My first cosplay, and you know what? I think it turned out okay. I mean, it's not perfect, the hem of it is torn, and it's made from a bedsheet and plastic flowers and a simple frame, but it's mine. This past July I cosplayed the Fat Lady portrait for the midnight book release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and I loved it. Nothing could beat the satisfaction of knowing I had executed a costume so well that no one could be in doubt as to who I was. I finally understood why cosplay is so satisfying to such a large group of nerds. It's unbelievable fun!
Don't get me wrong; making a costume isn't easy. In fact, it can be tedious, or even cause minor injuries. This time I only burned three fingers on a hot glue gun, and narrowly escaped stabbing myself with a sewing needle. But those are minor battle scars to endure for the final product. The best part that makes all the injuries endurable (and the yelling from your parents to, "Clean up this mess!") is that you get to literally step into the shoes of a beloved character. For me, any Harry Potter character is well-loved and nostalgic, so it was just the first of many dream moments.
Honestly, pulling of a costume to the extent where it is no longer a passable outfit for Halloween but a legitimate cosplay outfit makes you feel a bit like a rockstar. If you ever need a boost of self-confidence just step into a room full of nerds in a spot-on rendition of Han Solo or Hagrid, and watch the jaws drop and the compliments flow. As someone who does anything creative with a bit more ambition and severity than considered normal, having multiple people ask to take a picture with you because your costume is just that good is so gratifying. And at the end of it all, it's just pure, unadulterated fun.
Cosplaying is so much more than just going to those department Halloween stores and cobbling together a costume. It's about researching and tailoring and cobbling together a disguise that molds the character you choose to who you are, so both are represented in an unimaginably well-cobbled together appearance. It is the epitome of getting to "be a Disney princess" for a day, and just living a fantasy.
Yes, it's super nerdy. Yes, it's a lot of work for a few hours of glory. Yes, it's a little beyond the realm of being a fan. But cosplay is cool and creative and completely, insanely entertaining, and walking into a room full of decked-out fans feels like being dropped in a crowd of your favorite fantasies, and very best new friends. So prick your finger on the spindle, sew a sheet together and get cracking, because New York Comic Con and Halloween are on the way!
