Naval Piercing (Day Fourty-Five)

I got my naval pierced today. My mom hates it, haha, but she knew I was going to get it. What upsets me is that I won't be able to cosplay Mello, or anyone else who shows much of their stomach. It's a good thing that my boyfriend and Mom have always made me do conservative cosplays, otherwise I'd have nothing to wear. I don't consider any of my everyday outfits to be slutty, a little on the provocative side maybe, but I'm also not one to be modest. And it just so happens that I like some characters that are more on the really-not-modest side. I'm rambling. In any case, Mello will stay in the closet for a year. Or until I get a proper flesh-colored shirt. I have to say though, Mello's not the most comfortable costume to wear, what with the wig and the scar. I've been wanting to make some more comfortable costumes anyway.

READ MORE - Naval Piercing (Day Fourty-Five)

Yaoi Con 2009

Today was YaoiCon! YAAY! I really regret not going on Saturday. There was nothing to do, almost literally. There was registration, a swap meet, and the viewing room. The viewing room wasn't showing anything that particularly caught my interest, but I got Chobits (manga) volumes 1 - 6 for $35, so that was awesome. It was also amazing to be around the older fandom. I never realized how many of the annoying fangirls / fanboys were underage until they were all gone. I was not glomped, squeeled at, molested, or harassed in the slightest, all of which happened at various other conventions. We (my boyfriend and I) did get asked for pictures (I was Mello, he was Matt, from Death Note), and girls did squeel and "aww" but never in our faces or ears. Everyone was very polite and there was only one person I would label as obnoxious, but I wrote it off as excitement and they were easy enough to ignore.

Overall, I good convention, I wish that I'd gone on a better day, but I'll definitely go back next year.

READ MORE - Yaoi Con 2009

Closet / "Lazy" Cosplayers

A decently-timed post. No way.

And still nothing cosplay-related. I had intended on making, or at least starting, Mello's belt buckle, but that didn't happen.

I may change my Halloween costume from a butterfly to the Ace of Spades.

So now's a good time to discuss another cosplay issue. Death Note "closet cosplayers." I'm talking about the ones that grab a white shirt and jeans and call themselves L, or the ones that run to Hot Topic and call themselves Misa.

I can sum this up quite simply: Who cares?
You don't know why they did it, you don't know how hard they tried. Maybe they didn't have enough money for a "real" cosplay, or if they couldn't find the items, it was last-minute, or their amazing, spectacular costume got destroyed the night before.

Now, if they're running around going "OMG! I'm L! Take my picture and give me free Pocky NOW!" then by all means, decapitate them. Otherwise, there is no reason to look down on them or waste your energy disliking them. That is much worse than "lazy" cosplayers.

READ MORE - Closet / "Lazy" Cosplayers

Pleated Skirt (Day Six)

I really need to get on a regular schedule posting these things. I had actually intended to post at ten tonight, but I got caught up with sewing. I looked at the pattern for my Mello jacket and it made my head explode, so I put it away.

We learned pleating in my Costume Construction class today, and my mom wanted to drag me to WalMart, so I ended up with some awesome black & white checkered fabric for a pleated skirt. However, I severely underestimated the difficulty level, which is why I'm up so late.

I can't believe that I honestly haven't had any cosplay news lately. I had intended to make Mello's skull belt buckle today, but the rest of my life had other plans.

READ MORE - Pleated Skirt (Day Six)

Cosplaying to Be "Different"

Another sadly cosplay-less day. And another late post (my laptop battery died). I had intended to start making my jacket today, however I spent my time cleaning up after my party. So, today's topic is: Cosplaying to be "different."

Cosplaying does make most people unique within their own communities. Whether they be the only cosplayer in their family, circle of friends, school, or even city, they will never be the only cosplayer ever.

As far back as I can think, originality is always what gets you noticed, and it seems like everyone wants to get noticed. And why wouldn't they? Fame is glorified in television, movies, and anywhere else you look.

The search for a better lifestyle, the instinctual desire for easier survival, has in a sense evolved into the search for being unique. However, I do not think that cosplaying is the ideal way to be different.

No matter what you choose to cosplay, there are others who have done it first, and those who have done it better. I believe that cosplay should not be used as a way to be unique or gain fame. It is a hobby. Just like knitting or building model train sets.

READ MORE - Cosplaying to Be "Different"

Mello's Gun Promised (Day Three)

I had a birthday party today (well, yesterday, the 26th), which went overnight, so I couldn't post or do anything cosplay-related.

For my birthday, I was however, promised a prop handgun for my Mello cosplay. I have yet to see it, and the propmaker, a good friend of mine, couldn't come to the party, so I have no idea when it'll be done.

I couldn't even go the whole party without talking about cosplay, but in my defense, my friend bought it up first. They actually brought it up a few times. They really support what I do and find it amazing that I'm learning to sew, and can do it well.

In fact, I'm rather proud of myself. I love the clothes that make, they're unique, and since they're custom, they fit my body well. I always get a great response, before I mention that it's for a costume, anyway. Then all I get is "Oh..."

READ MORE - Mello's Gun Promised (Day Three)

Cosplay & "Normal" People

I'm posting this a little late, I know. I got really sick today and couldn't even find the strength to use the laptop until after midnight.

Nothing cosplay-related really happened today. I showed a couple people the fabric I bought for my Mello jacket. They equated it to a Santa Clause suit. Ha. Haha. Ha. Great.

They teased me about it for about a minute, but it got me thinking.

My friends understand cosplay. They understand why I do it, what the appeal is, and how the community works. They've even cosplayed a couple times themselves, and yet they still tease me about various aspects of my cosplayings, perhaps because I take it more seriously than they do.

Society as a whole generally looks down on cosplayers. People do not understand us, so they act like what we do is wrong. As if this wasn't bad enough, cosplayers are also divided amongst themselves.

Cosplayers that make their costumes don't have much respect for those who buy them. Those who buy costumes mock those who make them for wasting their time or becoming "obsessed." When people who don't understand it at all look down on cosplayers, shouldn't cosplayers stand as one and defend their fandom, instead of fighting each other?

READ MORE - Cosplay & "Normal" People

Mello's Jacket Fabric (Day One)

Today was a slow cosplay day, but at least I made some forward progress. JoAnn's was having a sale that I thought ended today. Turns out the coupon I used was actually supposed to be for next week, so I wasted energy stressing about using it for nothing.

I bought the fabric and pattern for Mello's jacket. It's not perfect, and there's no way it'll be accurate, but for once, I don't think I care much. I would like to have a more accurate jacket maybe eventually, but since I wasn't even going to do it in the first place, I'm just happy to have it. =]

READ MORE - Mello's Jacket Fabric (Day One)