Anyone who has ever attended a con probably knows what crossplay is — to wear the costume of someone not your gender. Usually this is done for shock value and to be funny ("That man is wearing women's clothes! How droll!"), although occasionaly there's a group like the DC crossplayers that do more than simply wear the costumes and genuinely create what an actual costume designed for the other sex might entail.
Enter Ryan of Mad Art Lab. Formerly a staunch hater of Slave Leia's outfit and her metal bikini, he came around after one of those rare internet discussion where people actually listen to each other. The short version: Ryan decided to dress as Slave Leia at this year's cons. But, like the aforementioned DC crossplayers, he didn't just want to wear the metal bikini for shock value — he wanted to make a true male equivalent of Slace Leia outfit. "Slave Leo," he called it.
And it is magnificent.
Ryan's explanation of his thoughts regarding the character, past and present, as well as why he made his decision to dress as Slave Leo this year are fascinating reading. We highly recommend checking them out - along with some additional pics of Slave Leia in all his glory — here.
[All photos via Angela Clayfield and Julia Hall.]