Electroluminescent wire isn’t the kind of item all of us have on hand, but it’s easy to track down (it’s sold at Adafruit) and useful to so many projects. EL wire can be just the touch you need to add a little something special to a costume. The glowing copper wire can be used for a variety of wearables and is a fantastic material to have in your cosplay toolbox just in case. Here are five ways you can use EL wire in cosplay:

Photo by EPBOT

Magic – Dressing up as a character with magical powers? You can use EL wire to show a spell in progress. The above picture shows a cosplay of Snape and his Patronus at LeakyCon, and a length of EL wire goes from the wand to the Patronus. You could keep the wire connected for the entire day, or you could just keep it on hand and clip it into place for photo ops. Blue EL Wire could also be used to represent the Force – which is kind of like magic.

Weaponry – Need to add a little glow to a sword or staff? Light-up weapons are common in video games, and while you don’t have to go for screen accurate when you’re making props, using EL wire is a relatively easy way to dress things up. If you’re working on an original design, you can create something with exposed wiring and work EL wire into that – you could fashion it so that the weapon glows from the inside out.

Tron suit – When I think of EL wire and costumes, the first outfit I picture is a Tron suit. Instructables user 615deals had a similar idea and created a suit with about 100 feet of red-orange EL wire. He laid out the design with yellow yarn first and sewed it by hand to a leather jacket and denim jeans. Just be careful not to get trapped inside the Grid.

Footwear – In love with Frozen? Go above and beyond with your Queen Elsa costume by adding blue EL wire to your shoes. The addition will be a nice complement to her icy powers and will also serve to make it appear as though the ground underneath your feet is glowing as you walk. It won’t be in a snowflake pattern, but it will still be awesome. EL wire highlights on boots would also be ideal for League of Legends cosplay.

Crown – If you’re putting together a fairy costume, a glowing crown would be a wonderful way to top it off. You could use EL wire to construct the entire piece or more sparingly as accents. Instructables user janth used red and blue EL wire to fashion a crown that would dazzle everyone and be ideal for a nighttime event. Complete the look by using EL wire to dress up your wings.