Some of you might wonder why I made a Oswin Oswald costume post, instead of adding it to the Clara Oswald costume. I admit that I thought about doing that, but in the end I decided to make this a post of its own because Oswin wasn't Clara.
Okay, yes, she was, but she also wasn't. Oswin didn't know she was Clara, she didn't even know there was a Clara. Which is why I decided that Oswin deserved a post of her own.
The first time we met one of Clara's incarnations was in the episode titled Asylum of the Daleks. The Doctor received help from a girl named Oswin Oswald (who looks and acts just like the companion we know as Clara), who loved to make soufflés, which earned her the nickname of Soufflé Girl.
From her hair, red dress, and shoes to the belt and belt items, here is everything you need to dress up in an Oswin costume.
Do you live outside the United States?
Clothing
Dress
Oswin's dress was a short and red. The dress that actress Jenna Coleman wore was custom made and, to the best of my knowledge, no one is selling a replica of it, so choose one that looks similar to the one seen below and you will be easily recognized as Oswin.
Socks
I'm fairly certain that we never saw the socks worn by Oswin but that doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with them. I recommend red and white striped socks.
Shoes
Oswin's shoes were fancy sneakers. They were red high tops with white shoe laces. The research I've done on the shoes revealed that the shoes worn by Jenna were River Island Hidden Heel hi-tops, but I have been unable to find them. You'll be just fine if you wear hi-tops that are red. White shoelaces are a bonus, but not a requirement.
Cosplay Belt
Replica Belt
The belt worn by Oswin was made by Hi-Tek and was black leather with an unusual aluminum seatbelt fastener. I've looked all over the Internet and was able to find a replica of the belt being sold on Etsy.
Replica Of Belt Items
I have no idea what most of the items are on Oswin's belt, with the exceptions of the flashlight and whisk. Fortunately, there are clever people on Etsy who do know what they are and are selling replicas of them.
Alternative Belt
Belt
I realize that not all of you will want the replica belt, or it might not be available for sale, so I've done the best I could to find something similar. Look for a black belt that you can add to, possibly with grommets (holes).
What do I mean by that? Well, Oswin had a lot of small items attached to her belt and I'll show you some of those items in a moment.
Belt Items
Oswin had a variety of items on her belt, most of which I have no idea what they were or how to replicate them. You can get a good look at the belt and what's on it here.
There are several items that I was able to identify, seen below, but it is okay to add whatever you want. Having said that, I think the most important item to have on your belt is the whisk because Oswin spent much of her time in the kitchen whisking eggs for her soufflés.
You might find it easiest to attach items with connector chains or black zip ties, especially if you use a belt with grommets, or with carabiner clips.
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Optional Accessories
Wig
Jenna Coleman had long, brown hair the first time we saw her, and it was swept up into ponytail. You can wear a wig if your hair doesn't look like Oswin's, down or in a ponytail.
Cosplay Badge
Sure, this incarnation is named Oswin, but she's really Clara so tell the world who you are with an ID badge.
Clara Oswin Oswald Badge
Dalek Dress
Oswin started out human but she landed on the wrong planet - the Dalek's asylum planet - and they saw how clever she was and made her a Dalek.
If you have a sense of humor you could wear a Dalek dress instead of the red one. Oswin was a silver Dalek but I haven't seen a dress in that color. Most are red, blue, or gold. A red Dalek dress would be a fun twist on an Oswin Oswald costume!
Apron
As I've already mentioned, Oswin loved to cook, and when she did she wore an apron. The image below is of Oswin's apron, which is white with red and black stripes and blocks. If you think about it, the designs are a bit Daleky, aren't they?
You can buy the pattern to make Oswin's apron if you want yours to be authentic, or you can buy one. I'm partial to a Dalek design myself...
FYI, you might sometimes see this referred to as a pinny, which is what the British call an apron. Pinny is short for pinafore.
Oven Mitt
The oven mitts that Oswin used were a bit unusual. Instead of two mitts she used a towel/mitt combination. The mitts she used were taupe with beige stripes. I was able to find mitts that look just like Oswin's but they are not available in taupe. Fortunately, there are colors that will match the dress.
You can also use a single mitt if you don't want the long towel mitts.
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Necklace
Clara was known as both the Impossible Girl and Soufflé Girl. You already know about Oswin's love of soufflés, but I'm not going to give any spoilers if you don't yet know why she is the Impossible Girl. River Song would be so proud of me!
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Impossible Girl or Soufflé Girl Necklace
Here is a video of Oswin when the Doctor realizes the truth about her. Run, you clever boy! And remember. Remember the first time you met Clara, the girl who saved you when you were deep in the heart of the Dalek insane asylum...
