Finding That Alice Look: My Messy Journey
Alright, so after watching the older Resident Evil flicks again, I decided I really wanted a decent Alice costume. Not that cheap party store stuff, y’know? I wanted something that looked legit, like it could survive running from zombies. Spoiler: it took way longer than I thought.
First up, I hit the usual online places. Typed in “Resident Evil Alice costume” and wow, loads popped up. Prices were all over the place. Clicked on a bunch, looked real close at the pictures. Most looked kinda flimsy? Like thin material, plastic-looking belts, colours seemed off. I remembered Alice’s outfit in the first movie especially – kinda dark, practical, not shiny or plasticky.
Got a bit frustrated, honestly. Almost settled for this one seller with decent reviews, but the photos users uploaded… nah. The trousers looked way too baggy, not fitted like Milla’s. The vest seemed too short. Just didn’t scream “Umbrella Corp survivor.” Had to dig deeper.
Started searching differently. Tried “tactical vest replica” and “combat trousers movie accurate” instead of just “costume.” Click, click, scroll. Took ages! Found a site selling “screen-used style” gear, mostly for cosplay folks or collectors. Prices jumped up, which sucked, but the details? Much better.
Here’s what became super important:
- The Vest: Needed that specific cut. Short in the front, long in the back, the right pockets. Found one that looked heavy-duty, like canvas almost. Zippers looked metal, not cheap plastic. Big win.
- The Shirt: Sounds simple, right? Grey tank top. But finding one that was the right grey, kinda faded, not sporty neon grey? Trickier than it should be. Ended up getting a plain cotton one and slightly staining it with watered-down coffee (don’t laugh, it worked!).
- The Trousers: Needed dark olive green cargo pants. Not camo print! Found some military surplus-style trousers that were super close. Bonus: they had the correct pocket flap things. Sewed the cargo pocket snaps shut to match the movie look.
- The Belts & Straps: This is where cheap costumes always fail. Needed thick, dark brown leather-look belts. Found a decent utility belt set, but the holster strap needed adjusting. Had to cut some buckles off and reattach them differently to sit right on the leg. Took an afternoon, lots of swearing.
Waited impatiently for everything to arrive. The vest was the last piece. Unboxed it… YES! It felt solid, had weight to it. Put it all together slowly, piece by piece. The shirt under the vest, trousers tucked into my boots (basic black boots, nothing fancy), belts buckled tight.
Stood in front of the mirror. Compared it to screenshots I had on my phone paused from the DVD. Adjusted the holster strap one more time. Had to admit, it felt right. It wasn’t just fabric slapped together; it had that rugged, lived-in look from the movie. Mission accomplished, finally.
Was it cheap? Nope. Took a lot of hunting and some DIY fixes? Definitely. But putting it on and seeing that movie-accurate look? Totally worth the hassle. Just gotta find a fake Beretta prop now…
