Those who follow my work know that for quite a while now I've been hinting at cosplaying Jareth the Goblin King - and recently I even officially announced the costume. The plan was to have it ready by late January and wear it at Chibicon, and with that in mind, I started working on the project this Fall.
However, it appeared that my Jareth cosplay was jinxed.
We ordered the wig - funnily enough, a Tina Turner hairstyle - in time, in early October, expecting it in mid-November at the latest. Yet the wig simply wasn't arriving. It was sent and resent, its tracking number wasn't working, it got lost in the mail, it breached every delivery deadline, and even the retailer himself when we contacted him had no idea what the hell was wrong and why the shipment got sidetracked every single time.
Around the New Year and with no wig in sight, I started panicking. Somewhat disappointed, I began to work on a new costume for Chibicon, deciding to leave Jareth for the summer season. The idea was to actually check out the wig shops and buy the damn thing myself in Paris this March, because I completely gave up that the wig we ordered online would ever arrive in this lifetime.
And then, on January 10th, it happened - we all heard the news that the Man who Fell to Earth returned to his home planet. I spent the day utterly bummed because the world lost a genius artist. I was genuinely upset, as if a person I actually knew passed away - for the first time feeling like this about a celebrity. Yet at the same time I couldn't help but feel somewhat grateful as well, because he left this earth with style and grace, enjoying his last dance to the fullest and leaving behind a brilliant album such as "Blackstar".
Of course, the entire Jareth project wasn't even on my mind - until very late in the evening, when Tenshi (who's in charge of all our online shopping activities) called.
"Drop the other costume immediately," she said. "Bowie wants you to do this one."
And there it was - my twice-sent, twice-lost, no-tracking-number Tina Turner wig, arrived on the very day of my idol's departure.
Yes, it did make me cry.
So it's official now: Jareth the Goblin King will be visiting this year's Chibicon. Given the very particular circumstances that surround this costume, I must say I'm quite excited - but also a little frightened. I really, desperately want to do the character justice.
And I move the stars for no one.
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I saw this unbelievably detailed costume spread across social media, and my curiosity about it is one of the reasons I am here.
You really did the character justice and then some! (This being one of my favorite childhood movies I am extremely judgmental)
Let alone mentioning that I felt really touched by your story. Your writing skills are pretty good.
This is a bad time to be British and famous, first Lemmy, than Bowie and now Alan Rickman .... Good luck with the costume. I'm bringing you an Irish good luck charm against the fair folk, just in case :)
Its extraordinary how this man moved the planet with his work.. So much of his followers are stepping out from ussual routine just to dedicate themselfs to tribute him. Amazing.