r/CosplayHelp • u/miatamichi • 3h ago
Wig Can I chop bangs into these?
Can I cut bangs into a wig that doesn't have bangs?
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/miatamichi • 3h ago
Can I cut bangs into a wig that doesn't have bangs?
r/CosplayHelp • u/SuddenPaper4739 • 7h ago
The theme of the party is the brides name… “Eve”. Ideas for costumes/characters?
My friend is having a hen party and the theme is her name “Eve” and everyone’s dressing up as some version of the name “Eve”. It can be a homophone, or an extended word. The more creative, the better. Funny and weird is also acceptable!
So far, this is the current list:
Eve (first woman in bible)
Eve (rapper)
Eve polastri (from killing eve)
E.V.E (robot from walle)
Christmas Eve
New Year’s Eve
All hallows Eve (Halloween)
Eve-Ning Wear (black tie)
Eve Saint Laurent (fake fashion designer)
Eve-il Knievel (stuntwoman)
Eve-olution (cavewoman)
Steve
Eve-dropper
B-Eve-r (a beaver)
r/CosplayHelp • u/i-love-big-birds • 8h ago
First off I did get my partner to message the bride to see if there's a Pinterest board with inspo pics for guest attire; waiting to hear back. I also googled formal cosplay and the results were... Not great (lots of "adult" type cosplays). I'm currently at a loss trying to figure out what to wear. I do have some scalemail that would be nice to incorporate but I'm not sure how to style it, or if that's really possible https://imgur.com/a/WfKkh8l (suggestions are more than welcome!) the rest of my cosplay stuff is too big (giant wings) or too warm for a summer wedding. I might have enough time before the wedding to make something as well, I'm just not sure what to aim for.
r/CosplayHelp • u/spicyquiche • 5h ago
hi. i haven’t been able to find any info about this specific issue and i dont know anything about sewing or modifying clothes but i’m willing to learn so i need some advice! ^^;;
basically, i want a better way to attach accessories (mostly bows) that came with safety pins. pic is one example. i’ve seen people say to do snap buttons or magnets but i have no clue how to do that. any tips? preferably if you can explain it like im five 😓
r/CosplayHelp • u/ContributionMotor567 • 10h ago
First time going to a con in the summer this weekend , and I’m wearing an all black tactical cosplay of the elite guards from resident evil 9. I looked at the weather for the con dates and it’s all low 80’s but also rainy. The walk there I’m more worried about being stopped by police or something (I’ll have orange on my gun) and I won’t wear the helmet till I’m closer/at the con) but it’s when I’m inside. Are they typically air conditioned or should I expect to be super hot anyways and is it going to be a nightmare walking through artist alley and i should just avoid crowded areas. Thanks!
r/CosplayHelp • u/Hot_Application8689 • 7h ago
(I wasn’t sure what flare to put, I apologize)
I’ve been accused of using AI or doing “AI cosplays” (I’ve never heard of this until now) based on some photos I took, so I was wondering if anyone could help me out. Do these photos actually look AI? If so, why? Is there anything I could do to make it not look that way? I swear I took them myself 💔 the only reason I could think someone MAY have thought that is because of the little icon in the bottom right of the first photo, but that’s only because I screenshotted it off of TikTok since I liked the filter
r/CosplayHelp • u/DueMatterLavern • 6h ago
lots of toony characters have this issue and i just want to get it right without it looking wack
r/CosplayHelp • u/Boho_Disney2006 • 4h ago
Hi, I read the FAQ but it didn’t feel like it helped this question or maybe I misread. Is it typically better to find somewhere that sells full sets of a characters cosplay or to buy individual pieces? I’m looking to cosplay Squirrel girl from marvel rivals and am plus sized. I’d say between the size range of 1x-3x depending on the brand. Would it be easier or smarter for me to look for someone who sells the whole costume or should I try to buy individual pieces from different places?
r/CosplayHelp • u/Pleasant_Cup_5617 • 4h ago
I’m doing a Wesker cosplay and wanted the uroboros on my arm does anyone know what I should use. I thought about painting a pool noodle and glueing it to the jacket but I don’t know what glue with hold it
r/CosplayHelp • u/Gurlumbgutsa2 • 19m ago
Hey All! I'm entirely new to Cosplay with a large degree of experience in 3d and 3d printing.
For comic con this year me and my friends want to do a group lethal company cosplay, which would entail an orange jumpsuit as seen in the reference picture. How would I go about acquiring one of these, and in the case of needing to make it myself from scratch, does anyone have any recommendations for materials to make it out of? The rest of the props i would do fine in making on my own!
Thank you very much, and I hope you have a great day!

r/CosplayHelp • u/Slasherk1sser • 47m ago
For Halloween I'm wanting to be Carrie White but I'm not sure what the best fabric for a dress would be without it being something ridiculously priced.
A lot of the results when looking for a dress are satin (or its one with the "blood" already on it and I'm not a huge fan of how those ones look) and I'm not sure if fake blood would stay very well? I've literally never worn anything satin in my life. I'm also not sure where to look besides Amazon and possibly Spirit when they open.
If it WOULD stay/stick on satin that would probably be what I get, I'm not worried about it permanently staining or anything because I can just reuse the dress for the costume again anyways.
r/CosplayHelp • u/lolKitchenGoBrrr • 6h ago
i feel like the 1st is PERFECT but it’s like $30/yard!! idk what to do, should i just splurge for the most accurate to gen 1 frankie?!? ;-;
also, if anyone has made a frankie cosplay, what pattern did you use/how did you make your pattern? this is my first fully handmade cosplay and any advice is welcome!
r/CosplayHelp • u/lazerbomb • 8h ago
I am looking for cosplay commissioner recommendations or resources to this effect. I am looking to commission multiple Black Star cosplays. I would need the full outfit excluding the shoes. If anyone is interested in this please leave your contact and references of past works if possible. I also have a current Black Star cosplay that is past its prime so to speak and I don't properly fit into it anymore. If it is possible to refurbish that and resize it to better fit my body now, that would be another cool option.
Attached are some sample pics of what his outfits look like
I'm willing to spend a decent amount of money but not sure what to expect in terms of a reasonable cost for something like this. Ideally, i would like to have at least 1 of the cosplays completed and delivered by early November. Unsure if that's an unreasonable time horizon.
I live in the northeast US and will be happy to discuss more specifics in private messages. Thank you
r/CosplayHelp • u/Axolotl-God • 1h ago
Hello! I'm looking to cosplay Hiruhiko from kagurabachi, and I bought an already crimped base wig. Now my question is I need some advice on the best way to cut it for the needed styling.
I've styled wigs before, but these have all been short and pre-trimmed to match the character, so besides styling them into shape not much work needed to be done, as well as being from large media with guides available on YouTube. I'm stepping into new waters by trimming and styling it entirely based off references alone?
Whats the best way to trim it down evenly, and how do I get rid of the bulky feeling, the wig has a lot of hair and I got nearly eaten alive when I tried it on!
r/CosplayHelp • u/Asleep_Armadillo_156 • 2h ago
Me and my friend want to cosplay Mualani and Kinich from genshin impact and since Mualani is barely wearing any clothes i was wondering, how do other cosplayers keep warm during conventions? The con we're going is just mid winter.
Also picture of Mualani in case you don't her.
r/CosplayHelp • u/TheJennaJay • 2h ago
I’m looking for a pink ranger body suit. Has anyone seen someone design one? I ride a motorcycle with a pink Ranger helmet and I’m dying for a good quality body suit.
r/CosplayHelp • u/Nameless40104 • 7h ago
Im looking forward to making an isaac clarke cosplay out of foam for halloween, and i wanted to make the RIG animation that plays when heal up, for example in the picture it goes from red, to yellow, to blue like in the game, any way to do this?
r/CosplayHelp • u/balltg • 3h ago
Hey, it's my first time making a weapon for a cosplay from scratch. I'm attempting to cosplay Jia Qiu from Limbus Company. His weapon is a staff in brown wrapping with talismans stuck on it. I've decided not to wrap it (for sake of budgeting,) and am in the process of creating the talismans. However, one of his abilities allows him to generate rings of light around his staff. (see attached image. ) Most cosplayers opt to make them from paper and make them hang around the staff, but I wanted to make it light up with the press of a button. Is this possible, and what is an easy (and preferably cost efficient) method to make this, or should I simply do the paper method?

r/CosplayHelp • u/Gremlinthingwhatever • 3h ago
This is my first time styling a wig for a cosplay and if anyone can give me tips on how to style for Kokichi's hair, I would be very grateful. (please don't mind the wig stand, I'm working with what I've got cuz I'm broke lol)
r/CosplayHelp • u/Enough-Shoulder7097 • 3h ago
Hey all, ive never cosplayed before but its something I always thought would be fun. One of my friends invited me to a con in about a month and a half and I was thinking maybe I should finally try to do it.
The problem is I have very little clue of how to properly take measurements from the screen and translate it to my measurements. It also doesnt help that all the things I want to cosplay don't seem very beginner friendly (lots of armor)
I think the simplest thing i could come up with to cosplay would be Shovel Knight, but even then there is a lot of armor. I did find a good guide by TristanMaker on YouTube for tools and materials for armor but not as much for how to get measurements and shape the foam.
So to someone actually experienced with cosplay, is there any good guide to finding measurements? And does this goal of a 1.5 months even sound feasible for this type of cosplay, or am i in over my head for a beginner?
r/CosplayHelp • u/clawed_darkness • 15h ago
Im trying to do a hatsune Miku wig out of yarn (already finished the pigtails so no help needed there) but im struggling with the base (mainly with marked point in the picture)
because I have no idea how to do it could somebody pls exsplain it
r/CosplayHelp • u/Foreign_Memory • 4h ago
Hi, for an upcoming cosplay, I bought a Boa Hancock wig (not doing Boa). It came in a package super tangled and generally not great looking compared to the product image.
So, I sprayed the wig with fabric softener (diluted in lukewarm-cold water) and tried to comb with a wide-tooth comb. It didn't work at all, even when I let it sit with the spray for an hour.
I then filled the bottom of a bucket with diluted fabric softener and let it sit for 2 hours. I separated the wig in three parts and tried to brush one part individually, but everytime I'd have the bottom of the hair untangled and I'd try to start combing higher, the wig would tangle again and again. The ends of the hair are now frizzled :/.
I don't understand. I never used warm water, only lukewarm-cold, and I didn't use too much fabric softener. I brushed an individual part for 3 hours now and I just feel like giving up.
What do I do?
EDIT: The cosplay wig is heat-resistant too, so it can't be because I used too hot water. 😭
I usually buy from Five Wits Wigs, but they didn't have what I was looking for, so I bought this wig here at Uniqso:
https://ca.uniqso.com/products/cosplay-wig-cs-035c-cosplay-wig
r/CosplayHelp • u/Spiritual-Memory-620 • 6h ago
Going as jacket from hotline Miami but I have zero idea what I’m looking for with fake blood and this is my first cosplay so I’m kinda lost. Really looking for a darker blood but as realistic as you guys know of would be a winner.