Cosplay is more than just the moment I put the costume on.
Cosplay is the hours of work I put into sewing a strip of fabric only to be ruffled under a skirt, a place where no one will see.
Cosplay is having your roommate stand behind you and tighten your corset just a bit tighter.
Cosplay is inviting friends over for food and having them help you stitch little pearls onto a bodice.
Cosplay is getting to a convention and forgetting a huge piece of your outfit forcing you to improvise.
Cosplay is walking in high heels all day despite having the coordination of a newborn horse.
Cosplay is walking through the halls of your dorm after a convention, grey paint smeared on your face and horns lopsided as you swipe in and make your way to the nearest shower.
Cosplay is the friends you make. The times when you sit on the floor in the convention hall sharing the last box of Goldfish and laughing over the weekend.
Cosplay is deciding to continue wearing your costumes to a sushi place just because we can.
Cosplay is the weird stares you get in public when you're walking around town in a ballgown.
Cosplay is when a piece of your cosplay breaks and complete strangers come over helping you repair it.
Cosplay is pushing yourself to learn new skills. From learning how to sew to learning how to make armor.
Cosplay is teaching. Telling those newer to the scene than you about etiquette and, most of all, bathing during a convention.
Cosplay is sitting at a convention for your friend to walk down with duct tape stars over his nipples and in a mini skirt and no one bats an eye until he realizes he has to take the duct tape off later.
Cosplay is coming up with the most beautiful outfit only to realize you didn’t make it so you could use the bathroom.
Cosplay is running from panel to panel forgetting to eat and making sure to snap a few pictures of cool cosplayers along the way.
Cosplay is the drama that happens. When friends fight over pieces of cosplay, when things go missing in hotel rooms.
Cosplay can also be the opposite. When people cosplay characters so unlike them to just step outside of who they are for three days and in doing so learn more about themselves.
Cosplay is when people begin to refer to you as a character, rather than your name.
Cosplay is a community.
Cosplay is companionship.
Most of all, cosplay is supposed to be fun.
