Cosplay Guidepost to Getting Started

The prospect of making your own costume can be overwhelming at first. I know it's not for everybody and it's completely okay if it's not your thing. However, if you decide to give it a try but have no idea where or how to begin, I have written down a highly recommended list that will help you through your journey.

Some general tips for fellow costume-maker beginners

Stuff I wish I knew from the start...

Late Bandwagon Hopping; Afterthoughts

Bandwagon's long gone away but I just want to leave a few words of my own.

Same cosplay, three years apart. If there's one thing I finally managed to gather from those year difference is that don't sell yourself short just for the sake of what people will think. By the end of the day, none of it will matter if you had fun.

Setsuka Heel is portrayed as someone who is mysterious but also a strong, sexy and confident woman and a failed to let those characteristics show through in the first photo because I've been so busy being conscious of what other people might think:
"Am I being to sexy?"
"Please don't let this photo look to sensuous or people might get the wrong idea."
"What if they thought I'm doing this for attention?"

It's stressful and prevents you from having fun.

Try not to think too much about it. I learned to channel all my insecurities into going all out in my cosplays and keeping myself better. Focus on the positive and whatever keeps you happy and all those negativities will gradually fade. It will not be easy and it will certainly take time...heck, it took me a long while! But as long as you had the will to take that first step, then you're already getting there.

Happy cosplay! :)

CREDITS:
Mogami Kyoko as Setsuke Heel | Skip Beat(manga)
Photo by: Dan Rebuelta

Holiday Gift Ideas for Cosplayers

They say practical gifts always go a long way so for this upcoming holiday season if you're running out of ideas on what to give your cosplay friends as presents, I've listed some of the things that will probably be found in their wishlist.

Motivation: How to Get Back on Cosplay Track

Cosplaying isn't just about the magic of transformation. Behind every costume is a cosplayer's blood, sweat and tears. Not everything can be accomplished in just one try and when we cannot get anything right, we get so frustrated to the point of giving up and just not doing anything.

Getting back to the zone is not always easy and forcing yourself to do so does not always end up well. However, sometimes all we need is a little push and the right trigger to get back on track. So before rage quitting, take deep calming breaths and try if the methods I've listed below worked as well as it did for me.

Thrift Cosplay Tips: 10 ways to help reduce cosplay expenses

Let's face it, no matter how much you raid that closet or do everything yourself, chances are you are still gonna spend and you're going to spend a lot. Wigs, contact lenses, fabrics, tools, costume/props commissions, make up, conventions... *sigh* If you are seriously considering this hobby, please be aware of the amount of expenses that comes along with it.

However, one should never feel like they are being robbed dry just by doing something they love. Some of you are probably wondering how some cosplayers are able to afford all those cosplays. The answer might either be because they're rich and rolling in dough or they are probably just like the rest of us...but masters in the art of economizing. While I am no master myself, in order to keep up with my hobby, I've managed to teach myself ways that helped me greatly in cutting off excess cosplay expenses and listed them below.

Before proceeding into the list, please keep in mind that cosplay should never get in the way of your basic necessities. No matter how passionate you are, by the end of the day, it will still be just a hobby and it should never ruin your life. Cosplay can wait but your bill will definitely haunt you to the ends of earth. Lastly, be responsible. With that said, hope this list will help you in your future cosplay endeavors.

7 Factors to Help You Decide What to Cosplay Next

So many characters so little con-time. With that extensive cosplan list, you'd probably have enough character options to fill an entire year.

Although however long that list is, in deciding which characters to cosplay, you'd usually go with your gut feeling. There are always that one or two characters from that long list that stands out the most. But in cases where it's not just one or two....or three, I listed seven factors that usually help with my process of elimination.