Advice for a first timer?

[Purp]

:oops: I've been seeing so many pictures of really awesome cosplayers and it's kinda caused me to feel like an idiot >>
I want to cosplay as Momiji Sohma from Furuba, but I have three problems
1. I kinda have boobs... -_-
2. I have brown hair and no money for a wig, anyone know a good temp blonde dye?   If not I'll reluctantly attempt to bleach :shock:
3. I'm really not sure what to wear, I was kinda thinking I could just buy something or find something kinda girly in my own clothes(which is harder than you might think since I wear boys clothes) but after seeing how much detail people put into their outfits I dun wanna show up there looking like some random loser blonde chick.
Any advice from all you peoples out there who actually know what you're doing?  Please and thankyou!

[oishiidesuyo]

now, i'm not sure if i'm a person who 'knows what i'm doing', since its my first time at a con too, but i'd be more than happy to help.

ah, momiji? he's super cute.

as for the boobs, he wears girly clothing anyway, so i'm sure thats not too much of a problem. if it is, consider binding your chest somehow.

if you can't bleach, maybe spray it blonde...

for the outfit. hmm. if you're worried about not being recognized, wear the school outfit. if you can't have that...watch the anime, he wears some cute girly clothes. ^^;

hope i helped a little ;

[Panda0_0]

try your best and be happy with what you make!

dont mind what other people think! if you like it then its good enuf for you!

thats what i think and if i cosplay bad then so be it :!:

 :lol: have fun!

[gia]

2. I have brown hair and no money for a wig, anyone know a good temp blonde dye?   If not I'll reluctantly attempt to bleach :shock:

Alas, there is no such thing as a blond dye that works on brown hair-- unless you're referring to bleach.  Bleach is pretty much the only thing out there that guarantees a lighter color and is reasonably safe.

I've been bleaching (part of) my hair for a couple of years now, doing it myself, and I've had pretty good luck with it.  However, some people's hair is much more sensitive to bleach than others, so be careful!

A couple of tips:

1. Read the instructions on the bleach package.  No, really.  If it tells you not to leave the stuff on your hair for more than thirty minutes, obey it.  Better to come out with the wrong color hair than to fry your hair completely.

2. Cut off a lock of your hair and wrap a hair tie around it to keep it together.  Then paint it in the bleach and wait.  Take note of when you put the bleach on, and watch for it to become the color you want your hair to be.  Then you know how long to leave it on for.

3. They mean it when they say that you shouldn't dye your eyebrows.  If they bother you that much, shave them off for the time being.

I've never tried bleaching ALL of my hair.  Frankly, if you can afford it I'd recommend getting it done by a hairdresser (though if you could afford that you could probably afford a wig).

But...good luck!

[Purp]

Gee thanks for the comments so far... they do make me feel better ^u^ Anything else?

[Purp]

Ok, I think I've got every thing except the hair problem down ok.  Does anyone know a good temporary yellow hair dye that would work on brown hair?  My mom wont let me bleach -_-

[gia]

Ok, I think I've got every thing except the hair problem down ok.  Does anyone know a good temporary yellow hair dye that would work on brown hair?  My mom wont let me bleach -_-

I actually was at my hairdresser's today and talked to her about it-- she says that there is *no* way to actually dye your hair a lighter color without bleach.  Bleach is the only substance that is known to lift color that is safe for hair-- and in order to lighten your hair color, you have to lift out the brown.

The closest you could get is a yellow spray dye, which I can tell you from personal experience looks really dumb. =P

You know, if you check ebay, you might find a cheap wig.

Also, if the hair is really stylized like the hair in Furuba is, you could probably make a wig out of felt (super super cheap, but it really works best with hair that's kinda weird, like Cloud's).

[The Evil Overlord!]

Bleach is the only way to go besides a wig. And as for being a first timer. Heck, you're in a place where people join together in love of one thing. Anime! Don't stress about the costume too much. Your among friends!

[Kimiski]

Oh neat! I love Fruits Basket!!!!

lets see.... you could strap down your boob's or if the outfit it really loose and big it might not matter. It's not really a huge biggie...I've seen guys in Sailor Suits before....there can't be n e thing worse can there? O.o

Yeah...i have the hair problem as well. My hair is pitch black, and all my favorite anime charcters just have to be blonde! *sigh*
Try temporary wash out stuff, it wont be perfect blonde but close depending on the brand. Some are good...some just suck. But i agree with looking for a cheap wig on ebay.

If all else fails, claim your Momiji who dyed his hair? ^_^

[Anonymous]

I've seen guys in Sailor Suits before....there can't be n e thing worse can there? O.o

Clearly you're out of the con loop, because otherwise you'd know about the infamous ManFaye.

[gia]

Er, that last comment was me-- sorry ^_^

[pinkrandomattack]

i think that the most important thing to really hit a costume home isent aplying as good a wig as posible or binding cheasts or otherwise covering up what you actually have going on.  but instead picking a cosplay that fits your visual personality in the first place.  its a lot less work to make it look good (and often cheaper).  like me for exsample, i cant do cute, its just not in me, im tall curvey and kinda loomingly dark.  ill give you glamor anyday you please, but i just cant do "cute" cosplays.  it would be too much work.

Basically i think that fewer girls should be trying for boy cosplays,  i mean DUDE if you have boobies exploit it,  find something that fits your body type.    
in cosplay the modle is the canvas and the closer the starting point is to the desired result the better i think....

please dont hate.
<3

[Kimiski]

I've seen guys in Sailor Suits before....there can't be n e thing worse can there? O.o

Clearly you're out of the con loop, because otherwise you'd know about the infamous ManFaye.

yep, your right, i am out. I've been cosplaying for years, but my first convention was Kumoricon 2004.

[gia]

...but instead picking a cosplay that fits your visual personality in the first place.

See, I'm inclined to disagree (in a peaceful, non-hateful kind of way, of course).  Obviously yes, already looking a bit like an anime character can help make it easier to do that costume-- my main cosplay this year was chosen because I already have the hair colors to do it ('colors' because it's brown with pink bangs).

But I'm one of those people who thinks that cosplay is all about having fun and playing the characters you want to play.  I think fat people can wear all the spandex they want, girls cosplaying as boys (and vice-versa) is fun, and that not all women have exploitable boobies-- and not all women want to (though I do).

I'm not saying you do this (because clearly you aren't doing it here; but other people do), but it drives me nuts when people try to apply rules to cosplay, especially rules like "fat people aren't allowed to wear spandex" or stuff like that.  First off, it's just rude, and second off, cosplay is supposed to be fun for EVERYone, not just cosplay snobs, and third off, who the heck is in charge of deciding who is too fat for spandex anyway?

...Er, sorry, I kind of took this in a whole different unrelated direction, didn't I? ^^;;; *steps off the soapbox*

[pinkrandomattack]

well ....yeah larger people CAN wear spandex.  i think that often something else would fit thier body type better and make them more comfortable. i also think crosplaying its totaly cool if you can pull it off either A: slightly convincing or B: obviously a joke....like i hope man faye is *oh god* T_T.

the main point is that if you pick something closer to what you look like that youll probably end up spending less money.  Like, for a while i was going to make a link costume for my boy friend.  we even had a few pieces. BUT i thought to myself "....wait this boy is itallian black hair brown eyes...he needs a wig and link has blue BLUE eyes...mm blue"  and the kinda contacts that go over dark eyes are spendy.  so we tossed the idea and hes gonna be ganondorf (probably for the next sakura con). less physical alteration, just a can of orange spray for his hair. TA DA.

and its more that i really like it when people go that extra step to really make a costume right.  and i think that Honestly alot of people have a hard time doing that due to funding.  its not conpletely about perfection but about the overal impression people get.  
i need to stop ill get into a new rant if i continue.


PS and i meant if your boobies would be a pain to bind then they are exploitable boobies.  a friend of a friend was made to vomit cause she had to bind so tight.

[gia]

I get what you mean-- that if they already look something like the character, the costume looks that much better and can be less expensive, and I definitely think it's great advice for a newbie or someone looking for an easy/cheap costume...but I don't think it works well as a general rule, either.

I think that doing a character that you like / connect with, etc is more important in the long run.  And seriously, if I insisted on cosplaying an anime character who I actually looked kinda like, I'd probably never find one-- not one who was more than a minor character, anyway (I'm a slightly pudgy, very buxom, rather short brunette 21-year-old-- and you can take my word for it that there aren't many interesting/recognizable/main-character-type anime characters who fit that description!).

Besides, considering how many anime characters have pink/blue/bright red/purple hair and unusual-color eyes and whatnot, it'd severely reduce the pool of available characters to work with if wigs and contacts (or just not having an accurate costume) was mandatory ;)

[pinkrandomattack]

yeah, i mean i can totaly understand with the not looking so much like any main characters.  i mean how many of us hormone fed american girls have the slight bodies of japanese highschoolers. i mean come ON.  but seriously, the connecting with the character thing was part of what i was talking about. additude is just as important as looks.  but i also think that alot of the time people make bad choises for what to dress themselves in with the excuse that its a con so they wear and do things that they wouldent normaly.  and thats whats its all about BUT i mean i might be a minority with this but i know i like to look nice outside the con, so i want to look nice inside.  what im wearing might be rediculous (or awesome)  but i want it to be flattering and fit me well.
by all means streach the borders of the desricpton but some people just look wrong in certan costumes and maybey thats a fault to the actual costume and not the person.  you can just as easily end up in some really ugly street clothes as you can end up in a bad cosplay if your not thinking it all the way through.

[Purp]

0o

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry to say that I don't know really know the character, but I do have some tips.

 First off, does the character have a very distinct way of wearing their hair? Like Serena, from Sailor Moon- any anime fan will regocnise that hair style no matter what color. So, if your characters got a very unique hair style, I think people will recognise is no matter what color ^_^.

 Also, there are lots of prettyfull brown haired characters- is your hair short? It its atleast shoulder length, you could dress up as (..oh **** i forgot her name) from Little Snow Fairy Sugar..one moment I'll look it up.

 Ok yeah Saga!

http://sugar.pioneeranimation.com/characters/saga.htm

Or, you could go as Pepper?

http://sugar.pioneeranimation.com/characters/pepper.htm


I dunno what else to say xP hope you figure it out.

http://sugar.pioneeranimation.com/

[Purp]

My hair is shorter than all those characters XD I have boy hair ^.^  Anyways, I didn't get to go, 'cause my friends never gave me a time to meet up with them and my mommy wouldn't let me go alone *sigh* well I guess there's always next year ;-;
Thanks for all your help and sorry it kinda went to waste