Cosplay Care

[Mahou Shoujo Michi]

Well, first off, let me say that I cannot give any advice on making costumes.  ^_^; Some cosplayers may consider it a sin..but *whisper* I buy mine! *dun dun dun!*  But hey, we all have our talents right? And sewing is not one of mine.  What I can give advice on, is how to -care- for your costume or at least what I've found works.  Please note this is all based on fabric-type costumes.

- Keep yourself clean.  Showering regularly during the con will help keep your costume clean, or at the very least not smelling like sweat

- As fun as it may be, don't wear your costume 24/7, take it off for awhile, let it air out.

- When packing your bags, make room for a "cosplay-care kit" this can include things like Febreeze for fabrics, Spray on dewrinklers (Like Downy) and no-wash stain removers (like Tide to Go )  Please note that these products aren't all material friendly.  Do a fabric test before spraying down the costume you worked 300 hours, or spent 300 dollars on

Other tips

-Whether you make or comission your costume, try to add a pocket or two somewhere on it, even if it's on the inside of the costume.  This makes carrying things like cards, cellphones, money, etc a lot easier.

- Have fun! Strike a pose! Woot!


I understand most people already know about tips like this, but for a novice or first timer, maybe something will come in handy.

[darkshardsyuki]

I'd like to add a few helpful things to the kit.

For the person *keep these on you if you have big pockets, a bag, or room*

1) Extra deodorant and/or body spray *the little travel ones you can get are helpful and portable*
2) A brush or comb *you can get a fold up one that can go in your pocket*
3) Hair gel if you need it *you can transfer some gel into a travel shampoo bottle to keep on hand, just check the lid to make sure its closed*


For the costume *these are small and should be kept on you no matter what, they can be as important as your wallet, more if they can safe you from lasting embarrassment should the unthinkable happen to your costume*

1) Needle and thread that mataches your costume so that if something tears you can repair it
2) Safety pins *the life saver for costumes, even if you don't use them there will always be someone wondering around asking if anyone has some because something happened to their costume and they need them.*

[MagRowan]

Here's a quick tip for cosplays - Hang up or otherwise remove your costume from whatever you used to transport it in (i.e. suitcase, garbage bag, etc) immediately.  Pulling your costume out and leaving it in the open will usually allow the costume to settle back into its regular shape and will keep wrinkling and warping to a minimum.

[Mahou Shoujo Michi]

I'd like to add a few helpful things to the kit.

For the person *keep these on you if you have big pockets, a bag, or room*

1) Extra deodorant and/or body spray *the little travel ones you can get are helpful and portable*
2) A brush or comb *you can get a fold up one that can go in your pocket*
3) Hair gel if you need it *you can transfer some gel into a travel shampoo bottle to keep on hand, just check the lid to make sure its closed*


For the costume *these are small and should be kept on you no matter what, they can be as important as your wallet, more if they can safe you from lasting embarrassment should the unthinkable happen to your costume*

1) Needle and thread that mataches your costume so that if something tears you can repair it
2) Safety pins *the life saver for costumes, even if you don't use them there will always be someone wondering around asking if anyone has some because something happened to their costume and they need them.*

Great tips!  Though I would like to add, body spray is not an alternative to bathing XD A light misting is fine, but don't drown yourself in it, ne?

[Kari Kitsune]

No offense, but if you're going to look out for the cosplayers out there, you guys are missing one huge thing. Always always go the extra mile to make sure you are healthy while walking around. You know those "you can't live on pocky and ramune alone" signs? They couldn't be more true. As a person who has several health problems due to small, insignificant situations, along with a horrible stubbornness to keep others happy, I am constantly having to make sure I have things I need to keep my body in check. Water, inhaler, meds for heat-induced headaches, small snack food (NOT junk, things like energy bars and such) and whatever else for what might happen to me, is all very important. You can't assume that being in a hotel will keep you from having anything bad happen, the more you have on you while walking around the better, I seriously cannot stress that enough. No one wants to be taken to the hospital in a costume!

[darkshardsyuki]

Great tips!  Though I would like to add, body spray is not an alternative to bathing XD A light misting is fine, but don't drown yourself in it, ne?

I only added body spray because some costumes are really hard to get off and a quick spray of body spray when your deodorant is wearing thin and your about to enter a packed room is a small blessing for everyone around you. And I agree, there's no need for a french bath at a con when there are showers so close by. ^_^

No offense, but if you're going to look out for the cosplayers out there, you guys are missing one huge thing. Always always go the extra mile to make sure you are healthy while walking around. You know those "you can't live on pocky and ramune alone" signs? They couldn't be more true. As a person who has several health problems due to small, insignificant situations, along with a horrible stubbornness to keep others happy, I am constantly having to make sure I have things I need to keep my body in check. Water, inhaler, meds for heat-induced headaches, small snack food (NOT junk, things like energy bars and such) and whatever else for what might happen to me, is all very important. You can't assume that being in a hotel will keep you from having anything bad happen, the more you have on you while walking around the better, I seriously cannot stress that enough. No one wants to be taken to the hospital in a costume!

I loved those signs and I agree energy bars or fruit bars are a good thing to have with you even if you do go out to eat. The diet/meal bars they have at stores are good to cause they're healthy and filling.

[Mahou Shoujo Michi]

No offense, but if you're going to look out for the cosplayers out there, you guys are missing one huge thing. Always always go the extra mile to make sure you are healthy while walking around. You know those "you can't live on pocky and ramune alone" signs? They couldn't be more true. As a person who has several health problems due to small, insignificant situations, along with a horrible stubbornness to keep others happy, I am constantly having to make sure I have things I need to keep my body in check. Water, inhaler, meds for heat-induced headaches, small snack food (NOT junk, things like energy bars and such) and whatever else for what might happen to me, is all very important. You can't assume that being in a hotel will keep you from having anything bad happen, the more you have on you while walking around the better, I seriously cannot stress that enough. No one wants to be taken to the hospital in a costume!

I understand the importance of eating and drinking healthy at the con, in fact a LOOOONG time ago I had a thread on stuff to eat at the convention XD  The reason I didn't mention it here is because I started this thread as "cosplay care" not "cosplayer care" in other words, tips for stain removal on costumes, and keeping them clean.

But like I said.. your points are excellent!! Bravo!

[Kari Kitsune]

My friend is hypoglycemic and I'm...well, I'm not technically that, but I do have a tendency to start shaking and get faint and weak if I don't take care of myself, so that's the only reason I say that really. I think I'm just a notch under being hypoglycemic. And yeah, I got that it was cosplay care, but it started to slightly turn into cosplayer care, so I decided to add. I've yet to have anything too important to do with cosplay care other then the needle and thread thing. I had that happen to me during the video game jeopardy XD I had to fix a seam rip on the very short skirt I was wearing while I sat there watching my boyfriend!! I felt silly. Oh oh, and never ever wait until the last minute to do little things on your costume, especially if you drive a long way. Driving+sewing=bad mojo.

[Ai-imoutosan :D]

Oh, Here are a few of mine (All learned form experence D,: )
+Don't Pack your main part of your costume along with everything else, it might get dirtied or wrinkled. It works well of you get a Dry-Cleaning back and put all of your fabrinc in there, then lay it our in your car, and hang it up when you get to your room.
+Spend the money to get a foam wig head if you don't have one. You can pin your wig to it, and it keeps neat.
+Have something between your food and your cosplay when eating. THings have a 100x better chance of spilling if you are in cosplay.
+Most places have an Iron in the room/one you can rent, so that Iron-sewing tape is awesome for fixing big.
+Even if you don't need to use the tape or anything, Ironing is a great idea. (Don't forget to use the Low setting on some fabrics!)

[Miracle Shining]

A good tip to remember is when you have a wig for your cosplay, take it out of it's box or bag when you reach your room and immediately run your fingers or a brush thorugh it (especially if it's long) to reset the shape.  After that, take a few moments to see if any pinning, curling, or braids fell out of place or came undone.  This gives you plenty of time to reset the wig and then enjoy the convention!  =^^=

[Katie]

I'd like to add garment bags do wonders when transporting costumes. They keep your costumes from getting dirty, it's much easier to grab the bag then to have to grab each individual hanger, and it keeps any accessories you have in with the costume so they don't get lost. Ziplock baggies are really good for all those little easy to lose costume pieces.

If your anything like me its good to make a list of all the specific costume pieces for each individual costume, even if its stuff like shoes or socks. I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten something essential to the costume like specific shoes, specific colored socks, or armbands for a costume. Good to make a checklist that way you don't leave anything behind.

[Kari Kitsune]

I have to drive for 7 hours to get to the con, so I was wondering, would it be better if I put my wigs on a foam head and set them up in the backseat so they don't fall over very easily, or just pack them away? Only one of them will be a ton of pinning and gelling and stuff, and the thing about that one is it's in a ponytail too, so it really does need A LOT of it. One of the other ones only needs gelling for the hair to stick up in the style of hair, but that could be done at the con itself...

[Miracle Shining]

I have a similiar trip to take to the convention, mine is about 8 hours to get there.  If your wig requires a lot of pinning or setting like mine does, I recommend you do leave it on the styling head and then do what I tend to do if there's room, set it on a box and literally seat belt it in the back seat.  It sounds funny and gets a few odd looks, but I've learned over the con years it can keep the wig in close to it's best condition and little restyling is needed when the destination is reached!  =^^=

[Kari Kitsune]

Ok, but the other ones will be ok to just stuff away? (in the best way I can possibly put it XD)

[Miracle Shining]

Ok, but the other ones will be ok to just stuff away? (in the best way I can possibly put it XD)

If the wig is an easy "bounce back" wig (one that can easily be put back in it's style), then I see nothing wrong with placing that kind of wig in a box of carefully wrapped in a bag and then secured.  Many of my "simple" wigs are usually stored in a box along with small accessories for costumes, which is handy for both in that case!  =^^=

[Kari Kitsune]

Alrighty, I'll have to try my best when I get the wigs to figure out the best way >>...

[FullMetal - Kuroi Tsubasa]

One thing I have learned, if you have a costume that is material and then also hase some plastic that has been painted or something, MAKE SURE they are not touching eachother while packed. I got paint all over one of my leather costumes and it won't come off T-T. It was plenty dry but it still happened.

[MissingFish]

If you have something that rips easily and cannot be repaired (like pany-hose) ALWAYS bring extra. Last year I thought I was being all paranoid because my sister and I brought six pairs of panty-hose for four wearings. We went through every single pair.

My friend was wearing this cape-thing with these...things on the bottom (I have *no* idea to this day who, exactly, she was supposed to be) and she told me how easy were they to make, but she didn't have any extra with her, nor the materials to make more, and they were ripped within an hour of her getting to the con. Her coutume didn't look the ame without the...thingies.

[Miracle Shining]

Another good cosplay tip involves small accessories.  Take a moment to make an inventory of your accessories for all your cosplays and then take a look at what you have.  Are there earrings that may fall apart or ribbons that will come loose?  Bring not only a small sewing kit or tacking kit, but a glue gun.  I can't tell you how often that glue gun has saved me when little things like hair clips or chokers have malfunctioned!  Also, keep all your accessories organized to prevent inconvenient and potentially cosplay damaging tangling later!  =^^=

[.:.Hideyo.:.]

oooo Good tips everyone!
I think a garmet bag is an awesome idea. I have one for dance, and I use it for cosplay! I also keep my "handy dandy cosplay box!" That I use for cons, it contains everything for my costumes! A package of neetles, matching thread to everything! Safty pins, fabritac, band-aids (don't ask). Last year it also contained the paint for my shoes. For Your own hair I recommend Hair nets! They keep hair (when in a bun) Together. I use them ALL the time ^^. And This year I will be keeping Feathers and bobby pins as well.