This article was first published in November 2016. It has been edited and republished here on my new blog.
It can be so easy to get swept up in the frenzy of convention season and Internet hype that you end up with more costume plans than any one person can manage. Though I am guilty of this myself, here is my costume planning process which is designed to keep my delusions of grandeur in check.
The Cosplay Wishlist
This is a folder in my Dropbox where I put images of costumes that I would like to tackle. Anytime I see something that grabs my attention, or when I just cannot get an idea out of my head, I go ahead and add a picture. Sometimes a character gets a folder and loads of images and research, sometimes they only get a single image. It just depends on the level of mania that inspires me on a given day.
Once my midnight frenzy has completed I let the character sit there for awhile as I finish other projects. I let them sit so that I can be sure the costume or character or world is something that really inspires me and will bring me joy to create. So many times I have jumped on projects only to abandon them halfway through because "it was just a phase." When I am ready to start a new project I revisit this folder, delete the costumes that no longer inspire me and select one which I want to build. Done. Right? Well not quite.
Skill Test
Every costume project comes with new challenges, and for most people that challenge is half the fun, but it is always good to take a step back and evaluate your skills, and the skills required to make your chosen costume.
What parts are going to give me trouble? Do I have a basic plan for each element of the costume? Is that plan do-able within my skill level? Am I willing to take the time (and often money) to learn a new skill or improve my own knowledge? If I answer "no" to any of these questions, I take a step back and evaluate if I am capable of creating a costume. I really struggle with prop construction, and so I often have to choose characters without elaborate props, or I make a secondary plan for commissioning someone.
This does not mean you should not challenge yourself - I built my entire demon hunter without knowing the first thing about worbla - but having an honest conversation with yourself can save you some heartache. If you decide the costume is worth the effort and frustration then I encourage you to push your fabrication to the next level, but it is also okay to stay within your comfort level and kill it! Taking this extra time to reflect means less failed costumes down the road, which means less wasted materials.
Budgeting
This is a HUGE part of my planning process. Though I would love to create whatever I want without having to worry about how much it will cost, that is not smart financial planning and not sustainable. I want to continue cosplay, and that means I have to cosplay within my means. Now, this doesn't mean I don't drop scary amounts of money into cosplay but I always do it intentionally. I don't let the cost sneak up on me.
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| Here is my budget for Claire, try to be as detailed as possible! |
So once I have a character in mind I start to break down the costume into parts and pricing out in as much detail as I can, this means materials, tools, safety equipment, shipping, patterns and anything else that might be required (in my case 5-10 cans of NOS and a few runs to Five Guys and Fries). Tools and especially safety equipment need to be factored in as costs, though they might be seen as investments and used for several projects. I also add a buffer of $50-$100 depending on the costume and tack that on for unforeseen expenses. Things like sharpies, glue and sewing notions often get forgotten in my break down but this way everything is accounted for.
It is at this point I am confronted with the horrible truth: the cost of cosplay. Sometimes I will do an expensive version and a cheap version of the budget depending on the costume, and often times you can get creative about ways to cut costs. I started foam smithing as a way to cut costs over worbla, but in the process, I learned a whole new technique which I actually prefer. But had I not done a budget break down I might never have learned the fabulous technique. In some cases however the cost of a costume halts any further plans, like Lara Croft's new kit (so much leather) or Claire from Outlander (so much fabric). If I decide that the cost is worth the experience, I begin to accumulate materials and the fun can commence. Woohoo!
Next time on Back to Basics, shopping for cosplay materials!
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