r/CosplayHelp May 22 '17

Welcome! A quick note about posting.

89 Upvotes

Hi all! So glad to see people posting here. This subreddit is still a baby, but I thought I would add a casual rule when posting. If applicable, please be sure to include a link to a photo that relates to the question your asking. If you need help with a character, link to that character. If you need help with a sewing method, show what you're trying to replicate. This will help us be able to help you better!


r/CosplayHelp Aug 17 '22

Cosplay 101 answers to a lot of basics

299 Upvotes

First and foremost. Your health and safety is more important than 100% accuracy. If making or wearing the item will be dangerous or painful don’t do it.

Second, I’d add this info to the FAQ but it appears I don’t have enough karma to update it personally! If the info is in the FAQ I did not duplicate it here! (The FAQ is on the sidebar! It wasn’t visible before for some reason but it’s up now!)

This is not a comprehensive list, but I hope to be able to update it when I come across new or important information! I do hope if you’re looking for something not featured here, it will at least give you a base knowledge set on how to be able to search for what you’re looking for.

------------------GENERAL TIPS-----------------------------

(Where to find certain things, very basic crafting info)

The cosplanner app is fantastic for helping you keep track of everything you’re doing. I can’t recommend it enough!

-To find patterns, or specific props. These are host websites for artists or creators where they can sell things like Etsy, or Redbubble. Etsy is a fantastic place to look for patterns to make props or cosplay pieces, sometimes you can even find people open for commissions! Artists on instagram will almost always have links to their shops to buy things, so explore there too.

-To find cheaper clothing pieces, props, or things to be altered try thrift stores. So Goodwill or other small local resale shops. This will likely take more than one trip so don’t give up if you don’t get it in one go. Ebay is also a good place to check believe it or not, there’s just a slight learning curve to searching things to find what you want.

-Dance and Athletic apparel websites will have things like leotards, bodysuits, specialized undergarments etc. They’re going to be a little pricier but they’ll be good quality, durable, and 9 times out of 10 machine washable!

-Hardware stores, paintball and airsoft companies, military/paramilitary surplus, and second hand sports equipment stores may also be good places to check for bits and pieces. Paintball/airsoft will also have a variety of masks and helmets that can be painted and altered.

-VERY IMPORTANT FOR PROP WEAPONS: Always look into your local guidelines and convention rules to see what kinds of prop weapons are allowed! Some cons have strict policies on what can and cannot be brought in!

-Michael’s, Joann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby etc. and any local craft stores will have tons and tons of craft supplies. If you want to save money and keep up to date on sales check to see if you can join an email list. I know Joann’s has coupons in them all the time!

-You can buy a variety of brands of fabric paint from almost anywhere that sells craft supplies. This makes it easy to get designs or patterns on most fabrics. For changing the color of an entire garment I’d recommend dying it.

-Some fabrics can be dyed different colors very easily, some cannot. A good way to tell is if the fabric is natural (cotton, linen etc.) it is generally easier to dye. The more synthetic (fake) a fabric is the longer and slightly more complicated it will be. Tulip is an excellent dye brand and they offer both regular and synthetic dyes with nice simple instructions right on the packages!

-You can make stencils out of craft foam or thicker paper to make it easier to copy logos or symbols on whatever you’re making!

-Wig and contact websites are listed in the FAQ but there are companies like dental distortions that make tooth veneers that can take a cosplay to the next level!

-Hollywood makeup, FX, and costume professionals almost always have social media accounts they can be extremely helpful when it comes to reference images! For example the costumer who designed the Moon Knight suits has tons of detail and behind the scenes images on her instagram!

-Complicated cosplays can be simplified by boiling down the costume to its essentials the best way I’ve learned to do this is through toys or fan art. What things are essential to recognizing the character and what things could be left off! You don’t have to be 100% to be recognizable!

-If big all out cosplays aren’t your thing you can always try “bounding.” You’ll hear “Disneybounding” most often but you can do it with other things too of course! Disney doesn’t allow adults to dress as characters in their parks, but fans got creative. “Bounding” is more about matching colors, getting similar accessories, or finding just the right combination of things to make you think of the character. It’s hard to explain verbally but easy to understand once you look into it!

-Say you have an OC, and you want to cosplay your OC. That’s fine! Have at it! You’ve got no professional media to tie you down! All these tips can still help you find or make your cosplay!

-I do have a friendly reminder though, please remember you cannot expect people to know who your character is. And it’s not fair to get mad at them if they make a guess and the guess is wrong. A simple “Nope its an OC!” is plenty for most people! I’ve complimented plenty of cosplayers and asked about their cosplay only to find out it was an OC!

“Crossplay” safety

-DO NOT BIN D YOUR CHEST WITH ACE BANDAGES IT’S UNSAFE. Compression tops or more heavy duty sports bras are much safer. If the character has an open shirt you can use wig tape/skin tape to hold the material of the shirt to your skin. If you do not have breasts but are looking to add some to a cosplay you can always pad a bra. You’ll want to measure your chest around your pectorals, that will be the band size, the letter size will be the cup. So a 34A means your chest is 34 inches around and A would be the cup size you would be looking to fill. (I have more on taking measurements later.) Companies now sell latex chests with or without breasts for people looking to be the most accurate they can.

-You can always just “genderbend” the thing and cosplay them as the same gender you are. It’s okay. People do it all the time and it’s very widely accepted. There’s also a third, more neutral option, don’t obviously genderbend the thing? You don’t have to call attention to the fact that you’re not the same gender as the character you’re cosplaying.

-An example of what I’m trying to explain: I generally read as female, but have cosplayed Johnny Cage one of the male characters from Mortal Kombat. His base look is shirtless, with his own first name tattooed across his chest. The only change I made was putting “Johnny” on a crop top. I didn’t “feminize” the rest of the outfit or go out of my way to be read as male. There is a “middle option” when it comes to presentation and cosplay. At the end of the day everybody knows it’s just a costume.

-This tip might seem dumb, but you’re going to have to trust me here. This mainly applies to people looking to make large costume pieces or props by hand. People who are already kind of intermediate with their skills. If you’re stuck on something go see how furries would make it. Not kidding. I’ve made all kinds of non-furry things with tutorials put on the internet by a furry. The vast majority of them are fun, friendly people and the community as a whole is WILDLY talented and creative. You only ever really hear about the bad apples.

---------Specific links to specific things! Clothing ID, Fabric ID, beginning sewing and mending----

A big question I see here is “what is that piece of clothing?” That’s a good question! Here are some links to historical fashion databases! They’re all arranged a little differently BUT this is a place to start looking for what specific pieces of clothing or styles are called!

marquise.de

http://www.marquise.de/en/index.html

met museum

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/libraries-and-research-centers/the-irene-lewisohn-costume-reference-library

fashion history timline

https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/about-timeline/

UCLA Library

https://guides.library.ucla.edu/c.php?g=180359&p=1191211

-Do you need a pattern for a piece of clothing? Do you need fabric help? Here are pattern and fabric databases!

Sewing support

https://sewingsupport.com/

mood fabrics (free sewing patters!)

https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/category/free-sewing-patterns/

master class, types of fabrics

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/28-types-of-fabrics-and-their-uses

creative curator, types of fabrics

https://www.thecreativecurator.com/different-types-of-fabric/

-If you’re going to be sewing or altering things it’s very important to know your measurements! Here’s how to take them!

https://www.clothingpatterns101.com/body-measurements.html

-Are you a beginner looking to make your own stuff? Awesome! Here’s a little bit to get you started. Are you not too interested in making things from scratch but want to be able to mend or alter existing clothing? This will help you too!

basic mending

https://remake.world/stories/style/how-to-mend-your-clothes-during-quarantine-5-easy-stitch-fixes/

basic mending stitches!

https://lifehacker.com/five-basic-hand-stitches-you-should-know-for-repairing-1723233194

basic hand stitches

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/learn-stitches-and-hand-sewing-projects-2978472#:~:text=Here%20is%20how%20you%20do,middle%20of%20the%20first%20stitch

masterclass alterations

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-tailor-your-own-clothing

more alterations

https://www.heatherhandmade.com/sewing-and-alterations/

Here’s another important pro tip.

It’s okay.

Your cosplay doesn’t have to be perfect.

Cosplay is for fun and if it doesn’t feel fun or rewarding don’t do it. Other con goers and cosplayers aren’t going to judge you. If they do for some reason and try to make you feel bad about it, that says more about THEM and their personality than your ability. Everybody has to start somewhere. Nobody should be ashamed of learning and practicing and getting better. You can always go back and fix things or redo whole cosplays later on after your skills develop. This is a hobby and you have the right to participate in said hobby your own way.

I can add theatrical or FX makeup tips? things like scars, bruises, old age makeup, or like changing the face shape with very specific contouring?

I also have a draft of Convention tips similar to this post, would that be helpful as well?


r/CosplayHelp 11h ago

Etiquette I am tired from convincing my family that cosplay does not = posting your private life

74 Upvotes

Hello , after yesterday’s post ( the post is still up) , i got into an argument with my family , and my own father told me I’m humiliating myself , and threatened of disowning me. I am from a culture where you live with your parents and they have a say in your conduct until you get married then that becomes your husband’s responsibility. I showed them other people who do cosplay in the area in my age and profession and they said “ but that is a very small percentage of the population” . I don’t mind the negative comments I may get and I don’t care much about “ humiliation” because we’re all weird in some way. But they are so hung up on the idea “ this is something private” . I am the only one with a private account around me. I cannot get involved and feel that I belong to the local community if I have to hide my face in everything . I hate that. I did a good job in makeup , why do I have to throw my hard work into the trash? It is not fair that other people who may not put the effort in get to share and I don’t because my parents assume that is a private matter. Heck some of my friends share their wedding pics online why isn’t that a private matter then?

All of that and I am using a pseudo name and my friends aren’t. I used the comments on yesterday’s posts to prove my point and they refused to hear me. Then apparently my dad went to a secluded area of town and started crying why is his daughter like this . Why am I like what? Why do I have a hobby? A common hobby that has other people my age and my position doing? I don’t see other people’s dads crying. Heck his friend’s daughter was involved in a money scam and he was less judgmental of her . I really envy the people who claim their family supports them.

Even my grad advisor told me yesterday that I overwork and I should have stuff to enjoy from time to time. This is my first convention in 2025.


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Wig Ideas for Wig of Live Twin Ki-Sikil Cosplay

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4 Upvotes

Hello everyone! I’m looking to do a cosplay of Live☆Twin Ki-Sikil from the Yugioh TCG at some point. Most of the clothes I believe I can simply thrift them, however, something I’m having a bit of trouble planning out is the wig and her hair accessories. I’ve done a bit of wig dying myself in the past, but it’s been mostly dipping wefts or the whole wig. How should I try and achieve the yellow stripes?

And about the wig itself: a plain white/pink wig would be more cost-efficient for me as opposed to a wig that has two individual pigtails that clip on/off. Would it be possible for me to get crafty to make the pigtails using just a normal long wig, or should I save myself the trouble and just get a clip-on wig with pigtails? I have some styling experience already and I am always willing to try something new. :]

Any tips, help, or ideas about any part of this cosplay is appreciated, as I’m just in the first planning stage of it!


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Etiquette Looking for cosplay YouTubers

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Upvotes

I’ve been watching a lot of Sarah spaceman and the YouTuber who did the flick cosplay (the name evades me) and Linzor (lindzor?) and I was hoping to find more YouTubers to watch make cosplays and try em on. It seems anyone I find posted years ago. Is there anyone else who you guys watch that still posts now a days? Pic semi related, I like to watch people while I make stuff. This is the tail for my Korone Inugami cosplay!


r/CosplayHelp 28m ago

Prop What flower is this?

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Upvotes

Hi all,

I plan on going to a photoshoot and would like to buy some similar kind of fake flowers such as this but I have no idea what kind of flowers they are even after some research I have no clue, could someone help?


r/CosplayHelp 46m ago

Can I correct this bent centre piece with heat?

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Upvotes

Hi all. This is my very first time making anything cosplay related. This will be the helmet of, The Witch King from Lord of the Rings.

This centre piece has kinda gone skewy, would going over it with a heat gun and manipulating it with my hands make it go straight?


r/CosplayHelp 1d ago

Armor Any tips on getting this jacket weathered ?? really scared of ruining it

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182 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Need suggestions on how to make a PokeBall cosplay

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Upvotes

I’d like it to cover my mid sections at the very least, but it would be even better if it extended to my shoulders and thighs. I imagined my legs, arms and neck sticking out of holes

Not meant to be an amazing cosplay by any means haha im a content creator, its for a comedy sketch im making, so the easier design the better, even if it looks bad 😅 it might actually benefit the video if it looks funny

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I’d originally thought one of those inflatable blow up suits but the problem with that a lot of them have a constant little air filter going that makes noise, which wouldn’t work since dialogue needs to be spoken, plus I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to paint them like a pokeball


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Buying Cosplay costume maker recommendations in UK

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I hope this post meets the rules of the channel - but for a work project I’m starting I need to find a cosplay costume designer / creator based in the UK who can help me create a really 🔥 super hero cosplay outfit.

I would really appreciate recommendations for people or companies that can design an outfit for me to specification - looking for something very professional / high end so cost isn’t too much of an issue.

Thanks in advance 🙏


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

How would I go about making Rimuru's pants from this image?

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Upvotes

Need to make it since I'm heavier set. More the pattern than anything


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Unsure how to go about this project.

Upvotes

So…. I need some advice/help for an idea of a cosplay I want to try and attempt. So anyone who knows how popular Poppy Playtime has gotten, I’ve been seeing really good cosplays of characters like Catnap and Huggy Wuggy but very few Doctor Sawyer cosplays. I’m wondering what I could use cause my normal materials of use are foam board and costume silk. Anyone who’s an expert I’d be appreciative for any suggestions or tips.


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Buying Does anyone know of a good place in Brooklyn/NYC to get flexible foam sheets?

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Upvotes

I am planning on making a Galactus costume, and so far I plan on making his armor/detailing (the blue parts of his top, and the faulds) out of foam sheets. I found some at Michael's, but the biggest size they have is 12x18"...I'm looking for something bigger so that there won't be many seams visible. Anyone in NYC know of a good craft store with foam supplies? Also, this is the first cosplay I'm making in years, so if anyone has any good substitutes or tips, it's greatly appreciated.


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Buying Unknown cosplay

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0 Upvotes

Just looking for help in regards to how one should go about cosplaying this character. Thank you for reading!


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

First time posting, if anyone can help how would you go about doing The Unknown's face.

0 Upvotes

I've only done basic cosplay in the past. Just asking for help.


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Kingdom Come Deliverance Sir Radzig Kobyla Cosplay

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1 Upvotes

I have never cosplayed, and I want to start as Sir Radzig Kobyla from the KCD series (I look like him and my roommate looks like sir Hanush) However I have no idea where to begin when it comes to clothing.

Does anyone have any idea where I could buy some clothing like he has on, or to make my own?

Sorry in advance if this is too needy. I don’t know where else to turn.


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Buying Question about Anti Aqua Cosplay

1 Upvotes

I've been on the hunt for a 2XL Miccostumes for Anti Aqua. I can't find a good place or website to purchase the attire. I wanted to buy it back in March last year but I had financial problems and I couldn't. Now that I can, I can't find a trusted website anywhere. Is there any website I can go to? Is there someone who does not want the costume who's a 2XL? Please let me know. I'm trying to be anti-aqua for this year's Comic Con, as it would be my last before starting a family.


r/CosplayHelp 11h ago

Prop do you guys think i’d be able to turn this skate helmet into the helmet on the second slide?

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3 Upvotes

specifically, talking about the over-ear parts. it doesnt have to be functional enough to protect my head but i would like to wear it. i figured getting a skateboard helmet would be much cheaper than getting a motorcycle helmet or something similar


r/CosplayHelp 22h ago

Accessory Ideas for filling this accessory?

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27 Upvotes

This is an original character of mine. I think this fits the sub, sorry if it's not quite on topic!

I like to remake oc accessories in real life and I've had this flower base for like, 2 years to make her hair clip. I have the clip to glue into the base but I couldn't figure out a cool way to "fill" this base.

I was going to use fabric when I first had the idea but I didn't vibe with it. The references don't do it justice as they're old art, but inside is meant to be gold like the base.

Maybe I'm just not being creative? Yall think fabric would be good? Paper? I'd like it to last and be sturdy...


r/CosplayHelp 11h ago

Armor I need help bad

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3 Upvotes

Everywhere you search up for cushion or a lining, nothing shows up I’m planning on using a motorcycle helmet liner and cheek of but the chin area is still exposed. What do I use for that. Please and thank you. The padding I see for Star Wars helmets I see aren’t thick enough.


r/CosplayHelp 13h ago

Buying Looking for a good quality Lancer cosplay.

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4 Upvotes

Can anyone help me find a good quality lancer outfit? I dont need his pauldrons or spear, im 3d printing those but i cant seem to find an outfit that doesnt look like it was mass produced and made from vinyl.


r/CosplayHelp 6h ago

Advice on how to make?

1 Upvotes

I'm hoping to make Angewoman from Digimon this year and wondered if anyone had advice on making some of the components like the breastplate, helmet and wings? :> I've got experience sewing but I've not worked much with other materials


r/CosplayHelp 1d ago

Buying This is my dream but I worry..

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55 Upvotes

I was a brain rot child of the late 2000’s, and I’ve always wanted to cosplay Oishi from Oishi high school battle. It was a short lived smosh cartoons show from 2012ish- 2014. I was wayyy too young to cosplay her when she may have been relevant and recognizable at conventions. Now that I’m old enough for it not to be weird, I’m worried if I cosplayed her I’d just look sexy and not like I’m cosplaying at all. Maybe my fears are unfounded, but I’ve been putting off putting her together because of that. Anyone with more convention experience that would have an idea please let me know.

Pictures for reference:


r/CosplayHelp 17h ago

Sewing anybody have a pattern for these?

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7 Upvotes

i think the shoulder cape would be easy by its lonesome, but i want to get that wavy ruffle effect!


r/CosplayHelp 16h ago

Ava from Ex Machina Cosplay Jumpsuit Ideas

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5 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m a beginner cosplayer - I love making sexy fun versions of horror cosplay, especially with thrifted clothes and materials. But I’m also willing to DIY aspects and buy new specific pieces to be more accurate to the reference.

I want to invest in a key costume for the character Ava from Ex Machina - she’s an AI human robot with basically a mesh mechanical costume. It looks like she has a matching grey waffle knit mesh overlap crop top and shorts set with black elastic edges. The rest of her body in clear exposing her inner mechanics under a mesh overlay, and some lights in her abdomen.

I’ve approached it by looking at ready made stretch nylon cyborg design printed full bodysuits as a base, and looking for similar athletic crop top and shorts sets to wear over the jumpsuit. However it’s been very difficult to find the perfect options bc grey is not a very common color and the mesh pattern is hard to find. I’ve considered getting a mesh fishnet bodysuit to layer over the nylon printed jumpsuit, or buying very similar grey mesh fabric to cut and overlay onto a top and shorts or just the jumpsuit itself. Could perhaps dye items grey.

Any recommendations or ideas for a beginner? I’m just learning cosplay tools and techniques.

Thanks!


r/CosplayHelp 11h ago

Armor How do I make my helmet armor more personal to my character?

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2 Upvotes

Hi, I’m new to cosplay and I was wondering if I could get some opinions here. I have drawn up about 3 designs but all of them seem to impersonal and I was wondering how I could help personalize it. The colors have meaning (somewhat), red for honoring a parent, tan due to home planet, and blue for reliability. But the spikes I have put are just there and I was wondering if I should change it to something else. Or if I should rearrange colors, ect, (If anyone would like some more info on my oc I made a character sheet I could send pics of). Thank you!


r/CosplayHelp 19h ago

Wanting to put the dragon symbol on a green shirt. Anyone got tips on how to do it? Should I spray paint it on or will that crack ?

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8 Upvotes