Cosplays of 2012 - Kamen Rider Fourze-tan

Originally, I made this costume for Anime Weekend Atlanta 2011, and wore it. I was a hit there, but I wasn't quite satisfied with the costume - it was a rush job. I fixed up parts of it and wore it again at Momocon 2012...but still wasn't satisfied with it. Finally I decided to change things up with a different wig, better boots and a different style for the arms and legs and now I am finally satisfied with the costume!

This was really just another excuse to wear the black wig, but I think it works much, much better for the costume than the white wig did.

Cosplays of 2012 - Gym Leader Erika (Pokémon)

   

Originally worn at Momocon in March, this kimono was handmade, hand-dyed to the beautiful (if a bit inaccurate) golden yellow base color, and all of the leaves, orange patterns and Pokéballs were painstakingly hand-painted onto the kimono. The obi and headband were similarly painted. In closeup shots, the white hearts on the headband and obi are barely visible.

The wig for this costume is also my favorite cosplay accessory. Just, ever.

Cosplays of 2012 - Chimecho (Pokémon)

 

Worn at Momocon 2012 back in March, Chimecho was a nice, simple costume with an elegant design. I didn't get recognized in-costume, but I got a lot of compliments on the kimono, so that worked out well enough. 

Archive Posts - Cosplay of 2011

2011 was an interesting year. I went to ten conventions total throughout the year, but only cosplayed at about five of them, and only made new costumes for four of them. I ended up repairing, updating and re-wearing many old costumes, including Tao Jun, Touko, Sabrina and Twilight Suzuka. In total I had six completely new costumes, including:


Platinum/Dawn/Hikari from Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, in her Platinum outfit. This I wore to Katsucon specifically because I wanted a costume I could wear in the snow. And...there wasn't snow. Well, there was a large pile of snow, but that was about it.

Archive Post - 2010 Cosplays

If asked to pick one costume that completely defined 2010 for me, it is this one:

While there have been many cosplayers of Touko/Hilda/White since, this photo was taken just two weeks after the first pictures of the protagonists for Black and White were leaked onto the internet from CoroCoro magazine. I was the first cosplayer outside of Japan, if not the first cosplayer period, to complete and wear this costume.

Archive Post - Cosplays of 2009

Ah, 2009. If 2008 was "busy" with the 8 costumes I wore, 2009 was insane. In 2009 I attended: Katsucon, Momocon, NashiCon (as staff), Animazement, Otakon, and Anime Weekend Atlanta, for a total of six conventions and twelve new costumes. This was not including all of the older costumes I re-wore to various conventions!

If there was one big thing that happened in 2009, it was Soul Eater. I did three different SE costumes:

















 
Eruka Frog at Katsucon

Archive Post - 2008 in Cosplay

2008 was the first year that I really started going to conventions and cranking out cosplays. Proof: I went to three conventions and helped run an additional one-day convention over the course of the year, churned out 7 new costumes and remade one!

In March I went to my first ever Momocon and wore my finally updated Lillymon:

 

Archive Post - 2006 was not my year

So after that first year of cosplay, I could only get better, right?

Oh no. I had incredible beginner's luck with those first two costumes, as you'll see. My second year was, well...

 There are so many things wrong with this picture. I don't even know where to begin. The terrible wig. The dress that doesn't even fit me. The boot covers. So many details just plain wrong or missing. What was I doing in 2006? Oh, right.

 If I remember correctly, right before Animazement 06 I started reading Fullmetal Alchemist, which of course took away from my time to work on Lillymon above. I then decided at last minute to make this costume, which took me a whole twenty minutes or so of sewing...but it took me days to find all of the materials to make it, further taking away from time to work on other costumes. Ugh.

 I later remade both costumes:

Now this is more like it. Correct details, form-fitting costume...

Better wig, better material choice, and hoo boy was I in great shape when I wore this costume the second time. 

So if nothing else, I definitely learned from my mistakes in 2006.

Archive Post - Humble Beginnings

Oh, 2005. That seems like so long ago now. I've definitely learned a lot about sewing and cosplay and everything since then. Here's a look at my first two cosplays ever:

  What can I say about this one? I still have the wig and the dress to this day, and I even into 2012 this is my default "I don't have anything else to wear to this convention" costume. Since the picture was taken I've restyled the wig at least five times, lost a substantial amount of weight, gotten correct shoes, and learned how to properly apply makeup.

Well, here's a look at the only surviving picture of my very first cosplay, all the way back from Animazement 2005, my first attempt at Twilight Suzuka from Outlaw Star. Oh, did I have a lot to learn back then. Like not to use shiny satin, for example. But, I've now made that kimono three times and worn the costume countless numbers of times. And...I still haven't gotten the hair perfect yet. xD  

In contrast to that, I wore both costumes to conventions in 2011. How do they look now that I've got a few years of experience under my belt? (Or...would it be 'under my obi' since...ah, nevermind):

 

I'd call that a success. :D