Mistakes New Cosplayers Make, and How Not to Make Them
As another Otakon comes and goes, I couldn’t help but look back and reminisce on my first convention: Otakon 2015. It was where I did my very first cosplay — Avatar Korra from the Legend of Korra!
Korra is a very special character to me. She is a headstrong, passionate woman who is everything that I aspired to be. Back then, I was just starting college, figuring out who I was, and discovering the world of cosplay.
At the time, I couldn’t quite place why I really enjoyed taking pictures with all the really hot Asami cosplayers. Spoiler alert: 🌈
But with cosplaying for the first time comes all the woes and growing pains of trying a new hobby out. There are so many things that I’d change about my first cosplay if I knew then what I know now. If you’re in the place where I was, cosplaying for the first time and unsure what to do and how to get started, this is for you. I’ll tell you all about my mistakes, where I went wrong, what I got right, and how you can avoid making the same questionable choices I did.
Part I. The Cosplay Construction
From a distance, my cosplay looked fine. It was wearable and it photographed pretty well. However, that doesn’t mean that the construction itself came without several roadblocks.
Tip #1: Do Not Fear Your Sewing Machine (it smells fear.) 🧵
When starting this project, I had no idea how to sew, so naturally, I asked my mom for help. Rather than making everything from scratch, I thrifted my shirt and used items from my closet for my cosplay. However, my “pelt” was an original pattern that I sewed faux fur onto. That wasn’t without incident, though.
While my mom had hemmed the suede(?) I chose, I decided to take it upon myself to sew the fur onto it on my own. However, little did I know that the needle in the machine was probably too small and the tension on the machine was all wrong. This resulted in the needle snapping and me being afraid of sewing for 3 days, which wasn’t ideal because the convention was in a MONTH, and I was super worried about not having enough time. (Ah, baby’s first con crunch.)
If you are using a sewing machine for the first time, follow YouTube tutorials carefully, try to get a friend or family member who knows what they’re doing there with you to supervise you, and take your time. You don’t want to potentially hurt yourself or ruin your cosplay because you’re trying to rush! Basic sewing isn’t hard, but it can take some patience. When I successfully threaded my sewing machine without any guidance for the first time, it was such a freeing feeling.
TIP #2 please choose the right fabric, EEK ✂
So while my pants may look exceptionally comfy, they were actually extremely hot to wear. The weather in Baltimore that weekend had to be in the high 80s, and standing around outside was unbearable. So while not everyone will adhere to the “dress for the con” advice, the least you can do for yourself is pick a suitable fabric for your cosplay. The pants I chose were thermal joggers that my parents bought me for winter sports. I thought that these were a fantastic idea because they “matched” what Korra would wear, being from the Southern Water Tribe.
Big mistake.
Do your research on different types of fabric, and do your best to make sure you're going to be comfortable above all else.
TIP #3 Do a wear test, at least for an hour. 👗
I’m still getting in the habit of doing this, but I’ve regretted so many cosplay choices because I didn’t see how my cosplay would hold up after doing more than posing in the mirror for a couple of cute selfies.
I used Velcro to secure white fur onto my boots, however, after walking for only 30 minutes at the con, it proved too much for my “lightweight” sticker Velcro. Since I didn’t want to “ruin” my favorite pair of winter boots, I thought this simple choice would be the perfect option. One missing piece of fur and adhesive stuck to the back of my pants later, I ended up ripping the remaining piece off and just wearing them without.
You’re going to be sitting, standing, hugging, and posing for hours and hours. Don’t forget to make sure that your cosplay is fully functional, especially if it’s the one you’re going to be wearing all day!
TIP #4 To Wig or not to Wig. 💇🏾♀️
You don’t have to wear a wig. For me, I chose not to wear a wig because I saw a woman who looked just like me, with flowing hair and a badass personality that I felt like I could embody just fine going au natural. However, by the end of that hot August day, my hair was frizzy, untamed, and probably looked how Korra did after a rough battle. Authentic, but not the best for photos.
If you choose to wear your natural hair, be sure to have products that can keep down flyaways, like long-lasting hair gel or hair spray. Though I’ve only used my hair for a few cosplays, I love Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Hairspray! Figure out what works best for you before you get to the con and need to make a Day 0 run to the closest CVS.
(0/10, would not recommend.)
However, if you’re going to wear a wig, don’t shop from a cheap party outlet. Chances are you’ll end up with something shiny and unusable. You can purchase a secondhand wig from LumikhaCosplay.com, on FB Marketplace, various Twitter sales threads, or a warehouse-shipped wig from Arda, Epic Cosplay, The Five Wits, and more. Purchase something that has good quality and won’t require you to do too much heavy styling for your first project.
Wig styling is an entirely other blog post, but for what it’s worth YouTube videos were my godsend when I was learning to style. Just…trust the process. As an amateur wig stylist myself, my go-to is “Pick a god and pray.”
Your first wig might not turn out the prettiest, but do your best to get it to a place where you can feel proud of the work you put in. It’s not an easy skill to master, but you can do it with enough practice!
Part 2. Convention Conduct
There are often a lot of explicit rules that each convention provides, however it’s always important to keep in mind the unspoken ones. This isn’t just about your interactions with others, but also how you take care of yourself!
TIP #1: Eating is not optional. And no, 1 granola bar doesn’t count. 🍕
Whether that’s a sandwich, some McDonald’s from down the street, a rice ball, or a jelly donut, make sure you have something substantial to keep you sustained throughout the day. All the adrenaline at the con will make you feel like you can live forever. However, by the time your body does realize you are very, very hungry, you won’t feel so good. At my first convention, I ran around all day having so much fun, I forgot about the food I had packed in my bag.
Set alarms to remind yourself to leave the con center to eat to help keep a routine. The inside of a convention center can feel like a weird zone where time and space don’t exist, but thankfully we have cellphones and friends to keep us grounded.
TIP #2: Don’t write your full name on the front of your badge. 🤫
It’s a little personal. I was wearing a cosplay that was getting a good amount of attention, and a lot of people asked for photos! Korra was really popular at the time, and a lot of people were complimenting me on it. Totally fine, except… I had written my full name on the front of my badge. A guy had come up to me on the Sunday of the convention, asking me for a photo. This was a completely normal interaction, except for when he asked me:
“What are you? (awkward pause) Like, what race are you?”
Now, as a multiracial person, I’m quite used to the question but maybe not…at an anime convention. However, not being as confrontational as I am now, I told him that I was Black and Filipino, to which he gushed about having a Filipino girlfriend once, and some other things I don’t remember.
Around 24 hours later, I received a Facebook message with a photo of myself, and a note that said “It was so great to meet such a beautiful ethnic cosplayer!” Cringe.
If you feel really passionate about writing your name on your badge, please…at least write it on the back.
TIP #3: Con-goers love photography. Be prepared to be on both ends!📸
If you’re open to being photographed, be sure to be ready for when someone recognizes you and asks you for a photo. Practice a couple of poses in the mirror to make sure you won’t regret it later, and make a couple of expressions that’ll properly represent the character you’re cosplaying. You’ll thank yourself later when you see your hall shots. (You never realize you have a dead arm until you see all of the photos you’re tagged in with a floppy hand…)
Want to take photos of other rad cosplayers? Always ask!
Not only is it good practice to ask for consent when you want a photo of someone, but it’s also just one of the biggest compliments you can give a cosplayer.
To me, it says: “I liked your cosplay so much that I want to preserve it in a memory.” or, “I want to share your work with someone I care about!”
If you like someone’s cosplay, it’s always nice to ask for a photo (if they don't look super busy) or even just give them a quick compliment!
Do your best to take a flattering photo of them. And if they’re blinking or their wig is out of place…maybe don’t post it online.
TIP #4: If you were planning on stepping out of your comfort zone, now would be the time. 🤝🏾
This is a place where you’re surrounded by people who are just as passionate as you about their favorite things. Make friends, and tell people you like their bags, pins, and merch. Chat with artists about the prints they made. Ask cosplayers how they made a certain aspect of their costume. Take this time to make connections and have fun!
The best part of conventions to me has always been meeting new people and gushing about beloved series. It’s amazing how instantly you can connect just because you have the same favorite characters. It takes some practice at first, but in no time you’ll be a pro at striking up a conversation. You should always respect people’s boundaries and try to be mindful of the time and place you have conversations, though. Avoid bothering people if they’re eating or if an artist has a long line in the Artist Alley! Don’t block the hallway with your newfound friends, and try not to hold people hostage with a conversation for too long. Most people have places to go and other friends they want to see, and no one likes someone who overstays their welcome.
Conclusion
There’s no one “right way” to cosplay. At the end of the day, we’re all nerds dressing up in costume, trying to celebrate our favorite characters in the best way we know how. Whether that’s buying a costume and crafting your own prop, dutifully choosing the perfect fabric for each element of your costume, or modifying a few clothes in your closet to match the best that you can, cosplay comes in all shapes and sizes for people of all intensities. I wish I knew more when I started cosplay, but part of the appeal of learning a new hobby is the fun of learning the little things on your own. My first cosplay wasn’t perfect, but seeing other people cosplaying for the first time, meeting new people, buying art, and celebrating this shared love of anime and video games was a feeling unlike any other. Cosplay should be accessible to everyone — I truly wish anyone who wanted to could try the hobby out, just once. It’s part of the main reason I created Lumikha Cosplay Resale. Because while some people may be able to drop hundreds on wigs, costumes, and props, the reality is that most people are on a budget, and I wanted to bring something to the community that could empower anyone — no matter their budget or crafting capabilities.
May you find the perfect level of cosplay for you — and I wish you the most fun doing it!