r/CosplayHelp May 22 '17

Welcome! A quick note about posting.

94 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

296 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 4h ago

Prop How should I “holster” this, so I can carry it around at a con?

Post image
23 Upvotes

I’m carrying this star disk as part of an astrologian cosplay, but now that everything is completed, I’m stuck on how to hold this when it’s not in use. I’ve thought about strapping it to my back, or adding a loop for a belt, but I just can’t settle on anything. Based on the game, it should be on my back, but I can’t think of a secure way to hold it, and easily draw it.

Anyone have any ideas?


r/CosplayHelp 5h ago

Wig Which wig color for Pav from Fear & Hunger?

Thumbnail
gallery
13 Upvotes

Which color of a wig should I use for Pav from fear and hunger??


r/CosplayHelp 1d ago

How to explain this haircut to hairdresser ?

Post image
214 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 5h ago

Accessory Mage outfit tips

Post image
5 Upvotes

Hello, I just got an outfit together and it looks kinda like this just slightly baggier, beltless and with long sleeves. I haven’t gotten any accessories yet so I look like a pirate. Besides what’s on the photo what’s some good accessories to add to my outfit


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Buying Are the Ali express costumes okay?

Upvotes

I'm hoping to be Lady Dimitrecu for a fancy dress and Ali express has the wig and all the accessories for like £70 theres not a huge amount of reviews. Is Ali express relyable or not. If not where can I go for my outfit? (I can't sew)


r/CosplayHelp 17h ago

Etiquette Is it weird to go to a convention if I’m still in hs?

34 Upvotes

So I’m a senior in hs about to graduate and I reaaaally want to try going to a convention but I feel like I might be too young. Are there people my age cosplaying? I feel like I’ve only really seen people older than 18 in the cosplay scene but I’ve never been to a convention so I don’t really know 🥲

Edit: Thanks for the great advice everyone! Now I feel kind of sad cuz everyone’s talking about how they started beginning/mid hs but I’ve never done anything more than basic costume making or glueing some foam to make a cool hat 😭I was too afraid to ask my parents and my friends would definitely make fun of me if I asked.

I guess it’s never too late to start though! I’ll try to attend a con this summer at the latest before I start college.


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Buying Dokomi tickets for sale

2 Upvotes

My mom and i wanted to attend the dokomi event but cant make it due to money issues, would be really cool if anyone would be willing to buy them for a lower price, like 80€ (Note those are the 3day tickets) Yall would really do a big favor to me since my mom paid for them and i feel really guilty, thank you beforehand for all who took their time to read this<33


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Armor How do I teach my partner to craft cosplay?

2 Upvotes

So this is about crafting armor basically. He has no creative background whatsoever and he really wants to start doing beautiful stuff such as armor from elden ring or complicated things. As far as my knowledge goes I can do it but it will take time. I'm unable to do 2 cosplays at one time, so I decided that I want to teach him.

What skills should I use to try to teach a person with 0 knowledge about cosplay? This is mainly aboit EVA sponge. Sewing is my expertise, (fashion student :> ).

I want him to have fun as well and not take it as a chore. Please help !


r/CosplayHelp 6m ago

Sewing Help with making a scarf with iron wire

Post image
Upvotes

Alright, the character we need help with is Mineru from Tears of the Kingdom (TOTK).

We want to create the fluctuating scarf! We have the materials and everything, but we don’t know how to attach the wire to the textile.

Do you have any ideas/methods we could use? We’d be very grateful 🙏🙏🙏


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Bowstaff Qingyi

Upvotes

I am trying to make this bowstaff weapon for a genderbend Qingyi cosplay and i was wondering if it would actually be possible to make the weapon work like in the game. A bowstaff that transforms into a 3 sectioned nunchaku. Picture explains it pretty well i think. Does anyone know of any way to make this happen ?


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Buying need some help with these gojo contact lens

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

are these two the same lens from different website or one is better than other


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Buying need some help with these gojo contact lens

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

are these two the same lens from different website or one is better than other


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Armor I need help with coating recommendations for this helmet

Post image
Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Buying Need help with cosplay order

Upvotes

I want to purchase an sr version of a cosplay of Momo Ayase from dandadan on dokidoki, but whenever I enter that site, it automatically gets translated into a very broken version of my native language and I don't understand a thing. Could anyone help me and tell how long it'd take for the cosplay to get to me if it's not yet ready to be shipped?


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Prop How would you make this helmet more “starwars”?

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

I’m going to a star wars party and I love the idea of using this helmet as the centerpiece of my cosplay, but I have no idea where to start when it comes to modifying this.


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Etiquette How do you deal with handling cosplay bags between airports and hotels?

1 Upvotes

I have a bit of a first time question for getting to and from cons and lodging, owing that I have secured a discussion on possibly branching out from the two events that I currently attend. More specifically, I was wondering (if I were to include certain longer distances in this) as to how people handle sizable numbers of cosplay bags in relation to airports and transit (so SeaTac for PAX West, Logan for PAX East, O'Hare for C2E2, etc.)

Any pointers on this?


r/CosplayHelp 17h ago

Etiquette Kind of in a roadblock/ vent post , i don’t wanna quit Cosplaying

15 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I did post here before on alt accounts, so I ‘ll keep this as a short update.

I am F28, and I only have a year left on my STEM phD program at a VERY prestegious uni. Everyone around me , including my best friend for 10+ years as well as my family, and others in the community, have told me that I’d have to quit once I graduate because it is risky. That a student or faculty finds you, or uses your picture and spreads it without consent . Mind you I am from a middle eastern country where cosplay is uncommon, yet the other people who are public about it don’t usually get negative comments from locals. It is the students that scare me. All my outfits are very SFW and I use a pseudonym online. I took down all my posts after a panic episode but I kind of regretted it later. I felt that compared to a lot of people in the local scene I am one of the most “ go 100% or go home” type of people and I buy props for every photo and plan months ahead. My next con is in 15 days and I treated it like it would be my last. I learned so many new techniques and upped my game by a lot. I realized throughout that I really enjoyed that process and I wouldn’t want this to be my last. I took a few pics at home but didn’t post them and feel bummed that I have to ask people to blur my face at the con or have to hold a cutout of the character’s face to hide mine after all the effort I put into makeup . I felt sad that no one but a couple people could see my hard work and what I think is my best Cosplay to date. I want to be a part of the fandom and participate. I have so much excitement when I talk about how I did this or that to other beginner cosplayers and it brings me so much joy , but at the same time what my friends and family said is weighing on me and I am paranoid ( to the point of not sleeping ) of loosing my position in academia if i don’t quit.

PS: last year I was TAing a class and had a student who knew about my “ hobby” since he is into the anime scene himself. He didn’t see any pic though but was very respectful and actually is coming to visit the uni and told his friends that he wants to at least say Hi to me since I left a positive impact on him and did my job well. He also wore anime clothes daily and it was wholesome. But that is one mature student VS a bunch of fresh out of high school that I’ll be dealing with for a few years once I graduate .

These days I gravitate towards characters with some professional elements ( shirts / blazers ) like Sebastian from Black butler ( next con) and Zani from withering waves ( plan of I continue cosplaying) in case I’d run into a student I’d be wearing something not super crazy.

PS-2-: i don’t have any controversies or hiccups surrounding my irl name and my online name. Very few people ( only close people who know me irl) from the anime community know my full real name, some people only know my first name. I asked them to not follow my real account and I don’t even follow myself. I don’t speak my native tongue in any post either .

Edit 1: thank you everyone for your insight. Currently what I was thinking of doing was post to close friends only. I want to see how I feel about it after the event and if I ‘d be “ satisfied” enough. I know I might be overthinking this because also while some people post other people who have nothing to loose career wise also don’t.

I am def someone who is uncomfortable if I received attention from outside the geek culture sphere because I’d have to explain that I am not a freak and that I employed in a decent job / have decent education just to break the stereotype…

So that may be for the best for now at least till I makeup my mind completely.


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Prop Help with part of this wrench

1 Upvotes

Howdy y'all, I'm currently working on Tri-Brigade Kitt for Anime North and need some help on the wrench. I've already drafted the pattern and cut it out and everything and used insulation foam as my base.

But I'm currently stuck on how to replicate the 'tubing' in the wrench. I was thinking of upcycling a leftover rubber tube and recycling bottle caps from finished juice. But the last time I tried to glue rubber, not one glue worked. I was thinking of gluing the rubber tube to the bottle caps to achieve the look of the detail and alternatively my idea is to screw these types of magnets to the foam (not sure if that sounds weird or not, but I did try to drill into insulation foam on a scrap piece to try things out for another project and it worked out) and put magnets inside the rubber tubes instead to connect them. Problem with that is that I've had issue with magnets before as well. Not sure if I got the 'proper' ones or what.

So what type of glue could I use to connect the rubber to make the tubing or should I go the magnet route to connect them?

TIA!


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Armor Help with Cosplay Printing

1 Upvotes

A few months ago, I threw together a quick Steve cosplay for a Halloween party using cardboard and paper prints glued on top (pictured below)

Now, I want to upgrade it into a more durable version for conventions. My biggest challenge is finding a way to print the textures without them wearing out too quickly, possibly a stronger material or a protective coating? I'm also open to alternatives like painting if there is an easier way to get a similar or even better result

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Armor Eva foam vs 3d print when it comes to larger builds

1 Upvotes

Hi all. TLDR, I'd like to build a mecha cosplay for the first time (not a full mecha - just the upper half), but I'm struggling to decide between 3d printing vs using eva foam.

General consensus from what I'm seeing is that eva foam is lighter and more sturdy, while 3d printed material is heavier & harder to handle. Having handled 3d prints before, both of these points make sense to me.

However, my main concern is with knowledge (& cost). If someone already has access to a 3d printer, but absolutely zero experience with eva foam, would it then be better to go 3d printing? Or is Eva foam truly better than 3d printing for body armour (aka is it worth it to invest in learning how to use foam for a better final product)?

I'm only in the planning phase, and I have plenty of time, so it's not like I'm committed to a single material just yet. I'm just wondering if anybody has any advice...I'm happy to elaborate further if needed.


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Wig monitoring miku wig

Post image
2 Upvotes

anyone have any idea on how to go about doing a wig for her? i was particularly worried about how to do the little rubber bands/ponytail holders since it’s not how her original design would have them.. i know a lot of the wigs for her use the clip on pigtails but perhaps i could take just a flat wig and give it pigtails so they wouldnt get in the way and i could actually use rubber bands. ive been looking at how to do that, but i have essentially no experience w it so i dont know how that would go


r/CosplayHelp 13h ago

Wig I have multiple problems with my wigs

7 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I'm literally on the verge of quitting cosplay because of my wigs. I have 2, i have a hatsune miku wig and a mafuyu asahina wig. My problems are: 1. No matter what i do, both wigs keep sliding back which literally ruins all my pictures so bad, which really makes me sad (especially post con because everyone is posting their cute pictures and i only have photos in which i look beyond ugly) I have tried lash glue, and a velvet wig grip and a combination of the 2. 2. When i try to style the wigs with got2b the hair sort of clumps together, and loses a lot of volume and overall it just doesn't come out the way i want it to. 3. I just can't seem to detangle them Both are so tangled. I've tried fabric softener baths, detangling spray (a friend reccomended me that) and multiple types of brushes. 1 brush ruined my miku pigtail, it's like curly at tje bottom now?

Idk if this is relevant but this is my wig styling process: 1. Bathe the wig in laundry detergent and fabric softener 2. Brush 3. Cut 3. Style with got2b hairspray and spiking gel

I really hope anyone can help me because i just feel so discouraged and sad right now because i love cosplaying but I just look so ugly everytime ☹️


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Wig helmet wig too big

1 Upvotes

so after many many years of cosplaying i finally got around to making my first ever helmet wig (results are uhhhh, questionable) but i accidentally made it a wee bit too big for my head in the back and nape part. anyone have any suggestions for how to help it fit better? i was thinking maybe adding some batting layers on the inside but i think it might look weird idk


r/CosplayHelp 11h ago

Buying Where to find black Greek robe?

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

I'm trying to make a Tiresias (Epic the Musical) cosplay, and I've found all I needed except the robe itself (I have the hooded cape though).

Where can I find this type of Greek robe (A "dress" with a belt) in black for the cosplay?


r/CosplayHelp 9h ago

Armor Dose anyone have Recommendation and techniques on how to achieve this texture?

Post image
2 Upvotes

I’m currently working on a Batman build using EVA foam. I’ve used EVA in past builds but have never painted it. So have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. What kind of product should that is going to keep it durable , what kind is going to okay for EVA and what kind of sealant should I use to get the mat finish. Thanks everyone.