Style Dispatch

KusanagHalloween6

As mentioned a while back, I decided to finally dress as Major Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell for Halloween. Last year I boycotted the holiday altogether so it was definitely time to do it up. In retrospect, I realize that this differs very little from the way I usually look; in fact, I owned all of the items except the leotard before deciding to dress as the Major. I don’t know if that makes it a lazy costume and I suppose it doesn’t really matter. I already had the hair, too. Ftt.

517928-motoko074_large

I’ve wanted to dress up as The Major ever since I dyed my hair blue a few years ago. This outfit isn’t really exact, but more of a blend of Kusanagi’s combat suit and her more salacious outfits. It was a tough call since, on one hand, skankin’ it up for Halloween is lame/cliche, while on the other hand this character is designed to be super-sexy. My costume was sort of a compromise between bad-ass and hawtt.

KusanagiHalloween2

Though this Halloween was fun enough, I wish I could have been back in Japan wearing this. The outfit doesn’t quite have the same effect mingling at a costume house party as it might were I tucked into a tenth-level red-lit bar somewhere in the heart of Tokyo. Still, the costume was incredibly fun and comfortable to wear. After spending two solid days in Kusanagi mode, I’ve gained a new appreciation of bodysuits that will likely affect my wardrobe in the future.

KusanagiHalloween1

KusanagiHalloween3

My favorite part of the costuming process was that it became somewhat interactive. I asked my Twitter friends to help me pick between a heavy leather motorcycle jacket and a cropped shrug. Major Kusanagi wears different jackets throughout the GITS manga, films, and series and I couldn’t decide which I liked best. Thanks to the magic of good old-fashioned cam-whoring,  Twitpic, and @ replies the day was saved.

KusanagiHalloween5

Details:

  • Shrug – Plastik Wrap
  • Leotard – American Apparel
  • Leggings – F21
  • Thigh-high socks – Sock Dreams
  • Utility belt – Lip Service
  • Boots [not pictured] – “Oriana” by Ralph Lauren