Shenanigans (The Cosplay Edition)

Hi Internet!

I've decided that I'd like to start a cosplay spotlight thing. lol I've got a lot of friends in the hobby and I'd love to bring attention to their awesomeness and skill! I haven't asked anyone yet as the idea to start this, literally, JUST came to me. My original intention was to just show you guys some pictures of my own cosplays (which I will do for this entry), but then it was like, "Why don't I show you guys other awesome people?!" So yeah...expect that at some point when I find people to agree to it. lol Ooooh I'm excited. I'll get on that once I've finished my externship.

Anyways, my cosplay.

I am, by no means, an expert or even intermediate level when it comes to cosplay. I'm still learning a LOT. For the most part, I'm self taught. If I can't find someone to ask advice from, I scour the web to find tutorials. Typically, though, I WING IT. Seriously, I didn't even know about different kinds of hand stitches until last year. ORZ I'm still not sure how to alter patterns, so I typically just try to draw up my own.

I started cosplaying in 2007, thanks to my college roomie. I was only vaguely familiar with the hobby and had never attended a convention. She decided that I would, somehow, make a perfect Anise Tatlin (Tales of the Abyss). LOL I look back at that and I just sob all over the place. I wasn't aware of turning things inside out. I had a dinky one stitch machine that sounded like a Gatling gun. It didn't have the ability to back stitch. I didn't even know what a back stitch was...I had no idea how to use makeup and had never worn a wig before. I didn't even bother with a wig because I thought I could make do with my own hair (which is totally acceptable sometimes...not in this case). OMG. I was a hot mess. Sorry. hahahaha We all start somewhere, right? I'm a little too embarrassed to show you all a picture, but I want to encourage people who are starting out...sooo...here:

There it is. For all the world to see. /hidesforever (Un)fortunately, I couldn't find a full length picture of the costume. I dug around for a while and this was the only thing I could find on coscom. :\ I never saved any of the pictures because I cringe whenever I see them. haha Not gonna lie, though, I quite like my Tokunaga. His head is a bag. :D Sooomeday, I'd love to redo this cosplay. 

I've learned a lot since then. I don't cosplay often, but it's always fun when I do. It's a great hobby when you've got people that you enjoy it with. <3 

Enough of all of that. Here's pictures (from oldest to newest). Now, this isn't everything that I've ever cosplayed, it's just what I'm actually proud of or have good pictures of. 

Xia (Beatmania IIDX)

photo by divideby0

Tsugaru - gollypog | Iroha - rai_kamishiro

photo by Cliff Nordman 

Taokaka (BlazBlue)

photo by SakuraGraffiti (DA/FB)

photo by Rattmice (flickr)

Bang - shadownet752 | Litchi - sakusakus | Hazama - Earthbounder

Matryoshka Gumi (Vocaloid)

photos by shiroin (DA/FB)

Kaito - otomegane | Luka - owldepot

QB (Madoka Magica)

photo by MinhP (DA/FB)

photo by shiroin (DA/FB)

Mami - rai_kamishiro | Sayaka - RikoMaeda | Madoka - snippershoo | Homura - Astellecia

Kanoko (Pop'n Music)

photos by MinhP (DA/FB)

Ayame - rai_kamishiro (both costumes made by her, too. :3)

Female Ace Trainer (Pokemon B&W)

photo from GamesRadar

male trainer - rai_kamishiro

Panda Hero Gumi (Vocaloid)

photos by LilithFire (DA)

Green Gumi - rai_kamishiro

Aoi Asahina (Dangan Ronpa)

I messed up so bad on the bangs. OTL NEVER CUT YOUR WIG WHEN YOU HAVEN'T SLEPT.

photo by Everon Fancam (FB/ACP)

photo by keneden (flickr)

Whoa. That's a lot. haha There's a few others that I haven't had the chance to get a shoot with, stuff like Pinkie Pie and Happy Synthesizer Gumi. Somedaaaaayyyy.....

While I was typing this, I got a friend to volunteer for the first cosplay spotlight! Yaaaay! That's going to be coming up soon. So keep an eye out! 

Ta-ta for now!