People about Cosplay...

Honestly it’s all about what you personally find to work best, but for me I put on the costume first, or at least part of it.

For starters, it makes sure that the makeup doesn’t stain the neck hole of your costume, if there is one. This way all you have to worry about is usually powder fallout and that can be cleaned easily. You could also cover part of your chest with a towel like a bib if you’re really worried about stains.

If you’re putting on a wig it also helps to not dirty that or have it in the way of your work.

Also I find that the makeup tends to look better with the pieces around it. Makeup that is over the top or has unnatural aspects will sometimes look really silly with your normal hair and clothes, so to save the worry that you’re not doing it right, it helps to have the rest on. Especially when the wig comes on it all comes into place and you can do needed touch ups.

I often will only put on half the costume though. For example if the costume involves a jacket, belt, jewelry, etc that I can put on without touching the makeup, I’ll wait until the end. This also helps the makeup since costume pieces might not be made with full mobility in mind and can weigh you down or prevent movement.

I was always fascinated with cosplay and always wondered the reasoning behind it. Then last year I decided to try it out myself and see what I would think about it. I was completely surprised by the amount of anticipation I had for one making my own costume and two showing it off.

I think I’m officially hooked on cosplaying because it’s just so much fun to do! The whole process of picking who you are going to be, planning out the costume and then wearing it is exciting! It kind of takes you out of your life and you transform into this other person for that day.

Another fun thing is that many other people enjoy your cosplay. This is usually their opportunity to see their characters in real life, I can’t say how many drive by hugs I have gotten and many refer to your characters name (which always catches me off guard). For that day you receive a lot of love from others and I think that’s usually what makes people want to do it again (at least for me), life has too many unhappy things so being able to create this happiness not only for yourself, but for others as well is a good feeling.

I would recommend starting out with something simple.

At my very first anime convention, I only had about a month to prepare and didn’t watch a lot of anime. I did Android 18 from Dragon Ball Z as I had most of her outfit already and had the right hairstyle for it. I only had to do a bit of alteration and get some extra items from eBay.

Each time I have cosplayed since then, I have expanded my range. I discovered I have a knack for props and makeup but am not very good at sewing. Therefore most of my best cosplays have involved some sort of prop or latex bloodwork. I am still practicing my sewing so I can incorporate that as well.

Play to your strengths and you’ll soon discover which areas you prefer to work in.