Over the next few weeks we are going to profile a few of the costumes used throughout the series. From the way they’re made to why they were designed the way they were. This week is May’s Tribe 5 costume. Click any of the costume pictures for a larger view.
If one word sums May up it is “survivor”. May is determined to survive in the new world and will do whatever is necessary to do so – and her “me, me, me” attitude sometimes annoys other Mall Rats.
But May is more than a “survivor” – she also has a sensitive, sympatheic and compassionate side. Her and Salene have a close friendship which May depends on especially as the other Mallrats aren’t so eager to trust her.
She’s very pretty but often has a scowl on her face. She’s not the sort of person that can be happy most of the time and is always looking out for the deal that’s best for her.
This costume is definitely one of May’s more feminine outfits. Previously she’s been in brown and black leathers and blue and yellow brights.
May’s jacket is made of a shiny grey/silver pvc fabric. It is a thin jacket and could only really be used as a wind breaker or waterproof. It certainly wouldn’t keep you very warm. It has a high collar and is done up at the front with four pieces of velcro.
Along the bottom of the jacket at the front are two pockets that span the entire front side. These are also done up with two pieces of velcro neatly placed in the centre of each pocket.
The jacket doesn’t have an elastic waistband at the bottom but it does have elastic in the cuffs. The detail on the jacket is done in large blue stitches. It is double stitched around every seam. On the front of the upper arms of the jacket is more detailed stitching of three triangular spikes on each side. These are also repeated in the same place on the back of the jacket.
May’s pants are made of stretchy denim. The main body of the pants is in pink with the waistband with 1/2 skirt in purple.
These are 3/4 pants. They taper in slightly at the knees and flare again slightly below them. A triple line of stitching down the side of each leg is in bright green and the bottom of the leg is stitched in pink.
The waistband is also double stitched in bright green thread. Attached to the waistband is the 1/2 skirt. This goes all the way around the back and half way around the front on each side but is only about six inches in length down the leg. The underside of the skirt is lined in yellow taffeta.
The pants sit very low on the waistline and are definitely hipsters. They are done up at the front with a silver metal zip.
Around her pants, May wears what the wardrobe team call “a dreamcatcher belt”. Strung between two long pieces of thin brown leather are little dreamcatchers. These are round leather circles with little nylon webs weaved in the centre. In the centre of some of the circles are little beads. The circles are purple, pink, red and orange in colour. The belt is tied at the front.
May’s top is certainly eyecatching if not for it’s style then for it’s bright colour. It’s made of different shades of red and pink lace. The main front panel of the top is lined with a stretchy purple fabric so as it’s not completely see through.
The top has what the wardrobe team call “sleeve bands. These are sleeves which are attatched to the main body of the top by the underarms only. These are edged in a matching pink elastic so as to keep them flexible and comfortable to wear.
The top also has an extra neck piece. this is attached at the throat or top of the chest and at the back of the top in the same place and is like a tube around the neck.
The top neckline is shaped to a point at the top of the neck which starts from the underarm. To finish off the top half of the costume May wears arm bands in the same fabric that start at the wrists and go half way up the forearm.
Over the arm bands May sometimes wears this spring bracelet thing. Each of the bracelets is a very tightly wound spring. Each one has a different pattern on it and they are animal patterns. One is silver and black and looks like Zebra stripes, another one is gold and black and looks like tiger stripes. There are cheetah patterns and all sorts of different types of animals spots. These are all attached together by a purple piece of vinyl that is domed together after each bracelet.
Over the extra neck piece of May’s top she wears a necklace. May’s necklace started off as a safety pin. The back of the necklace is the tight coil that makes the safety pin spring. This gives the necklace the V shape at the bottom. Attached to this is a curved silver metal piece to which is attached a silver button at the front. At the end of the two points of the safety pin at the top has been attached thin wire which goes around the neck to hold it on. Stretched across the two sides is a metal chain on which is strung seven tiny nuts (as in nuts and bolts).
On her feet May wears short black socks that come half way up the ankle. Her shoes are very chunky. They have a tartan design to them and have about a 2 inch heal.
Far too hard to describe in detail but take a look for yourself.