How to create Lexa's pants (The 100)

By Willow Enright

On Left: Lexa (The 100) sporting her warrior pose in her sexy black jeans On right: Clarke sporting her blue jacket https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/thehundred/images/8/8f/Lexa-and-clarke-are-going-to-have-to-trust.jpg

The wardrobe in The 100 is a cosplayer’s dream. There are so many rich details to garbled together clothing and armor, that the world of the Grounders seems tangible. Maybe it’s their use of seat belts, tires, and ripped up grunged gear to create their recycled style, or perhaps it’s simply the ingenuity. Either way, the post-apocalyptic look of The 100 is fun to recreate!

This is what the stretch denim pants more or less looked like. https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y0YfDuHKiP0/WWt_qlTgtAI/AAAAAAAAEv0/9yYgppg0Z0wP7AjLcW6iY_qJ7hpPZsGxQCEwYBhgL/s1600/4.jpg

Because I suck at before photos heres the different parts pinned together before sewing

Steampunk Style Pants

Grounders don't buy fashion, they create it!

I decided that I didn’t want to outright buy the motorcycle pants, but make them myself so that they are more Grounder-like. To recreate the Lexa Grounder pants I used three different pairs of pants that I already had. The anchor pair are old workout pants that have a decent waist height, fit, and are stretchable with a drawstring waist. I used this pair as my base for building the rest of the pants. The main focal point of pants were some black linen Steampunk pants acquired a long time ago by catalog, only they never fit because the pants were so incredibly low cut that it was obscene. I decided to split these and use them as the front and back of the pants due to their cool Steampunk flare of hardware and leather. The third pair were black denim stretch jeans that were way too small. These were used for pockets, and accent details, including the pleated knees.

Pants all pinned and ready for test fitting

The knee pleats are simply tossed over the pants to show where they will end up

The side section here is the workout pants

I started by putting the workout pants on my body. I then pinning the flared legs over for a more fitted pant all the way to my ankles. I cut off the excess material folded over and sewed the pant legs back together.  I apologize that I didn’t actually take great photos of my build process, including before photos of each pair of pants. I had to use similar reference photos for the stretch denim jeans, and shots of the already finished Steampunk pants.

Front of the Steampunk pants with the higher workout pants drawstring waistband

Backside of the Steampunk pants with added jeans pockets and higher waistband

Tear it down, to build from the Grounder up.

My next step was to split the Steampunk pants down the outer seams. This essentially left me with a large flap of pants in the front and back connected by the crotch of the pants. I then pinned these large pieces to the workout pants, before cutting away the additional layer of workout pants on the inside that would make the pants unnecessarily two layered. Since these pants were also originally puffy at the knee, I had to take in the knee area until it was fitted. I sewed these two pants parts together before adding any of the denim detail pieces, and I used a basic straight stitch to combine them. The stretchy workout pants along the side help to accommodate getting into the pants once they are all sewn, especially since the focal pair aren’t stretchy at all so there’s zero give to the fabric.

Extreme close up

The corset detailing is part of the steampunk pants, while the pleated knees are the stretch denim

Close up detail on the pleated denim knees

The stretchy denim jeans were dissected into four parts. The legs of the jeans were cut off just under the pocket lines so that all four pockets could still be used. The front button and zipper section were cut off since the Steampunk pants already have a button/zipper combo, and the back pockets were separated by cutting along the seam leaving the original seam on one pocket’s edge. Each leg was opened along the inseam, and then pleat folded until the entire leg of the jeans was one huge denim pleat. This process took several pinning, un-pinnings before the pleats were even on both sides and could be sewn to make them permanent pleat panels. ​

Steampunk pants and denim pockets

Knee details

More cool Steampunk hardware and pleated knee details

Don't Forget About the POCKETS!

I then pinned the denim pocket sections so that the front pockets could easily be used, along with the belt loops. The back pockets wrap around and add some additional details to the butt, even if they aren’t traditionally placed. I sewed these denim sections over the combined pair so that the finished pants appear to be altered jeans. The matching pleated knee panels tie in the materials to make the pants seem more cohesive. Each pleated panel was wrapped around the knee section and sewn on top of the combined pants.

The pants are complete, but there's still more to go to finish off the costume.

It's so hard to see the details of black on black, which is part of why I chose three different materials to use to give more details among all the black.

In the end I have an original pair of Grounder pants. They retain the classic Lexa pant style by being fitted with pleated knee sections, but also have a uniqueness which make them my own creation. Emulating post apocalyptic characters provides the opportunity for your own artistic expression, and gives you a wicked new style to sport!