A beginner's guide to cosplay

What is cosplay you ask? Cosplay is short for costume play and is the exciting hobby of dressing up as your favorite characters from anime, sci-fi, books, manga, comics, video games, visual kei bands, and original characters that are only limited by your own imagination. Cosplay is usually worn at conventions, social events and gatherings with other fans of the same general topic; the most common place is usually conventions.

Gatherings such as these make sure that most of the people around you appreciate the time and effort you put into your costume and you get the appropriate ooohhs and aahhs and photo ops that make cosplayers everywhere proud, even if they have never seen your character before. Outside of these events, random bystanders might think you were celebrating Halloween in July. However, if you would like to wear full SOLDIER armor complete with Cloud Strife wig and mock buster sword while doing your daily errands, then we won’t stop you.

Cosplay can be as easy or as difficult as you want it to be. It definitely reflects the amount of work that you put into each and every part of your costume, from the buckles on your shoes to the number of spikes in your hair to the size and color of your accessories.

The key to successful cosplay is to think outside the proverbial box, and to be completely honest with yourself about the amount of blood, sweat, and tears you are going to invest into your costume.

Another thing to consider is whether you are going to make the costume yourself, make only part of it, have it commissioned, or purchase it online. If you have the will power and the determination, then I definitely suggest making it yourself. Handmade costumes may not always look as professional or as complete as one that was purchased, but you get the gratification of making it yourself plus the respect of most other cosplayers you meet.
 
If you decide to make your own cosplay then keep an open mind about everything you will need to make it work. You will be shocked about what items and materials can be transformed into your ideal costume. When choosing your fabric, there are several guidelines to keep in mind.

First, you will need to decide what kind of fabric you would like to use and how it will be incorporated into your costume.

Second, you will need to know where it will be worn and in what kind of environment. You probably do not want to be wearing multiple layers of heavy fabrics if you will be outside in the heat.

Third, you need to consider the type of stress your costume will be under and the general wear and tear that will affect it.

After you have determined these details then you are ready to choose a pattern. If possible, try to find a pattern that fits within your skill range, and that will require little to no adjustments to achieve the desired look.
 
Props and prop weapons are another area where you should keep an open mind. Spare building materials such as scrap wood, small pieces of PVC pipe, random bits of plastic or metal, spray paint, and wire are just begging to be used for prop making.

However, it doesn’t stop there, be creative and look around your house or your friend’s house or your office or wherever you can for things that could be easily cut down or modified into something else. Prop possibilities are endless. You can also buy your props and other accessories from retailers who specialize in cosplay if you want an easy, although sometimes pricey, solution.

If you plan to take your props or prop weapons to a convention or other gathering, then make sure you check the policies of the event to see what kind of prop materials they allow before you start construction.

Cosplay is a lot of fun once you get started, and even more fun if you have some friends who are willing to try it as well. There are plenty of cosplay sites online where you can find tips, and tricks and pictures of other people’s costumes. One of the most popular is www.cosplay.com where they have helpful advice forums, meetings forums, and lots of great cosplay pictures.

Go out and be creative and you will be surprised at the amount of enjoyment you can get from cosplay.

Green Team Cosplay is an amateur cosplay group based out of Duncan. We currently have been cosplaying as a group for 5 years and have attended conventions in Oklahoma, Texas, and California.  We have over 20 different cosplay costumes between us.

If you would like to contact us, our email is greenteamcosplay7@gmail.com. We are always happy to hear from fellow cosplay enthusiasts.