Interview with Ashley S. McCormick, Rainbow Brite Cosplayer

1: How long have you been a Rainbow Brite fan?

Ashley S. McCormick: My sister taped the first 4 episodes of Rainbow Brite when it originally aired. When I was born in ’89, I started watching these episodes again and again and again. So I have loved Rainbow Brite my entire life.

2: Have you ever dressed as her before, or is this your first Rainbow Brite costume?

Ashley S. McCormick: This was my first official RB costume. I had a pouch that I would connect to my pants or skirt and then I would draw and cut out stars to pretend I had Star Sprinkles, but I never had a real RB costume until now. This is mostly what prompted the costume to be made.

3: When creating your costume, did you use a pattern or did you improvise?

Ashley S. McCormick: I found patterns that I could alter a little bit to get the design I wanted, and I made the costume from that.

4: Your costume is very accurate. What would you say was the most difficult part?

Ashley S. McCormick: For me, it was creating the round sleeves and getting the cone-shaped sleeves to stand up and stay there. For my design, I used a 2D triangular shape to cut the fabric out and then when I sewed the pieces in, the sleeves, forming around the shoulder, became a “cone” shape.

5: How did you get the sleeves to “puff”? Did you use a padding?

Ashley S. McCormick: At first, I just made the cone I previously described, but I made a dire mistake. I had drawn the pattern to be flat on top and then used interfacing to make it stiff. Later I realized that if I had cut the pattern top at an angle, it would stand up easier when interfacing was put inside.

6: Considering the fabric you used: Was it breathable?

Ashley S. McCormick: Actually, I used Casa Satin for the visible fabric and a very very thin lining. Also, the colorful sleeves and boots had foam in them, which was breathable. I was warm, but not hot. It was air-conditioned inside and breezy outside. Plus, I had nearly nothing on my legs so that really made me cooler.

7: Using what appears to be fur or feathers to line your skirt and boots is clever. It appears that it wouldn’t weigh the costume down as much as stuffing would have. Was this the goal of this detail? Or did it serve another purpose?

Ashley S. McCormick: Yes. I actually used a sparkly boa. I always thought that Rainbow Brite would have worn a feather trim. I do not know why I thought this, I just did. The cartoon leaves for a lot of imagining and creativity in regards to costuming.

8: Because it is a boa sewn to your costume, how do you clean it without ruining the feathers?

Ashley S. McCormick: I originally had it snap on with small button snaps, but later I wanted to actually sew it on the costume. As for cleaning, I do not wear it very often (yet) and so I have no need to clean it if I do not sweat in it at all. I will deal with cleaning when I come across that need, and I may even keep altering my costume as I find better ways to do things.

9: How many pieces is your costume all together? (top/bottom/boots/belt/etc)

Ashley S. McCormick: Let me see. The wig, the dress/sleeves, the belt, the boots, and Twink. 5 total unless I cannot count.

10: Your boots: Those are something many people attempt to re-create. How did you do it? Shoe/Sock or did you do a shoe cover?

Ashley S. McCormick: I made a very quick shoe cover that is actually glued to the boot. I would do differently now. I painted the bottom of the tennis shoes I used red. I took red fabric and started gluing it down so that it was smooth on top, not caring what the bottom looked like because it would be covered later. then I cut very carefully yellow foam in the shape of my shoe around the bottom. I then glued the foam on the shoe, covering the red fabric on the bottom, and tried to make it close to seamless. (the seams are actually where the stars are for the buckles). I then glued the orange buckles down ( the stars were sewn to the orange). After that I sewed the boot legs to the shoes and voila! Boots.

11: That is a good wig! Did you have that custom made or did you modify one?

Ashley S. McCormick: The wig I bought was not custom at all, but I knew what my hair looked like when I was blonde as a kid, so I chose a wig color with highlights that looked close to that color. I fashioned the ponytail myself.

12: Where did you buy your wig from?

Ashley S. McCormick: I got the wig from Amphigory. Here is the exact link to the specific wig I used. I used the 24B color because it was what I used to have, but every person is different and I suggest going down to a local beauty store to see what color would look good on you (whoever the person questioning is) before purchasing.

13: A lot of fans shy away from the wig because it’s a side-tail which can make it sag on one side. Yours didn’t do that. How were you able to achieve it?

Ashley S. McCormick: I first cut the bangs a little to fit my head better. then I carefully put it into a side ponytail that was loose. I used the idea of the french twist (loosening the ponytail and putting the ponytail through so it twists) but inverted it so the ponytail popped up. I pulled out strands and loosened the hair so that it would not show the netting below it. I tied the ribbon on and glued the star on that. To get the wig to stay on I used a LOT of LARGE bobby pins to hold the wig in place and I put more on the opposite side where it would try to come off, so it would stay. I also used some small bobby pins as well. I kind of alternated. I had to dance with a wig for a jazz competition a while ago, and we had 1 minute to actually get the wig on (quick changes) and secure it firmly, so I have had previous experience and practice. This is how I knew how many pins to put in my hair.
Oh and I didn’t just put them on the sides, I put some under the hair in the middle, but caught the netting and my actual hair to take some of the weight off of the side.

14: The Color Belt: What did you make it out of?

Ashley S. McCormick: I used vinyl for the red, which I cut specifically to sew the back to make the lines her belt had. I still need the circles but at least the back of the belt is pretty accurate. The rainbow is also wonderflex, completely raw I must say. I really liked the texture the wonderflex gave the belt so I did not try to smooth it with friendly plastic. The rainbow/star velcro to the belt, which is also the way to take it off/put it on. A big feature of my costume was the belt sound. I actually had a sound byte that would go off when I pushed the star on my belt. It played part of the theme song, but I want to find a good clean sound of the rainbow from the show to record so it can make the sound her belt made! Also I had a problem with the sound going off by itself so I need a slight redesign.

15: Where did you hide the sound device on the belt?

Ashley S. McCormick: It wasn’t (on the belt). It was actually in a pouch that was sewn to the lining of the dress in the spot that the star would hit it.

16: When it comes to make up, Rainbow Brite makeup is pretty basic. What kind did you use? (full face or just cheek)?

Ashley S. McCormick: I used a sparkly light light brown for the full eyes, then I put half green half purple on the actual eyelids. The rest is basics: foundation, powder, blush mascara. I used a purple eyeliner for the star on my cheek and I put hairspray on my cheeks and dabbed them with sparkle powder. The lipstick is a burnt brown, which is a little orange looking. I chose that color because RB herself had orange-ish lips.

17: Your “Twink” is adorable. How did you come up with the pattern/design for that little guy? Was he actually a functioning purse?

Ashley S. McCormick: Twink was fun. I wanted to have a way to carry my keys and such around without being out of costume. So I thought I could make a Twink purse. I used a halloween bucket for him. Then I sewed arms and legs and stuffed them with foam. I had this very Twink-like faux wool that my mom had saved from my dancing years and it was just enough to go around the bucket! so I sewed a sphere minus the top (got to make a way to open it right?). Then I sewed the ready-made arms and legs on. I had an old belt that broke and so I cut that a bit and covered it with fabric. Then I glued the belt around Twink’s middle, and used vinyl scraps from my belt to make a belt buckle that i then glued on top of that. The face was a painted piece of wonderflex with a circle made from vinyl for the nose. I used snaps to close the top, but make it open-able again, and then I glued foam stars to his head (extra foam!). I made pouches to go on his belt. Those both hold Star Sprinkles that I made (just like in the show!).

18: How much fun was San Diego Comic Con as Rainbow Brite?

Ashley S. McCormick: SDCC was so much fun and I think that I might have been the only Rainbow Brite that day at the time I went. I was only there Saturday, although now that I think about it other people were saying there was another Rainbow somewhere but I never ran into her at all. Everyone was so excited to see me and so many little girls came to me to get pictures!!! I wanted to hug them all!

19: If you could do you costume again, what are some improvements you think you would do?

Ashley S. McCormick: I would go through the costume seeing how, with my improved knowledge, I could redo parts, but I would most likely redo everything and make it slightly different, and maybe even more accurate. I could not say specific changes, because everything would get a slight upgrade.

20: If you could do another “Rainbow Brite” Character (not Rainbow Brite) as a costume who would it be?

Ashley S. McCormick: Either Patty O’ Green, Tickled Pink, Moonglow, or Stormy. Maybe Lala Orange.

21: What are some other costumes you have already done?

Ashley S. McCormick: I haven’t really made any other costumes. I sewed gloves for Br er Rabbit. I made a sort of Altair costume for my friend and a Saber costume (Fate Stay Night) for my roommate. I am currently working on making my friends’ Halloween 2010 costumes. Rainbow Brite was my very first completed costume.

RB.Co.Uk/Us: thank you very much for taking the time out to answer these questions. You are a very nice girl to do so, and for representing Rainbow Brite at the SDCC. You do the “Fandom” proud. Have a Rainbow day!

Ashley S. McCormick: May color shine in your life!

Content © RainbowBrite.Co/Co.Uk/.Us 2010

Ashley S. McCormick’s Images used with permission