Cosplay Do's and Don'ts (For beginners)

[Crow]

Everybody has their own opinion of what we should and shouldn't do in cosplay- but I've always found it helpful to know what other people in the community see as acceptable or not.

Just post a couple of your personal Do's and Dont's.

DO-

Put in the time to do good makeup, or find someone to help you do it. It can make a girl look more like a guy, or add that special touch to a character (through their scar or complexion, maybe). A lot of people put this one off, and it makes a huge difference.

Consider comfort, both physically and emotionally, when buying or making a costume. As brave as it is to wear one of the skimpier costumes, it's not as flattering when you're covering yourself in photos. And when it comes to physical comfort, a little lining here or foam there or insoles in your shoes can make all the difference, and stop you from stripping half the costume off.

Keep wigs in good condition. If they're styled in a more generic fashion, you can use them several times. I have a white wig which looks like it's going to work perfectly for at least two or three more characters if I decide to cosplay them.

Ask for help. Even if you're going into the masquerade, a little help is allowed from family or a friend. And if you don't know how to work your sewing machine, the costume won't turn out as well. I learned this from my own mistakes.

DON'T-

Buy or make a costume in which the parts that contact your body can't be washed in some way or another. You may wear the costume three days in a row, but even washing it after that is better than it just accumulating con after con.

Forget to drink a lot of water in cosplay. It might be a pain going to the bathroom, but most costumes aren't as temperature-friendly for the summer cons as we might like, and fainting will take some fun out of the convention or event.

Leave the wig for last. Hair is a big part of a costume, and a "highlighter wig" or cheaply made wig can take away from what would otherwise be good. A decent amount of time needs to be spent on the wig- and a bit of money, too. Sometimes you can reuse the wig, and at that time you'll appreciate having gotten a good one that will last.

Fill up the convention time without room for your cosplay. If you've got a good costume, and a ways to go, it can take anywhere from five minutes to almost an hour to get from one place to another at a convention. At Anime Expo it regularly took my group half an hour to walk down one hallway, just because we were having pictures taken of us. This does, of course, depend upon the popularity of the character, size of your group, size of the convention, and how much your costume stands out. But it's always a good idea to feel out the time it'll take you to get around on that first day of a convention, and plan it out for the rest of the weekend. Add into this repairs, fixing your makeup or wig, and just getting in and out of the costume, and a lot of time goes into the cosplay. More than people think.