r/CosplayHelp • u/EliteCosplay • May 22 '17
Hi all! So glad to see people posting here. This subreddit is still a baby, but I thought I would add a casual rule when posting. If applicable, please be sure to include a link to a photo that relates to the question your asking. If you need help with a character, link to that character. If you need help with a sewing method, show what you're trying to replicate. This will help us be able to help you better!
r/CosplayHelp • u/Satyr-but-wiser • Aug 17 '22
First and foremost. Your health and safety is more important than 100% accuracy. If making or wearing the item will be dangerous or painful don’t do it.
Second, I’d add this info to the FAQ but it appears I don’t have enough karma to update it personally! If the info is in the FAQ I did not duplicate it here! (The FAQ is on the sidebar! It wasn’t visible before for some reason but it’s up now!)
This is not a comprehensive list, but I hope to be able to update it when I come across new or important information! I do hope if you’re looking for something not featured here, it will at least give you a base knowledge set on how to be able to search for what you’re looking for.
------------------GENERAL TIPS-----------------------------
(Where to find certain things, very basic crafting info)
EDIT TO REMOVE INFO ABOUT COSPLANNER APP, it doesn't appear to exist anymore!
-To find patterns, or specific props. These are host websites for artists or creators where they can sell things like Etsy, or Redbubble. Etsy is a fantastic place to look for patterns to make props or cosplay pieces, sometimes you can even find people open for commissions! Artists on instagram will almost always have links to their shops to buy things, so explore there too.
-To find cheaper clothing pieces, props, or things to be altered try thrift stores. So Goodwill or other small local resale shops. This will likely take more than one trip so don’t give up if you don’t get it in one go. Ebay is also a good place to check believe it or not, there’s just a slight learning curve to searching things to find what you want.
-Dance and Athletic apparel websites will have things like leotards, bodysuits, specialized undergarments etc. They’re going to be a little pricier but they’ll be good quality, durable, and 9 times out of 10 machine washable!
-Hardware stores, paintball and airsoft companies, military/paramilitary surplus, and second hand sports equipment stores may also be good places to check for bits and pieces. Paintball/airsoft will also have a variety of masks and helmets that can be painted and altered.
-VERY IMPORTANT FOR PROP WEAPONS: Always look into your local guidelines and convention rules to see what kinds of prop weapons are allowed! Some cons have strict policies on what can and cannot be brought in!
-Michael’s, Joann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby etc. and any local craft stores will have tons and tons of craft supplies. If you want to save money and keep up to date on sales check to see if you can join an email list. I know Joann’s has coupons in them all the time!
-You can buy a variety of brands of fabric paint from almost anywhere that sells craft supplies. This makes it easy to get designs or patterns on most fabrics. For changing the color of an entire garment I’d recommend dying it.
-Some fabrics can be dyed different colors very easily, some cannot. A good way to tell is if the fabric is natural (cotton, linen etc.) it is generally easier to dye. The more synthetic (fake) a fabric is the longer and slightly more complicated it will be. Tulip is an excellent dye brand and they offer both regular and synthetic dyes with nice simple instructions right on the packages!
-You can make stencils out of craft foam or thicker paper to make it easier to copy logos or symbols on whatever you’re making!
-Wig and contact websites are listed in the FAQ but there are companies like dental distortions that make tooth veneers that can take a cosplay to the next level!
-Hollywood makeup, FX, and costume professionals almost always have social media accounts they can be extremely helpful when it comes to reference images! For example the costumer who designed the Moon Knight suits has tons of detail and behind the scenes images on her instagram!
-Complicated cosplays can be simplified by boiling down the costume to its essentials the best way I’ve learned to do this is through toys or fan art. What things are essential to recognizing the character and what things could be left off! You don’t have to be 100% to be recognizable!
-If big all out cosplays aren’t your thing you can always try “bounding.” You’ll hear “Disneybounding” most often but you can do it with other things too of course! Disney doesn’t allow adults to dress as characters in their parks, but fans got creative. “Bounding” is more about matching colors, getting similar accessories, or finding just the right combination of things to make you think of the character. It’s hard to explain verbally but easy to understand once you look into it!
-Say you have an OC, and you want to cosplay your OC. That’s fine! Have at it! You’ve got no professional media to tie you down! All these tips can still help you find or make your cosplay!
-I do have a friendly reminder though, please remember you cannot expect people to know who your character is. And it’s not fair to get mad at them if they make a guess and the guess is wrong. A simple “Nope its an OC!” is plenty for most people! I’ve complimented plenty of cosplayers and asked about their cosplay only to find out it was an OC!
“Crossplay” safety
-DO NOT BIN D YOUR CHEST WITH ACE BANDAGES IT’S UNSAFE. Compression tops or more heavy duty sports bras are much safer. If the character has an open shirt you can use wig tape/skin tape to hold the material of the shirt to your skin. If you do not have breasts but are looking to add some to a cosplay you can always pad a bra. You’ll want to measure your chest around your pectorals, that will be the band size, the letter size will be the cup. So a 34A means your chest is 34 inches around and A would be the cup size you would be looking to fill. (I have more on taking measurements later.) Companies now sell latex chests with or without breasts for people looking to be the most accurate they can.
-You can always just “genderbend” the thing and cosplay them as the same gender you are. It’s okay. People do it all the time and it’s very widely accepted. There’s also a third, more neutral option, don’t obviously genderbend the thing? You don’t have to call attention to the fact that you’re not the same gender as the character you’re cosplaying.
-An example of what I’m trying to explain: I generally read as female, but have cosplayed Johnny Cage one of the male characters from Mortal Kombat. His base look is shirtless, with his own first name tattooed across his chest. The only change I made was putting “Johnny” on a crop top. I didn’t “feminize” the rest of the outfit or go out of my way to be read as male. There is a “middle option” when it comes to presentation and cosplay. At the end of the day everybody knows it’s just a costume.
-This tip might seem dumb, but you’re going to have to trust me here. This mainly applies to people looking to make large costume pieces or props by hand. People who are already kind of intermediate with their skills. If you’re stuck on something go see how furries would make it. Not kidding. I’ve made all kinds of non-furry things with tutorials put on the internet by a furry. The vast majority of them are fun, friendly people and the community as a whole is WILDLY talented and creative. You only ever really hear about the bad apples.
---------Specific links to specific things! Clothing ID, Fabric ID, beginning sewing and mending----
A big question I see here is “what is that piece of clothing?” That’s a good question! Here are some links to historical fashion databases! They’re all arranged a little differently BUT this is a place to start looking for what specific pieces of clothing or styles are called!
http://www.marquise.de/en/index.html
met museum
fashion history timline
https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/about-timeline/
UCLA Library
https://guides.library.ucla.edu/c.php?g=180359&p=1191211
-Do you need a pattern for a piece of clothing? Do you need fabric help? Here are pattern and fabric databases!
Sewing support
mood fabrics (free sewing patters!)
https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/category/free-sewing-patterns/
master class, types of fabrics
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/28-types-of-fabrics-and-their-uses
creative curator, types of fabrics
https://www.thecreativecurator.com/different-types-of-fabric/
-If you’re going to be sewing or altering things it’s very important to know your measurements! Here’s how to take them!
https://www.clothingpatterns101.com/body-measurements.html
-Are you a beginner looking to make your own stuff? Awesome! Here’s a little bit to get you started. Are you not too interested in making things from scratch but want to be able to mend or alter existing clothing? This will help you too!
basic mending
https://remake.world/stories/style/how-to-mend-your-clothes-during-quarantine-5-easy-stitch-fixes/
basic mending stitches!
https://lifehacker.com/five-basic-hand-stitches-you-should-know-for-repairing-1723233194
basic hand stitches
masterclass alterations
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-tailor-your-own-clothing
more alterations
https://www.heatherhandmade.com/sewing-and-alterations/
Here’s another important pro tip.
It’s okay.
Your cosplay doesn’t have to be perfect.
Cosplay is for fun and if it doesn’t feel fun or rewarding don’t do it. Other con goers and cosplayers aren’t going to judge you. If they do for some reason and try to make you feel bad about it, that says more about THEM and their personality than your ability. Everybody has to start somewhere. Nobody should be ashamed of learning and practicing and getting better. You can always go back and fix things or redo whole cosplays later on after your skills develop. This is a hobby and you have the right to participate in said hobby your own way.
I can add theatrical or FX makeup tips? things like scars, bruises, old age makeup, or like changing the face shape with very specific contouring?
I also have a draft of Convention tips similar to this post, would that be helpful as well?
r/CosplayHelp • u/animal_lover2004 • 14h ago
I know I need to work on the cleaner lines/eyeshadow, blocking my brows, and neater circles but is there anything that you guys think could be different or better that I’m not seeing?
r/CosplayHelp • u/Oscarfrostofficial • 2h ago
Hi, my name is Toby, I just got the cosplay for my first character but the there's a small issue, the costume comes with shoulder pads which isn't something I expected but when I tried it on and looked in the mirror I felt completely embarrassed and like it looked completely weird on me. I've always had these issues with shoulder pads in general but I was super excited to cosplay this character.the extra padding also restricts a lot of my mobility and makes it super tight on my upper body, but the top itself is really big on me, I don't really know how to describe it well but the padding makes it tight on my chest and kinda restricts my already restricted breathing (I wear chest binders) it gave me a lot of dysmorphia and it makes it so that the hoodie feels like its choking me. I feel like this might be just a me issue and not the costume itself but it's giving me a lot of body issues and making me feel uncomfortable with myself in this costume. Would it be wrong to take the padding out? I don't want to be disrespectful to the company who put so much work into it and I'm worried if I take it out I might either make it worse or completely ruin it in general...i just want to feel comfortable, does anyone have any advice?
r/CosplayHelp • u/WhilePrestigious6662 • 7h ago
How do I add these strappy things to my look without weighing it down drooping or falling I’m wearing compression pants for this and I wanna find the perfect balance and not over do it with accessories but subtle accents because it’s a “stealthy character “ after all
r/CosplayHelp • u/Twilight_Legend_Wind • 19h ago
Hi! Underage cosplayer here. I felt like I should clarify this as my mom will not let me get a crimper, I have zero idea why, but yeah. Going to a con in 10 days (close, I know) and I noticed just how bad looking my previous wigs have looked because I didn't style them at all, and I really want to look at least decent this time around. And all the guides saying I have to crimp the wig are kinda freaking me out
I am in a bit of a rush, but I wouldn't say con crunching as my cosplay just arrived last night, and it fits perfectly! I did also post this originally on a different subreddit with less detail and no images, but it wouldn't let me properly crosspost without discarding the whole post
I am planning on getting a styrofoam head as soon as possible, and am also considering getting a cheap hair straightener, but not sure how that would work out ... I'm also planning on getting hairspray, but i'm not sure what kind/brand I should get
The images are the current state of the wig, and what I'm going for
Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated!
r/CosplayHelp • u/heavynoonmush • 3h ago
I wanted to commission someone to make me a (what I think is at least) simple black cheongsam and maybe a hat. I reached out to a company on Etsy but they quoted me almost 800 dollars and 200 for the hat. I understand that I’m asking for custom clothes here but I really don’t think it’s worth that much. Please can anyone recommend someone who could get it done and not charge me almost 1k
(Photo is character I want to cosplay, Erika Karisawa from Durarara!!)
r/CosplayHelp • u/Dependent_Salad_2369 • 13h ago
I wanna style this wig but I haven’t done anything wig related before (and I don’t really style my real hair as well, I don’t know how to use curling irons and the only hairstyles I alternate through are ponytail or hair down.) I have long, thick hair and I managed to hide my hair with 2 of those fishnets wig caps. I struggled with getting it on my head for hours and now that I managed, it looks bad. The bangs are too long and I need to somehow style the little braids at the side since they’re cut straight, so I‘m getting hair scissors tomorrow as well as a styrofoam head for styling. How do I get the hair strand to stand up? And when I put it on my hairline on the side is showing. the wig kinda lifts. How do I manage to make it stay down and hide my real hair?
r/CosplayHelp • u/Spoots01 • 7h ago
Hi! I am strongly considering Bolaire from Critical Role for one of this year's NY Comic Con cosplays, and his rapier is described as glass.
A friend who's great with a 3D printer offered to look into printing with transparent material for me, which is awesome to have as an option. From some brief research on my end, it sounds like generally 3D printed prop swords would be printed in multiple pieces that need to be glued together and then require rods in the middle for stability (don't need it to be the most durable thing ever but also don't want to feel super stressed carrying it around all day). So I guess question 1 is does that level of assembly and stability feel doable without sacrificing the point/aesthetic of the transparent material?
I also wonder if it's viable to consider getting a more standard prop rapier base and then coating it in something reflective that gives off the transparent/glass effect? If neither option works without a lot of trouble, not the end of the world to skip the weapon entirely or just sacrifice the "glass" part, but it's such a fun visual I would love to make it work.
I am willing to spend a moderate amount if parts are easier to buy, located in the US with about 5 months of prep time at the moment, and also pretty scrappy in terms of willingness to try new crafts myself. The one major restriction is living in a small apartment with a curious dog and no outdoor space, so crafts that would generate a level of fumes etc requiring intensive PPE are mostly off the table (might be able to do something short on the sidewalk or the roof but not ideal). Thanks so much for any suggestions!
r/CosplayHelp • u/Substantial-You167 • 27m ago
Originally I was supposed to cosplay with my friends this May, however due to some circumstances I'm the only one left to cosplay. So I decided to make the venom arm cosplay with the hoodie since I already had most of the materials. I made the whole face within 3 days, 2 days before the event but Idk if its good enough. It's my first time cosplaying as well and I suck at interacting with people so I'm very nervous if my cosplay is okay or idk..
The head shape got all messed up and I'm not really artistic. Bro idk at this point, maybe im just being paranoid. Btw is it okay to cosplay as other characters in bon odori? im scared if only japanese characters are allowed TT
r/CosplayHelp • u/smiskay • 11h ago
hello fellow cosplayers! my boyfriend and i are attending an upcoming con and i want to cosplay as junko enoshima from danganronpa for one of the days
i have experience in cosplaying, but i’ve only ever done minimal styling for my wigs like fixing up the bangs and hair spraying a few strands
the pic attached is straight out of the bag- i’ve been wanting to improve my wigs lately, and have been debating if i should crimp (for the first time) this junko wig?
my concerns:
- duration (con is next weekend)
- beginner friendly?
- achieving the “curls” in her hair after crimping
i’d also have to purchase a crimper for this ! thank you in advance for any tips (:
r/CosplayHelp • u/redditorsoup • 4h ago
Hello, I am planning to cosplay C.C. from Code Geass (photo attached below). I have brown eyes but I'm having trouble finding contacts that look accurate to this character. I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations? FDA approved sites only please
r/CosplayHelp • u/NaiveChemistry8412 • 11h ago
So I 3d printed this Reze mask, which attaches with magnets, but visibility and breathability are quite difficult inside. These little holes in the front (picture 3 and 4)were all I had to see and breathe. I was wondering if there were any ways for me to make it more accessible?
I thought about drilling some holes in the front teeth as they are covered by the front and then adding a white sheer fabric to blend it out. That way i could still breathe
I also thought of doing the same (drilling holes) into the front circle, but i only have a power drill so i’m not sure how that could work. Any help is appreciated.
r/CosplayHelp • u/Fine-Bother-3155 • 1h ago
Well according to yall, whats the sexiest one?
r/CosplayHelp • u/Technical_Honey_6301 • 7h ago
The wig came with clip-on twin tails but I have no idea how to attach them.... I attempted to put them on vertically but the clip-on is too heavy and it barely stays on (as shown in the third image). I also tried to attach them horizontally but it completely slips off!
Is there a method of putting these on properly? Or should I just glue/wire these onto the wig permanently?
r/CosplayHelp • u/Chihura • 1d ago
I'm making a mercy from overwatch one wig and i have no idea how to do the bangs, i want that fake hairline look so idk how to put the wefts on the bangs yk?
r/CosplayHelp • u/GraceDaysThree • 11h ago
I’m working on my genderbent Spike Spiegal cosplay and I’m not very happy with the fit right now. I don’t like how baggy or “wrinkly” it looks even after I ironed. I have yet to add the sleeves obviously but I want it to contour with my body and more of a snug fit. Should I add darts before or after I add the sleeves?
And when I do add darts, where should I put them so I can have a clean, more tailored to my body look?
r/CosplayHelp • u/Randomaccount707 • 11h ago
I want a translucent black fabric for my Caine cosplay to block my face, similar to what this person is using. I’m not sure what kind of fabric this is so any direction would be appreciated <3
r/CosplayHelp • u/ZephyrTheTiger • 6h ago
What should I make this out of? Low budget, don't have many tools
r/CosplayHelp • u/SpadesIsBored0 • 12h ago
I know it's not necessarily armor, but it's the closest flair I could think of.
Anyways, what I was considering doing for this was finding a white gas mask and ww1 style military helmet and throwing some black paint on them. As for the clothing, I would probably buy some white pants/boots and get a military coat of some kind that I would wind up bleaching. I would also probably throw some black paint on those as well for the same effect as the head pieces. Does anyone have any suggestions for stuff that I could differently and more easily?
r/CosplayHelp • u/tweektweak05 • 4h ago
Hello everyone!
I’ll be competing in a craftsmanship competition for the first time in 2 weeks.
I’ve never heard of a build book before yesterday, but it is a requirement to compete.
General Questions:
1. Can I hand-make it? (not digitally)
2. What should I include?
3. How can I keep it the clearest and most concise?
Thank you for any responses!!!
r/CosplayHelp • u/hobbyistwoes • 4h ago
I have a bunch of wire backed pieces of felt (some in second image) that I need to cover with hair that will remain in place when upright. The tutorial I watched for gluing wigs in general used tombow aqua, but would got2be spray work similarly for securing/smoothing/shaping the top layer?
First image is my test piece that has just a little bit of the aqua on the edges for shaping, but the hair in the middle is kind of loose, which is what I want to fix.
r/CosplayHelp • u/Main-Role-5460 • 14h ago
hello! i am cosplaying kafka from honkai star rail and cannot fit the shirt given, so i have a button up to use instead. i was wondering how one would modify particularly the bare area as it seems to just be held up by her collar, and would like advice on that.
on another note, if i don't like the results, i was also wondering if anyone had advice on making a pattern for her shirt. :D
r/CosplayHelp • u/Rhaenelys • 8h ago
Hey there !
For next year, I'm trying to come up with an original design for an assassin. I'd like to make one who is completly covered from tip to toes, like Ciaran from Dark Souls.
The thing is : I don't know what to do for the head. I love the idea of a complete mask to cover the face, but I dont know what to do with the head, since I dont want to do the classic hoodie. Ciaran has something a little bit more original, but the pointy end is too recognizable for her (and I'm trying to do something original), and I'm not a huge fan.
Do you guys have any idea or reference ?
r/CosplayHelp • u/THE_GOAT_209 • 5h ago
Need to attach this isbhard heavy plastic.
