Cosplay

[LethalLulu]

If there is already a thread like this, let me know and I'll close this.

So I am working on my cosplay right now, and I want to talk about cosplay with fellow creators!

Things to answer:
What cosplays have you done?
What do you usually prefer cosplaying? (Video games, anime, tv shows, etc)
Did you have a big budget, or did you have to find a lot of ways to save as much money as possible?
Have you been on a time crunch? Usually for cons only being once a year, you have the entire year to plan, but have you been in a position where you haven't? How did you handle it?
Do you have a lot of crafting experience?
How do you feel about commissioning cosplays?


I will share a few of my answers!

Spoiler

I am working on my second cosplay; Kitty Kat Katarina, and I can say this is the cheapest cosplay in history, haha. The boots I got on clearance were only $14, and I bought bulk fur fabric at an affordable fabric warehouse. The arm warmers, leg warmers, and cat ears were bought cheaply on ebay. I also am not buying a wig, but instead dying my hair cherry red. I might buy colored contacts because of how cheap this cosplay is.

I will say that I have mediocre skill when it comes to anything crafty. I find exploits during the crafting process to make it easier and more forgiving. For example, using too much gorilla tape...on fabric. It actually works, although it can be uncomfortable if it's touching your skin directly, since it can get hot and sticky. For Katarina, I am making a skirt instead of shorts, but I will attach the skirt to the shorts so it doesn't slide up or down. I am also using a strapless bra as a baseline for her top. You can use your imagination/creativity to find easier ways to craft something. It makes your life easier in the long run.

Personally for commissioning cosplays, I'd never do it. I'd rather say that I slaved over something and be able to feel proud that I did it all myself. However, I AM ok with asking for help. My best friend helped me sew a few things since I can't sew, and she helped me paper mache my machine gun while I painted other parts of it. She also painted the tattoos on me since the tattoos were on my right arm/belly, and I'm right handed. It would have been miserable doing it myself haha.

I will only ever cosplay something from a video game because of how much video games mean to me. I can watch an anime and relate to it really well, but I just don't get the same connections to things I watch as apposed to things I take part in. Also, If I wear a League cosplay, I can find other League cosplayers and talk to them about the game, and relate in ways that wouldn't be as fun if it were, say, an anime. (Like you know Imma be wearing my Jinx cosplay and ***** about how Jinx is awful in this meta lol)

TL;DR cheap cosplay, find exploits to make crafting easier, I don't like commissioning, but I don't mind accepting small help, and video games >>> everything else (for me personally).

 

[staticistic1114]

I cosplayed as Obito from the Ninja War (Naruto), Trafalgar Law (One Piece) and Sans (Undertale) I guess that's it although I wish I had more time to cosplay I'm always so busy :c
I don't have a preference on choosing a cosplay although I do have a criteria because you see most girl clothing are revealing and I find dressing like so rather uncomfortable, but of course that doesn't apply to everyone
I try to save as much money, after all making your own is what makes it fun♡
I've cosplayed for an annual con twice and it's neat when people recognize you and make friends with you based on your interests
I'm a person who enjoys crafting although maybe I'm just not the most experienced person I guess I'm just decent
Maybe buying cosplay isn't as appreciated as making your own but then again people don't always have time or maybe they just don't have the skills and still really want to dress up as that character, so it doesn't really matter all that much as long as you're happy and having fun♡♡

 

[himeki]

ive cosplayed mary from mekakucity actors before, and im planning to be corrin at a con in june! :3 im mkaing my stuff myself, the mary outfit was really cheap because we already had the fabric! corrin will be fun though, since the armour will be hard to make and ill have to find something that looks like skin tone for my feet

 

[LethalLulu]

I cosplayed as Obito from the Ninja War (Naruto), Trafalgar Law (One Piece) and Sans (Undertale) I guess that's it although I wish I had more time to cosplay I'm always so busy :c
I don't have a preference on choosing a cosplay although I do have a criteria because you see most girl clothing are revealing and I find dressing like so rather uncomfortable, but of course that doesn't apply to everyone
I try to save as much money, after all making your own is what makes it fun♡
I've cosplayed for an annual con twice and it's neat when people recognize you and make friends with you based on your interests
I'm a person who enjoys crafting although maybe I'm just not the most experienced person I guess I'm just decent
Maybe buying cosplay isn't as appreciated as making your own but then again people don't always have time or maybe they just don't have the skills and still really want to dress up as that character, so it doesn't really matter all that much as long as you're happy and having fun♡♡

I know what you mean with the revealing clothing. My two cosplays are actually VERY revealing (I had to bandaid my nips for jinx in case of nip slips, actually lol). I find that I can only wear revealing clothing when I'm pretending to be someone else. I can't even show my belly normally. I've been trying to do it more, though, because I really like my belly. It just doesn't fit my personality, so I don't do it much.

I agree with what you said about buying cosplays. If you don't have the time, but want to show your love for a character, that's fantastic, go ahead. I've commissioned a cosplay once (mainly because I was like 13/14 and didn't have the recourses to do it myself) and it came out terribly. It was well made, but didn't fit me at all because my mom measured me incorrectly. We spent a lot on it, and never got to wear it because of how small the torso part was. It made me look 8 when I wore it. I'm 21 and it would probably make me look 8 if I wore it now xD

At least if you make a cosplay yourself, you KNOW it's going to fit.

- - - Post Merge - - -

ive cosplayed mary from mekakucity actors before, and im planning to be corrin at a con in june! :3 im mkaing my stuff myself, the mary outfit was really cheap because we already had the fabric! corrin will be fun though, since the armour will be hard to make and ill have to find something that looks like skin tone for my feet

Ooooh, I want to make something with armor in the future, too. I might do a ghost from Starcraft. Some ghost cosplays are absolutely beautiful, and making a huge sniper would be fun, too xD
(Also want to do kerrigan...)

Are you going to use worbla for the armor? I'm using worbla for Katarina's blades. It's extremely forgiving when using it.

 

[zeoli]

I've cosplayed Goddess Madoka, Hiro from BH6, and then two homestuck characters when I was still into that.
My Madoka cosplay costed the most at the time if you don't count my upcoming cosplay.

I am currently planning to cosplay Aoba from Dramatical Murder this june with Umeiko being my Clear :3c
darkdesertfox is our bodyguard prolly (LMAO I HOPE HE SEES THIS AND LAUGHS)
As for commissioning, I don't mind it so much.

The Madoka cosplay was so big and uncomfortable for the simple fact that it kinda had a small train to it that people kept walking on no matter how much I picked to skirt up to walk. The shoes also did a number the the back of my feet, which caused me to miss the last day of ACen last year. I could barely walk from how bad the back of my feet were ( missing skin, etc.)

 

[Nightmares]

I really want to cosplay, but I can't afford to buy anything. Even if I could, I'd look ridiculous; I look about 10 lmao

I feel white people don't pull cosplay off as easily as Japanese / western Asian people either. I mean, I'm not fully white, but you know xD

 

[piichinu]

i want to cosplay lucina but i cant cosplay any charas with bangs coz it makes me look bad

 

[staticistic1114]

The thing that makes me nervous when I cosplay is my skin color, I would look really weird if let's say I'd cosplay as Usagi from Sailor Moon when my skin tone is rather tanned, especially because blonde hair doesn't fit me at all

There are not many characters who are tanned or a rather darker tone, kinda makes me insecure when I attempt to cosplay as white or pale characters

 

[zeoli]

The thing that makes me nervous when I cosplay is my skin color, I would look really weird if let's say I'd cosplay as Usagi from Sailor Moon when my skin tone is rather tanned, especially because blonde hair doesn't fit me at all

There are not many characters who are tanned or a rather darker tone, kinda makes me insecure when I attempt to cosplay as white or pale characters

Aww, please don't let it stop you! It shouldn't matter what skin color you have!!
I also bet you'll rock that Usagi cosplay

 

[Cosmic Gerbil]

Yeah, don't worry about that, you can cosplay as anything and anybody, it's all cool and good fun.

Here are mine!

What cosplays have you done?
I've done a couple at the MCM Expo, with some of my family. The first time, we were all Pokemon gym leaders and I was Roxie from B/W 2. Second time, we did the Big Bang Theory and I was Raj. (Lol, and I'm white, see, it's all cool )

What do you usually prefer cosplaying? (Video games, anime, tv shows, etc)
Video games, though I'll do anything really.

Did you have a big budget, or did you have to find a lot of ways to save as much money as possible?
We found/bought the right outfits, usually by improvising. We'd use real wigs from fancy dress places and pick up the right gear from charity shops or cheap off eBay.

Have you been on a time crunch? Usually for cons only being once a year, you have the entire year to plan, but have you been in a position where you haven't? How did you handle it?
Yeah, I tend to leave everything to the last minute. My sisters handle it by giving me a metaphorical kick up the behind xD

Do you have a lot of crafting experience?
Hardly any at all.

How do you feel about commissioning cosplays?
I couldn't afford to pay somebody for a commission, though I've seen some really sweet ones online!

 

[pandapples]

I've done furude rika from higurashi, megurine luka from jbf, reese from ac, and goth annie from lol. I was recently inspired yesterday to do shinobu from bakemonogatari next but I'll probably work on this slowly. I don't have a preference for what I prefer cosplaying.. I just cosplay who I like. The only one I actually bought the costume for was annie, and I probably wouldn't do it again. I don't mind the idea of commissioning cosplays, but it's not as satisfying for me. I don't have crafting experience but this is a slow way to learn~ I guess I have a decent budget, but if I can save money by going to thrift store and finding the things I need there then I'll do it.

 

[himeki]

guess I'll answer these


What cosplays have you done? Mary, Planning for Corrin
What do you usually prefer cosplaying? (Video games, anime, tv shows, etc) Anything I'm into at the time :3
Did you have a big budget, or did you have to find a lot of ways to save as much money as possible?
My budget is pretty low due to various factors. I find was to work around it, such as cheap fabric and reusing patterns!
Have you been on a time crunch? Usually for cons only being once a year, you have the entire year to plan, but have you been in a position where you haven't? How did you handle it?
LOL Yeah pretty much! My Mary cosplay was done in a month, and I have just over a month to make Corrin haha
Do you have a lot of crafting experience?
Yes! A lot of my relatives enjoy seeing, so I know how to do it, and I do practical classes so I know how to work things :3
How do you feel about commissioning cosplays?
Honestly, I'm naturally tall, so a lot of cosplays wouldn't work for me. I'd rather make it and be able to tweak it to suit me then get a complete stranger to!

 

[LethalLulu]

I've been working on my cosplay the past like 6 hours, so sorry I haven't been responding!

I think that you should cosplay whoever you want regardless of skin color. I have seen some BEAUTIFUL cosplays that I fawned over, and they had a different skin color than the character. I've never cared about that. If you made a great cosplay and you have a passion for the thing you are cosplaying, then go you. I feel the same way about body type; you don't have to cosplay someone who is your body type, cosplay whoever you want to. Same goes for gender. Like, I am thinking about cosplaying heimerdinger. Please look him up, lol.

 

[Beardo]

What cosplays have you done? Amethyst from Steven Universe
What do you usually prefer cosplaying? (Video games, anime, tv shows, etc) Video games, even tho I haven't done any yet
Did you have a big budget, or did you have to find a lot of ways to save as much money as possible? Lol haha I have no money
Have you been on a time crunch? Usually for cons only being once a year, you have the entire year to plan, but have you been in a position where you haven't? How did you handle it? Lol I had like a month, and ended up not having a gem for Amethyst lol
Do you have a lot of crafting experience? No lol My friend Chloe does though
How do you feel about commissioning cosplays? Yes! I would love to. Probably gonna pay my friend to make me one. Not sure which yet

 

[pandapples]

I've been working on my cosplay the past like 6 hours, so sorry I haven't been responding!

I think that you should cosplay whoever you want regardless of skin color. I have seen some BEAUTIFUL cosplays that I fawned over, and they had a different skin color than the character. I've never cared about that. If you made a great cosplay and you have a passion for the thing you are cosplaying, then go you. I feel the same way about body type; you don't have to cosplay someone who is your body type, cosplay whoever you want to. Same goes for gender. Like, I am thinking about cosplaying heimerdinger. Please look him up, lol.

HEIMER?? why didn't I think of that. he's on my list now..

 

[Sig]

i cosplayed hinami from tokyo ghoul, it was pretty good but my wig was bad and i had to wear my glasses. i want to cosplay again and i think my friend and i will be frisk and chara, but i'm not sure.

 

[LethalLulu]

HEIMER?? why didn't I think of that. he's on my list now..

Hell yah, hell yah, hell yah. I love heimerdinger lmao.

Also I finally finished my katarina fur top! Only took 10 hours ; w ;

 

[visibleghost]

i started swing a kagamine len cosplay from vocaloid when i was like 12. it was cute, but i never finished it lmao. now i feel kind of weeb-y for having made it nowww.. It's almost finished tho!! i only need to fix up some details and sew the tie, which isn't too hard... But i will probably never finish it ^^

my budget for it was really low, the only things i bought were fabric and some uh ribbon string or w/e it's called lmao. i was planning on buying a wig, but i never got around to it. It would probably have been a really bad wig as well but yeahhhh ):<

i might post pics later because even tho it's not that great it's still a bit cute ;W;

 

[staticistic1114]

Aww, please don't let it stop you! It shouldn't matter what skin color you have!!
I also bet you'll rock that Usagi cosplay

Aww!! Thank you so much it really mean a lot to me♡♡

 

[DarkDesertFox]

I'm going to an anime convention this summer and I'll be cosplaying as Souma from Shokugeki no Soma. I hope I can get prescribed contacts before then just for special occasions like this. I'd rather not have my glasses conflict with my cosplay. I'm not talking about those cheap eye color changing brands. I would never use those. I heard they've damaged people's eyesight before.