Cosplay for the Rest of Us

I spent a lot of time this summer putting together cosplays, sewing a little but mostly shopping for costume pieces for more casual outfits. That has given me a lot of experience in creating cosplay and also given me time to think about cosplay. I’d like to share some things that I’ve learned. I’ve tried to organize these thoughts into some sort of order, and while I don’t think I’ve quite reached the synthesis of ideas that I would like I think it makes some sense.  

Cosplay is a visual art form, but like all forms of art it requires acquiring and practicing skills to create and perform each piece. Like some forms of art, it requires knowledge of how to work raw materials, but can also include knowing how to repurpose everyday items.

If you’re not under obligation to create a picture-perfect costume, then there is no need to waste hundreds of hours shopping for the exact clothing article or sewing the garment correctly, particularly if your sewing skills, like mine, leave much to be desired. Work at the level you're comfortable at. Yes, you should put forth your best effort, but don’t exhaust yourself. Don’t don’t feel like you have to spend a million dollars on perfect props and costume pieces if you don’t have to. Go to dollar stores and thrift stores. Use discount fabric and linens-- bedsheets work great! Heck, Padme Amidala’s wedding dress in Attack of the Clones was made from a bedspread that Triscia Biggar found in Italy.

Pinterest

Keep an eye out for sales and deals, of course.  If you don’t mind poorer quality, Halloween season is a great time to get cheaper costume items like wigs and makeup, after and even before the big day. You can easily repurpose clothing items, jewelry, and toys for use in cosplay. Use spray paints and acrylic paints for props. The color is everything. Get lots of reference photos for the costume you want to make and study them carefully. If you don’t have a smartphone or a printed reference, be able to keep in mind the type of costume pieces you’re looking for while shopping. Write down lists of what you need to find and what you can use.

If you’re shopping at a thrift store, you can look through all the clothing racks one shirt at a time for the right article, but I find that sometimes when I do that I don’t find what I’m looking for.  Depending on the day, something will stick out to me and it will turn out to be exactly what I need.

It is nice to get everything you need for your costume in one place at one time. However, it doesn’t work out that way. One shopping trip every once in a while, when you have money, you can eventually find everything you need. Be patient! If you can’t buy it now, then wait. It won’t kill you, I promise. If you're window-shopping or just looking, then look up prices and figure out where to get the items you need for cheap.

Don’t feel like you need to change your body or your hairstyle for the cosplay if you don’t feel comfortable doing so.You need to be able to wear your costume the way it fits your taste and style and your image of the character. You can’t just look good in it--you need to FEEL good in it!  If you don’t want to wear a certain style of outfit, then don’t wear it. Find something else that looks similar. At the very least, the piece should invoke the character’s style and attitude as well as the world they exist in.  

In Age of Ultron Scarlet Witch’s outfit is not really that covering. The little black dress I use for my Scarlet Witch actually has a higher collar and lower skirt hem, but while it fits my standards of dress it also still works for the intended costume, and everybody likes my costume regardless. I’m not saying modest is hottest, but I am saying modesty can work in cosplay. Modesty is about the respect you have for yourself.

You do not have to look a hundred percent like the character to be the character. You are creating the cosplay because you relate to the character and the outfit. Cosplay is an expression of your ideas and not someone else’s.

A little known fact: dressing as a contemporary character who wears normal clothes is a good way to build up your wardrobe.You can mix and match pieces from different ensembles to find a good look for yourself and subtly invoke your fandom in your everyday dress. Or you can dress out part of the way as your favorite character to work or school and no one will tell the difference.

There is a give and take relationship between online fandom and cosplay in person. You come with your own ideas and act those out and share them with friends. But as you interact with other people, your ideas come together and you write new stories that those other people can be a part of. When you’re out at a convention or another event with friends, yes, go ahead and share your ideas about the character, re-create the moments you’ve daydreamed about. But if you’re doing it with friends, do it on their terms. Stick with what they’re comfortable with. Don’t make people act out every single one of your headcanons. They have their own ideas about their characters and you should respect that. Don’t be afraid to do something that you wouldn’t see your character doing IRL. Goof off! Get people to laugh! Make yourself laugh.

The first time you go out in a cosplay, it’s normal to not know a hundred percent how to be in character. Even if you love the character and know them pretty well, it still takes time to get the hang of it. It can be 2-3 times wearing that cosplay before you know what you’re doing. Do your homework and learn about the character if you're not familiar with them, but you won't get into character by doing exactly what you researched. Like I said, you get into character by getting with other people.

Me as Livewire, Salt Lake Comic Con 2016, Chiseled Light Photography

The most important thing about anything you do in life is to have fun and to create those moments

that will bring you real joy. And the best moments are the ones you make with other people. It is about you, but it’s also about sharing yourself to make other people happy.

Bringing Mira Nova to Life

It's time for Salt Lake Comic Con FanX, and this Friday I will be debuting a new cosplay, Mira Nova from Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.  If you read my most recent post at The Geeky Mormon you'll learn more about the show and the character.  I want to focus this post specifically on building my cosplay for this character, which, admittedly, was one of the most difficult and ambitious projects I have ever undertaken.

I wanted to make the princess dress that Mira wears in the episodes "First Missions" and "It's a Zoo Out There."  It looks like a simple gown, but bringing together all of the different pieces was not easy.

Disney

Probably the least complicated part was building the gun.  I found a sci-fi looking water pistol at the DI and painted it.  I first gave it several coats of red spray paint.

This was followed by silver and orange acrylic paint for the details of the gun.

I ordered the tights and shirt under the dress from Amazon and Walmart.  I got a cheap sequin tiara at JoAnn's, face paint from Michael's, and a wig from a Halloween store.

The actual gown, of course, was the hard part.  I made a mock-up out of muslin and then cut up the different parts to use as a pattern when I cut the actual fabric.  I got the fabric around President's day: silver material for the collar and hot pink for the stomacher from Hancock's, pale pink crepe for the gown as well as interfacing for the collar from Walmart (because I'm cheap like that). I spent most of the last three weeks cutting, re-cutting, sewing, and re-sewing.

The stomacher I made as a separate piece and sewed one side with the hot pink material.

I sewed the skirt separate from the bodice and attached it after I had sewn on the zipper on the back. Then I attached the stomacher to the front side of the bodice, sewing through the front on top of the seam.  It took several tries to get the bodice sewn to the right part of the bodice.  When this was finally finished, I sewed the collar on.  The collar is two long pieces of silver fabric wrapped around stiff interfacing.  After being sewn on, I turned the sides of the collar up so they would stick up.

Trying on the dress

In the cartoon, Mira's dress has a gold pendant on the collar.  For my gown, I got a gold pendant from Hobby Lobby and sewed it onto the top of the stomacher near where it meets the bodice.  Like everything I sew, this outfit didn't turn out perfect--the waist is too big and it's kind of tricky to take off.  But it's wearable. I feel good wearing it.

The most aggressive problem I had for the entire costume was the shoes.  Mira has silver boots for her ensemble.  Owing to time and costs, I was unable to find silver boots for my own dress.  I did, however, make covers to go over my calves out of silver fabric I found on sale at JoAnn's.  I got white shoes and white socks for my feet. 

I did the makeup test yesterday.  The face paint actually wasn't that difficult, the trick being to make sure it goes on evenly across the face.  This is my first time cosplaying a character with face paint.  Or a wig.  This costume requires both.  But the results are amazing.

I really like this shot of me without the tiara.

Full view of the gown and the "boots" taken with the cruddy camera phone.

I suppose I could always build another version of the dress if I want to, someday when I have the money and time.  But for now, who says I shouldn't wear it because it didn't turn out perfect?  It's not so much about showing off my skills as it is showing off the character--showing off that I love Mira and how you don't have to have your face plastered on merchandise to be an inspiration to someone else.

  

I'm looking forward to being Mira Nova on Friday and seeing how many people recognize her!