Introduction - What is it like being a Cosplayer?

Hi there! My name is Laura and I've been cosplaying for about 4 years now, and I've loved (mostly) every second of it. I've found the cosplay community to be an amazingly supportive place. When a large group of like minded people are spending all their disposable income on dressing up like their favourite characters, you're bound to make a few friends or at least some good acquaintances. I've seen so much improvement in myself in just 4 years; being a cosplayer is constant growth, learning and sometimes even teaching. I wouldn't have any other hobby!

What are your next goals?

My next cosplays I've been planning for Anime North include Suki from AtlA and Lissandra from League of Legends. What I really want to do is to participate in the masquerade. I feel like I'm ready to have my cosplays judged competitively, now it's just a matter of being prepared for it. I'd also really like to become more active in the community and set up proper pages to display my cosplays, maybe even put together some tutorials.

Cosplay Characters

Mostly video game characters. I started with a few pokemon cosplays, something I feel a lot of us tend to do. My first larger-scale cosplay I did independently was Sly Cooper, and now I've moved onto some League of Legends champions.

What does Cosplay mean to you?

For me, cosplay is being something bigger than yourself. A whole network of people who would have otherwise been strangers now feel like close friends; people to look up to or who look up to you. Cosplay gives me the opportunity to be a student and a teacher, to give and to take. To display my hard work, ideas and innovations to my peers and have it appreciated where it might have otherwise been dismissed. I don't think there's really any community that can will give you the same feeling of belonging and acceptance. Cosplay means so much more to me than just "playing dress up", I think it's a feeling most cosplayers share, and something you can't really understand until you've started cosplaying yourself.

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

My mother has been an amazing teacher, putting up with me for all those late nights and meltdowns. She's shown me mostly everything I know. My friends who cosplay with me are a huge influence, I don't know if I'd be cosplaying without them. I draw a lot of my other inspiration from cosplay videos, pictures and tutorials. Seeing the level of detail and innovation in other artists' work really drives me forward.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for upcoming Cosplayers?

Know your limits. Don't choose an intricate ballgown or full suit of armour as your first cosplay. Choose something small, simple cosplays develop your sewing and crafting skills and slowly expand your comfort zone. We all start somewhere, don't be disappointed if you don't look like Yaya Han out of the gate, you'll get there. Allow yourself a lot of time to experiment with techniques and maybe even allow multiple drafts of pieces. Try and find bargains for your materials, but don't go too cheap. A good quality wig and fabric goes a long way. Makeup is also something a lot of cosplayers will sometimes neglect and it makes a huge difference. You'd be surprised what a well-manicured and filled eyebrow will do for you (and yes, even for you male cosplayers). Don't be afraid to reach out to friends and other cosplayers for advice, most will be glad to offer it (myself included). There's no shame in asking for help, it's pretty rare that someone will have a cosplay done 100% independently.

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

I've been diagnosed with ADHD with comorbid anxiety, and unfortunately is has a huge effect on my life. ATTENTION deficit disorder is a bit of a misnomer, most people suffering from ADHD struggle with long-term motivation, and completing long term goals whose rewards aren't immediate. This leads to chronic procrastination and often a series of disasters that could have easily been avoided if the individual had been able to prepare like a normal person. You can imagine how this would impact an event that happens once a year and for the average person, takes months of work. Every con I've been to was generally preceded by a week of all-nighters, tears, stress, panic and unfinished or rushed pieces. Last cosplay I did was finished at the hotel room the morning of, and not just a few finishing touches, but a whole paint job and all of the armour attachment. I think the cosplay community (like any community) has a decent population of those suffering from mental illness or other difficulties, and I think cons give us an opportunity to work through it and to flourish, even forget what we're going through. We deal with our difficulties through perseverance and the knowledge that the con will prove all the emotion and trouble worth-while. At least, that's how I get through it. That being said, I'm definitely going to try and give myself more than a month to finish my costumes this year around.

Any final remarks or shout-outs?

I'd like to thank Andreas and everyone else at drecarus for giving me the opportunity to share my experiences. I hope that whoever took the time to read my rambles and walls of text took something positive from it. If anyone is interested in how I've done my cosplays or what materials/products I've used, feel free to message me on my tumblr at www.ohsoakimbo.tumblr.com. It's the best way to reach me.