Introduction - What is it like being a Cosplayer?

Hello! My name is Kim and I am part of Monocle Cosplay: a duet cosplay group composed of myself and my boyfriend. I've been cosplaying for close to four years now I think and it has been one of the most educational hobbies I've done in my life. Cosplaying is very much a rewarding experience for me. To be a cosplayer you expand your horizons and meet new people. A lot of the time it's less about the costume and more about the community surrounding it. What's it like? It's stressful, it's painstaking, it's artistic, messy and challenges your artistic thinking. And there's not quite another feeling like it when you see yourself in the final product.

What are your next goals?

I am actually already planning my next costume. Although it is currently at a debate between the Arkham City Catwoman or an NCR Ranger from Fallout New Vegas.

Cosplay Characters

In 2011 I first started officially cosplaying and chose Sebastian from Kuroshitsuji as my character. Looking back it was a larger challenge that perhaps I wasn't fully ready for because the amount of makeup and wig work that went into it. I also only possessed minimal skill for that particular costume. At the same time however I feel it was probably good to know these things so I knew what I was getting into for the years to come for costuming. A year later however I retired Sebastian and sold it to an interested fan, deciding that I wanted to explore other costumes. That was around the time I started working on modifying and making Catwoman from Batman Returns. Catwoman had to have been one of my favorite cosplays to work on. The amount of time it took to make everything for it and then getting amazing feedback from fans was well worth the effort. Next was Ezio from Assassin's Creed. Ezio was particularly challenging because of all the difficulties it posed for details. I also chose to do one of the harder versions of his character so it really pushed me out of my comfort zone to learn how to leather tool and make armor out of plastic sheets. I still actually have this cosplay because it is so precious to me I can't find myself parting with it.

What does Cosplay mean to you?

When I cosplay it becomes something bigger than a costume. It becomes a life lesson that teaches you patience, skills that you would not normally learn on your own and the feeling of camaraderie you receive when you engage with other cosplayers. I have learned to use an assortment of power tools for all sorts of materials because of working with a wide range of costumes. Which first starting out, I didn't even know how to use a drill. I've also learned how to use a sewing machine, sculpt clay and how to pop rivet leather. I have learned what varnishes are the best and which ones are the worst. All of these things I now apply regularly to my costuming, jewelry and items shop. I use these skills almost every day even when I'm not working on a costume. That's how important cosplaying has become for me. It has forced me to go beyond what I know and through trial and error learn how to do things I may not have known how to do before.

Who have been your biggest influences/role models/mentors?

Luckily I've had many people in my life that have been able to mentor me and support me through learning how to do things for my costume, all of them either relatives or the family members from my boyfriend's family. One of the biggest influential factors for me doing a cosplay though has to be through playing videogames/reading comics/ watching shows. If there is something I like I will make a mental note to consider a cosplay. Ultimately it's whatever I might be obsessed about at the time.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for upcoming Cosplayers?

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received about life in general could also be applied to cosplay: "Fake it ti' you make it." Yes. Fake it til' you make it. I know this may seem like a strange statement or even a simple one but believe me, it's not. 90% of my efforts into cosplay have been about winging it. Of course, do your research on a costume or how to style a wig or do your makeup, but also remember that trial error is an essential part of learning. Many of my modifications have been about going out on a limb and hoping for the best. A very large part of cosplaying that many people overlook is that it takes a considerable amount of self-confidence. If you don't have that confidence then you won't succeed and take risks. Fake that confidence until you have it. This has been one of the biggest mental tools that has also been the most helpful. My second piece of advice which I consider to be very important, if you like a character and want to do a cosplay of them give yourself at least a month before you initiate working on it. In my own experience I have started a cosplay only to realize a current obsession can quickly change and I may have ended up spending lots of money just to not be inspired by a character anymore. Cosplays are worth both money and time. Make sure that you pick a character that you know you will want to return to. Third -and you will hear this over and over- there is no right or wrong way to cosplay. Most likely you'll hear this emphasized repeatedly in the community because it is important to remember. Whether you make your costumes from scratch, modify them or buy them; there is no wrong way to do it. So please don't think that just because you don't know how to sew or make armor you can't cosplay. Because you can. There is also nothing wrong with buying your items. The only time this is an exception is for costume competitions. But it is completely fine and very common to wear a purchased costume to a regular event. I even buy the bases and modify my own cosplays. My only last piece of advice that even many seasoned cosplayers have a problem with is to plan your costume at least six to seven months in advance. This gives you time to finish and take care of any detail fixes you may need to do that you may not have noticed before. I typically start planning my costumes in August because of this and then slowly work on it before the convention date comes up. If you plan on purchasing a good rule to follow is four months. This ensures that you get your costume on time. More than once I have had people ask me if there is a way for them to receive a costume a month before a convention. Never take that risk, whether commissioned or mass produced you never want to cut the convention date close.

What is the most negative experience you've dealt with while cosplaying, and how did you handle it?

A few months back my boyfriend and I decided to stay at a hotel that was located right next to Anime Detour. The hotel just so happened to have another convention going on there as well called MOM (Mothers of Multiples). The entire weekend these women were rude, drunk and insisted that the cosplayers were in 'their hotel' and we should go somewhere else to stay. Many of them would just sit outside in the lobby and watch us go by and loudly declare that they didn't understand why we would dress up. It was pretty awful. That is probably one of the first times however that I ran into a negative experience like that. The years prior people had always been curious but polite and amazing to talk to. Yes, every cosplayer will at some time or another have a horror story like that or even worse but they are never as frequent as people might suggest they are and they are rare. If you enjoy something don't let other discourage you from doing what you love.

Any final remarks or shout-outs?

The greatest thing about the cosplay community and all of its diverse members is that we all primarily have one goal in mind: to create cosplays. One thing you will discover is that there are endless resources online from other cosplayers dedicated to helping you learn. So please take advantage of them. Or ask other cosplays questions on how to make something! Many of them are more than willing to tell you. I would like to thank Drecarus for contacting me about an interview and for them considering me for one. I would also like to thank my friends and family for their support and their willingness to help me despite maybe sometimes not knowing what to make out of what I do. Everyone including people who have commented on my cosplays that have encouraged me to keep going fourth has put me where I am today and I am thankful for this.