Princess Kraehe from Princess Tutu

Princess Tutu is my favorite anime! Rue/Princess Kraehe is my all time favorite character and I loved cosplaying her! I'm currently working on making all of her outfits.

I generally get A LOT of questions in regards to my Princess Kraehe Cosplay and they tend to be the same over and over, so I wrote this FAQ.

Q 1: How do you keep your Princess Kraehe top up?

A 1: I glue myself in! The only brand of glue that has successfully worked and managed to keep the bodice adhered to my body all day at a convention is Ben Nye Spirit Gum. You can order it through Amazon or their (Ben Nye) website. For photo shoots I usually feel comfortable enough to just do the glue, but while at a convention I also wear a clear strap (halter neck style) while just walking around, I remove the strap while doing shoots/am not around a lot of people.

Q2: How did you get your tutu to stick out like that?

A 2: The Simple answer is a metal hoop. You can purchase them from a hardware store, making a cheap one with metal wires, or buy a "professional" grade hoop from Tutu.com also achieving the Pancake (not to be confused with Russian) style tutu you need to be using the proper tulle & net. The general tulle from Jo-Ann Fabrics will not cut it, nor will petticoat netting. Though these types of tulle may be used for the top plate (top layer that is decorated), but are not stiff enough to hold the proper shape you want to achieve. If you would like to know more about the proper tulle & net and how to go about making a tutu I would suggest reading the information on this website or purchasing a tutu kit from Tutu.com

Q3: How do you make a tutu?

A 3: With a lot of time and hands on learning! For more information please refer to the links in A2.

Q4: Are you a real dancer?

A 4: I began my classical training at the age of 3, so yes I am, but I did not pursue dance as my profession due to a knee injury and currently just dance at home since I am still recovering from some other health issues.

Q5: Where do you buy your pointe shoes?

A5: When I have the money I prefer to buy my Pointe shoes from Russian Pointe, they have a location in Downtown Chicago. If you live in the area I would highly recommend them! The staff is fantastic! I have received my best shoes fittings there. I would defiantly encourage anyone who is starting pointe work to receive their first shoe fitting at Russian Pointe.

Q 6: I don't dance/don't know how to dance en pointe, but I still want my cosplay to be accurate, what should I do?

A 6: In regards to pointe shoes, never ever go en pointe unless you have proper training! I am not saying this to be mean, but for your safety! Ballet dancers train for years before going en point. Why? They are training muscle groups not normally used, you also have to specially train muscles in your toes/feet/ankles/legs/etc to be able to properly hold yourself up.

Solution to point shoes! Demi-pointe Shoes are what pre-pointe dances use to began getting use to the feel of pointe shoes. These shoes do not have a shank and the toe boxes are soft, thus you will not be able to stand en pointe, but the shoes looks exactly like a pointe shoe. Also the added bonus is these are usually under half the price of regular pointe shoes!

Cosplayer: TheRestless88

January 30, 2014