Why I choose to Cosplay

I guess Im at a point now in my cosplay journey where people are starting to recognise my name and my costumes. Don't get me wrong, I think this is great. That feeling that your work is good enough for others to remember it is really motivating for me.

But along with the recognition, Im getting asked more and more questions about why I choose to do what I do. And I cant help but feel that a lot of these questions are fuelled by the 'fake gamer girl' reputations some cosplayers have managed to acquire.

Before I go any further I just want to say that NOBODY has the right to tell anyone how, why or who they should cosplay as. Now I'm not saying I think its ok for 14 year old girls to get around at conventions with just a piece of tape over their nipples, so don't get me wrong on that one. But calling someone a fake because they haven't played a game or watched the anime their character is from isn't fair either. People are drawn to different characters for different reasons. For some (and like me) its an obsession with the game/series/book and not getting enough of said character. For others it may be that they see the costume or design as a challenge to their skills. Or maybe they just simply love the look and style.

Whatever the reason, not knowing the character as well as you may do doesn't make them a fake. There are no rules in costuming that define who can cosplay as what, and if they aren't hurting you then what's the problem?


Aaaaaaaanyway, back to why I cosplay. Well, lets start with my first costume - Maya the Siren.

 

Anyone who knows me will be able to tell you how much of my time Borderlands has sucked out of my life! This game, and my obsession with Sirens is what got me into cosplay. Whilst I still have plans for a Commandant Steele costume, Maya was my first choice, as I knew a few cosplayers that could offer me some advice. And for my first costume, I was really happy with how it turned out. Wearing it for the first time was what rally got me hooked on the concept of "costume play". Creating the work of art and having it fit and be functional was one thing. But wearing it out in public at a convention and feeling like a total badass that Maya is?? Well, words cant describe the exhilaration.

 

This video does a pretty good job of portraying how it feels to suit up. Some people mistake pride for attention whoring. Seriously?? If you've got it, flaunt it. And if you're proud of a piece or work or costume you've just completed, you are more than entitled to show off your work.

"They picked that costume because its simple" Another line Ive heard too often. Well, I jumped on the 'simple' costume bandwagon. But not for the reason it was 'simple' or 'easy'.

 

Videl was my 'easy' costume, which actually wasn't so easy. People may choose something a bit simpler and a bit easier if they haven't got the skills some of us have. And having a simple costume design doesn't make these characters any less lovable! I've been a he DBZ fan since I started watching cartoons as a kid. Videl and Gohans pairing was one of the cutest moments in DBZ for me.

 

And then there is some Skyrim. I have many plans for MANY Skyrim costumes, and once again it is for the love of the game. I was quite reluctant to start playing this game, started it a year or so ago then just kept distracted by Borderlands 2 and other costuming projects. Ultimately, it was a friend who kept raving about it that got me back to it.

 

 

Well, I'm starting to ramble on a bit. But in short, I cosplay for the love of a character or game. I don't pick costumes merely for the wow factor they have. I think my best work comes from something I am passionate about, so that's what I steer towards. We all have different motivational drives, but for me its doing y chosen character justice in an accurate portrayal.

 

So yeah, that's why I do what I do. As a tribute to some of the biggest influences in my geeky obsession. 

Why I think "likes" ARE important

Cosplaying and social media pretty well go hand in hand these days. And more often than not we hear the same old line 'you shouldn't count your likes so closely'. 

Well, perhaps not counting them. But I feel like too many people write them off as 'un-important'. 

The first thing to remember as a cosplayer though, is that everyone has different tastes when it comes to costumes. We can't force anyone to like our work, despite how great you or others may think it is. And if you are putting yourself out there on the interwebs, you're inviting the world to critique your work. There will be times when people will be much faster to point out the mistakes and discrepancies in costumes than say "hey! Neat job! I love love the accuracy in the details"

That's just people. Sad and unfortunate, but you need to grow a thick skin and prepare yourself for instances like these. Because they are inevitable in the costuming industry.

But, I wanted to talk about "likes".

It's so easy to let the disappointment seep in when you post a picture (or anything for that matter) and check back to find no one has liked it. Then starts the whole cycle in your mind of "why should I bother? no one likes my work". Well, firstly, a costume should be made for you! Not for everyone else. It is definitely a bonus when others are in awe of and appreciate all your hard work. For me, a costume is a recreation of a character or something of the like that I have a connection with and love for. In saying that, motivation to finish said costume is much easier to find when there is more than one party interested in seeing it to completion.

So, when you check back to find x amount of people have liked your picture, even posted a nice comment or two, it's a huge mood lifter. Well, i know it is for me anyway! 

You see, I think likes are important because for me, it's a huge motivator. People show interest in my projects and it gives me the motivation to keep at them.

Many cosplayers will tell you they have experienced the motivation slumps when it comes to various projects. People showing their support and offering encouragement has often helped me break out of these moods.

It's not hard to hit the 'like' button when you think someone is doing a good job at something. And seriously, this small act can have a bigger effect than you (the audience) may realise. A small show of support can be more encouraging and more uplifting and motivating than you imagine. 

Now, I'm not saying we need to like every single pice of work we happen across. But I think we need to dismiss the idea of 'likes aren't important'. They hold more value than we give them credit for. 

I know a lot of people may disagree with this, and continue on the path of "don't count the likes" but this is just my opinion :) and as a cosplayer, I appreciate every single person that encourages me in my work 

My motivation to cosplay

So, I've been cosplaying for little over a year now. What got me into it you ask? An extreme obsession with a particular video game. Borderlands to be exact. Going through a rough time in my life, this game was my saviour of sanity! Then... THEN! ... I heard there was to be a second game. Yay! More Borderlands awesomeness to waste my life away on. I followed the Gearbox Forums quite closely, and when the game finally came out, I made a tonne of new online friends who shared in my obsession with the game.

It all started out with comments like 'which character would you most want to be?', or 'If you could have one of their skills...' And so forth. Every now and then, a new Borderlands cosplayer would post a picture of their new costume on the Forums, and my buddies and I would all discuss it. I couldn't help but think about how much fun it look like, and how cool it would be to actually dress up and be that character even just for a little while.

I felt kind of silly at first, when I first admitted I wanted to cosplay Maya the Siren from the second game. But I received so much encouragement from fellow forum members and online gaming friends alike, I began feeling a little overwhelmed. And then I decided. Yes, I was definitely going to do this!

At first I wasn't sure what to do, or how to begin. I am by no means a seamstress! But my passion for the game and the character drove me to want to make this costume the absolute best I could achieve. 

Many, many months were spent researching, watching tutorials, speaking to and receiving advice from fellow cosplayers (many of which I now call dear friends). There were definitely times of despair, when something didnt turn out the way I wanted it, and certainly times when I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew.

But I preservered! And I was so happy with my end result. Almost 12 months of a constant learning journey of experimentations and many late nights. It was all worth it for me in the end.

Did I learn new things? Absolutely! Would I do things differently next time round? Most likely! Did I have a heap of fun wearing the costume for the first time? Hell yes!

Anyway, my motivation.... That's simple.

My motivation, the thing that drives me the most when constructing a costume? 

An obsession!  A passion and admiration for the character I am trying to portray. That's what it is for me. Bringing a part of the fictional world that i had spent so much time with, to life. Not to mention the encouragement, excitement and support I received from my friends was also extremely uplifting.

My first real costume was definetly a wonderfully positive experience for me, and was also the beginning of a new obsession for me. Cosplaying!

Now my drive extends beyond the love of these fictional characters, in an effort to expand and push my skills to the limit. Since beginning my cosplay journey I've attempted things I've never dreamt were possible. Im attempting characters I never thought I would be able to bring to life. I've learnt now that anything is possible, and where there's a will, there's a way.

And, I'm loving every minute of it :)