Do I go by myself and look like a loser/dork with my book?

Feh on the judgmentalism.

It's a restaurant, right?

Lose yourself in the book and ignore the rest of the world.

I draw my line at going to a restaurant called Aphrodisiac (Flash, audio) alone to use a coupon, and you're far shy of that.

Can anyone give me ideas on how to achieve the shoulders in this outfit? Strictly, it's a set of wire loops (not shoulderpads), but I can't work out how to anchor them.

Do you have the material and just need something to support it?

Or, wait, do you mean you have the framework?

I am confused, but pondering nonetheless.

Do you have the material and just need something to support it?

I have the material I'm going to use to simulate chainmail. I even have wire that could serve as the basic frame. I just don't know how to attach that to, you know, me in any reliable fashion.

ita, could you cut up an old underwire bra in half, that way you'll at least have the material that covers the underwire to stitch it onto the fabric? Also, less pokey-ouchy. I sort of wish I could come over and help. Interesting project.

Can anyone give me ideas on how to achieve the shoulders in this outfit?

Small football shoulder pads? Like the kind the placekicker wears.

I just don't know how to attach that to, you know, me in any reliable fashion.

I'm not a do-it-yourselfer, but you could make two circles that go around your shoulders, joined by an axle across your back, with the facric draped over it.

Like for angel wings!

Like for angel wings!

Prezactly, and in fact, this may not be a bad connection-- perhaps there are do-it-yourself instructions online for angel wings or commercial angel wings you can adapt to hang more over the shoulders.

Gotcha. I think. What about making a stiff frame that connects to the gown at the back? Like... well, like a Y shaped piece that's attached so that the arms extend slightly over your own shoulders. Build the dress's shoulders off that, so that really they aren't really sleeves, they're just floating above your arms.

How heavy will the shoulder pieces be?

Small football shoulder pads? Like the kind the placekicker wears.

That's a last resort, since the costume is actually transparent at that point.

I know I'm overstickling for someone who's not wearing actual chainmail. Seems to be a character flaw.

could you cut up an old underwire bra in half

I hadn't even thought of pokey ouchey.

but you could make two circles that go around your shoulders, joined by an axle across your back, with the facric draped over it.

Up over my shoulders? I guess I can make one or two loops that attach to the axle and sit on my shoulders, for support, and then have the Sydney Opera House high-flying buttresses come off it too.

I'll need more wire, but that's a small price to pay.

Went to a Halloween store for the wig today, but they only did 80s rocker in black. Tomorrow or the weekend I'll give the nearby wig store a try, and if not there, it's Melrose or Hollywood.

I think the jewellery is all sorted, which is cool.