What Cosplay Means to Me

I wanted to take a moment a express how lucky I am to have cosplay in my life.

Growing up, as with most "nerd" types, wasn't the easiest for me. 

I grew up on the outskirts of Nashville, so when I wasn't in school I spent my time at my house playing in the woods or on my farm. 

Not a lot of opportunity to make non-school related friends.

I spent my years in school being made fun of for one reason or another. Sailor Moon was my big love as a child, and walking the halls with themed school supplies was basically marking me for bullying. The laughter and harsh comments still ring in my memory. I was even physically assaulted on multiple occasions for simply being different. Children can be cruel, and trust me when I say my bullies were.

The thing for me was, I never wanted to change who I was for those people. Of course I hated the bullying, anyone in that situation would... but not once did I want to change who I was to make it stop. I just continued to be who I am until I found a place to fit in... 

And for me, that place became theater.

When I began performing in my local community theaters in High School I knew I had found a home. I continued to follow my creative drive, and ended up majoring in Theater Performance in college.
I had found the place where other "weirdos" like me gathers to be creative and do things outside of the norm. I found myself more willing to express my love for a variety of things from video games, and anime, to sci-fi and cartoons... and I found wonderful people who opened my eyes up to a side of the geek world I hadn't experienced yet, like comics and conventions.
It was just after I had completed my bachelors degree that I attended my first convention. Dragon Con 2010 was a life changing experience for me. I walked in having no idea what to expect, and ended up finding my place in the world. I had seen all the amazing costumes and met so many amazing people that I couldn't wait to come back the following year and participate in this amazing art! 

I had finally found a place where I could not only combine my love of geeky things with my love of theater... but I could be recognized for it! People would see my cosplays and ask me how I made it and what inspired me. People asked to take pictures with me. I was being told that I inspired others to cosplay as well! I found so many new friends and began to finally feel as thought I had become a whole person.

My journey into cosplay has built a sense of pride in myself. I have become proud of the person I am. It has become my drive to help others in this community feel the joy I have from cosplay.

I tell you all this not to make you feel sad for me, or see the hard path I've been down, but so you can understand why I work so hard to bring positivity to this amazing community.

Being someone who has felt both the joy and the sorrow that can come from living life as a nerd I have made it my goal to bring more positivity and acceptance to the cosplay community. Everyday I see people fighting and hurting each other over silly topics like 

"sexy cosplay" 

"being a real nerd" 

"who's cosplay is better"
Why do we do this? Haven't we all experienced enough of this before? If you have felt the pain of being bullied just because you love something, why would you want to spread that pain? 

It doesn't make us who we are. I doesn't help people grow.
Being supportive and constructive it what helps us become bigger and better. Cosplay is a safe haven for so many of us. Its the place where we feel most like ourselves, and it is important that we make sure to keep it that way. If we, as nerds, geeks, and dorks, tear our community apart, what will we have left?

So next time you see something on the internet or in person that you don't like or agree with 

(as long as it is doing no harm)

Do yourself and the community a favor and just ignore it. We cannot keep complaining that only the negative behavior and aspects of cosplay we don't like get the attention if we keep feeding those things the attention.
 The way to make that stop isn't to add to the negative behavior, but to find something you love and build that up instead! 

Offer advice to a new cosplayer on new techniques and ways to grow their craft!

Cosplay has changed my life. 

It has made me into a better artist and a better person.
I will continues to build this community up as long as I can, and I hope that if it has touched your life the way it has touched mine, you will do the same.
<3 <3

The Co$t of Co$play

The Co$t of Co$play

Budgeting Around Your Hobby

Cosplay is an expensive hobby.... or at least it can be. 

The trick to being a cosplayer, and being financially responsible, is budgeting and planning.

I personally like to at least do a preliminary list at the start of each new year. This is a list of conventions I am planning on attending and cosplays I want to do at those conventions.

This not only gives me and idea of what my time frame for builds will be, but it sets out a financial map for supplies I will need.

Now, of course, this list will change and mold. Sometimes group cosplays come up, or I have a new idea that I really want to push to the top of my list, but generally its a great place to start with budgeting.

The key for me with cosplay budgeting is to not buy everything I need for a cosplay all at once!
I will slowly collect the items or fabrics I need, this way I can spread my funds out, rather than dropping a butt load of money in one swoop!

This also lets me take better advantages of sales and coupons!
(BTW- In case you didn't know, Places like Joann's, Hancocks, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby take competitor coupons!)

Coupons are a cosplayer's best friend!

I am a cosplayer who prefers to make all or most of my cosplays.
this can be a big factor in racking up the bill for cosplays too!

Sometimes the best choice can be to outsource pieces of your costume depending on what they are.

I work closely with Michelle over at Damsel in this Dress when I have a cosplay that requires a corset. Michelle owns a company that does nothing but makes corsets, so she is able to get the supplies needed at a much lower cost. Working with her allows me the opportunity to stay involved with the design process, while being fiscally responsible.

AND
Added bonus, I get to help promote the amazing work of a friend and build her business!
Everybody wins!

Just remember: Goodwill is your friend!

Utilizing thrift shops is a great way to save money as a cosplayer. 

I often will go shopping for clothing or bedding, and cannibalize those items for fabric! This can be wayyyyyy cheaper than a trip to Joann's, and often I can find different fabrics I wouldn't have!
The trick is to stay creative. Using things like sheet as lining in a costume can keep a couple more $$$ in your pocket!

Now I know its become a thing for cosplayers to put amazon wish lists out there, or even straight up ask people to buy their cosplay supplies for them.
Frankly I think this isn't okay, so its not something I participate in.

People's money is their own, and in the end they will do with it what they want, but I think morally we have to ask ourselves where the line is.
Also, its not needed!

I've been a cosplayer on a variety of budgets, and I always find a way to make it work!

So, if you can think ahead and be a coupon cutter, a deal shopper, and a smart planner; then any cosplay should be in the realm of possible for you!

$$$

Constructive vs Destructive- The Cosplay Community at War

Constructive vs Destructive- The Cosplay Community at War

The cosplay community is at war.

It is a daily battle between the positive and the negative.

With so much of the cosplay community online, there is an overwhelming opportunity for people to be just down right nasty, and hide being this social media persona of "being real."

I wish this said "be your best self on facebook"

The thing that people fail to realize is that by acting this way, they aren't being real or honest, they are being destructive; and sadly this happens constantly in this community.

I've heard from people that 

"Cosplay is an art, and that kind of adversity is what makes better artists."
or even 

"If you can't take it then you shouldn't be doing it"

I come from a background of theater. I have been an actress, dancer, and singer most of my life. I have given everything I am to the arts, and never would I agree with this.

Sure pulling from life's adversities can influence art, but that doesn't make it others responsibility to be the driving force behind that adversity, and then sit back and act like they did nothing wrong.

We have to lift each other up

This doesn't mean that we have to like everything we see; or lie and tell people their work is our favorite or amazing when its not.

It means that we have to be constructive.

Criticism does make better artists. Its how we learn of new techniques that we may otherwise not have known.
But the word criticism does not have to be directly associated with negativity.
Our community needs to put into practice the ability to criticize in a way that teaches, rather than a way that bullies. 

It is so much harder to chose to be positive and helpful, than to simply attack someone or something; just as hatred is a much easier emotion than forgiveness.

 The flip side to this is that we also have to stop feeding the negativity with negative attention.

While it gives me hope when I see the community rise against bullying, sometimes it happens in a way that just turns into a ball of negativity itself.

The best tool we have against hate, is positive support.

So next time you see someone posting nasty comments, instead of fighting back and feeding the fire; show the subject support and positive criticism and advise.  Build them up to be better.

Don't let the focus become on the one bad egg, but rather on the work that was there in the first place.

This is our community, and we have to work to make it what we want.