Who made the rule that cosplayers must make their own costumes?

[Anonymous No.7086151]

Who in the fuck made this rule up? Why is a "good" cosplayer have to be held up by this stupid rule? Most fashion models don't make their own dresses... and what if you were't born with model body? I think it's fine for a cosplayer to have someone make cosplay for him/her.

[Anonymous No.7086156]

I think overall most people don't have a problem with it, as long as they don't try to enter any contests or performances with it or put up a facade that they made it.

[Anonymous No.7086160]

>>7086151
Also handmade costumes tend to be better. Ebay and Chinese ones tend to suck balls and they still charge a lot. Where as buying it off someone who commissions work personally. If its so hard that you can't do it, then it's also too hard for a random factory worker being paid peanuts to do.

I think it's also an anime thing. No one ever give beef to all the dudes/chicks in store bought superhero leotards.

[Anonymous No.7086161]

This started long ago, long before you were born 16 years ago OP, back when anime was still an underground thing in the US and the internet didn't exist.

Without the internet people couldn't just buy shit online or hire commissioners easily, and they had to resort to showing their love for an obscure franchise by actually making a costume of a character based off that franchise.

Making your own cosplay started because there was no real easy way back in the day to buy costumes en masse.

Also, if you make your own costume you are obviously doing a lot more work than somebody who just buys a costume so people are going to respect you more.

"I'm a baker."
"Oh cool, did you make that cake?"
"No, I hired somebody to make that cake for me, but I frosted it and displayed it, so I am still totally a baker."

[Anonymous No.7086175]

>>7086151
Quality is better for hand made.
Hand making something expresses talent.
It can prove that you really care about that character from all the time your poured into the costume.
Basic skills can be learned from making your own costumes and can actually help you in the future.
Not to say you absolutely can't buy online (I bought a France for a last minute panel entry.) but making your own is far more impressive and worth discussion.

[Anonymous No.7086185]

>>7086151
Most fashion models are known for their rigorous diet and exercise programs and their near inhuman proportions that allow them to be walking mannequins. A great model is considered great for many reasons, none of which include their ability to have clothes put on them.

A cosplayer is judged on their physical appearance, their natural traits, the accuracy of their costume, their use of fabrics and materials, their painting skill, their ability to apply makeup, how well they can style a wig, how well they can work with wood, worbla, wonderflex, and other materials that only exist for cosplay, and so many other things that all translate to how dedicated, skilled, and talented they are.

If your cosplay skills begin and end with ordering something of numbaonecheapcosplay dot com, or bidding on ebay for your shit... Then whats impressive about that? Sure, if you look good and the costume you bought isn't shit, then that's cool. You look like the character and some people will take your picture.. But in between that, they're going to be talking to the cosplayer who actually did all the work and made their shit by hand because that is inherently interesting and admirable, considering that there is no cosplay school or learning program that will teach you all the skills you need to know to be a really great cosplayer.

[ValleLator !nCGvC6eOuQ No.7086200]

>lolitas buy brand
>OMG SO KAWAII LOOK AT DAT COORD
>cosplayer buys (good) costume
>LAZY FAGGOT PIECE OF SHIT FUCK YOU

Logic.

[Anonymous No.7086203]

>>7086200

Yeah but lolita is a "fashion" and cosplay isn't. If you use that example then we should be able to say:

>person buys clothing at GAP
>OMG so KAWAII LOOK AT DAT GAP SOLID TEE
>cosplayer buys (good) costume
>LAZY FAGGOT PIECE OF SHIT FUCK

It's not the same thing.

[Anonymous No.7086206]

>>7086200
Are you the retard who made this comparison in the last thread, Valle? Because it's still fucking retarded because cosplay isn't a fashion like lolita. Lolita is about creatively coordinating readily-made clothes, cosplay is about making a costume according to a character's reference sheet.

I swear what the fuck are you doing on this board. You're one of the most shittiest tripfags we have ever had and you don't even cosplay.

[Anonymous No.7086230]

It's not a rule. You can wander around the con in a bought or commissioned costume. Do photoshoots in it, and have a good time.

It's really only frowned upon in competitions. Cosplay is not just about making yourself look like a character or dressing up like a character. Though to many people that is the biggest point. There is also a huge focus in the community about learning, building skill, and creating things, coming up with creative solutions to problems. There's also a big competition aspect to cosplay when it comes to masquerades/cosplay competitions.

In a way just buying a costume can imply that you don't have the skill to do so. But as a person that's cosplayed for a long time and has competed and won awards, I wouldn't be opposed to commissioning a costume to wear around for the sake of dressing up like a character. I don't know if I'd go the route of buying a cheap costume off ebay or a cosplay store because I can't vouch for the accuracy, fit, or quality though. But that's just me.

In other words, I don't really care what others wear. But it becomes a problem when you pass it off as your own work when it's not. If you're not doing that and just having a good time participating, it's all good in my book.

[Anonymous No.7086234]

>>7086230
>In other words, I don't really care what others wear. But it becomes a problem when you pass it off as your own work when it's not.
This.

[Anonymous No.7086238]

>>7086206
Well, cosplay is about portraying a character as accurately as possible in real life, actually.

If you make your own costume, but you have a shitty attitude and don't try to portray the character (EG act like them) you're still a shit cosplayer. [cosPLAY]

If you buy your costume, but act well and portray the character's personality, you're a good cosplayer.

Not being able to sew =/= bad cosplay.

[Anonymous No.7086239]

>>7086200
Cosplay and Lolita have some big differences.

A big part of Lolita to many people is collecting and owning pieces that they like. Most people buy things in Lolita, where the creativity is mostly focused in coordination. In cosplay, the creativity and work is focused in the creation process.

Though well-done handmade is really praised in Lolita. But to make something well in Lolita is a lot more difficult than to just make a nice looking costume. With costumes, it's acceptable to cut a few corners and still look great. For Lolita which is a fashion, cutting corners and half-assing it will make you stand out like a sore thumb. That said, if you sew costumes well and properly, trying to make them believable garments, you can make lolita clothing pretty well with some research. But anyway that's a bit besides the point.

[Anonymous No.7086246]

>le epic meme picture
>thinks cosplaying is about modeling

[Anonymous No.7086253]

>>7086151
like a couple of other people have said, originally, there was no buying of costumes so making them was the standard, and if you are going to compare 2 equal looking costumes, 1 handmade and 1 not, you have to give a little more props to the hard work that was put into the hand made version (not saying none for the other, but just more for the extra work). The hand made ones do also fit better. That being said, i'm a talentless hack who's tried to learn but it's just not happening, so i commission. And people are ok with it so long as i really strive to look like the character, have all the details down, am a genuine fan of the series, and tell the truth and give credit to where i commissioned from! (<-really important!) i think the real bitchiness about making vs not making stems from hacks who buy then lie about it, dont even know the series, have inaccurate outfits but dont even care to fix the problems and/or are just der to get der tits/abs/ass/watevr out, which frankly bugs me too

[Anonymous No.7086258]

>>7086253
I think the bitchiness comes from the fact that the people who don't make their own shit expect as much recognition and respect as the people who do.

I have far more respect for somebody who makes a bad looking costume on their own than somebody who looks perfect and didn't do jack shit.

[Anonymous No.7086279]

>>7086258
that's a bit mean. i don't think anyone said anything about wanting anything close to equal respect. i even said above the handmade obviously deserves more. But if someone's poured their hard-earned money into something they are really passionate about, and they've worked hard to source really accurate stuff, and they're not pretending they've made it themselves, I don't think it's fair to say they deserve to be told to fuck off just and excluded just because they don't have the same skill as some better cosplayers. I think OP was asking in the ragey sense of cosplayers who do buy, but who work on sourcing really accurate stuff being lumped in with the weebs who've just bought shit from ebay and have horrible messy wrong coloured wigs and stuff. It does seem a bit unfair to be deemed shit tier if you've sourced hard and used lots of your money to look proper and your cosplay looks really good

[Anonymous No.7086294]

>>7086258
I actually got to see this in action, first hand at this past Gen Con.

So, I spot this awesome Travis Touchdown and Sylvia as I'm strolling about and stop to take a picture. The Travis is just sort of hanging around, but the Sylvia looks like she's been sitting on the floor doing the sexy pose for a while (for at least as long as it took me to walk down the hall and get close enough to take a picture)

I snap the photo, and start complimenting them on their costumes. The Sylvia is gladly accepting compliments, while also trying to get people's attention as they pass by, giggling and doing the little wiggly finger wave to them.. Then The Travis cosplay just shuts her down and starts talking about how they made everything, including the Sylvia's costume.

Even though they both looked great, he had my attention locked down now, because I was more interested in the work he had done, and the effort put forth than the sexy attention whore who was all "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME!"

[Anonymous No.7086304]

>>7086279
>It does seem a bit unfair to be deemed shit tier if you've sourced hard and used lots of your money to look proper
>used lots of your money to look proper

This is what kills me. This right here. It sounds like you are saying that it doesn't matter how much hard work you actually throw into it, just how much money you throw at it.

[Anonymous No.7086305]

>>7086253
>>7086258
The bitcheness comes somewhat justified as mentioned before people with lackluster store bought outfits or people who throw costumes from their closet that only slightly resemble the character are demanding to have their photos taken or complain about being ignored.

It gets worse is that many of the well known cosplayers are letting their sex appeal take center stage and don't focus on the construction side and craftsmanship. I'm not saying that these people don't make great looking outfits it's just that it almost seems like they're sidelining their own talents and emphasizing how good they look as models than as how skillful they are at making things.

[Anonymous No.7086309]

>>7086304
>anon talks long and hard about pouring effort into finding accurate, well made stuff
>you go and focus on a single sentence about money

[Anonymous No.7086312]

>>7086309
Because it's a stupid sentence that really jumps out at you. The Bible is full of a bunch of shit about loving your neighbour, but people still focus on that once sentences about hating the gays.

It's the stupid shit that people always latch on to.

[Anonymous No.7086317]

>>7086312
It's about gay prostitutes but yeah.

[Anonymous No.7086320]

>>7086161
>and the internet didn't exist
Stopped reading right there

[Anonymous No.7086321]

>>7086279
>>7086304
If someone is passionate about something then more likely than not they will produce quality results just because they have an emotional interest in the hobby so to them putting in extra time, energy and money is secondary as they're doing something they love.

The sad truth of the matter is that just because you spent a lot of time, energy and money on a costume that it will look good as those elements can be directed in the wrong areas and using incorrect techniques. At the end of the day the end result is what matters the most. No one is going to see your costumes price tag or how many hours you put into making it, if the outfit doesn't look appealing them people will not care.

[Anonymous No.7086322]

>>7086320
I'm sorry but I don't count something that disconnects the minute you pick up the phone as the internet. I count that as being shit.

[Anonymous No.7086323]

>>7086161
What a terrible analogy.

[Anonymous No.7086326]

>>7086321
I'm saying that money shouldn't even be a factor into how well your cosplay looks. I understand that obviously if you have more money you have access to better materials and stuff like Worbla, but you shouldn't discredit good cosplayers who work with limited funding.

If you actually know shit about materials you can make a good costume for under $100.

[Anonymous No.7086341]

>>7086309
>pouring effort into finding accurate, well made stuff
Pffffftthahahaha

Yeah.

No.

Browsing ebay and checking a few of the typical sweatshop cosplay stores online does not equate to the same effort as making a garment that has no basis in reality or any pattern to work from, or building a ridiculous prop from scratch and elbow grease is not the same thing as 'finding' something that happens to be well-made.

Fuck you.

[Anonymous No.7086366]

>>7086304
same anon from before who said that.
im sorry, i guess i didnt phrase it right then. i didnt mean it that way. of course hard work trumps it. but i'm just saying that working hard at work, earning those extra bucks, getting the exact outfit commission to sit right, even replacing some bits that aren't accurate enough - basically not having the sewing/crafting skills, but doing everything in your power to accurately represent the character and looking well shouldn't equal shit-tier automatically just because it's bought. as a side note, i do also agree with No.7086294 and No.7086305 too. im not a fan of credit hogs or people who aren't into the cosplay for cosplay reasons. i'm always dead honest about where my stuffs from and would often recommend the maker to people who are interested in how the stuff was made, and i've genuinely never once been a showboater - i just enjoy being a fan and if anyone asks for my photo that's just gravy

[Anonymous No.7086370]

>>7086341
>implying that I said it was the same thing and same amount of effort

Woah, you bitches sure are mad. Did a girl with an ebay costume get more attention than you, steal your boyfriend and rape and murder your family?

[Anonymous No.7086375]

>>7086341
never implied that for a second anon. chill :) i said accurate as possible =/= shit tier , not bought = handmade. handmade always deserves the credit for their hardwork

[Anonymous No.7086393]

>>7086370
This is a terrible response. It's stupid snarky bullshit.

>>7086375
This is a good response. It assert the posters original point without resorting to "LOL UMAD JELLYFAG?"

I'm not of the mind that bought costumes, even from some chinese sweatshop, are always bad, but I think it's fairly silly to even try and equate the effort of shopping to the effort of tailoring, prop making, wig styling, and every other skill that can go into a great costume.

[Anonymous No.7086395]

>>7086375
>handmade always deserves the credit for their hardwork
What is the handmade outfit is pure shit?

[Anonymous No.7086396]

>>7086366
>working hard at work, earning those extra bucks
>impyling people who make their own costumes don't do this also

[Anonymous No.7086400]

>>7086294
Right into the reaction image folder with you!

[Anonymous No.7086411]

>>7086395
then be nice. maybe it's their first time? it doesn't make their effort vanish. maybe they'd even appreciate tips and help? :)
>>No.7086396
not at all. i know you guys work hard too. but you guys get that recognition. we get shit-tiered with the people who don't try. again, i'm probably not phrasing my point well here, but my point was that there is effort put in, even if parts of it are commissioned, so we don't deserve to be shit-tiered unless the cosplay's actually shit. does that sound better? i don't know if effort's the appropriate word either, but i think maybe people understand what i'm trying to say?

[Anonymous No.7086431]

>>7086395
At least they actually fucking made it. Seriously, if they keep at it they will learn.

[Anonymous No.7086459]

>>7086366

If two people decide to cosplay the same character, the person who decides to make the costume from scratch inherently has more obstacles to overcome and has to expend more resources in order to produce the same result as the person who buys the costume.

This is what most people believe. However, you have to make too many assumptions for this to be true 100% of the time.

[Anonymous No.7086482]

>>7086322
But AOL had big anime/cosplay communities.

[Anonymous No.7086497]

>>7086482
AOL also lacked a comprehensive, safe, quick, and easily accessible series of cosplay stores that would rapidly churn out affordable costumes for budding cosplayers.

[Anonymous No.7086507]

>>7086294
>Then The Travis cosplay just shuts her down and starts talking about how they made everything, including the Sylvia's costume.
I'd like to do this, just make really good costumes for people and get to parade them around at a convention. It would be really hard to not be a smug "I own you" sort of asshole, but getting to see people admire things I've made (that I have no hope in hell of ever wearing) would be really cool.

One day I'll make beautiful classic-lolita dresses for people to admire. One day ;_;

[Anonymous No.7086514]

>>7086497
AOL also has a fast, easy, and secure dial up web browsing.

[Anonymous No.7086519]

I honestly don't care if you buy or make your costumes. Sure it's pretty cool to find out that someone made their huge elaborate dress/armor all from scratch, but in the end, we're all just a bunch of nerds in costumes, you guys.

Personally, I would love to make more of my costumes, however the fact of the matter is, I don't have the time. I would love to feel the pride of being able to say 'I made this!' but until I free up some time, I can't. I don't have the skill either, and a lot of us tend to be perfectionists and want things to look as perfect as possible. I want to improve my skill, but like I said, time.

[Anonymous No.7086522]

ITT: People who want reward without putting in any effort.

Fuck you assclowns.

[Anonymous No.7086524]

>>7086522
Herewego.jpg

[Anonymous No.7086628]

Making a costume by hand:
>Researching the structure
>Patterning, which is a fucking bitch to do seriously and it takes a lot of fucking time
>Finding and buying the right materials for it which costs HARD-EARNED MONEY
>Taking measures
>Possible scrap versions from scrap fabric
>Cutting the fabric, another time-consuming process
>Actually sewing it, possibly over and over again because some part's not working out
>Fitting it on
>Sewing more
>Cutting/sawing/etc. prop materials which rarely are cheap
>Possible epoxy/resin work
>Sanding and gluing props
>Painting props
>Wig styling
>etc. etc.

Buying a costume:
>WAHHH MUH MONEY I NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT CLOTHES THAT FIT THE COSPLAAAYY YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I LOOKED FOR THIS JACKET ONLINEEEE

So yeah, I got nothing against bought costumes in general but I do have a problem with people who are butthurt because they expect their ~hard-earned~ eBay costume to receive just as much respect as a handmade one.

[Anonymous No.7086639]

>>7086628
This. Everything of this. Thank you.

[Anonymous No.7086646]

I laughed so hard reading this. Just another one who can't sew/make props and wants recognition for buying it all. To be the same as someone who has suffered and put a lot of effort on doing a hand-made cosplay.

Yeah, clicking the "Buy now" button on ebay is hard, isn't it? Is harder than sewing one's finger up. Yes.

[Anonymous No.7086645]

The west has made cosplay all about craftsmanship and making the costumes. In Japan no one really cares if you buy costumes or not.

Buying is only a problem with competitions.

[Anonymous No.7086648]

>>7086175
Pretty much this.
Also, entering a CRAFTSMANSHIP CONTEST with something that is not your own work is disingenuous at best, blatant cheating at worst. That is mainly what /cgl/ has a problem with; we don't care as much about people just -wearing and modeling- costumes they didn't make. Although, we do kind of complain about anything and everything sometimes (see: Jnig.) Still, my point about contests stands.

[Anonymous No.7086647]

>>7086628
Even if you do all this though you could still look shit.

[Anonymous No.7086651]

>>7086645
Yes, in Japan almost everyone buys their cosplays. Except in competitions, that is. Or supposedly, I remember that Summit when Japan won and many things were not done by themselves...

I think it's not the same to buy than to make (the later should be given more credit and applause, really), except if you want to enter a competition. Then, I absolutely dislike when people try to participate or sneak in with bought costumes if the rules say it's not contemplated.

[Anonymous No.7086656]

I love how the few anons saying bought is okay, or a decent amount of work always seem to include a clause admitting they also buy their costumes.

No. Buying a costume is never the same as actually making it. Commissioning it can be okay, considering it should be hand-made and fitted just by someone else. Buying a mass-produced item is almost guaranteed to be shit. It won't fit right, it won't end at the right places, and it will be with cheaper materials. It's not even comparable. No one is going to dive down your throat, but you aren't considered even a decent cosplayer.

[Anonymous No.7086666]

>>7086400
oh god lol, saved
>>7086459
>>7086396
these

[Anonymous No.7086699]

>>7086656
That's kind of bullshit though if you consider the amount of great japanese cosplay there is while knowing that majority buy. Just take a look at the cosplayersarchive cosplay buy and sell area and take a look at the costumes you could get. You can still be a perfectly decent cosplayer regardless if you buy. You could spend forever handmaking a costume and still look like a giant pile of shit. Just because you made it your self doesn't mean you're automatically better.

[Anonymous No.7086735]

Born 200lbs, overweight? Good luck being a GOOD cosplayer... no one will want to recognize you for anything other than your costume/prop-making ability. There are are three people in the cosplaying world, one who can model/protray characters well, one who can make great costumes for cosplayers, and one who can do both. All are the same. It's like musicians. Some can play the piano and sing at the same time, some cannot. Don't try to to put those who play piano and sing at the same time on a higher level, they can still suck shit.

[Anonymous No.7086750]

>>7086645
That's bullshit. Japan has a whole fucking bunch of magazines DEDICATED to patterns for cosplay costumes, prop making/makeup tutorials and wig styling/sewing tips. If you actually bother to browse cure you'll see that a lot of Japanese cosplayers make their costumes by hand. The "western invented and pushed the handmade ideology on cosplay!!11" rumor is just made up by those sad people who want recognition and admiration without going through the trouble of actually making their own costumes.

[Anonymous No.7086761]

>>7086699
>You could spend forever handmaking a costume and still look like a giant pile of shit. Just because you made it your self doesn't mean you're automatically better.

Nobody was implying this. The point was that you can't expect to get the same recognition and admiration as you would with a handmade costume because clicking the buy button simply doesn't require as much dedication and skill as a handmade costume. But different strokes for different folks, I myself admire a handmade average cosplay more than a flawless, boring factory-made cheap costume polyester wonder that doesn't have any signs of dedication nor originality.

[Anonymous No.7086764]

>>7086200
>lolitas
>anything to look up to or even sane enough to be considered logical

pick one

[Anonymous No.7086772]

>>7086735
>Born 200 lbs, overweight?
I feel sorry for the woman who has to carry around a 200 lb baby for 9 months and push it out.

[Anonymous No.7086815]

I think a lot of you guys are missing the point of cosplay entirely. If you're just going out to have fun, there is absolutely no problem buying your things. Most people in the cosplay world, if I'm correct, don't really care if they have their photos taken or not. They're just there to HAVE FUN. It's a hobby, they don't NEED to make their things. It's downright fucking rude to shame people just for trying to have fun.
Yes, there are those asshats who claim it as their own and try to go into contests with it, yes, they exist. They should be scolded for it.
Yes, it's awesome someone put so much love and care into their costumes, extra kudos to them, people like that are very inspirational, and they drive many others, including me, to improve my skill.

It's funny, you people claim to hate the show Heroes of Cosplay. Yet you all act exactly like the girls on that show.

[Anonymous No.7087639]

>>7086815
You're missing the point of the entire conversation. Nobody's trying to stop anyone from using bought costumes. Nobody's shaming anyone for it. The problem is those people who get a bought costume and DON'T WANT TO HAVE FUN but instead get the same admiration and recognition as those who went through the trouble to make their own costume by hand.

[Anonymous No.7087649]

>>7086750
Have you considered that they both make and buy costumes? Have you actually been to Japanese cosplay events and studios? They do make costumes but they do also buy and see both as valid ways to cosplay.

[Anonymous No.7087673]

>>7087649
So where in this post did they say that the Japanese DON'T Buy their costumes? Like in the west they both buy AND make their costumes.

[Anonymous No.7087690]

>>7086238
This.
I know plenty of cosplayers who buy their costume but act far superior than even those who made their own cosplays but can't act for shit on stage so they look retarded. Just depends on the cosplayer and how well they can pull off the look. So long as their not competing it's not a problem.
Yaya's comment on: You can't fully embody a character truly unless you make the costume yourself is bullshit.
Even then the people who make it themselves always somehow have others helping them secretly, even fucking Yaya.
>her wig, or even just getting into the costume
She never credits these people, but without them she wouldn't be able to cosplay the character.
There are plenty of people who put effort into looking perfect who buy everything and nail it. But then there are those who buy it but don't bother to alter anything and end up looking like shit giving those who purchase costumes a bad rep. What's worse is when they lie about it. I've had friends lie to my face without even realizing it was wrong to do so. But if you give credit where it's due there's nothing wrong.

[Anonymous No.7087701]

>>7087639
No. You just sound jealous. It's not their fault for people admire them. You can't stop fans from liking people you don't deem worthy enough. Get your head out of your ass anon.

[Anonymous No.7087708]

>>7086161
Just because you didn't sew it yousrelf doesn't mean you didn't work hard for it. It may mean you put work into it in another way--maybe by working for the money TO buy it??

Not that hard to understand.

Handmade seems better in most cases, but I think all of the shunning for buying cosplay is fucking retarded.

[Anonymous No.7087711]

>>7087639
I understand where you're coming from, honestly, but a lot of people, as someone else said, can't help the fact that they're getting recognition. ( tumblr is a big contributor to this) They could tell people to stop liking them because they don't deserve it, but people are still going to like them anyway. ( Probably because they're attractive.) People would probably just call them 'modest' despite them insisting there are others who deserve it much more.

I don't completely understand people who cosplay for things other than fun. It's strange, really.

[Anonymous No.7087713]

>>7087708
THIS

Some people may put more work into handmade, but some people may put more work into buying an outfit! It depends!

People act like "throwing money at it" is not hard work, but where the fuck do you assholes think money comes from? From working, you stupid asshats! This discludes maybe some people who mooch or something, but there are some people who might look really hard for a high quality cosplay because they do not know how to sew well enough to make it. They commission it for a price which is often really high if you are getting good quality! You have to pay for it somehow, so people have jobs.

[Anonymous No.7087723]

>>7087713
>because they did not have to work to pay for materials.

[Anonymous No.7087724]

>>7087711
Fans definitely play a big role. They can either make an idol, or ruin them for life depending on the fandom. I've seen some be ruthlessly sexist on one girl because she had huge boobs despite covering them up in every other cosplay. It's sad sometimes when they have to read those comments every day. That's why I try to focus more on the fun side of cosplay, I can't imagine having to deal with that kind of stress, it'd ruin cosplay for me completely. Of course there's always that feeling of jealousy when they get so many likes, but everything comes at a cost.

[Anonymous No.7087727]

>>7087723
What? You cover the cost of material and labor when you buy things?

... Reword your point?

[Anonymous No.7087736]

>>7087727
Well, not really...

1. Factories buy in bulk so material = slightly cheaper.
2. You mess up and end up having to rebuy stuff.

[Anonymous No.7088144]

>>7087701
>>7087711
Actually, I meant that
>but instead get the same admiration and recognition as those who went through the trouble to make their own costume by hand.

As in they WANT the admiration, actually DEMAND it but they are not getting it because they're not going through any trouble or putting any effort into their costumes.

Nevertheless, get the fuck out.

[Anonymous No.7088192]

I kind of want to start using the distinction of "model" and "costumer" in the cosplay world.
There's nothing wrong with buying costumes and modeling, and getting well known. Good for you for getting famous for modeling.

My problem is when you DON'T CREDIT who you commissioned or where you bought your shit. You could just say "ebay" or "found pieces" but when you commission something and don't credit, and you've got 12,000 likes on facebook, that is what pisses me the fuck off.

I call myself a "costumer" on my page instead of just "cosplayer" because I actually make my shit. I just like making and wearing costumes, so I guess if I was in a bind and needed something easy and cheap, hell yeah I'd buy it off taobao or something. But most things are cheaper for me to make, because the cost of materials and hours put in would skyrocket the price.

[Anonymous No.7088197]

Have the people advocating buying costumes in this thread actually sat down and tried (numerous times, not just once and gave up because it was too hard) to make a cosplay?

As someone who has done both it is an entirely different experience and feeling to go from buying something (and i'm one of those who also spent hours..days...hell months scouring the internet and thrift shops to find just the right article of clothing for my cosplay) to sitting down and creating it from my own hard work and determination.

Seriously, try it sometime. Or even just try some of it, try to make your prop sometime, or style a crazy wig or do some elaborate makeup. The feeling is awesome and when you walk around in something that came about from hard work and dedication the feeling is fantastic.
When someone says 'nice cosplay! ' and you MADE the thing they're complimenting? That's the fucking tits man.

And seeing yourself improve and make progress, watching yourself get better and better as you go is just the icing on the cake.

Of course, and everyone often forgets, everybody cosplays for different reasons and some people just don't feel that kind of joy out of creating something for themselves. If you're happy enough just putting on a costume and derping around a con then so be it, no one will care unless you lie about making it.

[Anonymous No.7088198]

>>7088144
As someone who just went to a convention wearing a self made armour cosplay I nearly killed myself over for 6 months with a girl who bought a cosplay on ebay and proceeded to spend the next 8 hours at the convention whining and throwing jelly fueled shit fits that no one was taking her picture and only taking mine , this is fucking ridiculous. Didn't even have to style the wig or put on a lot of makeup and still DEMANDED that people take her photo as well or it 'wouldn't be fair'.

[Anonymous No.7088302]

>>7086279
>>7087708
>>7087713

IIT: People who believe materials don't cost money and also, putting your own time and effort into crafting a costume has zero monetary value.

People like you actually exist...

[Anonymous No.7088308]

>>7086151
Because if you aren't making the costume then you're just a person in a model for it, WHICH IS FINE, but don't except people to be in awe of something you just swiped your card to purchase.

Also, quit being a lazy shit and learn to sew. It's not that hard ffs. So tired of people complaining about this.

[Anonymous No.7088353]

>>7088144
>>7088198
Then yes, those people are a couple of dumb bitches. If you buy your costume you shouldn't be expecting or demanding loads of praise. They don't deserve it compared to others. Making your costume has more value, OBVIOUSLY, but if you're just going for fun and not to bitch about getting attention, there shouldn't be any problem just wandering around in a bought one.

[Anonymous No.7088357]

>>7088308
> but don't except people to be in awe of something you just swiped your card to purchase.

And what if that happens? There are a ton of really god Durarara cosplays out there. Does the fact that these outfits were thrift store purchased or bought off of ebay discredit how good they look?

[Anonymous No.7088368]

>>7088357
Then...congratulations..?

Anon is saying that people who don't make their own costumes are fine. But a lot of people often buy cheap looking ebay shit and then have the gall to be all butthurt when they don't get the same recognition as people who made theirs.
That's it.

[Anonymous No.7088375]

>>7088357
>Does it discredit how good they look?

How good they look? No. Although I will say that thrifts store cosplays usually look like garbage unless the character wears pretty normal clothes.
But you are retarded if you honestly can't see the difference between a cosplayer who actually makes everything they wear and one who just buys it off ebay. One person worked very hard to create something they love, where as the other person just did a google search and clicked Buy Now.
>inb4 well what about the money they worked for to buy it
This argument is invalid to me. Why? Because Cosplayers who make their own stuff not only work for the money to buy the materials, but then they put double, even triple that amount of work in actually making it. So much of the creative process is trial and error, tears of frustration, and guess work. You can't put a price tag on that.

I'm not saying you have to make your own shit to be a cosplayer, but personally I don't have a whole lot of respect for people who purchase costumes and then act like they deserves something for it.

[Anonymous No.7088376]

>>7088353
And there isn't one, there really isn't a problem. The people who DO have a problem with it are a pretty small minority. No one is going to bust your chops for just wandering around a convention for fun in your bought costume.

It's the ones who whine and snivel about not getting the recognition they feel they 'deserve' (Though honestly people who make their costumes are guilty of this as well. Just because you made it and it looks like shit doesn't mean you deserve all the praise either)

[Anonymous No.7091019]

>>7087708
This, so much.

[Anonymous No.7091062]

>>7086161
So if a BAKER BAKES a cake
Then does cosplay now mean the same thing as seamstress?
Because cosplay is like ~60% performance/presentation honestly.

[Anonymous No.7091087]

>>7091062
If that was the case then obviously nobody would care if people made their own costumes and we wouldn't be having this debate.

The first thing out of most people's mouth when they admire your costume is 'how did you make BLANK' or 'how did you style that wig' or 'did you make that?'

People care because like it or not craftsmanship is highly valued in this hobby.

Does that mean you can't enjoy yourself if YOU don't value craftsmanship? Of course not.

Again, I can't stress this enough.
Most people DO NOT GIVE A SHIT. The only time they do give a shit is when people lie and say they made it or when people who didn't make it expect the same amount of praise as those who do.

So what, exactly, is the issue?

[Anonymous No.7091197]

Because the majority of people who don't make their costumes by pre-made ones that are crappy and awful and look like shit. The majority of cosplayers can't seem to consistently afford to pay for commissions of good quality and thus people who exclusively buy their costumes and look great in them are relatively few in number.

That being said most people wont care unless you're a cocky brat (ie. have the "i am the best x character ever" mentality or similar) or are entering cosplay competitions.

Most of the people who bitch about people hating on them for not making their costumes are those who try and tote that buying a costume is equal to the same amount of work to putting together a costume yourself.The way I see it is like thi:. You bought your costume and maybe even a pre-styled wig, you spent a lot of time on your makeup and maybe you made a prop to go along with it. That's fantastic, and you should be proud of your efforts but I don't think you are necessarily entitled to the same level of admiration/respect for your craft than somebody who did exactly what you did but also took the time to personally craft a well fitted costume garment. It's not that the other person is "better" than you or that you're a bad cosplayer. It's just that, that person took the extra step to put together something that was truly unique to them and learned an understanding of how to use a variety of materials and skills in order to make a costume.

[Anonymous No.7091227]

Because OP, when cosplay was born here in the US the only way to get a costume that was close to accurate was to make it yourself, thus the focus and emphasis of cosplay in the US was on craftsmanship. Since it was so difficult to find costumes out in the wild we prided ourselves on making them.

10 years ago finding a commissioner was not easy and it was usually just you getting a friend to do it, hardly anyone could spend all their time making costumes. Now there are people with entire businesses built around creating replicas. It is also much easier thanks to the internet to purchase premade from overseas. Despite these shifts the standard was established in our culture to value the handmade.

[Anonymous No.7091272]

>>7086322
>I don't count something that disconnects the minute you pick up the phone as the internet
WebTV, you snob. And then I can pick up where I got interrupted.
You whipper snappers think you have it hard because it takes so long to batch an entire anime series of only 12 episodes.
Back in the day, there were VHS tapes with only 4 episodes on them. You were lucky if you got 5. And if it wasn't direct from a working master, you prayed that it wasn't bendy on your TV when you watched it. And the process took Hours to copy a tape, weeks to send away and get it back.

You don't know how good you have it, and are spoiled by instant results.

>Oh and USENET NEWS GROUPS

[Anonymous No.7092028]

>>7086294
Is that girl just chilling out there or is she supposed to be a part of the photo?

[Anonymous No.7092044]

>>7086258
Yet who has the fame again?
Yaya and a bunch of commissioners.
Answer to the "why do we hate them" question right there.

[Anonymous No.7092075]

>>7092028

Part of the photo.

[Anonymous No.7092087]

Another cosplayer got upset because I had to have someone paint my back with PAX. Apparently that means I didn't do my own makeup (nevermind the fact that most of it was hidden under the costume). She tried to convince me that I was ineligible for contests because other cosplayers spent hours trying to reach those places. Bitch, then those other cosplayers must be fucking dumb.

This subject is just tiring. You will never make everyone happy. Just don't buy shitty costumes or say commissioned items were made by you.

[Anonymous No.7092092]

>>7086206
No, that was me anon. But my lolita comparison is still more valid than Valles.

I just thought it was fucking stupid to call a cosplayer a whore for treating cosplay like a fashion.
Ignorant for missing the entire point of cosplay, but still not a whore.

[Anonymous No.7092127]

As a photographer and videographer I don't give any 2 fucks about whether it was made or bought. If it looks good and the craftsmanship is there, I love it. I don't care how it was done. That is cosplay.

[Anonymous No.7092394]

>>7092127
>That is cosplay
To you it is.
Not everyone has the same standards for what makes something cosplay.
Which is why this whole thread is kind of dumb.

[Anonymous No.7092821]

i will still respect someone in a bad handmade costume more than someone that looks good in a bought costume, but there's nothing wrong with buying your costume. but people will not give you respect for the craftsmanship of the costume.

[Anonymous No.7092869]

>>7086246
It is actually a huge part of cosplay. Regardless of if you made it or not, you're modeling your work, presenting yourself to the fans, and on top of that you also have to look amazing on camera to get noticed. I feel this is why things get so catty, even among males [ex Living Ichigo, God, ect.], a lot of cosplayers want to model for a living or be invited to cons so they can pretend to be celebrities. The elitists gloat about it whenever they can. Yet most cosplayers lack the height or weight to fit into fashion so they lean on their costuming skills to get noticed. Then when one gets recognition the shit storms begin. Not making your costume is an easy attack, but I hear several common ones that are usually brought up among 'famous' cosplayers. Even if an idol who made everything becomes big in the cosplay scene, they'd still find ways to rip them down, look at Yaya. We naturally nit pick them to degrade those who are succeeding so we look better. In reality though, cosplaying doesn't even pay unless you compete, and most of the contests are rigged to begin with. If you can make a carrier out of it, good for you! Even better if you only cosplay for fun! But for the most part cosplayers are just average social misfits trying to justify their expensive hobby, self promotion and deluded wasted lives. In my biased opinion.

[Anonymous No.7093188]

>>7087673
>>7086750

The vast majority buy actually. The ones who usually make are seen as 'professional' cosplayers. A lot of those magazines also include make-up tutorials/stance tutorials that are also for those who don't make their cosplay but want to fully look like the character portrayed.

[G !!0KLJYlknxts No.7093666]

Nothing wrong with buying costumes if you're not entering contests. You're not going to be the black sheep of the convention as people are going to view you favorably if you show a legit interest in the series an fandom. Just don't expect people to take you seriously if you try to give advice on how to make something if you haven't proved you can make a costume.

To those who mainly buy your outfits I do stress to at least learn some techniques on your own to be self sufficient. If your bought/commissioned outfit needs to be repaired then you're going to need to hunt down someone else for help to get you on your feet. This goes double with styled wigs as they need to be touched up as you might need to wash and restyle depending on the products used.

[Anonymous No.7098341]

Let's make a set of rules /cgl/:

"THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH:

>not knowing the source material you're cosplaying from -- IT IS FINE (daijobu!)
>not making your own costume and buying everything -- IT IS FINE (daijobu!)
>seeing cons as just as a 'nerdy-lol!' version of raves -- IT IS FINE (daijobu!)
>slutting around and spreading STDs -- IT IS FINE (daijobu!)
>Hitler's work -- IT IS FINE (daijobu!)
>cosplaying as a cute couple with your boyfriend even if the characters aren't a couple, or are relatives -- IT IS FINE (daijobu!)

RESPECT THESE RULES, OR ELSE!"

[Anonymous No.7098349]

>>7098341
what is "daijobu"?

[Anonymous No.7098467]

>>7098341
Sarcasm is fun. But yeah, if my boyfriend wants to humor me and dress in costume from a series I like, I'm not going to force him to watch it.
Oh wait. It's OK for guys - my bad. We're all good here.

[Anonymous No.7098479]

>>7098467
Normal guys don't do that, in general. Only attention whores / "cosplay divas" like Maguma. He's basically a female, due to this.

[Anonymous No.7098485]

>>7098349
"It's ok" or "I'm ok"

[Anonymous No.7098488]

>>7098341
>cosplaying as a cute couple with your boyfriend even if the characters are relatives

I don't know why anyone would disagree with that

[Anonymous No.7098503]

I have a commissioner making me an Origami Cyclone cosplay. I specifically asked them to advertise themselves on the armor. Once I'm at the convention, I'm going to photobomb every fucking picture and photoshoot I can find.
If anyone asks if I made my costume, I'm going to ignore them entirely and just strike poses while shouting out some inane catch phrase.

[Anonymous No.7101298]

>>7098485
No, daijobu means "I have a shitty job".

[Anonymous No.7101329]

>>7091087
People ask questions like that because they admire that detail and want to know how to do it themselves. I've actually gone up to people and asked to see their seams before because I liked the way they looked, and learned a new skill. It's more about the sharing of information and not the Spanish Inquisition trying to find out if you made your cosplay. A few times I've asked about a detail and they've said it was bought, so I found out where so if I ever feel like buying a cosplay, I can look there.

[Anonymous No.7101349]

>>7101329
Did I give the impression that these questions were negative? That wasn't my intention.

[Anonymous No.7101355]

>>7098503
>I'm going to photobomb every fucking picture and photoshoot I can find.
I never got why people did this, especially photoshoots. Like, I get it's for shits and giggles, but it just pisses most people off, plus it's rude to the people who had to organize the photoshoot

[Anonymous No.7101417]

From most of your perspectives this is how my cosplay experience is going to work out:
>work super hard to get sexc swim abs
>le sigh no sewing skill so gonna buy Free! swim suit
>le me cosplay sexy gay swimming
>Anon: lolfagetyoudidntmaketehcosplayyousuckgohome
also obligatory
>tfw no qt animu bf

[Anonymous No.7101458]

>>7087713
People who make their costumes not only work hard for the materials... but then work hard making it.

By your logic, they deserve double recognition because they've done twice the work as people who just bought their costumes.

[Anonymous No.7101553]

>>7091087
How come people don't consider the time spent crafting a physically appealing physique as time spent on cosplay? It can take up to a year for some to get a good body and it requires constant work on a near daily basis with proper nutrition that you always have to maintain.

[Anonymous No.7101562]

>>7086161
>that analogy
>that snarky tone
You're stupid and don't understand why that analogy is horrible.

[Anonymous No.7101590]

>>7101553

> Implying cosplayers who make their own costumes don't watch their figure too.

Basically, the only thing buyers sacrifice more than crafters is money. But after taking into account tools and back-up material, the difference is nearly negligeable.

[Anonymous No.7101622]

>>7101355
Not if it's done right. The idea is to get caught in the picture as if it wasn't your intention - so that everything looks normal until you realize that a large abundance of photographs have that one guy in the background.

[Anonymous No.7101699]

>>7086323
Better analogy for you, Anon:

"Hi, I'm a fanartist."
"Wow, that is a beautiful piece of fanart!!"
"Oh, no, I found this on some website. I'm reposting it online because I thought it was pretty."

[Anonymous No.7101716]

>>7101699
Still a bad analogy considering the person wearing the costume paid for it. Try another one, though. You're getting close.

[Anonymous No.7101736]

>>7101590
Also if buyers put 'time' into their cosplay by working for money, why not take time in consideration to makers? I mean, some costumes take 100+ hours, that could be work and a TON of money.

[Anonymous No.7101739]

>>7101417

I think accuracy to the character is the first thing that should be considered. If the quality of a bought item is equal to or better than doing it yourself then I really don't see the problem.

[Anonymous No.7101755]

>>7101699
"Hi, I'm a fanartist."
"wow, that's a beautiful piece of fanart!!"
" I commissioned it."

[Anonymous No.7102147]

>>7101590
Not to the extent you see really /fit/ cosplayers and their bodies. I'm not talking about just being skinny but actually having well defined muscles. Someone who's devoted a lot of time to the craft of cosplay is not going to be working out as much

[Anonymous No.7102167]

>>7086161
Die virgin fuck. Die.

[Anonymous No.7102182]

>>7102147
I suppose. But some cosplayers who make their costume are /fit/. And a big lot of cosplayers who buy aren't. Because if they have to work for money, then do they really have time to get those six packs?