Tips For Your First Cosplay

This is for those of you who have wanted to cosplay but don’t know where to begin.  

I’ve been involved in the cosplay scene for nearly 6 years. Throughout that time I’ve worn dozens of characters- some made, some bought and some just a disaster. The first costume that I built for a convention around 2014 was Shiny Ninetales. It was terrible, but I loved it. I didn’t know the right materials to use or where to even start, so the result ended up being a makeshift American Apparel dress that I dyed and fastened hand-sewn tails to with safety pins. Nine, nine of them. Not my finest hour. But, I did it. And even though it was an absolute nightmare to walk around in, I was really proud of what I had created. I was Frankenstein and it was my monster. 

My point here is that you shouldn’t let the fear of making something that isn’t perfect get in the way of you actually trying to make it. These skills aren’t going to improve unless you actually take a crack at it and level them up so to speak. To keep it short and sweet I’ve broken it up into three categories:

Choosing Your Character

Keep in mind that your spending not only time and money, but also energy on this project so make it something that you’re going to want to come back to and complete. Do a little research on the character and make sure you find reference photos of the front, back and any details you want to include. Save them in a folder to easily access them later. What I like to do is analyze the character’s outfit and make a list of pieces I’m going to recreate. This makes it easier to see at a glance what materials I’m going to need to gather before I start and saves me from forgetting something and then having to get it later. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’re finished a costume and then realizing you’ve left something out. 

Materials

Get creative and stay within your budget. You don’t need to go broke to look rich, here. Inexpensive materials like craft foam are perfect for props and armour and can be substituted for things like Worbla in most cases. When it comes to fabric, you can use anything from old bedsheets to curtains or even recycle clothes that you don’t wear anymore. Thrift stores can be goldmines in terms of finding these things too. If you get stuck, check out forums online to see what other cosplayers have used for materials. Chances are, someones made this costume before and you’ll be able to use their knowledge to your advantage.

Construction

My best advice here is to make a plan and manage your time wisely. Con-crunch is not something you want to have to deal with on your very first build. Give yourself ample amount of time and work at a comfortable pace. It’s always a good idea to predict that you’re going to make mistakes and sometimes even do overs. That’s okay, that is part of the process. You’re going to learn so much so quickly just by doing it and you’re going to gain so much experience to use on the next build. If you’re worried about skills like sewing or painting, take a minute to find some tutorials online. Everyone who’s done cosplay started where you are right now so don’t feel defeated. 

Lastly, don’t worry so much about what other people think. Be proud of your work no matter what state it ends up being in. Usually people don’t even notice the things that went wrong unless you point them out. Take a deep breath, stay hydrated and if all else fails, hot glue can rescue everything.

Thats it, folks! You know have the basics down and its time to get started. Whether you’re a pro or a hobbyist, we all had to take the same steps to get to where we are now. Everyone is at different stages but we’re all in it for the same reasons. Push past the anxieties, the doubt and just go for it. There is no wrong way to cosplay. We’re all nerds dressing up as fictional characters so go out and give it your best shot.