Today marks the beginning of a very exciting endeavor. I'm finally starting my Zam Wesell costume build! This cosplay has been a dream of mine for about eight years now and I can't believe I'm actually starting on it. I plan to document the entire build process here on The Dorky Diva, so let's start with what I've got so far. 

Zam wears a very specific pair of Prada boots from the early 2000s that are insanely difficult to find these days. Not only are they tough to find, but they usually range from $500-$1,500 for a pair in decent condition if you are able to track them down. The most important part about the shoes are the soles. These iconic Vibram soles are visible on Zam's boot while the rest of the shoe is mostly covered by her shin armor and other details. While I could have found these soles a little easier than the entire screen-accurate boot, I really wanted the exact same pair that she wore in Attack of the Clones. 

I got incredibly lucky this past week after many years of searching and found a pair of her exact boots in my size on Poshmark. They were listed at $269, I offered the seller $190, and she countered at $200, which I accepted immediately. The pair I bought was an old store display, so they had never been worn and they were the exact style/color that I needed for my costume. The seller even included the original box and dust bag, which will be cool to have as a special keepsake. 

The boots are really stiff from not being worn at all and I have a hard time getting my foot in them. They are very comfortable once I get them on, but the shaft of the boot is actually too tight to zip up. I'm going to condition the leather and see if I can get them to stretch slightly at home. If I can't get them stretched enough, I'll see a cobbler to get them repaired to fit me perfectly. I'm still over the moon with excitement that I got them!

My plan is to get all of the soft parts sorted before I start on the leather details and armor parts. Zam's costume is very hard to color match, so I need to make sure that my under suit is finalized first. 

I ordered two neoprene samples that should be delivered by the end of the week. I picked up a purple one that looks like a close match to the screen-used suit, but we'll see if it looks as good in person as it does online. I also ordered a white neoprene sample in the case that I need to dye the fabric myself. In addition to the neoprene, I went ahead and ordered suede samples for Zam's veil and cape/cowl. Once I receive these, I'll post an update on how they panned out and if they'll be a good match for my costume. Stay tuned for more!