Cosplaying is a fun and creative way to express yourself through costume and role-playing. Whether you want to become a character from a movie, anime, or video game, or simply look like your favorite celebrity, cosplaying can help you bring your favorite characters to life. In this blog post, we'll show you how to cosplay and make the most of your cosplay experience. From choosing the right materials to creating the perfect look, we'll give you the tips and advice you need to make your cosplay look amazing. So, let's get started and learn how to cosplay!
Cosplay is a wonderful world of fantasy and fandom. Whether you’re new to the cosplay world or if you’re an expert, there will always come a time when you ask “How and what should I cosplay?” While cosplay can be daunting, especially if you’ve never done so before, it’s an exceptionally rewarding hobby for anyone with a little bit of creativity and know-how about the different genres of games, movies, books, and comics available.
Cosplay photo found here
Some of the big questions you’ll want to answer before starting on your cosplay are:
1. Where are you going to be doing your cosplaying?
2. Are you going to be cosplaying locally with some friends?
3. Are you going to go to your local theater for the release of the next Marvel or Fantasy film?
4. Are you going to be going to a big Anime or Comic Convention?
If you’re going to be wandering around a small-time event with friends or family, you can probably play it safe with a simpler outfit to start as your first cosplay experience. But, if you’re going to attend a larger convention, going all out is definitely a good idea. Pull out all of the stops and create intricate details for the character you’re portraying.
Remember, when you cosplay, you will definitely get a lot of attention. Don’t let any stares or possible harassment get you down. This is a normal part of cosplay and usually dwindles once you reach your chosen convention spot. Remember, you’re going to be surrounded by like-minded and creative individuals at your event.
Photo found on Tumblr
First and foremost, you want to decide on who you want to cosplay.
Sift through your favorite characters. Use your comics, video games, books, or favorite movies as inspiration. Remember, the sky is the limit. Don’t limit yourself to a character that fits your body shape or skin color, you can dress up as anyone!
Make sure you’re choosing a character whose outfit is one that you feel confident in replicating.
Game of Thrones copslay photo courtesy of Project Fandom
How do you want to get your costume?
Do you want to buy or do you want to make it all by hand? Make sure you’re considering your budget and time well in advance. While it’s possible to throw a cosplay together, the more time you have to plan out your design the better. You don’t want to be burning the midnight oil the night before the comic con.
Decide if you’re going to wear a wig or use your own hair; pick the fabric and materials that are easiest for you to work with.
Sailor Moon cosplay hair photo courtesy of Deanna Lee
How do you learn about fabrication?
The best thing you can do is ask your closest cosplaying friends for some advice. If this is your first go-round as a group, Youtube is always a great place to find fabrication, sewing, and cosplay tutorials that will help you to learn the basic ins and outs of creating your first cosplay.
Now that you have all of these questions answered, it’s always a good idea to sketch up your character and outfit out if you’re able to. While not everyone is going to have the ability to draw some ornate sketch, having some form of reference for what you want to create is always a good idea. If you cannot draw, pull up different pictures from Google to aid in your design phase.
Make sure to pick and choose different elements that may or may not work in real life. Remember, you’re going to be wearing this cosplay for a minimum of an hour at best, and maybe much longer depending on the event you attend. Your comfort is an absolute must with cosplaying, and if you have cumbersome elements, make sure that they can be removed in your down-time to give yourself a bit of a break.
Black Widow cosplay photo from Geek Tyrant
Budgeting for your Cosplay outfit.
As with anything in life, cosplay takes a fair amount of budgeting to pull together. Make sure you’re giving yourself a realistic budget both in money and time to get your cosplay done.
Lastly, make sure you have fun! Fun is the reason that most people want to cosplay. Not only does it allow them to embody their favorite character for a day, it allows them to spend time with like-minded individuals at exciting and fun events.
Leave your tips for creating an awesome cosplay in the comments below!
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