Introduction - What is it like being a Cosplayer?

Hey! My name is Carley, I'm a cosplayer/lolita located in Toronto, Canada. I've been cosplaying for 4 years now, it's one of my biggest hobbies. Cosplaying is a great way to show off your sewing/creative skills, and it's definitely a good use for you money (;_;). Cosplaying has really helped me to get out of my shell - especially taking the metro in full costume! I love being part of such a great community, and I've met many of my good friends through conventions and cosplay.

What are your next goals?

In the future, I'd like to make an Iron Solari Leona. For Youmacon, I'm planning on making a genderbend of Takarada (Kill la Kill) and maybe Imp Midna (Twilight Princess).

Cosplay Characters

So far I've cosplayed as Yuki (Fruits Basket), Raikou (Pokemon), Ranmao (Kuroshitsuji), Pinkie Pie (My Little Pony), Nia (TTGL), Noel (Blazblue), Insector Haga (Yugioh), Kaiba (Yugioh season 0), LeBlanc (League of Legends), Chibiusa (Sailor Moon), Mako (Kill la Kill), Shirahoshi (One Piece), Tsukihi (Monogatari series), Leona (League of Legends), and most recently Madokami (Puella Magi Madoka Magica).

What does Cosplay mean to you?

To me, cosplay means being able to bring a character that you love to life, for both you and other fans of the series. I love going to conventions and having people run up to me because they're excited to see their favourite character in real life. I love challenging myself to make bigger and more complex costumes. I love that cosplay brings so many people together for a weekend of fun nerdy dress up. Even though I'm pretty shy in real life around strangers, being in cosplay gives me confidence that I don't have in normal situations.

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

One of my biggest influences in cosplay has been Kamui Cosplay, as she inspired me to start working on more detailed, armoured cosplays (like Leona). Some of my friends that I've met through cosplay have also inspired me to do better, for instance, VickyBunnyAngel Cosplay, and my good friend Tenleid Cosplay.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for upcoming Cosplayers?

Here are some of the best tips I know: Look up tutorials online, the internet is a fantastic resource. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself to do new characters. Dress up as characters you love - I know from experience that dressing up as a character you don't like can really suck. If you buy your costumes, NEVER buy from Milanoo!! Don't use satin in your costumes. Don't take it too seriously, there's always going to be someone better than you, so just relax and try to have fun.

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

Umm I haven't really had any big negative experiences, for the most part, just mean comments on /cgl/ (the cosplay board on 4chan) and mean messages on tumblr. I try to just stay positive and ignore all the means things people choose to say behind anon, and if they have legitimate advice I try to improve, sometimes just to prove them wrong!

Any final remarks or shout-outs?

Thanks for asking me to fill out your survey, hope I inspire someone!