strange_doings | Entries tagged with cosplay

I provide this manifesto for all the cosplayers out there feeling down thanks to criticism from non-cosplayers and the non-fandom world. Social media is a real double-edged sword for cosplayers - it's a fantastic way to share photos, plan meetups, get resources and advice, and network with others in our hobby. But, it's also where we get attacked for not being the right color, gender, weight, nationality, etc, for not being perfect and also for being too perfect, for not being skilled enough and also being so skilled we look like we're cheating, for not being rich enough and...no, well, let's face it, rich privilege is everywhere.

( here you go, stand up and be proud to cosplay! )

I posted this as a bit of a rant on cosplay.com after the 800th person asked about the best websites for buying cosplay, but the advice might have fallen on deaf ears if the poster was actually a bot. Oops. But I feel like the advice itself, overall, is worthy, if written a bit bluntly. So, view here what a commissioner feels whenever they see someone asking about where to buy the "best" cosplay sight-unseen from a bootleg overseas website...

Some background: the poster-bot specifically asked for where to buy the special clothing seen in anime/manga, or cosplay, but it had to be high quality. That was all they said.

( at least I didn't swear...much? )

I've been having a knee-jerk ARGH OLD PEOPLE reaction to someone's essay on what cosplay is - according to a book their friend wrote - and I've been trying to calm down enough to write a coherent rebuttal that isn't all rage and snark. So far, not working so well. So perhaps I'll ramble a bit to myself to see if I can make intelligent and calm phrasing out of my ideas.

( kind of gutsy to write an essay on cosplay in front of cosplayers and get it wrong )

I am also going to be featured in a book about cosplay, published by the writers from Kotaku. They will be printing my essay on the history of cosplay, which is posted here as well as my own website. In it, I tell the history of geek costuming since 1939, and why it isn't uniquely Japanese, which is exactly the opposite of what a lot of veterans would like to believe. If I can educate the anime-con crowd about this stuff, maybe we can turn around and re-educate the old farts about their own hobby.

This is up on the SLC site as well, but the link is sort of buried and I know sometimes people have a harder time reading light text on dark backgrounds. So, repost!

I wrote this essay in order to correct some misconceptions among the newer members of the cosplay community. It is, actually, a history of hobby costuming in general, but with a slant toward connecting it to what cosplayers perceive as the state of the hobby today. Given that in some corners of fandom there are now rumblings that people need to somehow "prove" their geek cred in order to "earn" the "right" to wear a costume at a convention, a history lesson is what everyone needs right about now. And yes, I put all those words in quotes because I find them all to be ludicrous. No one needs to prove how geeky they are in order to be allowed to cosplay. As long as they're following the con rules and basic social etiquette and aren't, well, stealing the costume from a store or anything, everyone is free to do as they please with their costumes.

But now, your lesson for today: nerds have been wearing costumes to cons a lot longer than you might think!

( the history of cosplay from 1939 to present )

..how to do.

This is a more detailed version of the "Ten Things" panel that I have presented at cons before. It is by no means a required list, but a suggestion, though most of these techniques and tricks are pretty basic for anyone regularly building their own garments from scratch. Integrating these techniques into their repertoire is how any costumer/cosplayer can take their stuff to the next level, to start building costumes that dazzle and wow, fit and flatter. Because let's face it, we all like to look good. No matter what kind of costume it is, a well-made costume shows. Eyes pop and cameras flash, and you simply feel better when you look your best. These ten areas of sewing knowledge are crucial for anyone making cosplay a long-term hobby and wanting to improve their skills, whether for the satisfaction or the attention.

( Ten Things every cosplayer should know how to do )

So there you have it. Go forth and learn and be beautiful!

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Strange Land Costuming

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Entries tagged with cosplay

A Cosplayer's Manifesto

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What is cosplay anyway

The History of Cosplay

Ten Things Every Costumer Should Know

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