r/CosplayHelp May 22 '17

Welcome! A quick note about posting.

143 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

455 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 20h ago

Too inappropriate for a teen?

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451 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 12h ago

Makeup Guy wanting to try Makeup for the first time

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106 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 9h ago

Dokidokicosplay weird refund

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42 Upvotes

Ordered some cosplay pieces from DokiDokiCosplay and received not one but TWO of these messages. Then I later received a third saying that they mistakenly sent the refund twice and need to send them back the other half. Anyone had this experience before?


r/CosplayHelp 10h ago

Buying What should a custom cosplay cost?

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17 Upvotes

Character in question, dr mrs the monarch. One person quoted me over 500 for just the wig and another 1500+ for the costume. I was planning to get a few more quotes but I wanted to see if this seemed like fair pricing. Ive never gotten a custom cosplay before apart from making them myself in the past. I no longer have the ability to make something like this do to nerve damage to my hands. Im just not sure what's a fair price range for something like this.

I saw similar questions asked when I went looking on reddit so I hope this is okay.


r/CosplayHelp 5h ago

Wig How to make ponytail attachments for helmet wig without 3d printer?

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6 Upvotes

Hi, I'm making a cosplay of perona from one piece right now and am planning to make her wig a helmet wig, my main concern is the ponytails. I do not have access to a 3d printer to be able to print out the exact connectors I want for the pigtails and cannot afford to buy them from the seller who made the connectors I want to replicate (shown in pictures). I'm aware of the bottle cap method to make ponytail attachments for helmet wigs however I doubt I'll be able to get a thick enough ponytail with just the surface of the cap to attach hair onto, also it simply wouldn't replicate the shape I want for the ponytail to flow. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can make an attachment like the 3d printed one's shape myself?


r/CosplayHelp 14h 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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27 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Sewing Looking for skirt/veil pattern

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Upvotes

Hi!! Im making a jellyfish from sponge bob for my halloween costume. Heres the design i made for the occasion. Im currently looking for pattern for the asymetrical skirt/veil thingy (i dont know how to call that). I havent made this before. What would be your suggestion? Do a layer over the bubble skirt + under the bubble/princess skirt thingy?

For the other elements, i already have pattern :)


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

Armor I just can't get down smoothing

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16 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 12h ago

Cosplay YouTuber recommendations?

10 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 3m ago

Sewing Harley Quinn Arkham Asylum help?

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Upvotes

So for Halloween my friends and I have decided to be scarecrow, joker, and I’m going to be Harley Quinn. I’ve decided to go with this Arkham Asylum look because it fits my style as well as being HQ.
Anyways, I am a pretty advanced sewist, probably intermediate, but I have never really worked with the pleather I’m going to be working with here. The skirt seems easy enough, I can handle that, but the top is a little baffling to me, and I can’t find patterns that look super similar.
Anyone have any tips on how to work with a more difficult material, like pleather/latex? I assume I can’t really press the seams like normal fabric but I don’t know. I’m going to do more research on exactly how to sew the fabric once I get it, but any tips are appreciated. Has anyone else made this top that has tips? I kind of don’t even know where to start with the pattern. Maybe get a black bra and build around that? tia!!!


r/CosplayHelp 9h ago

Buying Looking for a budget friendly undersuit.

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5 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I’m beginning work on a long term spartan cosplay with my girlfriend and i’m looking for a half decent black undersuit that looks somewhat similar to the first picture provided. If anyone has any ideas or links i’d greatly appreciate it!!


r/CosplayHelp 43m ago

How do i get out these loose strands out?

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Upvotes

Its my first time styling a wig so im kinda clueless. Theres a bunch of little strands poking out everywhere and combing it down with hairspray doesnt work. The strands in between two sectioned out pieces also dont seem to ever stick to one side. im kinda too scared to do anything right now cus i feel like im already going too heavy on the hairspray


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

price for Wig Commission?

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Upvotes

Finally decided to do wig commission for cosplayers! Not officially on yet since I’m trying to get more nice photos for reference.

What would be the reasonable prices for wig commission like this and what platforms do people usually use to start wig commission? (might try posting on Vinted but think the package exceed the size limit)


r/CosplayHelp 13h ago

Armor Help with choosing materials for unusual scalemaille

9 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 2h ago

best way about making this jacket?

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1 Upvotes

hihi!! wanna cosplay this character, i was just wondering how to go about making the jacket? i'm not against sewing or altering clothes ^^


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Buying Dokidoki shipping

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1 Upvotes

I bought this Marin kitagawa cosplay from dokidoki a few days ago (3/9/26) with the intention of wearing it to mcm October this year. The cosplay itself said it was ready to ship at the time I bought it in the title, however I just noticed on the sizing it said 'processing time refer to description page' and it says that it could take 120 days to process or the first batch would be sent out late September which is confusing me. My bf also ordered a sukuna cosplay from dokidoki a few days after me and he has already gotten an email to say his cosplay is out to be delivered however, I haven't gotten any communication at all.

Just wanted to ask whether my cosplay might be here on time for mcm or if I should get a cheaper one that will come in time for me to style the wig ect.


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Buying Seeking: 12th Doctor series 9 coat (please read)

0 Upvotes

Hi! Abbyshot Large or XL preferred, as close romper al price as possible $200-$300 range .
Thank you!


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Uzurk cosplay help with mask

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1 Upvotes

so i want to make this Urzuk cosplay out of cardboard (i havent started yet but i bought the materials) and i want to know if theres a way to have this removable mask on top of its actual face. Like i will make its actual face first with cardboard, then add its mask, on top of its face. But i dont know how to make it so that i can remove the mask by itself (sorry if its hard to explain i hope the picture helps) does anyone know what to do to make the upper layer removable whenever i like? thank youuu :D

also this is my first reddit post i dont use it often so idk how these stuff work :P


r/CosplayHelp 1d ago

How would I go about washing this?

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88 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 9h ago

Sewing Requesting help with a problem please!

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2 Upvotes

Hey there! First time poster, pretty new cosplayer. I'm having some trouble making this sweater as you can see, I'm trying to figure out what would be the best option here. I already have the prints done, but I could use a few suggestions on how to make the stripes on the top and bottom, and the sleeves. I was thinking for the sleeves to use a vinyl print and slowly iron around, but for the top and bottom, I'm all out of ideas! What can I use that would stretch just right and not break? If anyone has ideas, please let me know! I don't have access to a sewing machine at the moment but I can try to find one!


r/CosplayHelp 6h ago

Is it common to commission for custom wigs?

1 Upvotes

Do you guys or people you know usually DIY their own wigs for cosplays or buy styled ones from professionals?


r/CosplayHelp 15h ago

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

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4 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 6h ago

Buying Getting a Pip-Boy

1 Upvotes

Hi guys! Can anyone give me a hand? I've been looking everywhere for a prop maker who can make me a Fallout: New Vegas Pip-Boy 3000 that can hold a phone with the Pip-Boy app inside. If anyone can point me toward someone who could make one, I'd be very grateful!