswold Fleece/Spinning/Felting Fiber 6-8" white/cream (klydebuys) (see picture at right ---->)

Well, it's is a start, but it ain't gonna do it, I need lots of real fur for this part... looking at $100 - $300 or more

Total So Far: $44.70

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

I am making the various versions of these, this picture shows what all shall look like. As this picture is rather detailed, rather than redo it over for each version, I'm drawing only a close up of the leather scales and silk weave to show the intended colors for each.

Each Do-Maru requires Approx $200 for leather, $50 for weaving silk, $30 for silk lining, $20 for the silver edging silk, and $50 for the red silk cord and tassel. Each Do-Maru is estimated to cost approximately $350 a piece, not including the silver (metal) spiked breastplate and shoulder guard.

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

$9.99 + $25.00 SH: 1 bolt (7 yds) 15" wide Handwoven Japanese Heisei Wool (Kyoto Antiques)

$2.49: Coats & Clark Thread (WalMart)

Total: $37.48

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

(Art by Wendy C. Allen --->)

-- no materials purchased yet --

$7.99: Glittering Exercise Ball Thing, made by Maui Toys (Dick Sports)

$39.99: Leather Arm Band (Rockabillia)

Total: $47.98

$38.99 + $13.99 S&H: 40" Powder blue wig with bangs (CosPlay Wig)

I finally found a pale icy blue-white wig and it's 40" long and has bangs! How cool is that! Now I won't have to settle for white and I won't have to make my wig from scratch either! YAY!

Total: $52.48

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