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Kay! Well I guess I'll start it off!
I've been arguing with someone lately about cosplay.
She buys the cosplay.
I happen to make them through clothes and materials I find at the local mall.

What's everyone's opinion? :3

I have to kinda agree with Zexy. I make all of my costumes. Either from scratch or by editing other clothes I have/bought. I really respect people who make their costume and put effort into it, but I wouldn't go as far as to say I despise them for not making their own costumes. ^ ^;; Cosplay is about having fun, so you shouldn't really scrutinize others for not spending time in making something. Personally I find complete closet cosplay more annoying than buying a costume.
I'll admit I've been tempted to purchase a shinigami uniform instead of making one when I wanted to cosplay someone from Bleach. I might sometime in the future when I get around to that character, but I'll make my weaponry. XD

True. True. I understand the feeling. I get kinda upset when I send so much time on a costume and get no pictures of it taken. xd

My sewing is nonexistent. I love glue and velcro. But I would maybe buy something and then embellish it further... I admire greatly those who can create.

The Light will show you the way, but you must endure the darkness; For it will show you the stars.

My opinion about people buying costumes .. I dont know. XD
I used to buy costumes too but now I only sew them. o.o
I agree that it can be really annoying, that the people who buy costumes get more credit than the ones who sew them, cause their costumes are just prettier. >_< But then, I just think its their own bussiness.
I know a person who lies about her costumes, so that people will praise her more. D: She told them that she had made a really really pretty Lulu costume herself, when she had just bought it. Thats when I get annoyed about them, that they take the credit for things they didnt make themselves >_>.

Another thing with cosplay is that, in my country we only have one convention (which will be 3 this year, but untill now .....), and there havent really been that many cosplayers.
Then another friend of mine have been attending the convention and cosplay masquerade each year since 2005 (which was the 1st time I signed up for the masquerade as well). Each year she wins the award for best costume. Its nice of course since she makes her costumes herself and that they are really pretty.
But then whenever you talk to her about cosplay and asks her about the plans for the next masquerade its so obvious to hear that she only wants to attend the masquerade to win.
Im annoyed at people like that who doesnt attend the masquerades, and cosplay, just for the fun of it, but instead will kill to win the masquerade. D:

Hahaha. I believe you're not making the costume right, unless you've maimed yourself in the process. God knows how many times I cut, poked, or burned myself. Just last night I managed to accidentally clip some skin on my finger while using the scissors to cut off some foam on the helment I'm making.

When it comes to bought costumes, I have two specific rules. I don't mind that a person may by a costume, I mean, I'd personally would prefer if everybody made their own costumes, but each individuals circumstances can prevent them. Time, physical health, etc... May prevent them being able to put in the physical labor to make the costume. Not to mention some commisioners do an excellent job on their costumes.

Featherweight on cosplay.com makes props out of cardboard and they're absolutely insane. He has an incredible Doctor Doom Mask made of cardboard. If for whatever reason a person has a commisioned or bought costume, my two rules are as follows

1. Never pass it off as something you have made.

It's one thing to alter a store bought piece, alot of cosplayers do it. But when you take a store bought or commisioned piece and pass it off as something you made. Not only are you lying, you're also being highly disrespectful to the person who put all their hard work into making that for you. Not to mention it makes you come off as a very distrustful person.

2. Never, EVER, enter a commisioned costume in the masquerade under craftsmanship.

This I can't stress enough. Craftsmanship is to show people how hard you worked on a costume, and to show the judges how you made the costume, how much time it took you, what materials you used, etc....
Don't try to be a sneak and pass off the work as your own, when it's obviously not. The only way you should ever enter under craftsmanship, is if the creator is there, and they can give all the information to the judges. They're the one who is judged, not you. In the event you somehow pull it off, and you actually win something, then the prize ends up going to you, not the original creator. Their hard work goes to nothing and you take all their credit. It's highly disrespectable and it's a very good way to get an angry mob ready to punch your teeth out.