So you're at the convention and things aren't going as planned...what do you do?
1. My costume ripped - Bring a cosplay repair kit, and make yourself familiar of where the cosplay repair station is on the convention floor. Since cosplay is becoming more and more popular at conventions, it's very rare that you don't find a cosplay repair spot. 2. I'm feeling faint, dizzy, sick, all of the above - Drink water, take a seat, get some fresh air, tell a buddy. Sometimes conventions can be overwhelming, and when you are in a costume they can be a lot harder to handle. You are your number one priority, not your costume, not your character. If you are not feeling well, do everything possible to remedy the situation you are in. Peel off some layers, remove your wig, find a chair to sit down, get outside away from the crowds. If you still aren't feeling well, find the first aid table and see if there is somewhere you can lay down for a bit. 3. Someone won't leave me alone, I don't feel comfortable. - Go find convention security!! This is an absolute must! Doesn't matter if you are in a costume or not, if someone is harassing you, grabbing at you or confronting you without your consent, report them! It's super important to be safe at a convention! This is another reason to bring friends with you. When you travel with multiple people, bad things are less likely to happen. Conventions are supposed to be fun for everyone, and you should feel comfortable and safe at all times. 4. My wig came apart / un-styled itself - Check out the vendor hall for the wig vendors. Usually big companies like Arda wigs will have the tools and specialists on site to help you fix your wig or re-style it. 5. My makeup is all coming off my face. - Sadly, it's hard to find vendors that sell face paint and body paint at conventions, so make sure and bring some with you in case you need a touch up! This can be a pretty simple oversight. Once when I was at a convention, my entire face and mouth was painted white. I didn't even think about this as I chowed down on a hot dog and all the paint around my mouth came off. Luckily there was one vendor that had face paint for sale, otherwise I would have been heading home early to fix my face!
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Convention is coming up and it's time to get ready! Here are some things you should think about before heading out.
1. Costume days! How long is your con? Do you need your costume for the whole convention? Or just specific times and events? I've found that if you have multiple days to check out the convention, it's a much better experience if you wear your costume for only half of the time you are attending. When you are in costume people will come and stop you to take photos and talk to you, so it's hard to wander around the vendors and artists alley and enjoy your time browsing or listening to that panel you wanted to see. If you plan out days for your shopping and panels and separate time to wear your costume, you'll definitely have more fun and get to see more! The plan that generally works for me is, first day: wander around and scope out the vendor hall and artist alley, figure out where the celebs are going to be sitting. If I need an autograph grab em today or on the last day if possible. Day 2: This is usually the busiest day, definitely a costume day. More people means more exposure for that incredible outfit. Day 3: If this is the second to last day of the con, I would try for wearing a costume. If it's the last day of the con, I find I won't wear a costume because I may not stay for the whole day. Find a plan that works for you! 2. What do I bring? - Without a costume: Make sure and bring a backpack and a water bottle. It's important to keep hydrated! Take some cash with you. This will limit your spending a bit to what you really want, and help you avoid those nasty banking fees from the convenient ATM's on site. - With a costume: Bring everything you would as if you didn't have your costume, but also bring a spare pair of shoes to change into, even a change of clothes if it's more comfortable. 3. Comfort You're going to be at the convention for a long period of time, at least a few hours a day. If you're going in costume, make sure it's comfortable! Ask yourself these questions: - Can I wear this for a long period of time? - Do I have good visibility? - Can I use the washroom easily? - Will my feet be sore after a short period of time? - Will I be too warm? or cold? - Do I need a "Handler"? It's always important to make sure you can get around the convention with as little assistance as possible. If you can, bring a change of clothes and shoes for yourself so you can get changed after the con, or as soon as you start feeling uncomfortable. If you are signed up for a costume contest and know that your costume will require assistance, I recommend only wearing your costume for part of the day right before the contest, so you don't tire yourself out too quickly! 4. Buddies Go with friends! This makes the convention so much better! And if you're in a costume, this gives you more people who can help you out throughout the day. 5. Transport How are you going to get to the convention? Transit? Driving? Walking? Jetpack? My advice? Choose the easiest most convenient way for you to get to the convention. If you know that you can get there on transit and comfortably wear your costume, do that. It's cheap and direct, vs driving which will cost you a bunch of money to park for the day. Make sure and plan this out long in advance and take weather and traffic into account on the day! 6. Accommodation Is your convention local? Or do you need to find hotels or an air BnB? If you need to find somewhere to stay, make sure you do it long in advance of your con. Also as a little forewarning, if you are local, but want to stay at a place that is closer to the convention centre, try to steer clear of Air BnB. A lot of them have a "no locals" policy. (Found that out the hard way for Calgary Expo). This is a great blog post I found with more awesome advice on getting yourself con ready! https://calscrafts.com/2014/06/30/troubleshooting/ Now good luck and have fun! One of the best things about building your own cosplay is that it's like putting together a puzzle. You need to make the pieces and figure out how they are all going to fit together, which at times can be difficult. You can be moving along at a great clip and then just hit a dead end...so how do you work around it?
I don't think there is a single costume that ever comes together perfect on the first try. There is always problem solving and troubleshooting that you'll have to go through. Whenever I get really stuck on something, I walk away from it for a while. Sometimes I will spend a few nights brainstorming to see if there is a better way to do things. I also talk to my friends and family and fellow cosplayers to see if anyone else has some ideas I didn't think of. It's super important to try different methods until you find the one that works. Research, research, research! Find as much reference as you can before you start making something. I'll save pictures, videos, concept art and tutorials all in a folder pertaining to the character I'm trying to make. This makes it easy for me to go to one location to refer back to what I'm trying to make. It's a good idea to make draft versions and tests before cutting out your good fabric or foam. Once you make a cut, you can't go back! Try making templates out of paper and adjust them as needed before you cut out your final pieces. Or if you are modifying an existing sewing pattern, make the original out of scrap fabric and then draw out your changes on top, then make a new paper pattern for yourself. It's also good practice to keep any new patterns you might make yourself, you never know if you'll need it again! Look up tutorials and videos on what you are trying to make or techniques you want to use. Videos, blogs and tutorials make great reference that you can lean back on when you are struggling with something. Find cosplayers who have made the same costume as you, or a similar one. Look at their photos as reference or what you can do. If they have social media, also reach out and ask, it doesn't hurt :) Try a few of these out when you work on your next costume! Good luck and have fun! |
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