Making A Cosplay

Today I will talk about what you all have been waiting for; how to make a cosplay! Are you guys excited?

Ok, so there are 3 ways to go about cosplaying:

1. closet cosplay
2. DIY cosplay
3. commissioned cosplay

Closet Cosplays

Left photo property of Cartoon Network. Right photo owned by me

A closet cosplay is exactly what it sounds like. It is a cosplay that can basically be formed by going through clothing you own or can buy at a department store. One good example of a closet cosplay is Marceline, the character from Cartoon Network's Adventure Time. Her character wears a rather simple outfit yet it is absolutely distinguishable from ordinary clothing or other characters. The  cosplayer on the right does have an axe guitar which may be hand made or commissioned but because 80% of her cosplay is things you may own or can buy at a store it is considered a closet cosplay. Closet cosplay is usually the best way to go if it is your first time doing a cosplay and/or if you lack sewing abilities.

D.I.Y Cosplay

Left photo property of Nickelodeon.

D.I.Y cosplay or do it yourself cosplay is probably the hardest way to go about making a cosplay. D.I.Y cosplays usually require you to have knowledge of sewing, painting, sculpting, and many other art related things. If you choose to do a D.I.Y cosplay then it is best to find a cosplay compatible with your skills. Sometimes it is fun to take up a more challenging cosplay but the choice is all up to you. A D.I.Y cosplay may also be the most expensive way to go about doing it. One pattern that I noticed is the more authentic you want your cosplay to be, the more it will end up costing. Fabrics, paint, thread, and glue are not cheap. If you decided to go this path then make sure you will be able to afford it. It is also best that you have a sewing machine since making cosplays will require sewing. On the picture to the left are two cosplayers displaying their hand made cosplays. They are dressed as the popular Legend of Korra cartoon characters. The characters are a good choice because even though their outfits are not one you can find at a department store, they are still pretty simple and can be easily duplicated. Also, since their characters wield no complicated weapons, it only requires sewing abilities. This would be a good cosplay option for first time cosplayers with average sewing abilities. I will cover more about D.I.Y cosplay on this blog.


Commissioned Cosplays

Commissioned cosplays are cosplays that you pay someone to make. You will usually commission something if it is a cosplay that you want to wear but do not have the ability to make. It is very easy to find talented people who can make them for you. Commissioning  cosplays may or may not be expensive. It all depends on what you are trying to get made and who you are paying to make them for you. 
When it comes to commissioning cosplays it is important to do research. Sites like Cosplay. com are good places to look for people to commission. Many people will have photos up so that you can see their work. These are the most reliable people because you can see what kind of work to expect. It is also good to make sure that the person is very knowledgable in making the type of item that you want commissioned. Some people specialize in prop making and others specialize in sewing. Also, some people will specialize in only sewing certain styles like only female clothing and such. Make sure to figure out what the person is specializing in before you hire them. You can also ask other people who have gotten items commissioned from the person about how their items turned out and how their service was. Some people may offer a commissioning service but may not be very good at it, so always double check.

So do you have a cosplay in mind now? And what method will you choose?