1. Lisa says:

    Hah. I don’t get the cosplay thing either. I think because I’m haunted by years and years of Halloween dress-up, where my costume was NEVER as cool or good as anyone else’s. And added to that years and years of trying to make/purchase costumes for MY kids which, again, were NEVER as good or as cool as anyone else’s. The whole thought of putting on a costume which I know will look lame makes me break out in hives. However…..if anyone ever wanted to dress up like characters from my books, I would think that would be pretty cool. But I’m not doing it. Nope. Not.

     

    But the armour of God? It’s a little rusty here and there and pretty sure I need some stronger steel in places, but I’ve got it. Just glad no one can see it.  🙂

    • Mark Carver says:

      I think perhaps some of the appeal of cosplay is the pursuit of exactness. Precision and efficiency are essential to beauty, amd when a fan who is just an average person can replicate something that they saw on the big screen and was built by an army of specialists, that has to be a satisfying feeling.

      For me personally, if I was going to spend a lot of time and money on something that fit together perfectly, I would want it to actually do something. A car, a gun, a machine with a function, not simply a costume that would earn me envy and attention. But everyone has their jam, and I have seen some cosplay outfits that were awesome.

      • Leanna says:

        That seems like a funny argument coming from a writer. After all, what function does a story have that a costume does not?

        • Mark Carver says:

          It’s all subjective. I’m just saying that if I spent a lot of time on a physical creation, I would want it to have real-world capabilities (drive, shoot, etc.). But that’s just me. And you bring uo an interesting point – like a story, a costume’s power lies in the imagination.

  2. notleia says:

    Speaking as someone who owns a Renaissance dress, a kimono (technically a yukata), and a leather corset, no, I don’t understand why I bought those things, except they were cool. Especially when I can’t get over my self-consciousness enough to wear them and therefore justify their purchase. Well, actually I have worn the kimono around the house. It’s pretty comfortable.

    But as a crafting-type person, I can understand the appeal in making the things, and I think crafting-type people make up a solid portion of cosplayers.

What do you think?