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 Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:58 pm
Basically I want to get people's opinions on cosplayers who don't make their own cosplays. Now, let me clear something up, I am not talking about people who buy a costume or have one made, then go enter a cosplay contest and claim it as their own, I am very much against that... I am just talking about people who can't necessarily sew but still want to cosplay and perhaps purchase or have a costume made for them. Or, as another alternative, people who alter things in order to make a cosplay... like add to or take away from a shirt or pants or something... or even do what I call a "thrift shop throw together" which is getting all of the necessary items for a thrift shop and wearing them in a cosplay. The reason I ask is because I am one of those people... I can't sew to save my life and god forbid anyone ever ask me to make a pattern. I just don't have that kind of talent, but I DO love cosplaying. Most of the cosplays I have worn, have been things I find, then alter to suit the needs of the cosplay. Usually I get my stuff from a thrift store so I am not destroying something expensive. Like for my Kuronue cosplay I bought a leather jacket and sliced off the sleeves, cut off the buttons, and made his vest out of it, then I put on a pair of leather pants some black boots, demon wings I bought at Halloween. You could say I made the visor I suppose, I bought an existing one, then added some cardboard to make the correct shape, and covered it in pleather. I also made the buckle from FEMO(although I am considering making a new one, the old one looks like crap) the whole thing came out looking like this:  That I tentatively claim as my work because well, I did "make" it to an extent... or should I be calling that a purchased costume? My Edward Elric cosplay was completely purchased from an online cosplay site... I made it a point to tell people that when they asked for my picture. I was immensely surprised when many of them said they didn't care and took the shot anyway... I was sure I was going to be bricked for buying a costume. Then there is my touchiest cosplay, my Kurama cosplay. The base of the costume was made by a seamstress, but I added in the detailing of the rips where the bombs had blown up on him (from his fight with Karasu for those who know Yu Yu Hakusho) as well as the fabric paint for blood and styled the wig and such... Uh, here's an image to show you what I mean:  Better shot of the wig styling below:  Can I call ANY part of the cosplay mine, or is it strictly something bought because the base was made by a seamstress? Again with the costume though, I did tell people that I had someone make the base for me, and I did the rest. When it comes to me, I never plan on entering a cosplay competition, mainly because I am a rank amateur and always will be. I leave competitions to those who put their heart and soul, blood, sweat and tears into their work. However a question of mine is, if someone were to enter a cosplay competition in a cosplay that had been made from altered, previously existing materials, how would you react? Is it a bad thing to do this? I am really on the fence about it because in a way the people who do this did put some effort into the cosplay and put some kind of hours and work into making it look good and look like the character desired... but at the same time I almost see it as cheating. The product was already made and they just kind of changed it a little. It's all very confusing to me and hearing some other opinions from people would be greatly appreciated.
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:04 pm
Personally, I don't see any problem with altering things already made. I've made a few costumes by taking random old things and destroying altering them into a costume. I guess it would depend on /how/ altered it is, though.
Like, the things I've done all had fantastic detail and the final product was VERY different from what I'd originally started with. However, simpler things, such as (and I mean no disrespect to either the series or the cosplayers for it) L from Deathnote, really take no effort. If someone went out and bought the jeans and shirt and claimed to have made the costume, entering it in a costume, I'd feel a bit jipped.
In your case, it's fine. The final result is definitely costume-esque, and I would say you still did enough work to warrant claiming you made the costume. They look nice, by the way. : >
Hope that all made sense, haha. xD;;
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:29 pm
Yeah, I agree, how you alter something is important. I suppose if you end up with something that looks totally different from what you started with, altering pre-made items is okay. I have to admit, my first ever cosplay took NO effort, I was Trowa from Gundam Wing in his jeans and turtle neck sweater. Although it was because that particular cosplay took no effort that I chose to do it, I had no experience cosplaying or making a costume and the convention I was wearing it to was in like a week, I had no time ^^; I never claimed to make it though, and I don't think anyone asked if I did, they likely knew I went to a thrift store, picked out the stuff and gelled my hair. The one thing I DID specifically say I made, was the mask I carried, because I did make that in ceramics class in school. Dumb thing to bring to a convention though because I dropped it and it shattered >.< With my costumes pictured though, I think you are only referring to the Kuronue cosplay correct? Because you certainly can't mean the Kurama cosplay... especially after I show you this:  This is what I got the seamstress to do for me. I took pictures of the costume to give to her so she could have a reference to her work before I destroyed it. This is the costume the first time I wore it after making my alterations. I highly doubt there are enough to warrant calling it mine. I think all I can say is that I did the detailing... but even then, how hard is it to detail something? Thank you for saying they look nice though sweatdrop
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Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:20 pm
There's nothing wrong with buying a cosplay, and whoever gave you the idea that people cared was weird. People make cosplays because they enjoy the experience and it's cheaper, but a lot of cosplays you see are bought. And if you did the majority of the work, then by all means, call it your own. However, most people don't care unless it's a really intricate costume or there's something really unusual about it. Then they might ask you how you did it, but that's it. smile
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Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:45 am
Well, I suppose I always thought it was this unwritten rule/code amongst cosplayers, that you weren't a TRUE cosplayer unless you made the costume yourself... and if you altered stuff from a thrift store you were kind of a cosplayer, but still pretty pathetic... and buying a costume and wearing it, well that was laughable, and no one would ever want to take your picture or even dare call you a cosplayer. I suppose I don't ask enough people if they make their own costumes, I just assume they do unless I am told otherwise. I wouldn't have ever guessed that many of the cosplays at conventions are ones that have been bought. I kind of understand what you mean about most people not caring, I hardly ever get asked if I made the cosplays I wear... I just out in out tell people if I had it commissioned or purchased it online... with things from a thrift store that have been altered though, I don't say anything. Mainly because it's not mine, but it is, you know?
Perhaps my conscience is just too loud, I just CAN'T let someone take my picture in a costume that I have bought unless I tell them I've bought it. I feel so wrong otherwise, like I am not giving credit where credit is due. I mean even if I did enter a cosplay competition in something that I commissioned from someone in my area, and I knew there was NO POSSIBLE WAY they could ever find out I claimed it as my work, *I* would know, and I would feel like s***. Mainly because I would know that it was a great deal of hard work for them, and that the other people in the cosplay competition worked their @$$es off to get their cosplays just right.
I'm not sure, I suppose I just wanted to know how many cosplayers out there hate people who wear purchased costumes, or don't think you're a cosplayer if you get something from a thrift store and alter it. I know I have read in the "Convention/Cosplay" section of the AMC forums, that one of the biggest pet peeves for Gaia con goers is the "Hot Topic" cosplayer. Basically people(mostly Misa cosplayers) who walk into Hot Topic, then go to a convention and think they have an epic cosplay.
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Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:30 pm
There's nothing wrong with a store bought outfit. Some of us choose to do it, because we lack the artist talent to draw a straight line without help, much less nice circles and everything else ^^; Not to mention some things would be really hard to do on your own, if it was really intricate, or if there was leather, or maybe they might pay for a prop.
In terms of giving credit where it is due, I think that depends on just how mainstream the person is. If they're on e-bay, they don't really need much advertising. If it's someone who just goes posting around forums, or if it was someone you knew personally, that would be different ^^;
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 2:54 pm
As a person who has sold costume commissions in the past, I can't really say it's necesarily a bad thing. The truth of the matter is, some people are better at sewing/designing than others and some people just don't have the time and resources to make costumes themselves.
On the other hand, it does bother me when people buy costumes and then take credit for them. A lot of time and effort goes into a costume, especially if it is one that can't be made by simply altering store bought pieces, and acknowledgment should be given to the proper person. I know many cons have rules about not allowing purchased costumes in cosplay contests, but god knows the judges can't prove someone didn't make a costume in most cases.
As far as cosplays that are basically all store bought (L, Light/Raito, etc), it's usually fairly obvious that these costumes required little to no effort, so they are unlikely to get any sort of recognition, unless in a character look-a-like contest or the group has a very good skit.
To be honest, part of the reason I haven't been cosplaying as of late has to do with issues like this. The last several cons I've attended, there seems to have been a social hierarchy developing based on cosplay outfits that was not there when I first started cosplaying....honestly, it was starting to remind me of high school in some respects, and that was just disgusting to me. The irony of it, however, was that the majority of well known cospalyers do sell cosplay outfits/props on the side, and therefore don't care too much about this debate (unless they aren't getting credit for their work), and it is the mid-level cosplayers that like to be snobby about it.
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Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 12:20 am
I don't see any problem with people buying costumes, so long as they don't claim they made it themselves for contests, as you said.
Now, thrift shop alters IMO do require some skill/effort to pull off, and you have every right to say you created a costume out of what you could find. Altering things can still be difficult, but cut out some of the really difficult things people run into when they can't sew or can't use patterns; such as crotches (which are a PitA IMO) It gives you a base to work off of.
I don't think it makes you less of a cosplayer, and I wouldn't pay any attention to elitists who might tell you differently.
As far as credit where credit is due.. well, I have to agree it depends on the situation. If you're pleased with whoever you bought it from, go ahead and pass the info on. If you're not pleased, just say "Yeah I bought it." but you don't need to offer more info than that.
Personally, I make props and mascots/fursuits and if someone is pleased with my work, I'm always glad if they let people know I made whatever for them. However if they weren't pleased with my service, I certainly wouldn't expect them to send potential customers in my direction. I would still appreciate them not claiming they made it themselves though XD lol
And oh Yeah: Karuma <3 Now I want to go watch YuYu Hakusho again..
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