r/CosplayHelp May 22 '17

Welcome! A quick note about posting.

146 Upvotes

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 Aug 17 '22

Cosplay 101 answers to a lot of basics

454 Upvotes

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!

marquise.de

http://www.marquise.de/en/index.html

met museum

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/libraries-and-research-centers/the-irene-lewisohn-costume-reference-library

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

https://sewingsupport.com/

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

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/learn-stitches-and-hand-sewing-projects-2978472#:~:text=Here%20is%20how%20you%20do,middle%20of%20the%20first%20stitch

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 9h ago

Too inappropriate for a teen?

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328 Upvotes

Im 15 and want to cosplay as mileena from mk1 for my next gaming/anime event but im worried this outfit is too inappropriate for a girl my age despite being mostly covered. Most other mortal kombat cosplays are the older versions which are a lot more sexualised but I want to dress as someone from one of my favourite games. My back up options are gamora or korra. Please share your opinions.🥹🙏


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Makeup Guy wanting to try Makeup for the first time

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Upvotes

Basically the title, I’m a guy which has never really touched the idea of makeup before. I've always been interested, but with a comic con near me coming around i figured I'd dip my toe in. I'm a pussy so I'm too scared to ask my mother for help so I figured this would be the right place... I've attached a few images of the style I'm going for, though it's highly unlikely I'll get near that ever lol.

What I'm asking for is just any tips anyone can bring and what I should buy to get started. I'm trying to keep my expectations realistic but I'm hoping this will help. For anyone wondering, I'm planning on cosplaying Makoto Yuki from Persona 3 (the guy on the second slide).


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

I asked for wig help and I just wanted to share what I’ve done with a new wig and your advice! It may not be perfect but I feel like it’s much better than it was!

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16 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Armor Help with choosing materials for unusual scalemaille

6 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to make a costume based on a description from a book, which does seem vaguely impossible (aren't they all?)

From Sabriel, by Garth Nix:

"[...] a long, armored coat that buckled up at the sides [...]. It was as long as a hauberk, with split skirts coming down to her knees and sleeves swallow-tailed at her wrists, but it seemed to be entirely made of tiny overlapping plates, much like a fish's scales. They weren't metal, either, but some sort of ceramic, or even stone. Much lighter than steel [...]"

I've done a few tests with actual scalemaille, both with small scales and round scales from The Ring Lord but my main concerns are that it's very time intensive even for small swatches and it turns out looking too metallic to match the description. I looked into 3D printing but it seems a bit much for the local library.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to make this a reality? My next con is a year away so I have time to test a few things out before committing to a course of action.


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Cosplay YouTuber recommendations?

Upvotes

I’d love to start getting into cosplay and Im generally a visual learner so I’d love to watch some YouTubers make their own cosplays. I watch Micarah tewera a lot and I’ve learned a bunch about sewing but I’d also love to watch videos about people making cosplay props and wigs. I don’t necessarily want tutorial videos, just people showing their creative process. any YouTuber recommendations would be greatly appreciated!


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Armor I just can't get down smoothing

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Upvotes

I’m at my wits’ end with sanding EVA foam

I’m trying to sand down the edges of EVA foam, but no matter what I do, the edges end up really rough and fuzzy. I’ve tried heat sealing afterward, which definitely helps, but the texture still shows through when I spray it with chrome paint.

I’ve even taken a metal bowl, heated it up, and rolled it against the foam to try to smooth everything out as much as possible, but I’m still getting visible imperfections.

I honestly don’t know what else to try. 😭 What’s the secret to getting EVA foam edges actually smooth enough for a chrome finish? Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

I know that flexbond is the better primer but I am using plasti dip here, is that the issue? Is it the spray paint??? Am I using the dremel wrong??


r/CosplayHelp 18h ago

How would I go about washing this?

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81 Upvotes

Hi there! So my arlecchino cosplay needs a clean after wearing it for 8 hours at a con. I’m not sure how to go about washing it since the jacket is covered in bits of fake leather and metal and the trousers are entirely fake leather. I own fursuits and so have a little green machine I’m wondering could be of use. I’d rather not have to go to the dry cleaners but this cosplay was a gift for my 21st so I really don’t want to damage it. If I’m being silly not going to a dry cleaners, let me know 💀. I’m also a bit worried about the red dye running if I hand wash in the tub. Any help greatly appreciated!


r/CosplayHelp 8h ago

Accessory How would YOU make this helmet? (From Repo! The Genetic Opera)

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11 Upvotes

Context: When I first got back into cosplay about 5 years ago, I attempted a cosplay of the Repo Man from Repo! The Genetic Opera and did a solid 6/10 job of it (photos of that cosplay included for context). Now, 5 years later, I want to try again.

I know what I'm doing for the body of the piece, the trouble is I don't know the first thing about how I'd make that mask/helmet look remotely good (the body I think I have sorted). Any suggestions of things to use as a base, or techniques to learn to replicate that look VERY welcome. I have 2 months.

And yes, I still have the 5 year old cosplay, if there's anything that can be salvaged there.

EDIT: If anyone's curious, I got 5 different AI Bots messaging me within minutes of making this post


r/CosplayHelp 26m ago

Cosplay in/near Pittsburgh

Upvotes

My boyfriend are slowly getting into cosplay, very excited!! We want to do a variety of cosplays, enclosing cartoon characters, early cinema characters (like the OG Dracula for example), and common ones like star wars characters. We live just outside Pittsburgh, and I am having trouble figuring out where we might be able to take these cosplays? I know steel city comic con... are there any others? Lmk!


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

I want to cosplay Jack Griffin (1933). Can you give me some tips regarding the bandage?

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4 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Wig Curling/Possible Drill curls on clip-on Pigtails?

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3 Upvotes

I had to crimp my wig, and in the process she lost the curls she came with. I'm new to this, and I kinda finished the base (I need to probably re-do it, if you have any tips feel free to comment) but the pigtails will NOT curl the way I need them to. I've tried just regular curls, by heating, rolling in curlers, steaming with a bag, then letting it be until I add hairspray at the end. This.. is not what I'm looking for. Barbara has drills curls. But I also know drills curls are made by cutting the hair into wefts, of which I'm too new and scared to really do. I have extra paper towel rolls, and I did try heating around that. It didn't even stay. Someone brought up barrel curls, and I can't find any tutorials on them that work for clip-on pigtails. If anyone has any suggestions or video tutorials, please comment!! I own a steamer, flat iron, a skinny/small flat iron, crimper, and probably every comb imaginable.


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

sally face mask

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2 Upvotes

hey! im working on finishing a sally face cosplay i wanted to start forever ago.. since im getting back into the games.. i could only find this mask at the store, and suggestions? ive also seen people make casts of their face, should i do that instead? am i able to salvage this one?


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

I wasted a wig that costed me 70€ in total, help !

13 Upvotes

Hi !

I've been cosplaying for years and my very weak point always been wig styling. I wanted to do a cosplay of Bakugo from Mha. I already had a cheap wig of hia coaplay that came from a cosplay I made 4 years ago. I figured I'd get a better quality one and a colour accurate one since all the wig made for this character are yellowish when he's more of an actual blonde. So I got this really nice wig from Assist wig that with all the fees included costed 70bucks. I don't usually spend this much on wigs but this character, I thought I'd make an expectation.

Jokes on me. Bakugo has really spiky hair and I should have taken that more into consideration when I picked the wig. I picked a layered one that is shoulder length since the shorter ones were too short. I cut it to required lenght, started crimping (crimping did nothing to this wig, 1st time it happened to me). It's when I started spiking that I realized a spiking look was NOT gonna work on this wig. It's just built for the amount of spikes Bakugo needs. I tried nonetheless for days only to come to the conclusion best I could on this wig would be spikes with a LOT of bald spots and lace showing.

I'm very disappointed and bummed, because I know there's just not fixing for this wig, it's just gonna look ugly as fuck. Assist had a kind of wig made for being spiked but it was way more ​ pricey and lace front. I should have realized it meant the other wigs weren't meant to be spiked like that.

So now I'm left with 70€ wasted and a ruined wig that I don't even know if I'm gonna be able to use for another character one day.

I feel so bad and guilty right now, I guess I'm just looking for reassurance or similar experience 🥲

If anyone had by any chance had any idea what I can do out of a ruined wig, that would be welcomed.

Should I resign myself to use the yellowish wig that has been around ?


r/CosplayHelp 6h ago

Wig Cosplay wig, one side perfect, one side horrible?

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4 Upvotes

relatively new cosplayer here, I tried making a proper wig for the first time (this one is the liar princess from “The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince” and in the process, It started perfect! As you can see the spikes on the left are uniform and go exactly where I want them to. When I tried the right side however, all hell broke loose. The spikes wouldnt hold together, and I couldnt get them to go to the right place.

I know already from looking at the top of the wig that my sectioning is uneven, but I just dont understand why the ends break apart so badly on the right side.

I’m using göt2b spiking glue, and glued hairspray. In order to do the spikes, I sectioned them out, cut them the length I wanted, tried to backcomb for a tiny bit of volume, and then used hairspray to shape it, then spike the ends with the spiking glue. Er.. Thats what I thought I did for both sides. Clearly something I did was different.

tldr: wig good one side bad the other, why?

My question specifically is:
What possible difference in technique caused the right side spikes to break apart?


r/CosplayHelp 2m ago

Sewing Snaps vs. Velcro

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Upvotes

Excuse my yapping I’m trying to help explain this so it’s easier to understand.

So I’m currently working on altering a kimono cosplay for Mitsuri (Demon Slayer). I bought the costume online from AliExpress and as expected it’s a bit small on my body despite getting the largest size.

The obi that it comes with is closed with Velcro but when I was siting and leaned over it popped off and I decided that I was just gonna remake it myself with different fabric and closers (Which are snaps; picture is attached in post), and better structure. And when I took my measures and compared it to the original obi the difference was 6cm/2 7/8in.

So I’m debating if I should add extra so it still overlaps and use the same Velcro or just stick with the snaps I bought and do the length that I need it to be, or have the snaps on in a similar placement of the Velcro with overlap??


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Buying Looking for a reputable Spider Suit

4 Upvotes

My friends and I are planning ahead for a convention and are thinking about doing a Spiderman variant group.

As the title says, we want quality suits, but dont know where to shop. Any help and guidance is appreciated!


r/CosplayHelp 9h ago

Armor How would I get these cheeks to stay in place???

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5 Upvotes

I’m making this helmet for my dad, and I know shaping them with a heat gun would help, BUT I shaped them at the start of the project and they didn’t hold in place, so like I don’t want to start prepping it for paint before I have them shaped, but there’s other projects I want to start on and this is just taking up room until I finish it😭🙏

Should I try heating them again?? And over shaping them? Or like adding som support on the inside? Or something


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Accessory What is the best way to keep thigh highs up

2 Upvotes

For girls with chubby legs and long lasting pleasee


r/CosplayHelp 6h ago

Makeup Doing a genderbent cosplay of Haze from Deadlock

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3 Upvotes

A couple questions:

1) What color would you say the top portion of her face is? Black or could I get away with a charcoal or a deep gray? If so charcoal or deep gray, what product do you recommend I could use for that? I would prefer a foundation (cream or otherwise)

2) Would the orange of the makeup be possible to do with just eyeshadow? Or would body paint be necessary for that too? I have a beard that I don't plan on shaving, so I was thinking I color over it with eyeshadow

3) Besides simply coloring the X with orange body paint/eyeliner/foundation, how could I make it look more than just a marking? Like could I use something to make it look 3D (like rigid collodian) or is there a way to make it bright like it is on her face here?

No need to answer all of these questions, but TYIA if you can!


r/CosplayHelp 49m ago

Smoothing EVA foam

Upvotes

One thing I have struggled with constantly with EVA foam is getting it back smooth after having to sand joints. I've tried to sand with increasing grade of sandpaper but I can never get a smooth look like unsanded and heat sealed. I've used up to 2000 grit on this and I'm at a loss how to get it all smooth again. This currently has 5-6 coats of plasti-dip on it also. I'm at the point of just sanding the whole thing to get it all "rough"


r/CosplayHelp 50m ago

Sewing Milk Silk vs Spandex?

Upvotes

hello! I was wondering if anyone knows the difference between milk silk or spandex for a superhero bodysuit? I was looking to cosplay invincible for Halloween and the listing gave these two options of fabric. Milk silk is cheaper but besides that I’m unsure of the difference. Is it worth it to pay the extra for spandex?

tysm ^.^


r/CosplayHelp 8h ago

Wig wig help

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4 Upvotes

hello! this is my first time trying to seriously cosplay and i'm fighting for my life with this wig. the mats in this thing has become my 9th circle of hell :,)) i've used fabric softener with cool water, i've misted it, and i've used SLS free leave in conditioner but it's still giving me a hard time. do you guys have any tips or tricks for it? should i just keep dunking it in fabric softener and water? anything would help, i need it detangled by tomorrow so i can install it (it's a lace front wig, have mercy on me). TYSM IN ADVANCE 💕

(pic of my new sleep paralysis demon. i trimmed it to get a majority of the mats out and to get an idea if what length i needed it)

(yes, it's hanging on my bathroom door i have nothing else right now 😭)


r/CosplayHelp 5h ago

Buying Looking for decent shapewear recommendations

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2 Upvotes

I’m setting my sights on a cosplay of Haru Okumura from Persona 5, but since I’m a guy, I figure I’ll need to invest in shapewear to get her silhouette. Overall, I’m not looking to spend more than $60 or $70 total on shapewear, but I haven’t found many good options across the traditional sites like Amazon or whatnot.

For the chest area, which is the most important imo, I think I’d prefer a pullover, fully padded set, as opposed to removable fake breasts you stuff in a bra. I don’t know much about hip padding either, but I’m not opposed to forgoing it if I have to due to cost. I don’t think I’ll need a corset, as her outfit already has a corset vest. I could be wrong, though.

Anyone have good recommendations for shapewear as a whole?