Cosplay Journal - [WIG] Chadley (Final Fantasy VII Remake)

It’s been 23 years since the original Final Fantasy 7 and 15 years since a tech demo released showing FF7’s opening in updated graphics. From that point, fans were begging for a fully fledged remake and it finally released in 2020! Probably one of the most anticipated games in history due to the classic and iconic nature of the original, I’d say the title sold itself. The remake is slated to be episodic and upon release proved to be way more than what people were anticipating. Rather than a full 1:1 copy, it was reimagined, rewritten, and reworked to give an expanded, clarified, and detailed look into the FF7 universe, giving greater depth for beloved characters and introducing new characters, like this nerd here:

Meet Chadley! I instantly screamed when I read his name because of how absurd it sounded to me (sorry to any IRL Chadleys out there). Chad + Bradley is an all new monstrosity that somehow fits his character. He just a kid you simultaneously want to tease and want to protect at the same time. In game he’s a teen intern hoping to “undermine” his company’s efforts by helping the heroes with new items. So, of course, I had to try to cosplay this good, good boy.

FYI, this is not a tutorial. I have no idea what I’m doing.

The Base Wig:

I took Arda’s Skyelar Classic Wig in Victory Blonde (CL-053A) and straightened it loosely so the curls weren’t as tight, but the wave was still present.

Straightening + Cutting

As the the wig straightened, it became quite long! So I cut the wig to a length that was just at the shoulders first, before cutting even shorter, leaving the bangs for last. Knowing how many mistakes I make, it’s best for me to cut little by little. I can always make it shorter, but I can’t make it longer!

Create Layers

In order to create layers, I separated parts of the hair into thirds creating a top, middle, and bottom layer, making the top layer the shortest and the bottom layer the longest. Using thinning sheers, I cut it at an angle to make sure that the top layer was always the shortest, but with the thinning sheers, I think it creates a more natural look because not everything is cut straight across. And because of the waves already present in the wig, it created it’s own voluminous look.

Heat + Set

I repeated the process until the shape started to look as close to the character as I could create it. For the bangs, I put the wig on my face and cut it from there. Lastly, I used my hot iron to create additional curls and set the entire thing with a light coat of hair spray.

And that’s it! I’m actually quite proud of this one even though it’s so simple, since my other attempts at styling have either been super basic or not quite executed as well. I hope to be able to cosplay him fully at a convention soon.