Item: Yumi Bow Pointelle Cardigan
Appearance: Time of the Doctor, Deep Breath
Combined with: Karen Millen Masculine Check Skirt, Urban Outfitters Vaudeville & Burlesque Sheer Blouse, Topshop All Mine Boots, Shoptique Three-Cone Necklace, Topshop Prism Spike Bracelet, Topshop Multi-Chain Cross Bracelet, other un-IDed bracelets
Original Retail Price: Unknown
Materials: 100% polyester (not confirmed)
My photos are edited for the cardigan to look black. The one I own is dark green. Here’s the explanation: the Yumi cardigan was made in different colours (black, green, blue, …) and with different patterns (bows, hearts, I think I’ve also seen one with birds once, …). The one I bought came in the most disgusting shade of green I’ve ever seen in my entire life and I’m really glad that at least I managed to dye it less eye-cancer-causing shade, but the cardigan is made out of polyester and it’s not that easy to dye. I know several people who have successfully dyed theirs with RIT dye and another cosplayer recommended that I should colour it using a fabric pen.
Sizing and Availability
The cardigan itself is quite a cute piece of knitwear, especially with the little bows, and it has mismatched buttons. If you look closely at the photos below, you will spot the different kinds of buttons that were used on this item.
When you buy it, you should be aware that it runs really small, so you should at least go one size up, especially if you have a bigger cup size. I’m curious what size they put Jenna in because the cardigan looks quite loose on her (at least on the show, not so much in the promo photos).
Pricing
Like the rest of this outfit, the cardigan is more on the rarer side, especially the black bow version (I’m assuming it’s because all the cosplayers have already snagged one), but with a bit of patience, you will most likely come across a colour alt or a black one with a different pattern. Seeing that it’s a rare item, the cardigan sells for quite a bit of money among cosplayers, but the alt versions can usually be found for a decent price. The craziest thing I’ve seen so far was £250 and I dearly hope that no one was insane enough to buy it from that particular seller (who I will not name here) because she got it for a lot less than she sold it for. Alt colours and other patterns can sell for as little as £5.
I think this is a good moment to point out that you should always beware when you’re about to spend a bunch of money on an item because even though most people in the Clara cosplay community are absolutely sweet and helpful, there are some who try to make a profit by ripping other people off. Of course, it’s up to you how much you want to spend on an item and even I often spend more money on her items than I probably should, especially if they are rare. But if you’re new to Clara’s clothes, you should consider how rare the item really is and if you would be able to save money by waiting for a bit longer. And this cardigan is definitely one of those items that will show up again. It is not worth £250, trust me.
