Introduction - What is it like being a Cosplayer?

Hello, I'm Jess! I got into cosplaying by accident. My friend was having a superhero themed birthday party and I really wanted to be Dovahkiin. I spent a couple of weeks making a helmet, axe and shield and it felt great. I thought it was really fun and decided that it would be a cool hobby to get into. I really enjoy getting to look and feel like my favourite characters. I love going to cons but I can be quite a shy person so it can be difficult to make friends, however when cosplaying, I gain "Costume confidence" since I'm not me - I'm a super cool character. This makes it a lot easier to talk to people and make friends. Kind of escapism.

What are your next goals?

My next goal is to make something really elaborate, like full armour.

Cosplay Characters

Dovahkiin - Skyrim Sasha + Petra - Attack on Titan Luffy - One Piece Goku - Dragonball Z Ezio - Assassin's Creed Hanako Ikezawa - Katawa Shoujo Frodo - Lord of the Rings Nature's Prophet - DotA 2 There's a few more but I think that covers the majority.

What does Cosplay mean to you?

Cosplay to me is all about having fun and expressing yourself and your interests. I've also found it's a fantastic way to meet people. Some people take it too seriously but I say if you can recognise who the character is from a glance then they've done a good job and if that person is enjoying themself who are you to try and say otherwise.

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

I wouldn't really say I have any role models in the cosplay community as everyone puts their own spin on things and that's okay. I love looking at other people's work and creations on popular pages such as the MCM expo group on facebook or /r/cosplay on reddit as it really shows the variety in styles or characters. I don't aspire to be like anyone other than myself because that's all I can be.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for upcoming Cosplayers?

Don't be a dick. Have fun. That's it.

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

A lot of the time when cosplaying as game characters I have been asked "Have you even played that game?" which can be a little frustrating. There's also people who seem to forget the difference between a compliment and straight up vulgarity. If you're making a sexual comment towards someone you're not complimenting them. I find in both cases it's best to just ignore these types of people and try not to let it effect you.

Any final remarks or shout-outs?

Don't give up! ^^