A Beginner’s Guide to Cosplay
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard of the term cosplay before. In short, to cosplay is to dress up as a character or concept. You’ll likely end up investing in a cosplay costume, which might even include specific cosplay accessories, a cosplay wig, and other cosplay props.
If you’ve got a favorite anime show or character and love to act out concepts from either, you’d probably enjoy anime cosplay! Common cosplay examples include characters from League of Legends (LOL), Star Wars, manga, and more.
If you’re still a little lost, don’t worry. At Moeflavor, we know all about cosplay and are big fans of it. We also love including sexy lingerie in the mix of dressing up in cosplay, but we’ll get to that later. While you’re here, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of what cosplay is (for example, it’s not simply a Halloween costume!) and how to become a cosplayer yourself.
Read in to get the best definition of the term to really get the gist.
What Is Cosplay?
We gave you a little taste of the definition above, but there’s more to cosplay than just dressing up. While that is the main part of what defines cosplaying, there are more details to share to make sure you nail it. This is your time to shine if you’re someone who loves acting things out and truly embodying your favorite characters and scenes.
When people cosplay, they’re emulating their favorite characters, shows, movies, and concepts. This is similar to what you do on Halloween, but in our opinion, much cooler because you can really go all out. In fact, Halloween cosplay is even a specific style of dressing up that adds a new layer of spookiness.
In many cases, like at conventions such as Comic-Con, you can wear multiple high-quality costumes for events that are more than just one day (think looks inspired by Deadpool, Legend of Zelda, Captain America, and The Witcher, for a start).
You can really go all out when you cosplay. That means you can go so far as to role-play and get the characters' mannerisms just right. Trust us; if you go to a cosplay convention, it might be hard to tell if someone’s acting or if you’re standing with the actual character.
What Is the History Behind Cosplay?
Believe it or not, people haven’t always been into cosplay. We know; shocking. The term “cosplay” started in Japan in 1984. At the time, people took inspiration from the 1939 science fiction convention and began their own costume convention. Even though cosplay itself wasn’t happening until the 80s and 90s, some things led to its start, such as masquerade balls and fancy-dress parties.
It’s no shock that dressing up has been something fun and creative for all genders to take part in for a long time. The difference here is the type of characters and roles played out. The most popular choices in the cosplay world to dress as include anime characters from video games, movies, books, and more.
The fun thing about cosplaying is that you can either purchase a costume directly from a store that’s ready to be worn (like new arrivals from Moeflavor) or create your own twist on the costume, adding as much or as little detail as you’d like. Costumes can be judged at conventions, which adds to the hype.
What Are the Different Types of Cosplay?
It can feel overwhelming to think of all the options you have while choosing a cosplay outfit. There are many different types of cosplay, which all have different levels of detail and take on the whole experience.
We’ll talk details down below on a few of our favorite ways to cosplay. Check them out.
The Nod
Just like we touched on, cosplay under this category is the simplest and probably most cost-efficient way to join the cosplay community. If you either don’t have the money to go all out on your costume, or simply don’t want your outfit to be that extravagant, then this is the way to go.
The nod just means that you can show up wearing a t-shirt that gives a reference to whichever character or show you want to represent. Trust us, this easy way to cosplay is still welcome among cosplayers.
The Expression
This type of cosplay involves slightly more thought and detail, but not so much that it will make you feel overwhelmed about dressing up and going out. This way, you can find a costume that’s already been created so you don’t have to worry about putting all the pieces together. If you’re trying to cosplay a character like Jinx from LOL, this is a great option.
If you choose this way of cosplaying, you’ll still get to look like your favorite character without spending much time and money on it.
Genderfluid
This is a super fun way to go about cosplay! If there’s a character you want to dress up as and they’re a different gender, genderfluid cosplay just means that you can imagine what that character would look like if they were their opposite gender.
This type of cosplay is fun because you can really get creative with the design of the costume and the hair and makeup. Don’t put the character in a box! People love to see characters reimagined, and it’s fun to come up with an original design.
The Crossover
Hang with us, because this is a slightly more complicated version of the traditional cosplay. The crossover involves taking whichever character you decide to be your main one and putting them in a different universe. It’s no surprise that there are many different worlds and universes among comics and shows, so this is just a fun way to put a spin on dressing up.
A way to do this would be to add different levels to the costume. For instance, imagine if Harry Potter was also a member of Star Trek. Adding layers, details, and elements from different worlds to your costume is a creative way to cosplay.
The Humanized
What does this mean? This version of cosplay is pretty straightforward. You take a character that you love who isn’t human, like Minnie Mouse or Wall-E, and dress up like them as if they were human.
What’s cool about this version of cosplay is that there is more than one way to embody those characters who aren’t human, and no two impressions of the costume will be the same. Get creative with this one and try to make it obvious who it is you're dressed as.
What Are Cosplay Conventions?
You’ve done all of this hard work to put together an amazing costume, so now what? If you thought creating a costume was fun, you’ll love this next part. People often get all dressed up to go to a cosplay convention, where everyone dresses up to partake in costume contests, signings, pictures, and more.
Going to a cosplay convention makes the whole thing worth it because you get to have fun and be surrounded by other fans. Talk about what you all love about this unique culture as you have fun sharing all about your costume (or costumes).
Cosplay in Lingerie
If you want to get a little freakier, there’s a way to do that too. You can cosplay while wearing lingerie, which takes the look to a whole other level. This doesn’t have to be kept in the bedroom, but by all means, you can do that as well.
Here at Moeflavor, we have stunning lingerie options that work great as pieces for cosplay. There’s something for everyone, so if you’re interested in showing a little more skin and taking on a sexier version of your character choice, then this is the topic for you. Whether you choose to wear a full-on swimsuit or find a sexy bodysuit that matches your character’s vibe, you’re sure to stun anyone who sees you.
Below, we’ll give you a couple of our go-to cosplay lingerie pieces and how you can wear them as your costume.
- You can wear our Hell Rider lingerie set and go for a devilish anime costume. This is a more revealing option, so it’s perfect for late-night cosplay. Pair it underneath a costume for a bit of mystery and fun.
- If you want to take on a more cutesy, kawaii cosplay look in lingerie, then definitely choose our Sweet Talk heart set. This lingerie set comes in pink, black, and lavender, so there really is a style for anyone.
- Our Soft Spring Cow lingerie set is the perfect option if you want a little more fabric so that you can wear it in more places than one. Wear this with a great pair of chunky boots to nail the look.
Take on Cosplay
Do you feel like you’re an expert in all things cosplay by now? We hope that you do and that you’re inspired and excited to take on this creative and unique way of dressing up. We adore cosplay as a hobby and think that you will too.
Grab a couple of pieces that fit your personality, and go show it off!
Sources:
What Is Cosplay: The Truth About The Cosplay Phenomenon | WHO Magazine
All You Need to Know About Cosplay, Its History and Relevance | Fibre2Fashion
The Wyntercon Guide to Different Types of Cosplay | WynterCon