Talking about cosplay with people who don't cosplay...

[princess_of_zeal]

What are your experiences with talking about cosplay to people who don't cosplay?  Tell stories, show youtube videos, give examples or anything.

(This might be more appropriate in another forum but I wasn't sure)

[TanisNikana]

Actually, I'm on the other end of that. I generally don't cosplay, cause when I'm at con, I need to be dressed practically in order to do my job the best.

[Kimiski]

To the outside world, I generally use the word, "costume" otherwise I got to give the whole anime, anime con speel.

[Citael]

Jeez, it's so awkward >.<

Since I'm still young (aka, middle school x3) I get a lot of nasty comments about anime/manga. Like, 'why do you like that weird [enter racial slur here] stuff.' Then I'm always just like, 'BRO HOLD UP. NO INSULTIN' MY HERITAGE, AIGHT? NOW THIS STUFF IS FREAKIN' AMAZING D8< LIKE YOU CAN DRAW ANY BETTER. YOU HARDLY KNOW THE ALPHABET FOO. THE ONLY WORDS YOU SEEM TO KNOW ARE SWAG, BEAST, AND CURSES.'......Kay, I'm not actually like that.

I tend to just give a brief explanation and quickly leave the situation with a timid look :'3

When I'm talking to grown-ups I usually just tell them it's a convention for costumes and anime and that's usually where it ends...However, my mother just LOVES to tell them about how I 'cosplay as my favorite anime characters' which thus makes the conversation more in detail 8I Thanks mom.

[reppy]

When I'm talking to grown-ups I usually just tell them it's a convention for costumes and anime and that's usually where it ends...However, my mother just LOVES to tell them about how I 'cosplay as my favorite anime characters' which thus makes the conversation more in detail 8I Thanks mom.

Does she follow that up with, "Ooh! Honey! Show them the pictures!"?  

When I worked retail, I had a bunch of people that ended up requesting to be my friend on Facebook.  Many of them were adults with kids of their own. I think I may have put them in a special group that gave them limited access to some of my stuff.  However, that did not stop the pictures that people tagged me in from appearing in their feeds.  I had a few questions about that.  XD

"Sooo.. explain the pink dress to me."

I would usually give them the Cliffs Notes version:

"It's a place where people dress up like their favorite characters from shows.  I'm weird and my favorite character is a girl."

Never had anyone give me any guff about it, though.  Maybe people talk bad behind my back, but if I don't know about it, then I don't care!

[princess_of_zeal]

I guess since I created this, I should add to it. 

I just say I cosplay.  When they give me weird looks like they don't understand, I explain in full detail.  I have some co-workers that want to go to cosplay conventions now.  (They're in their 40s)  Some people joke about it in a positive manner saying I should wear one of my wigs to work someday.  Some of them want me to cosplay on Halloween.  Everyone already knows I'm not exactly normal and so when I talk about this, they're not overly shocked.  No one really treats me badly and worse case, they think I'm a harmless crazy person. 

[SpaceCubaLikesConan]

I just explain it to people. I even used to cosplay to school before I graduated. Everyone got used to it because  was "That Armenian girl that dresses weird". I dress funky even when I'm not in cosplay, so it's no big shocker to people.

[Tomecko]

When I talk about it to coworkers or customers (I work retail), I usually just say I make costumes in my spare time and go to costuming conventions. My younger coworkers know what anime is and think it's cool, but it's always a long-winded explanation if anyone asks me what 'anime' is.

I did have one customer who would speak really condescendingly to me about my hobby, but after several conversations where I would speak about cosplaying with nothing but enthusiasm and pride, he seemed to understand that I was never going to be shy or ashamed about it, and now he occasionally asks when my next convention is, and if I'm going to dress up as anyone he knows of.

I usually go all-out on Halloween (though I've never worn an actual cosplay, 'cuz I don't want to spend all day explaining who I am), and have actually directed several customers who asked to some great online wig shops.

[hikaru_maxwell]

I usually get asked "what is all this -general wave in the direction of giant mass of cosplayers-?" when at cons. so I just tell them "the internet is here."

seems to sum it up.

[veraca]

That's a really good way to sum it up.

I just explain that it's fun costumes and stuff and like Halloween that's been refined and focused. Pay 15$ on a ****** wig for Halloween or go buy a cosplay wig for 5 more dollars? Hmmm~
I've told my mom about it but she still doesn't understand everything that happens at cons. And, I don't think she will lol

_{(Modified language per code of conduct - @random)}

[RobinOfLocksley]

Hm, since cosplay just stands for costume play, shouldn't we refer to the act of dressing up as our characters as cosplaying, but then talk about the outfits themselves as costumes, instead of cosplays? Like, "I am going to cosplay a character from dbz this year. Do you have any dragonball z costumes?" instead of, "Do you have any dragonball z cosplays?"
Obviously it doesn't really matter, since everyone at the con will know what you're talking about if you say either one, but when talkin' to muggles, the distinction would probably help.

Personally I don't really get sqeamy about telling people about my costumes. I'm one of those "thinks he's better looking than he actually is" and "has people skills" people, so I say I'm a total geek with a sense of pride!
Word.

[princess_of_zeal]

One of my co-workers came from Japan.  She was like "You're so silly.  You must know more about Japanese culture than I do now!"  (She wasn't being rude, she was more so in shock.  Lol)

[Kdskc]

Jeez, it's so awkward >.<

Since I'm still young (aka, middle school x3) I get a lot of nasty comments about anime/manga. Like, 'why do you like that weird [enter racial slur here] stuff.' Then I'm always just like, 'BRO HOLD UP. NO INSULTIN' MY HERITAGE, AIGHT? NOW THIS STUFF IS FREAKIN' AMAZING D8< LIKE YOU CAN DRAW ANY BETTER. YOU HARDLY KNOW THE ALPHABET FOO. THE ONLY WORDS YOU SEEM TO KNOW ARE SWAG, BEAST, AND CURSES.'......Kay, I'm not actually like that.

I tend to just give a brief explanation and quickly leave the situation with a timid look :'3

When I'm talking to grown-ups I usually just tell them it's a convention for costumes and anime and that's usually where it ends...However, my mother just LOVES to tell them about how I 'cosplay as my favorite anime characters' which thus makes the conversation more in detail 8I Thanks mom.

I'm in middle school, too, and I pretty much give a quick explanation and feel all awkward when they are just like "Oh.  That's cool" with this expression like "What the heck is wrong with you??? That is soooo weird!!!".  But, whatever.  They can think whatever they want, because I think it's awesome and super fun!

[FilkAeris]

When talking to a non-fan about my hobbies, I usually just explain that I do amateur costuming, and mention that I own about a million wigs and I've made a few ballgowns and things.  All true, and it gets the idea across without requiring a lot of backstory and explanation.

When approached by ordinary people at conventions (which happens a lot, for some reason...maybe I have a non-threatening face?), I tell them that it's a way for fans to show off their costume-making skills and enjoy acting out their favorite scenes together.

But my favorite reaction from a (then-)non-cosplayer was my (then-)boyfriend, who used to make odd faces whenever I happily told him, "I'm wearing So-And-So to Whatevercon this month!"  I finally got him to confess that it sounded like I was planning to flay them and wear their skin!     He's gradually becoming a cosplayer himself, but he still insists on calling it "my Milo costume", instead of declaring his intent to wear Milo to Kumoricon.

[CaptnPoptart]

I really say costume to other people when I mention that I need to buy stuff for it. Unless I'm with my closest friends. Whether they love anime or not OR they cosplay or not, I say cosplay.

(Going off-topic for a bit, One of the best moments of my life happened when I was helping work at a garage sale for my missions team (which, I quit because i won't be able to raise enough money this year D: ) and I was with this girl I met there. She stuck with me for a bit and I didn't really know about her much, except she loved video games. i saw a bat that I really wanted to buy for my FEM! Scout cosplay this year, so I tell her "I'm gonna look at these bats, then maybe buy one for a future...uhh...COSTUME I'm gonna do." After i said that, she mentioned something about Scout (or cosplaying, I guess.) and I just FREAKED OUT. She said COSPLAY and she loves TF2. And because of that, we became besties.)