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Adding Horsehair Braid Hemming to your Cosplay Costumes

Want to add extra lift or structure to the hem of a garment? Watch our guide on using horsehair braid to add structure to hems to cosplay costumes, gowns, and more!

Supplies List

Sewing Machine
Needle for hand sewing
Color-matched thread
Horsehair Braid (any width)
Iron

Tutorial Video

In this instruction video, I used one of our sewing patterns to create a cosplay inspired by Princess Serenity's gown from Sailor Moon. Scroll down for a link to this print-at-home sewing pattern and other projects horsehair is perfect for.

I hemmed the bottom layer of this Princess Serenity cosplay with a blind hand stitch, which makes a hemline stitch invisible from the right side of the fabric. If you're new to hand-sewing hems, watch the video for instructions.

Horsehair braids come in a variety of colors, widths, and stiffnesses. Standard colors include white, black, eggshell, and cream (but it can also be found in fun colors like blue, pink, and purple!) Popular widths range from 1/4" to 6". Generally, the wider and stiffer the braid, the more exaggerated the flair added to your hem will appear.

For this project, I used a flexible white 1" braid. You can create more drastic results by using a wider braid, but for this project, I'm aiming to add only a little extra structure to the bottom layer of skirts to make the dress easier to walk in. Sewing in horsehair braid not only adds much-needed structure but can also create gravity-defying elements. This is useful for various parts of a cosplay costume! It's an excellent material to have on hand for much more than just gown hemming.