I cannot echo the importance of a good cosplay group enough. My first cosplay was literally just a wizard robe that I sewed together using a pattern from wallmart. My friend who was into cosplay already invited me to work with his group who were also going to be at the same con, and they were less than helpful during the build. In fact, they were downright dangerous, constantly doing stupid teenage boy things around my sewing machine and a running bandsaw. My friend ultimately ended up just buying the Spirit Halloween version of his costume because he had made so little progress. I actually did finish my robe, only to have it ridiculed by the member of the group who had messed around the most, and who had thrown together the most last minute Deadpool costume once we actually me up at the convention. They later abandoned my brother and I to go do a cosplay shoot without us because I had the audacity to want to go to a panel. That was almost exactly 10 years ago, and outside of Halloween, I haven't cosplayed once. I really really do want to give it another go tho, especially since I've now inherited my grandmother's sewing machine and all the accessories.
You should absolutely give it another try. You seem like it's something you're still interested in and you absolutely deserve to have a better memory of cosplaying.
Great video. New subscriber. My daughter (16) has wanted to cosplay for the last year but Covid put a hold on that and she's very self conscious. Good news is things are opening up and I just retired so I'm now looking around for videos like this and we will both go out in full kit to boost her confidence. I'll be telling her about this plan this weekend.
Hello! I know I'm like 10 months late but I just wanted to say that what your doing in supporting your daughter is amazing! I recently turned 18 and I still find having my mum by my side, going to con's and helping make cosplay's and even cosplaying with me is such a confidence boost! Thank you for being so supportive and I hope you and your daughter have years of fun together on your cosplaying adventure!
My seamstress themed cosplay story First off THANK YOU I needed this video so much. I've had so many experiences these last couple years that upset me off track from cosplaying. Either gaining weight and not being able to fit into the only other costume I've done, people telling me that I'm too old to be to dressing up (I'm 26), that you only dress up for Halloween, not understanding that you can dress up as a concept or something that people like not just characters from shows and movies and books, etc. Last year or so I wanted to start a costume and was really excited about it. The problem is I got a third of the way in and then I put it in a bag (for safe keeping) and then I accidentally threw it away. half of my main outfit thrown away because I forgot what bag I put it in(and didn't remember until much to late). But now a year or so later with the help and encouragement of my close friend and following you on Instagram I have decided to try again. We just made my first mock-up sketch and will be looking for materials soon. I'm so grateful to her and so glad I found your Instagram. so here's to the Great adventure ahead and doing a seamstress themed cosplay
I'm so glad to hear it and I hope you keep cosplaying! 26 is DEFINITELY not too old for cosplay, if I have anything to say about it haha- I'm turning 31 this year!
I've always really admired cosplayers, but never really found a way to get started until I met some friends who could help me in a concrete way, and now I'm going to cosplay Sophie from Howl's moving castle in May and I'm so excited!
Oh BOY did my first cosplay experiences give me mixed feelings. 🥴 I don't know if I'll ever try again, but I absolutely *love* knowing I can come back to this video for encouragement. Thank you for making this! (And yeah, wow, someone could've warned me about wig headaches. 😅)
THANK YOU for piping up about the hate that circulates within the community too! Folks are so afraid to talk about it, but everyone's mental health is SO SO important! A stellar video, as always!
It really is so important to talk about!! It doesn't help anyone to pretend like it just doesn't happen, and I hope it just helps new cosplayers know that they aren't alone in dealing with it!
@@HeyLizardLeigh I think it's a VERY important first step in bringing attention to it, so we can hopefully one day be more inclusive and loving as a community!
your videos are so incredibly high quality!! I've been on and off cosplaying for years, but this gave me the boost I needed to get back to work on the project that's been sitting in the back of my closet for months lol. great work!!
“buy parts of your first cosplay” is REAL. my first handmade cosplay is lucy gray, and you already know i commissioned that corset bc hell no, i’m not ready 😅😅
Listen, a good group is a small group. Last con I went to I went with a group of i think 8 on day 2? Only about 6 of us were from the same media and the others were just our friends. Trying to keep track of that many people was extremely overwhelming and don't make the same mistake i did. If you do want to go with all your friends, split into smaller groups and meet up every hour or 2. Don't make the same mistake i did 👍
As someone who went to a con in a full five nights at freddys cosplay - Completely foam springtrap, mask and all - DRINK YOUR WATER - and if you are wearing a warm cosplay, then bring ice to be able to cool yourself down quickly when needed!
This is so informative and helpful! I really appreciate you covering the stuff nobody really does - having friends to support you, having a good mindset, ect!! 😊
I'm trying to make my first cosplay (it's more of a Halloween costume but oh well) and it's chell from portal 2 since it's my favorite game. I made a portal gun out paper plates and foam, along with a companion cube also made of foam. This made things seem a little less overwhelming so thank you! (I know it's 2 years old but i feel like it still helps :])
Even a year from now and just watching this video as more of a closet cosplayer, (I'm also a sewing novice, I scream at the Inconsistent Variety of American Sizing In Commerical Patterns, yet if you give me dye and my giant pot I will go FERAL) made me think back of my first con memories (shoutout to Goldnova 2018, which btw is in AUSTRALIA. one day I'll expand my horizons). How much of a DIFFERENCE of fun I had when I went alone not expecting to see anyone and then going again in 2019 when I started uni and met the most unexpected fandom people there who, of all things, RECOGNISED ME THE YEAR BEFORE AND WAS TOO SHY TO SAY HI That being said, it's fun to be locally recognised as Edd/Ell Eddsworld (surprisingly more folks who recognised me than I'd initially thought for a British Flash-Animation webshow!) and recently, Steve from Blue's Clues! Steve (and bringing my Blue plush) in particular from just my ONE DAY alone at Goldnova this year has earned me a lot of compliments, some impromptu photo ops and recognition moments. The fact that a member of the 501st Redback Division gave me a lil wave and 'hi Steve!' as she walked by? Permanent Serotonin Memory. That, and I bumped into ANOTHER STEVE, so we just spider-man pointed at each other in excitement and got some pics together. (So far my type of characters I've gone to con in the past 5-ish (roughly counting La Pandemia here) 'years' has definitely been 'brown-haired friendly leaders dressed in Green' but I'll see how I go as the years continue! Maybe one day I'll rock up as the '80's Science-Fantasy Retrofuture Space Captain of a Children's Movie' of my dreams, no questions asked. I have gold jeans. I have a vintage neon blue trench/raincoat. It could happen.) You'll have to forgive me for unleashing a whole Storybook of a comment, but there were THOUGHTS and I couldn't be stopped. If you were able to read this whole thing in the year of our lord 2023, thank you for such an accessible and easy-to-understand video, I'm stoked to find some new footing into something I hope will be a new hobby as I steel forward into the rest of my 20's! Also ever since 2019 my goal of cons has always become 'buy a sword'. Prop or steel blade, it doesn't matter. I need to expand sword collection. Maybe one day I'll also get my hands on Fili's hammer and, with my years-old dinosaur mask I bought one time, become my peak form from 2017.
I'm looking into making a cosplay for the first time (well, if you exclude a bit of tie dye and applique) and I've been so excited watching your channel! Goal is for May and I'm starting now in Feb, but I've got a good run down of stuff I need to make custom and stuff I could get "close enough" from stores so I'm feeling good about that timeline! (it'll only be a cape and a hat that need making, and I could arguably get aware with just the cape)
Thank you for this video! I've been cosplaying for a few years but it was still incredibly helpful. Plus it's perfect to show my friends who want to get into cosplay!
I know this video is 2 years old and I'm probably going to get a lot heat for saying this but whenever I imagine myself getting complimented by a cosplayer (in particular a more advanced one) I feel compelled to say "I don't believe you, you're lying." I think that the more advanced cosplayers don't care about anyone except themselves and their own false happiness. They're too scared to admit the truth because they don't want to lose face. Not to mention the fact that they don't know what it's like to be viciously bullied for no reason probably due to the fact that they probably partake in it to satisfy their own insecurities.
