Costuming/cosplay
Costuming, also referred to as 'Cosplay,' is one of the biggest aspects of fandom conventions. Whether you are going in costume, or going to see other
peoples' costumes, you will see some amazing ideas.
Costuming can be fun, but (and let's be honest here) some outfits just don't work under certain circumstances. 12 year old girls should not be bouncing
around as Rikku... neither should 12 year old boys (just sayin').
And, if you are at an all ages con, please keep your costumes PG! Ok, maybe you can argue PG-13, but you get thte idea.
Consider The Weather
We know it sounds odd to take weather into consideration. However, think about this, if you have to walk two blocks from your hotel to a convention
center, then you really do care. If it's 45 degrees out and you're dressed as Morgan, from Tears To Tiara, then you may want to consider making a
cloak to fit the style of the costume. If you are dressed as a Klingon, and it's 85 degrees out, you will want to consider a sleeveless battle vest
and drinking large amounts of water.
We know that most costumes don't account for umbrellas (yes, a few do, but not many), but if the weatherman is predicting rain, by all means, carry one
with you. They now makes personal umbrellas that are small enough to tuck in a hip pack or purse. No need to soak yourself and catch a cold.
Props
Props, anything you carry with your costume that is not clothing. Walking staffs, wands, swords, guns, Pokeballs, stuffed critters. All things that
you can set down and lose, or accidentally have damaged. There's a lot of people moving around at a con. A lot of jostling and bumping into each
other. Whatever you take, you need to be sure that you keep track of it, that it has the endurance you need, and that you don't mind if it is
damaged. Using your grandmother's antique clock in your SteamPunk Time Pack may not be a good idea.
Large feathered sets of wings are a problem. Getting through crowded halls and narrow walkways can result in bending or breakage. Mechanical wings may
bounce around as you walk and snag on someone elses' costume, or poke them in the face.
Don't turn around too quickly if you're dressed as Cloud. A giant sword, even made of cardbord, can sweep a dealers' table clean with little effort.
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