Princess Kraehe...

The Problem with Kraehe

Kraehe is a attractive character to cosplay. Sensual without being too skanky, elegant, dark, and black. However, many Kraehe cosplayers get caught up on her impossible bodice-of-doom. And no wonder!



It’s backless too!

Firstly, before we delve any further into this, it’s important for Kraehe cosplayers to actually know on what Kraehe is based off it, and begin their costume design with that knowledge in mind. Princess Kraehe is based on the character of Odile in Swan Lake. Odile is in fact Von Rothbart’s daughter, who he enchants to look like just like Odette, except all in black. He takes her to the Prince’s Ball where the prince, believing her to be his love Odette, swears his love and marriage to her, settling Odette’s fate to remain a swan forever.



In the ballet, Odile DOES wear a deep cut bodice, but there is a band of nude-colored spandex between the shaped pieces. I’ve seen quite a few Kraehe cosplayers attempt this, but with poor results. Remember that ballet is meant to be seen from a distance on a stage, NOT close up like cosplay. Any nude fabric quickly “disappears” as the distance from the stage increases. Cosplayers are seen and photographed at a very close proximity, so costumes must be made with that in mind. A skin-colored spandex insert connecting the two halves of the bodice looks clumsy and dumpy, sending whatever elegance you had out the window.

How to overcome? Either you need excellent sewing skills, or a willingness to break away from the obsession with “100% Accuracy” and get creative.

Kraehe’s original bodice design presents many problems - construction, a tendency to be flimsy, unwanted sexual attention, a wardrobe-malfunction waiting to happen, and the fact that it only caters to one body type - long and lean. At a bustling anime convention that usually consists of young people, I don’t want to arrive there in a costume that could EASILY be ripped off my bare breasts. If I was going to do her original bodice, I would only wear it for photo shoots. It CAN be done, however. How successful the design and method is up to the viewer.

This cosplayer succeeded in a strapless bodice, with the help of glue.


Here, the bodice pieces are attached to a bra, which ensures they won’t be leaving your chest.


Here, the pieces are held up with a 3-point elastic system that goes around the neck.

Here, clear straps were used which become almost invisible at a distance.


Clear straps again, both on the shoulders and around the back.

Still, trying to get the perfect bodice would be difficult, and probably with the help of a great deal of boning and stiff reinforcement. However, an easier, safer, and still very impressive way of handling her bodice would be to return to the source material (Odile), and do a more traditional ballet bodice. It can still have the deep cut, and whether you add a spandex insert will depend on how stiff the bodice is. It would still be complicated if you decide to bone it, but it would still be spectacular.
Also, Kraehe doesn’t have to be plain! Look at a real ballet costume, and you’ll find it studded with jewels, beading, cording, and sequins. Here are some photos to give you a bit of inspiration!

Here’s a good example of how to emphasize the deep cut of the Odile/Kraehe bodice without actually showing half your breasts.

With little roses

All white

A little simpler

You can even just add detailing to the edges, emphasizing the cut of the top of the bodice.


Here’s an example of a Kraehe cosplayer using a ballet-type bodice: Here. I also like the stockings used, which brings me to my last point.

Almost all Odile dancers wear pink tights and Euro-pink pointe shoes, not black. Wearing opaque black tights in photos can make your legs look bigger, fatter, and without definition. Your feet become lost. They may work well in a studio shoot with white or light colored flooring, but on the convention floor, they hide your feet, which are a big part of posing as a Princess Tutu character. A good choice would be to find a transparent hosiery that still shows off your legs and would give black shoes more definition.

I hope you have taken all this into consideration if you embark on cosplaying Princess Kraehe!