Thanks to COVID, many people have had more free time than usual. Some have picked up cosplaying as a source of entertainment and a creative plug.
Cosplay is the art of dressing up as characters from various media. Even though many people think this has to be expensive, you can find cheap alternatives. One way people can start cosplaying without spending hundreds of dollars is by thrifting. Not only is thrifting a cheap way to find clothes for your characters, but it’s good for the environment due to the fact that it involves recycling clothes instead of throwing them away, which can lead to them ending up in landfills. Not only can you get recycled clothes for cheap, but you can also get cheap makeup. Stores such as Dollar Tree and Dollar General offer a wide variety of makeup and hair products for low prices.
Some Northwood students such as junior Spencer Crouch and senior Hannah Barnes have been cosplaying for quite a while.
“I’ve been cosplaying for about five years,” Crouch said. “I was first introduced to cosplay from musica.ly and from there started dressing up as my OCs [original characters] using items I found around the house.”
People that are interested in cosplay can start with just a little bit of cast, they don’t need much knowledge about the culture of cosplay either. Cosplay consists of learning how to sew, do makeup, including special effects makeup, style wigs, edit videos and photography skills. Here are some cosplayers that make their own costumes using these skills: Betty Boop Makeup and Getting Started with Foam Armor.
Some opt to have their photos taken professionally by those well-versed in the skill, while others just use their phones. Some cosplayers post their work on social media platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube and more, while others prefer to show off their pieces at conventions.
Conventions are a way for cosplayers new and old to gather, meet and inspire one another’s creativity in person. At most “cons,” there are both craftsmanship and masquerade contests. A masquerade is a short skit or dance performed in character, and a craftsmanship contest is when a panel of judges evaluates the skills displayed through a specific costume, including sewing, prop making and more. Some cosplayers find new friends with common interests in shows and cosplay in general.
“I went to a convention back in 2017,” Barnes said. “I saw a lot of really talented people and artists there and it made me realize that there was this whole community that I hadn’t tapped into and I decided to join it.”
While some find that cosplaying alone is what they like most, others find cosplaying with groups more enjoyable. Not only are group cosplays a good way to form relationships and spend time with the people you like but multiple cosplayers can dress as a group of characters that go together such as the Mystery Inc. from Scooby-Doo or the League of Villains from My Hero Academia. Any way you decide to cosplay is the correct way. Even beginning cosplayers are valid and accepted in the community regardless of experience, knowledge or skill level.
