There is so much I have learned about cosplay since I started. Cosplay is one of those hobbies where I will continuously push myself and try new things that might be beyond my experience and skill level. That’s what makes cosplay fun. I went from wearing old Halloween costumes to wearing wigs and planning out in-depth what my next cosplay would be. I wanted to share what advice I would give my younger self, but also advice that I hope those new to cosplay will find valuable.

Don’t Let Cosplay Accuracy Stress You Out

When I say cosplay accuracy, I mean planning a cosplay that looks exactly like the character I’m portraying. I get anxious when I plan cosplays if I don’t think something will look how I want it to. This will lead me into a spiral where hours will go by in my cosplay planning process and I’m still at square one of figuring out how I will pull off this cosplay.

In all my years of cosplay, I have never had anyone come up to me and insult my cosplay because it wasn’t accurate. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but I’m fortunate it hasn’t happened to me. If someone were to do that, I think we can all agree that person would be a jerk.

It’s okay if a cosplay isn’t accurate or 100% exactly like the character you’re portraying. Some of the best cosplays I have seen are when cosplayers do something different. It’s something I need to remind myself all the time as cosplay should be fun and not stressful.

Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things

I mentioned this before, but I used to not want to wear wigs. Ever. I had this notion that all wigs were uncomfortable, therefore, I had no interest in incorporating them. Now, I love wearing a new wig. I have three wigs in our closet hanging up on hooks and hope to add a few more in the future. I would love to get to a point where I feel comfortable experimenting with body paint. I haven’t found a cosplay yet where body paint will be needed but never say never. I won’t be as nervous to try body paint because I know I will figure it out.

I wish I didn’t spend so much time avoiding wigs because now I love them. I’m applying this to other aspects of cosplay going forward.

Making Mistakes is a Part of Cosplay

It wasn’t until last year that I learned how to wear wigs correctly. When I started wearing wigs, I would put my hair in a low bun at the back of my head. I would put the wig cap on and the wig after. This left a bump at the back of my head. I went to a panel at CONvergence last year where two panelists explained that the best way to style hair before putting on a wig is to pin hair with bobby pins or braid the hair and pin it on top of your head. This allows for the wig to be applied without any bumps. The next convention I attended, I did this with my hair and it worked perfectly. I didn’t have a bump and everything lay smoother than before.

I laugh at myself for figuring this out recently. I wouldn’t change anything because now I can pass that wisdom on.

Make Time for Hair and Makeup Practice

For every cosplay, I do what I call a trial. A few weeks before the convention, I put together the whole look. Starting with the wig, styling the wig, doing my makeup routine, and putting on the cosplay. I would repeat this at least two or three times before the convention. I didn’t used to do this and it would take me much longer on the day of the convention to get ready. I would highly recommend this to all cosplayers. If something doesn’t fit right, the wig isn’t the color you want or the wig isn’t comfortable, it’s good to figure this out weeks ahead. Nothing is worse than realizing something isn’t going to work and there isn’t time to fix it.

I have been there and I won’t be doing that again. I always style cosplays ahead of time and it’s made it so much easier to get ready.

Wear Comfortable Shoes

Do I need to expand on this one? I will always prioritize wearing comfortable shoes even if my cosplay isn’t as accurate.

Cosplay is a hobby that continues to challenge me in creative ways. There’s so much I could go back and tell my younger self, but at the same time, I wouldn’t have learned as much if I hadn’t made mistakes along the way.