With new anime, manga and video games coming out every other week, it can be difficult to try and pick a costume that will be a perfect fit for you. This isn’t just a challenge for upcoming cosplayers either, but veterans as well. However, with a few tips choosing your first, tenth or twentieth costume can be a breeze.
1. Cosplay has no limits, but you do.
You’re the only person who knows what you’re capable of making. If you’ve never worked with a needle and thread and don’t know the difference between cotton and spandex, you might not want to make something too complicated or detailed such as anything from Trinity Blood or Kuroshitsuji. Even though you might be an experienced seamstress prop building is a completely different field and it’s probably not the wisest choice to start you prop journey by making yourself into a Gundam. Choosing something in your own skill range is always a good place to start.
2. A challenger awaits.
Although it’s best to stay within your own skill range and slowly improve, there’s no harm in taking a challenge with something new. Half the fun of cosplaying is constructing the outfit and mastering your own skills; however, you don’t want to take on a challenge you might not be able to finish or will get fed up with half way through. Make sure that you prepare yourself before taking on a challenging task by gathering information beforehand or knowing people who can help along the way.
3. Choose what suits you.
People shouldn’t limit themselves simply based of physical appearance but it should play some factor in choosing a character and costume. If you consider yourself to be overweight, Sailor Moon might not be the best choice for you; however there are still options! If you like Usagi/Serena as a character, you can choose to wear her school uniform which covers quite a bit more than her transformed version. If you still wish to peruse her senshi form there are ways to get around the weight issue, such as making the skirt a bit longer or the top not as tight. A trick of a good cosplayer is to know what looks flattering on you and allows you to feel comfortable; and the more comfortable you feel the more confidence you’ll gain.
4. Plan ahead.
Cosplay can be an expensive hobby when you factor in fabrics, wigs, materials for accessories, etc. It’s best to plan ahead and know your price range before getting knee deep into a project. Though even with a money crunch there are still ways to attempt making the cosplay. For example, if you know that you don’t have the extra expenses to dish out on a wig, find a character that matches your own hair, chances are you have plenty to choose from. Don’t have pink shoes for your Dawn costume? Perhaps you can borrow your friend’s pink Uggs that are sitting in her closet. It never hurts to ask around for things and be a little creative to work with what you’ve got.
5. Comfort is key.
It’s a given that some costumes will just be awkward to walk around in, maybe even painful, so picking a character that you can be comfortable in is key if you plan on enjoying the convention. Many characters require high-heeled shoes, heavy armor or large props. If you’ve never worn heels before, a con probably won’t be the best place to start. Make sure you have experience walking in whatever shoes you decide to wear, be it walking in circles in your room or laps around your house, just make sure you know how those feel beforehand. The same goes for large props and armor. If you don’t work out your back properly, wearing ten-foot wings may lead to some serious problems later. Armor works the same way, if your body has never dealt with anything that heavy you may want to work out or save it for another time when you are read.
