Budget option Cosplay Costumes
Budget? What budget? I’m broke.
Who needs money when you have elbow grease and a hot glue gun? Sure, you might be able to buy a costume online, but it’s not really cosplaying unless you make it yourself!
There are several ways to approach this. If you’re experienced with sewing and can fit things together, then use that. If not, there’s the hot glue method. The trick is using the right materials. Don’t use cloth or fabric; it won’t hold up well on its own (unless you’re making a small accessory). Instead, use craft foam or cardboard.
Foam is lightweight and inexpensive at craft stores (think of making school projects). It also comes in many colors, so if you don’t want to paint it, find the color you want in advance. You can also sand or cut grooves into it for texture or details.
Cardboard is cheap and easy to find, though you’ll likely want to paint it. It’s sturdy when layered against itself and can be used for nearly anything from armor to weapons and even accessories if layered enough times.
If you’re new to cosplay or have never been to a convention before, you may have no idea where to start. This is by far one of the most common questions that I get asked on a day to day basis: “How do I make a costume?” With all the questions and information you need out there, it can be overwhelming and confusing. My goal is to break this down into easy steps for everyone to follow.
Step One: Find a character!
Finding a character that inspires you is the first step! Whether it be from your favorite movie, book, video game or any other fandom, it doesn’t matter! If you love the character enough to want to dress up as them, then that’s all that really matters. A lot of people will make costumes based off of their favorite characters in hopes that they will be noticed by others so they can get more photo ops; which is perfectly fine! But I personally think cosplaying should be something fun that you do for yourself. You should dress up as characters that inspire you and bring joy into your life. After all, if you don’t love what you’re wearing, then why are you wearing it?
It’s
Cosplay is a type of performance art in which participants known as cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character or idea that is usually identified with a unique name. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, and a broader use of the term “cosplay” applies to any costumed role-playing in venues apart from the stage. Any entity that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject. Favorite sources include anime, cartoons, comic books, manga, television series, and video games.
The rapid growth in the number of people cosplaying as a hobby since 1990 has made the phenomenon a significant aspect of popular culture in Japan and some other parts of Asia and in the Western world. Cosplay events are common features of fan conventions and there are also dedicated conventions and local and international competitions, as well as social networks, websites and other forms of media centered on cosplay activities.[1]
As cosplay gains popularity, the level of attention and quality of costumes becomes more impressive. Unfortunately, this also means that prices go up as well. This can make it difficult to create a costume you’re proud of, especially on a budget. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help make your costume look great with only a minimal investment
Buy or rent instead of making – If you have an unusual body type or difficulty finding clothes that fit, then making your own costume will be your best bet. Otherwise, you’ll want to check out stores like Goodwill to find clothing items that fit your character. You can also rent costumes from stores like Party City for a single day. Make sure that the overall look is very accurate in shape and color before buying anything though – some characters have very specific looks and colors and it can be difficult to find something that matches their outfit if they have many small details
Use glue and fabric paint instead of sewing – Incorporating small details into your outfit can really help bring it together. If you don’t want to sew any pieces onto your clothes, consider using hot glue or fabric paint.
The first step when making an anime costume is to pick your character. You can choose from a wide range of characters, and often several different series or games. The best way to do this is by choosing a character that you feel a connection with, or one that shares some aspect of yourself.
For example, if you’re into sports, you might want to go with a character that has an athletic side to them such as Naruto or Hinata. But if you’re more into fantasy and science fiction, then you might want to go with a character that has more of an artsy side like Sailor Moon. Once you’ve chosen your character, it’s time to start planning the costume!
The next step in making your cosplay costume is to choose the right fabric for the job. There are many different fabrics available for cosplay costumes, but the most popular ones are cotton, spandex, leather, and vinyl. Each of these materials has its own pros and cons, so it’s important to choose a material based on what kind of look you want for your costume.
For example, leather is great for making body suits because it can be very tight-fitting and sexy looking while being comfortable at the same time. Leather also tends to be easier to clean
If you’re going to make your own costume, the first thing you need is a design. There are tons of options out there – some good, some not so good.
You can either go online, or grab a book on anime and manga. I personally like to use a book as it is easier to find what you are looking for. If you are doing a manga version of your favorite character, then go ahead and use the manga. Just be aware that the art style will be slightly different (manga has larger eyes and more stylized characters).
If you have no idea what kind of costume you want to make, then that’s okay too! Just look through books or sites until you find one that catches your eye – there’s bound to be an image out there that speaks to you! You may want to try searching for “cosplay ideas” in Google Images or Flickr.