Why I cosplay pt 2

Why I cosplay?

Photo by Me!

I get asked the question "Why do you cosplay?" so often that it gets annoying explaining it. I think a lot of cosplayers feel the same thing. It's a tad bit insulting for a "normie" to come up to you and be like "So why do you dress up as a fictional character and waste your time?" And it's a lot more to explain than I could ever do in one sentence. 

I started cosplay back in 2007. Do you remember that? It was the days of amphigory, doctored locks and cosplay.com. I didn't know anybody else that did cosplay. It started off as just a thing. I loved the characters. I wanted to show that through costumes. My mom helped quite a bit (as she still does now), and she knew I loved doing it. 

I felt empowered in costume. I could be a princess, and put on make-up and just be a persona that I didn't really have in the real world. It's amazing how much putting on a wig helps my posture, because I just all of a sudden start standing taller, and acting more confident. It's an amazing feeling, and it's a feeling that I really wanted to share with somebody.

My first group happened in 2012 at Otakon. We did a Final Fantasy group from X-2. 

Photo by Bentpic5

Me and my mother made about 70% of the costumes of the group including my own, and it really opened my eyes to the cosplay community and allowed me to network through facebook like I had never been able to do, and thus I've created several more groups over the span of 3 years.

The group that changed my life, and my cosplay life was my Sailor Scouts from Otakon 2013. 

Photo by Morning Addict Photography

It's really hard to put together a group, especially if you are a sailor moon perfectionist like myself. Through the group however, I found so many great girls that share a real passion with me. I've shed so many tears, and so much anger about stupid shit, and let's just say saying these girls have been with me through thick and thin would be an understatement.

Recently we did a convention called Colossolcon in Ohio. I spent a lot of time with one of my girls, that i had only been able to see for weekends at a time, and that's when I realized. I'm not cosplaying to feel pretty anymore.

I cosplay because the relationships that I've made with these girls are so special and beautiful to me. I have threatened to drive up to Pennsylvania in the middle of the night before, just to try to take away any pain that could happen to them. I would do anything for them, and they would do anything for me. 

Photo by Photosnxs

Sometimes, I jump into groups headfirst, but these girls they adapt, and they are so amazing. I used to cosplay because it was the only thing that made me feel beautiful. It gave me a reason to feel confident about myself and to put on makeup and be amazing.Now however, I don't feel amazing without them.

I cosplay to see my friends at cons, and to feel good with them in a group. I cosplay because through cosplay I've created these unbreakable bonds and they are so special to me, and we share one love despite where we are in the United States. 

This community is so open, so loving and accepting of everyone different then them and it has engulfed me through the eyes of every single Sailor scout that's ever come under my wing. That's why I cosplay. 

Photo by Beat Down Boogie

I love you all and let's continue making beautiful costumes, togetherrr!

Love,
Sugar Momma ;D