It’s easy to dismiss cosplaying as a nerd hobby for people who play too many video games or watch too much anime, but of course, that would be a mistaken and somewhat harmful impression.
Cosplay, like any other art form, is about passion, love and community. While many subcultures can spring up in different directions, it can be fun to dress up as your favorite characters and put a complex outfit together for a specific event. Many of us do this at Halloween anyway, and those looking to challenge their skills as a seamster, tailor or even makeup artist can find real joy in this discipline. The good news is that there are few rules. You get to decide how you dress and how you express yourself.
But how might someone dip their toe into this field? It’s not always easy to tell. Well, in this post we aim to help you achieve the best results. Without further ado, please consider our advice for getting into cosplay for the first time:
Choose A Simple Character You Like
Choosing someone whose outfit isn’t overly complicated can be a good start, and you don’t have to be exacting. For example, you might like Lara Croft but would prefer to wear a shirt instead of a tank top, or brown trousers instead of short-shorts. This can help you do without huge accessories on top of that or custom changes.
Head To A Local, Simple Event With A Friend (You Don’t Have To Dress Up!)
Attending a local cosplay event can be a great way to get a feel for the community without the pressure of dressing up at all. You get to see the culture and talk to people without obligation. Bring a friend along for support and to share the experience
Look Online For Style Inspiration
The internet is full of resources for cosplay such as Instagram and Reddit, and you can spend some time browsing through photos, forums, and tutorials to gather ideas for your costume. Some even showcase their YouTube tutorials for a step-by-step approach.
Try A Dedicated Costume First
There are many pre-made costumes online or in fancy dress stores that can give you a good base to work from. You don’t have to tailor it from scratch to start with. This can be a less stressful way to get started and helps you understand the overall appeal.
Consider Fun Accessories
Enjoying small accessories can be quite fun and can help add a little more authenticity to your character profile. That might mean using coloured contact lenses to look awesome, or perhaps using a fake sword or weapon (make sure they have orange tips!) to help look like a cool action person. You can also make this yourself if you wish, such as turning a fun stick you’ve found into a Harry Potter wand, or painting a scar onto your face. You get to express yourself here and have fun.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily get into cosplay for the first time, and have a blast doing so.
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This is a contributed post.
