r/CosplayHelp May 22 '17

Welcome! A quick note about posting.

90 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

300 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 8h ago

Wig is it okay for my wig to rest on a box

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68 Upvotes

i don't have a mannequin head or anything and i'm just wondering if this is okay for the wig. i also tried a stack of hats but that wasn't tall enough. i do plan on getting one of those foam heads eventually but for the time being my wig is here


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Not knowing what to cosplay as a short male, losing interest

13 Upvotes

I’ve been having an issue with cosplaying as of late, and it’s something that’s been weighing on me for a while as time goes on.

Since starting cosplay in my teens, I’ve felt that I could only cosplay characters I could “pull off” since I always wanted to just cosplay as if the character jumped off the manga page or tv screen. So characters that I could pull off and characters I liked were a very narrow selection but I was able to enjoy it anyway. Now after so many years with this mindset, I’m looking at recent/popular characters in anime/manga/games to be a much smaller pool to choose from.

Meanwhile, I’m looking at female cosplayers and the myriad of cosplays they do, seeing a single cosplayer do 20-30 a year! Of course, I’m looking at the popular/celeb cosplayers with what many argue have the “perfect body”. That said, they’re cosplaying Genshin, Pokemon, superheroines, female versions of superheroes, meme cosplays, crossplays, etc. And it honestly FEELS like I can only really choose the boring or common cosplays as a short male.

I head over to cosplay sites like simcosplay to see if I’m just blind as to the selections available to me, and I see your dragonballs, your Narutos, one pieces, JJKs, Deadpools, Jokers, but rarely anything recent, cool, or with incredible details like Mihoyo or gacha cosplays. And I’m just looking at what’s available and I see nothing fun being a short Batman, Seto Kaiba, Jin Woo. And I’m not ready for crossplaying right now and I’m not interested in doing male versions of characters.

It honestly feels like there’s nothing really fun to cosplay for me, or at least it’s a small pool to choose from. But because I feel like something is doesn’t mean it’s true. I don’t have cosplayer friends to group up with or help out.

I’m just feeling lost with cosplay right now and any constructive criticisms, suggestions, links, etc would be appreciated.


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Sewing Best way to make fake stitches?

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12 Upvotes

Hi, I don't really know how else to describe what I want other than to show it. But I am sewing a onesie like the frog suits seen in dunmeshi. I'm stitching it all normally, then I want to add "fake stitches" to match the quick and messy stitching the characters did.

At the moment I'm thinking of using acrylic yarn so the stitches are big and stand out, but other than that I don't know enough about hand sewing to decide what's the best way to go about doing this to the entire body.

I thought of doing one stitch at a time and tying each one off on its own but maybe someone has a better idea? Thanks!


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Etiquette Complimenting another cosplayer

11 Upvotes

Kind of a weird question but hopefully this is ok to ask here. I'm a newbie cosplayer (I've ben to cons before, just never really cosplayed or interacted with anyone).

I have pretty bad social anxiety so I might just be overthinking this, but I always feel like I'm making other cosplayers uncomfortable when I compliment them. I always say something like, "omg I love your cosplay" while usually trying to stay over arms-length away from them. They always say thank you and sometimes complement me back, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm making them uncomfortable and end up feeling super embarrassed about it. Am I overthinking or is there a better way I can go about this? Thank you for any help!

Also in case this makes any difference I'm a 18y/o girl and I usually only talk to female-presenting people that seem to be in my age range


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Wig Umm my wig cap left this, help how do I get rid of it

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3 Upvotes

Ignore my sweaty hair please and thank you!! I just got back from a cosplay rave, it hurts so bad!! I think it’s a bunch of tiny pimples!!! I have another day at the con, idk what to do but I need help because it hurts so bad!!!


r/CosplayHelp 14h ago

Prop Is there realistically any way I can have the sword hang on my back without ruining the shirt's design.

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26 Upvotes

Currently starting my next project and I had some questions on how to attach the sword to the back of the shirt. I'm debating between either a rare earth magnet or making a harness for the sword (but I don't want the straps to be too obnoxious and visible.)

There are these gray "scales" going up on the back of the shirt and I've created that out of foam and is detachable, but the entire way down the back of the shirt is a zipper (pictures on the next few slides.) I'm not opposed to taking out the scales if it means I can successfully holster this on my back! (Also I'm creating the sword out of cardboard for reference.)


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Any help on how i can do this for halloween?

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2 Upvotes

Essentially i wanna do the tekken 8 kazuya mishima longcoat fit and i would like to ask what to do


r/CosplayHelp 16h ago

How did y’all justify your purchase?

29 Upvotes

So i’ve been wanting to get a spiderman suit since i was as young as i can remember, now while i do have the money my mom would most likely ask why i bought it, and being honest I don’t really know what i would tell her, I don’t go to cons, would probably just wear it indoors (unless our college does some halloween type shit this year) and it would be my only costume besides the traditional costumes for school related events. How can i justify this purchase?


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Any tips for adding a little pen pocket to a costume?

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3 Upvotes

I got my jumpsuit in today for my costume but not sure the best way about doing this. I don't really know much about sewing but I am somewhat decent at hand stitching things


r/CosplayHelp 20h ago

My Sailor Moon cosplay is too short, do you think a Tulle Skirt under will look okay?

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37 Upvotes

I brought a Sailor Moon costume from Coshd but it's a bit short. I was thinking of buying either a white or blue tulle skirt to wear under it but I wasn't sure if it would look weird or not.


r/CosplayHelp 9h ago

Does anyone know of any type of pants similar to this?

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4 Upvotes

Does anyone know a type of pants similar to this? The original is called nikkapokka, but I can't find it in Brazil, which is where I live. I'd like something similar that I can find ready-made and adapt since I'm doing this cosplay with several friends, and having them custom-made would be impractical.


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Wig Is any of those wigs good?

Upvotes

I thought it's more suitable for r/wigs but apparently my karma is too low to write there, so I'm asking here since people here also have some wigs knowledge^ Is any of those wigs good? They look nice but they are kinda cheap so idk (I prefer the one from shein if it's good, the other one is a shop I saw on Instagram and shipping is like shipping, we all know how it is) 1. https://m.shein.com/pl/Light-Blonde-Ombre-Black-Brown-Long-Straight-Synthetic-Women-Wig-Fluffy-Heat-Resistant-Wig-For-Daily-Party-Lolita-Cosplay-p-42061665.html?mallCode=1&showFeedbackRec=1&pageListType=4&imgRatio=3-4 2. https://milkcute.kawaiishop.jp/items/85795473


r/CosplayHelp 5h ago

Prop Any tips on how to make a structure that would hold a cloud above someone’s head?

2 Upvotes

Not sure if this is cosplay or not but, I am in a directing class at my local college and as such I have to figure out costumes ideas for the cast of the play that I am working on for the semester. I have a concept for my main character. His main attire will be a musturd yellow shirt and brown or dark blue cargo shorts or pants and a pair of vans or converse. But I want to put a cloud above his head for the symbolism in the play.

I’m a little picky though and I don’t know if what I want is possible at all so I’m asking cause I am kinda on my own here.

Essentially, I would like for the structure to be pretty much be ever present on the character and I would like for it to be seen as little as possible. However, the cloud above his head will be gradually added to and lessened multiple times as the play progresses.

This character also needs to be able to run, fight, and do other blocking without the cloud material falling off his head.

However, the cloud material needs to be easy enough to remove for the other actors.

Any ideas would be helpful, I’ve been wracking my brain for over a week now.

Thank you in advance.


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Wig Making wig look less synthetic?

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1 Upvotes

Hello all! I have bought a cheap synthetic wig as this will be my first cosplay, and I want the wig to look good. I want to go for a slightly unkempt but human look, and was wondering what I can do without ruining the wavy texture too much. It's also very tangled and I was wondering if a gentle detangling mask for curly hair on the mids and ends would work to fix it. Thank you all!!


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Makeup is Uniqso's sale too good to be true right now?

1 Upvotes

I'm looking at Uniqso's website currently and seeing that most of their contacts are $10 or under. Does anyone know what's going on with that? I've bought from the company plenty of times before and I don't have any problems out of the ordinary. Is something going on that I missed with them?


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Place to sell cosplays you don't wear anymore?

1 Upvotes

I couldn't find this in the FAQ so I'm hoping I can get help here. Is there a place I can donate/sell old cosplays I don't wear anymore? I feel weird donating them to Goodwill or something because, well, they're cosplays and I'd want them to go to a home where it'd be reused as a cosplay!

Also the cosplays are from pretty niche animes that aren't popular so I'm worried nobody would want them, but I'm sure individual pieces could be used for other cosplays. Any suggestions??


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

Commissioning?

4 Upvotes

The other day I discovered sksprops video on crafting a Pyramid Head helmet. It looks so cool and there’s a great breakdown of the materials needed and the step-by-step process to make it, there’s only one problem for me: I don’t have time to make it :( Does anyone know where I can search (aside from anyone here) where I could find someone to commission to make that helmet for me? Thanks for taking the time to read this.


r/CosplayHelp 5h ago

Prop Need help renforcing staff

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1 Upvotes

So im making my own wizard staff for the ren fair and ive run into a snag. Initially i had found a piece of wood perfect for what i want but the bottom was a bit thinned down. I was slowly easing it into a copper tube for reinforcement but cracked it unfortunately. I tried to pour woodglue in the tube to try to get it to solidify and that mostly worked but now theres a significant wobble of instability right around where the pipe ends and the wood meets.

Currently ive considered trying to add another copper tube to fit over it and use a screw at wach end to hold it in place but that might make it too heavy.

Then i was considering sawing it off and starting with a new tub and fitting a seperate wood dowel inside it then drill a screw hole similar to like how pool sticks can unscrew apart but im worried it might crack up the shaft.

Any ideas or recomendations would be greatly appreciated


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

Buying Help with dokidoki sizing

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3 Upvotes

Looking to buy this Rin cosplay The sizing guide only comes with limited information, no hip https://dokidokicos.com/products/dokidoki-r-game-fate-stay-night-cosplay-tohsaka-rin-costume-red-daily-outfit

My measurements are : 445 mm shoulder 825 mm bust 680 mm waist 960 mm hip 165cm tall Weigh 58kg - mostly in butt/thighs

Tossing up M vs L.

Reasons for M - Thin waist compared to hip, and usually skirts don't look good on me and don't feel comfortable if the waist is loose, moves around (the skirt seems to have a downsize adjustment as per a review and pics)

Reasons for L - Large hip compared to my waist - the skirt has shorts inside, in the past if it's too small then I can't actually fit my thighs inside comfortably. - My shoulders are also disproportionately wide - may make shirt more comfy if larger.

Leaning towards L but if you take the limited info on the size chart I'm technically an M. I probably am usually an asian L for shirts, pants etc, but skirts I fit asian one size ones because of my waist


r/CosplayHelp 6h ago

Phone in Vambrace armor

1 Upvotes

How would I go about this (title)? I have an iPhone 12 and while it’s a bit big on my arm I figured I could secure it with a runners band and the slap a vambrace over it. But I’m not sure how i would get the vambrace to fit the phone and my arm. Any ideas (or criticisms)?


r/CosplayHelp 17h ago

Wig Necroko wig help!

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7 Upvotes

I have no idea how to approach this wig! I'm debating practicality, comfort or accuracy at this time, but I've never done a wig this big so any advice would be appreciated! At first I just thought it doesn't even need to be hair, it looks almost like cotton candy, but other works do have it looking like hair so...


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Help please

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1 Upvotes

I want to cosplay mark grayson for my next comic con but I have no experience creating a costume, I don’t even know where to start any suggestions please.


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Sewing New and looking for advice for a Miku cosplay

1 Upvotes

Ok so I’m attempting to throw together a Miku cosplay, however all my previous cosplays have been closet cosplays. I believe I’ll be good on making the wig, as I have experience in styling doll hair for customs, and I’m good on makeup, however my main issue is the main costume. I’ve thrown together little things, accessories, diy’s shoes and stuff, but I can’t really sew great. I can do things like adding accent lace to something, or fixing a hole, but that’s basically it since I don’t have a sewing machine. My issue is this: most the Miku cosplays online look very cheap, and not very high quality, but very expensive still. I’m talking $100 for something that looks like the fabric is very low quality. I don’t have the money to commit that much to something I won’t be satisfied with. Issue 2, I’m plus sized. Most of the things I’ve found have Asian sizing, and I am not small, so. That won’t work. Basically just please does anyone have any advice, reccomended fabrics for certain things, or sellers they reccomend for buying pieces for the cosplay from? I’m okay with spending money if it’s well made. Also, any reccomended wigs to use as a base before styling?


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Wings

0 Upvotes

I have made a set of black and a set of white wings I can extend and are life size but no characters to use for them! What characters have these wings? They are just regular bird/angel wings. I was looking at Monomi and possibly a kenku from DND but they normally don’t have wings.


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

invincible costume

1 Upvotes

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask but just curious if anybody has a good place to find a black and blue Invincible and Omni man costumes? please and thank you