I'm Taylor Toxic and I'm very new to the cosplay world but I jumped headlong into it. Cosplay means being someone else when you may not be happy with your own life. Its meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones through a mutual love of costumes and general geekiness. Its getting to meet your favorite characters and maybe even BEING some of your favorite characters. Its expressing yourself, its getting to take on a whole new persona and best of all...its freedom.
Most of my characters have been originals, like my "Dungeons and Dragons" dragon priestess Lin and my own take on Red Riding Hood. But I've also been casual Harley Quinn, genderbent Hades and I'm planning a huge Queen of Hearts cosplay for my next Con in November.