Can you tell this is like, my favorite wig to wear?
No?
It's not that obvious now, is it?
Hey everyone, and welcome back. Thank you so much for tuning in to this week's video.
Today I decided to do a video that I've been meaning to make for a little while,
and that is talking about five common misconceptions that I have seen surrounding cosplay.
A lot of these I've gotten through comments from people asking if doing X or Y is okay,
or if doing X or Y makes you any less of a cosplayer, so this is something that I really wanted to address.
So that's what we're going to be talking about today.
But, before we start, today's video is actually sponsored by lovely people over at Amino.
If you don't know, Amino is an app that you can download
that basically connects you with a whole network of communities based around common interests,
essentially making it so that your convention weekend never has to end.
For example, if you aren't able to make It to the next big convention like Fanime or Anime North,
you can still catch a glimpse of other people's convention experiences through Amino's many communities.
Every Amino community is essentially like its own mini convention that you can access at any time or any place.
For example, I'm in the cosplay Amino right now,
and as you can see there are people chatting, kind of like how you socialize at conventions,
there are people reading posts, kind of like how you attend panels to learn new things,
and there are people giving likes, commenting, and browsing other people's cosplay photos,
kind of like what you do when you see cosplayers in the hall that you really like and you exchange compliments with them.
In posts, you can find people sharing their fanarts, kind of like how they do in Artists Alley,
and you can check out the latest cosplays, just like you do when you're at a convention.
But it doesn't end there; Amino also has a whole bunch of public chatrooms
where you can socialize and make friends with the people who have the same interest with you,
much like how conventions have meetups where you can socialize and make new friends,
and basically bond over your shared interests.
Every Amino is like its own global convention happening seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year.
And they can cater to basically every interest.
Essentially, if it exists and people are a fan of it,
there is an Amino community for it.
You can download Amino for both iPhone and Android, and if you do end up checking it out,
don't forget to go over to Cosplay Amino and follow me.
I have a poll up there right now that you can take part in where I asked what your favorite thing to do at cons is,
so please be sure to swing by and we can talk about our favorite activities together!
Links of course will be down in the description below.
All of that being said, let's jump into "Five Common Cosplay Misconceptions."
So the first misconception that I hear about a lot, mostly through comments from you guys,
is that there is an age limit or restriction on becoming a cosplayer.
I got a lot of people asking if they are too young to start cosplaying,
and a few people also asking if they are too old to start cosplaying,
and the truth is, is that there is absolutely no age "barrier" to entry whatsoever.
The only thing that, I guess, kind of comes close is the fact that if you go to a convention and you are underage,
you do have to have a parent or guardian with you who is over the age of 18, and they also sign a waiver,
but aside from that, there's nobody standing at like the gates of the cosplay community,
telling you that you have to wait four years to start.
You can start cosplaying at any time, you're never too young, you're never too old, cosplay is...
It's a hobby. It's for fun, and anybody can do it.
And if anybody tells you otherwise, they're...
Wrong.
Because...
That's...
Dumb.
You can cosplay at absolutely any age, so there is no age restriction whatsoever.
That brings us to misconception number two,
which is that it only counts as cosplay if you're cosplaying from anime.
This, again, is *completely* false.
You guys might notice I haven't cosplayed from anime in many years. You can really cosplay from anything.
"Cosplay" is short for "Costume Play," so as long as you put on costume, and you play around...
You're cosplaying.
Some people cosplay Flo from Progressive Insurance?
She's definitely not from an anime.
You can honestly cosplay whatever the heck you want,
be it a canon character, your own character, somebody else's character like a friend's character, or whatever,
you can cosplay from any medium as long as it is a cosplay that you want to do -
Go for it.
There's no limitation whatsoever.
And, fun little history, cosplay actually originated in the US at science fiction conventions.
There was actually a couple who decided to make their own sci-fi inspired outfits.
They weren't even canon characters, they were just their own sci-fi inspired outfits,
and they decided to wear these outfits at a science fiction convention, and people ended up really enjoying it,
and it kind of blossomed from there into the trend that we know today.
So again, there's no restriction on what you can and cannot cosplay.
Sky's the limit, do what you want.
Moving on to misconception number three, that is:
You are not a real cosplayer if you buy your cosplay.
And again, this is completely false.
What makes you a "real cosplayer" is if you take a cosplay,
and you put it on your body.
That's it.
That's literally all it takes.
Doesn't matter if you make it, commission it, buy it; totally doesn't matter whatsoever.
So don't be afraid to buy costumes that are pre-made, don't be afraid to have somebody make your cosplay for you,
that doesn't make you any less of a cosplayer.
The only issue that people have with other people buying costumes
is if you enter a contest and you claim the craftsmanship as your own.
So if you've commissioned a cosplay, or bought a cosplay online, and you basically tell people that you made it,
or you're competing for a craftsmanship award and again, you take the credit for this work that you didn't do,
that's where people get upset.
But aside from that, there's absolutely nothing wrong going to a convention in a cosplay that you bought and having a great time,
and if anybody tells you otherwise, they are wrong, and you should not listen to them and just have fun.
Love yourself, be yourself, follow your dreams.
[SNAPS FINGERS]
I don't know where I was going with that.
You can totally buy a cosplay and it does not make you any less of a cosplayer.
Moving on to cosplay misconception number four, that is:
That cosplay is a career for most people.
Cosplay as a career has definitely changed over the past few years, mainly with the introduction of Patreon,
now there are a lot of people who are making a substantial amount of money off of doing cosplay,
and offering tutorials and prints and lewds and Polaroids and stuff like that, which is really great,
but regardless, for the vast majority of cosplayers, it is not a full-time career.
Even with Patreon and everything, the vast majority of people who make their complete, full,
100% income off of cosplay is still extremely, extremely small.
For the absolute vast majority of people it is a hobby.
Everybody has their own normal day jobs that are usually completely different from cosplay.
Some people still work in the costuming industry, but like, actually cosplaying is not necessarily their full-time career.
Essentially, what I'm getting at is that, for the vast majority of people, cosplay is not a full-time career,
it is a hobby, it's something that they do for fun and spend all of their own money on,
and usually make little to no money in return, again, because it's something that they enjoy.
That's not to say that some people don't make some of their money off of cosplaying and doing Patreon stuff-
[MOTORCYCLE REVS IN BACKGROUND]
Thanks, motorcycle!
Anyway, that's not to say that some people don't make their full-time income off of cosplay,
but the number of people who, again, make their full-time income off of cosplay is extremely small.
I actually first got asked how much I make as a cosplayer way long ago,
I was- I was still a teenager, and my cosplays were not that good at all,
but this was around when Heroes of Cosplay first premiered.
And I think that changed a lot of people's perspective on cosplay, they kind of viewed it more as like a career,
but the truth is, most cosplayers do have a normal day job that they make money off of.
That brings us to our fifth and final common cosplay misconception, and that is:
That cosplay is inherently "provocative" in nature and most cosplays are "sexy" cosplays.
I see two kind of main groups who make this assumption;
The first group is of course parents who have children who want to start cosplaying, so they look it up,
and the first ones that come up are usually sexy cosplays, because those are usually more popular,
and so parents usually see this, they get concerned, and they don't want their kids partaking in cosplay,
because they think that it's this inherently provocative thing.
Cosplay, like any other art form, can be provocative, but it as a whole is not.
If you look at, for example, like, any other type of creation, like writing, film, art, etc.
There are movies that have a more provocative nature to them, but at the same time,
you have like, kids' movies, and family films, and documentaries, and it's a wide range of genres.
So while there are cosplayers out there who do like doing more revealing, or provocative, or sexy outfits,
and that's totally great if that's what they want to do, there are also people who... Don't.
And neither one is better or worse,
it really comes down to what the individual in question is comfortable doing, what they want to do, what makes them happiest.
That's really all comes down to. And again, one is not better than the other.
There's nothing wrong with dressing in sexy outfits, there's nothing wrong with dressing in not-sexy outfits.
It doesn't matter what you want to do, as long as you are doing that makes you happy and what makes you comfortable.
So basically, what I'm getting at is that cosplay- it's not provocative as a whole,
there are definitely people who like to do sexy cosplays, and that's totally great,
but there are also people who don't, and that is just as great.
So to any parents watching, if your children want to get into cosplay,
there's nothing wrong with letting your kids cosplay, basically.
Like, cosplay is not inherently provocative, it can be and it can't be, just like any other creative media.
Now the other group that I wanted to address in this are people who are cosplay spectators.
They don't necessarily want to cosplay themselves, but they enjoy seeing other cosplayers' work.
And what I've seen in certain situations is basically kind of...
Grouping all cosplayers together and kind of generalizing what all cosplayers are comfortable with doing.
For example, like I said, some cosplayers like to do like, sexy cosplay,
Patreon lewds, stuff like that, and again, that is totally great if that's what they want to do.
That is something that certain people are comfortable doing, that's attention that they are comfortable getting,
and that's what makes them happiest, and that's totally great.
However, it's important to not assume that just because one cosplayer likes to do sexy outfits,
and Patreon lewds, and stuff like that, that all cosplayers are the same.
For example, I'm not personally comfortable doing more revealing outfits.
I definitely prefer to keep things on the more modest side, that's sort of what makes me feel more comfortable and happier.
But I have friends who like doing sexy outfits and they rock it, and they look amazing, and their work is fantastic,
and that's great, because that's something that they're comfortable doing, and that's something that makes them happy.
So like, that is totally great. Like I said, one is not better than the other.
It comes down to the individual and what makes them most comfortable.
In my personal case, I have had people comment and say like,
"Oh, you should do this super revealing, sexy outfit," and when I say that I don't want to,
they get really confused and they're like, "Well other cosplayers do it, like, why can't you?"
Which... [PAINED SIGH]
Is honestly like, a little frustrating, to be honest.
Essentially, cosplayers are people, and people have their own comfort zones, and preferences, and goals, etcetera.
For example, like, outside of the context of cosplay, some people are more comfortable wearing bikinis,
that is totally fine, like if you go to the beach, but some people prefer a one-piece outfit,
because they're not as comfortable wearing a bikini.
Just kind of like, an example, right?
People have different comfort zones, and it's important to understand that, and respect that.
Basically what it comes down to, like I keep saying, is what makes the individual in question happy and comfortable.
So if you prefer to do more modest cosplays, that's great,
if you prefer to do more revealing and sexy cosplays, that is also great.
And what is important is to respect that people have different preferences, and to not kind of moosh everybody together and be like,
"Oh, well, if one person does like this super-sexy outfit, then like, why can't you?"
Also, like, if you aren't comfortable doing a certain kind of outfit, you don't have to.
You don't have to feel pressure to do that.
Again like, just because you're a cosplayer doesn't mean you have to be okay wearing like, every single character design,
be it like, modest or revealing.
Just do what makes you happy and what makes you feel most comfortable,
and make sure that other people feel happy and comfortable, make sure to like, support others.
Don't shame people for what they do and don't want to wear, just let people do what they want,
and support your fellow cosplayers and creators, because we're all here to have a good time,
and we all want to feel comfortable and happy doing what we like to do.
So, there you go. [LAUGHS]
Anyway, that is five common cosplay misconceptions.
I hope that clears some stuff up for you guys.
Any newbies getting into cosplay, people who maybe don't cosplay themselves but are interested in the hobby,
kind of from like, a third person sort of standpoint, whatever,
I hope that brought some insight, that this video was helpful, and that you guys enjoyed it.
As per usual, thank you guys so much for watching. I really appreciate you guys hanging out with me every week.
I'll see you guys all next time, but until then, pandafaces, please be sure to take care.
Bye!
[ENERGETIC, BRIGHT POP MUSIC]
