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

Sleeve rolls for sailor Fukus~~

1. Cut sleeves pattern out from sparkle pipsi (step 11 will tell you what the measurements are)

2. Cut two out of fuku fabric. 

3. Cut four halves of this piece out of quilting batting. Then cut quilting batting ones a little smaller than the other football shape. Fold over the edges a couple time and make sure that there's an even overlap. (Image 1)

4. Fold white piece in half, place quilting batting inside of this lump and pin

5. Sew up edge of football with the batting inside

6. It should look like a stuffed calzone

7. Pin channels along the sleeve (image 2)

8. Sew along those channels with a strajgbg stitch

9. Very slightly stretch then pin to the inside of the sleeve so that there's a finished edge (I dont have a photo but I could take one if you're confused)

10. Le fin.

Awesome-con: First impressions, convention experience, and all that Jazz

Awesome-con is a convention that's held in the Washington Convention Center which is steadily growing in size. Apparently last year it was about the size of a high school gym, and this year i would say it easily rivaled a professional football field. Keep in mind, this convention is about 30 m away from my house, and pretty easily accessible by metro-- so why wouldn't I go?

A lot of people have complained about lines. I mean there were lines, but if you've been to Otakon, these lines looked like child's play. There was a lack of organization to the staff which is pretty understandable for any new con, and i think they just weren't prepared for the turnout that ended up happening. So those are the bad things about it, plus it all being crammed into one room, which again i think will change as the con evolves and the con changes but all in all I liked it.

I've never been to a comic book convention. I've always fully exploited the manga/anime convention scene and I got to tell you, it's a lot of the same thing. It's amazing how much our conventions overlap and i think i'm going to be going to a lot more comic book conventions. In fact, I've added a couple more comic book characters to my must cosplay list so keep an eye on that.

I wish that there was more to do. I felt like the panels-- if they weren't Q and A, or they weren't cosplay speed dating, they were just boring. There was like nothing that was not boring. I think that convention planners should really encourage average janes to have panels because sometimes those are the funnest. You don't know what people have to offer until they've tried it, and there's a lot of people that live around here that have done some epic panels.

I really enjoyed meeting people from this area. Sometimes at larger conventions, you don't get to go up to Ani-mia or Soni Aralynn but here we were on a first name basis [okay not really but you get the gist]. I got to meet people that I never imagined i could meet that weren't even on the guest list. It also brought a lot of photographers from the area which I also didn't know existed and the only thing I wish for is a secretary to organize my business cards and make sure that I keep up with and message every single one of you individually.

In fact, if you're a photographer in this area and you don't get a message from me, assume something's wrong and send one to me.

I think that if you're within like a two hour radius of this con, you should give it a shot. If you're not part of the DMV, find your respected comic-con and go there, because ya'll comic con attendees have proved one thing to me and that's your heart <3 br="">
Happy Cosplay
Sugar Blossom Cosplay

Conformity and Cosplay

Conformity and Adolescent Females

            Cosplay by definition is a play on words between costume and play. 

It involves dressing up like a cartoon or anime character, and then parading it 

around either at a convention or another social gathering (Cosplay). 

Conformity has made its way into the Cosplay world—my world. 

It happens to involve the two groups involved, adolescents and females

 of whom are bound to conform due to scrutiny for the costume choices and

 negative sexual attention.

            Conformity is described by Psychology today as “Conformity is

 the tendency to align your attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with those

 around you” (The Pull of Conformity , n.d.). Solomon E. Asch studied it 

with his line experiment, in which students were shown a series of lines 

and then asked to tell which line was the same as those in the other group. 

Confederates were told to give the wrong answer, and this led participants

 to feel pressured to also give in to the wrong answer. When giving the 

wrong answer, they seemed incredibly uncomfortable, and even looked

 like they were in physical pain in some scenarios (Asch, 1956).

            In more recent cases, conformity has been applied to the 

sexualization of adolescent girls, and how they feel pressured to give

 into society. Some adolescent girls feel the pressure to cover up, while

 other girls feel the need to show more. Girls of whom were studied in

 a five year longitudinal study about conformity and this period of time

 as being a “heightened psychological risk for girls.” The researcher 

joined in at the “struggle and resistance at this developmental juncture” 

due to the pressure of conformity on these girls (Brown & Gilligan). 

In another study, girls were scrutinized during their “coming of age” 

moment and this impacted them psychologically for years to come 

(Lesko, 1996). The pressure that young girls feel does have 

negative consequences on their psyche.

            In Cosplay, sometimes writers or artists don’t draw women

 as proportionate and modest as they should. Sometimes in comics, 

women are portrayed as large breasted with tiny waists and dressed 

less than modest. Independent of this assignment, I began making a 

costume that could be considered less than modest. Black cat is a 

character from marvel whose breasts take the forefront of her skin 

tight leather suit. Immediately, from cosplayers, photographers,

 and just fans, I began feeling the pressure.  My breasts became

 my identity and I gave way to conformity.

            The pull as to whether to cover them up, or boast them out

 became almost unbearable. I chose the latter and I got a lot of 

scrutiny for it. I am part of the group affected, the young, adolescent

 girl who was looking for her identity. I aligned my feelings and actions

 with those around me by giving way to boasting my breasts all over 

the internet, and the streets of D.C. this weekend. Like Solomon

 Asch’s participants, I picked a line.

            I am not the only girl in the Cosplay community to feel

 this pressure. Most comic book or anime characters are done

 disproportionately and over sexualized. This is the way that most

 of the girls are in the media. The Cosplay community is made up 

of people mostly my age, they’re probably between the ages 

of 14 and 25, and they’re making and modeling these less than

 modest costumes (Cosplayer, 2014). One girl who’s under the age

 of 18 said that she’s had “complete strangers walk up and put

 their hands on my chest…, send me sexual messages online,

 touch my butt when taking pictures with me, try for the whole 

'upskirt' thing while I’m walking up stairs…” These guys see

 these characters which are literally their greatest fantasies

 and they feel the need to touch us and say inappropriate things to us.

            Conventions should have policies put into place to protect

 cosplayers. They have Disruptive behavior policies, line etiquette

 policies, 18+ policies, and many more (Otakorp, 2014). Possibly

 conventions should use the positive sides of conformity, and make it

 “not cool” to touch and even make it a positive thing for cosplayers

 to stand up for one another. Anime and comic book conventions 

could use their pull in the community to cause people to align aside

 of them and stand up for those who are too afraid to stand up for

 themselves. Either option should be okay, whether it be modifying

 a costume so that it is as modest as the cosplayer feels, or even

 flaunting their breasts at a convention. They could use the positive

 effects of conformity to enforce this, and eventually everyone will

 align with the “attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors” of the community.

Works Cited

Cosplayer Nation Documentary [Motion Picture].

Asch, S. E. (1956). Studies of independence and conformity: I. A minority of one against a unanimous majority. Retrieved from PsychNET: http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/mon/70/9/1/

Brown, L. M., & Gilligan, C. (n.d.). Meeting at the Crossroads: Women's Psychology and Girls' Development. Retrieved from Feminism & Psychology: http://fap.sagepub.com/content/3/1/11.short

Lesko, N. (1996, December). Denaturalizing Adolescence. Retrieved from Youth & Society: http://yas.sagepub.com/content/28/2/139.short

Otakorp. (2014). Vitals: Policies. Retrieved from Otakon.com.

Cosplayer. (2014, April 7). Cosplayer Interview. (Cosplayer, Interviewer)

The Pull of Conformity . (n.d.). Retrieved from Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/conformity

Why I cosplay

Photographer: Rene Hwang Photography

This time last year, I felt alone. Don't get me wrong. In real life, I have some of the best friends that I wish I could describe with sentences but truth is I just don't have enough space. My family has always been so supportive of my hobbies, even when they're stretched their emotional limits for me. And Myself-- i've always had this drive that I could never describe to anyone, but when I wanted something-- I just reached up and took it and didn't take no for an answer.

But the question-- always came up-- why do you cosplay? It's hard to explain why I cosplay. Usually with a costume there are multiple moments when I'm in tears because something isn't going my way, or a pleat isn't holding. You would think that it'd be easier to just live a normal life, and be a student, and work retail, and be amazing at it. The truth is-- it would be-- but I think it would kill me.

Photographer: N3 Photography

Cosplay to me-- is like breathing. It's something that since I began wearing and making costumes-- I couldn't stop doing it. You remember that drive that I mentioned before that was inside me? It pushed me forward. I was hungry to learn more, I am still hungry to learn more. I may not pick characters I love (I do quite a lot of that too though)-- but I pick characters that challenge me as a cosplayer-- that cause me to reach further than I ever thought I could reach before.

It's hard to explain to a person that doesn't cosplay, why I cosplay, and simply put that's why I felt so alone. I had all these people asking me why I did it, but not one person understood my passion for it. Through conventions, and through cosplaying, I found more people like me-- Yuuzuki, Tommyish, Calypso, Twittles, and there are so many more. I don't have to explain to them why I do it, or why I cry over it because they do too, and we all do it together.

And we have whole skype conversations talking about the right kind of glue and nobody asks why we're doing it.

Photographer: Rene Hwang Photography

But I think it's worth while to explain, maybe if  not to you-- the reader-- but to a cosplayer that has that passion and doesn't know how to reach for it. The truth is-- you're not alone. We are a community, and we always will be. And even though we have our ups and downs like any community does, we will shelter you and we will love you and we will continue to feed your passion for as long as you'll let it burn.

Don't be discouraged, and don't be afraid if you don't know which stitch to use on a stretch fabric because there's always someone you can ask-- and none of us will ask you why you cosplay-- because we already know-- and it's not words that can describe it-- but a feeling-- deep down that when you're in costume you're empowered and you can truly be whoever you want to be.

I don't know you. And truth be told, I may never meet you. But I'm here for you, and I bring with me whatever cosplayers decide to follow. And I'll cry for you, and i'll give you invisa-cyber-hugs, and invisa-cyber-kisses. Because I get it.

Photographer: Morning Addict Photography

Advice to New Cosplayers~

My name is Sugar Blossom Cosplay-- and my real name is Micah. I've been cosplaying since about 07 on and off and i get the same question-- over and over-- what advice would you give someone that wanted to start cosplaying. This isn't a how to sew guide, or a how to get "famous" fast guide, so if that's what you're looking for then turn away. Cosplaying isn't about all those things (okay though it does require sewing sometimes). So here's my advice for a cosplayer starting out, with some of my own life experiences.

Photographer: Rene Hwang Photography

1.) Don't worry about what people say about you.

They're going to say that you're too fat, ugly, skinny, pretty, black, white, orange, purple and everything they can say to convince you not to do a character. Just don't listen to it. You do which character you want to do. This can be based on the character's design or their attitude-- whatever the hell reason you want to cosplay the character is good enough for you.

Example:
This is me as Yuna from X-2. I was a size 0. I got so many comments from my friends about how I shouldn't wear such a sexy costume because I was too chunky, and I just didn't have the body type needed to pull the costume off. When I got to the convention-- however-- in short shorts and my stomach exposed and the middle part of my shirt cut out-- i got so many complements. Even one of the guys that gave me hell for doing such the costume, told me I looked hot after the photos came out.



Photographer: SBC



2) Don't worry about what cosplayers say about you.
Cosplayers like to talk. They're going to say that you shouldn't have done that this way, that your wigs the wrong color and your boots don't look alike enough to the character. They're going to say your shirt should be longer, your skirt should be shorter and your boobs should appear bigger. If you-- the cosplayer-- like what you're wearing-- once again tell them all to go screw themselves.

Example:
This is my Gwendolyn costume from the game Odin sphere. While making the wings I had one girl tell me that I should've made them out of real feathers, and then used fabric paint to paint the gradient like I wanted. I had another girl criticize me about my usage of paper mache underneath the feathers to give it the structure it needed. People say so many things, but they're not there. One photographer took pictures of specifically my wings because the detail work that we were able to get using the air brush on the wings, was un-comparable.



Photographer: Cozpho Photography



One thing I say about cosplaying is I learn by messing up. I learn by seem ripping with tears in my eyes three yards of fabric, and I would imagine other people learn that way too. If you've failed at making them a few times, then you soon become the expert in the field, and however you manage to do whatever magic you do is something that they can't replicate without the same process.

3) Don't use cheap materials.
Costume satin, looks like costume satin. Wigs-- look like cheap wigs. This shows up in photography, this shows up when you are walking around the convention. Jo-annes always has coupons out and you can always find them on a smart phone or an app. For wigs-- always try to get ones from Arda, amphigory or epic cosplay. If you buy a cheap ebay wig, you risk the chance of it not fitting, or tangling incredibly easy.

I'm not going to sit here and say that I've never ordered an ebay wig, and it's never worked out, because it has. But you usually can't plan on using the wig afterwards, and it's a one time do or die thing. I personally have a little bit of above average head. my head is 22.25 inches and the standard is like 22. Pre-made over styled wigs will not fit me unless they have been made around the size of my head.

Example:

                                                                                                         v Rene Hwang Photography v

These costumes are actually identical, take out the bad photography on the one on the right and the shoes. The main difference is actually the wig and as you can see, it makes a large difference. I'm not a wig maker, and the one on the right was actually commissioned. The one on the left I was trying to save money on, and because it ended up getting so tangled, we had to wrap chord around it to keep it together.

4) Don't be afraid to buy your costume.
I don't know about you guys-- but real life sometimes catches up to me. I either have something heart breaking happen in my life like a death, or I have to work like 60 hours the week before a convention. Buying things is not a bad thing and do not let other cosplayers tell you differently.


                                                               Photographer: Rene Hwang Photography (on the right)

I told you before that I'm no wig maker. I would rather commission it every time. I also don't resin cast, do fake armor, plastic work, sanding, etc. There are a couple things that I have bought and I've been really happy with. My sailor moon brooches are one of those things. I love them, but people may give me grief about having them commissioned because I didn't do it by hand. My thoughts are, if someone already has the mold made and can make it for you for cheaper and less effort then you have to put forth, then why wouldn't you just go ahead and let them do it?

My rogue jacket, I actually bought off ebay and then i altered it, and stuck the patches on it. Valkyrie cosplay actually made the belt accessories and you know what? I bought the spandex suit. I'm not ashamed. Do you see how I look up there? Judge me-- I don't care-- and that's what you really need to learn how to do.

Photographer: Hector Prieto

5) Don't forget to have fun.
Even though cosplaying is becoming more and more like a business, don't be afraid to do a couple funny pictures every once and a while. Be happy. Wear what makes you happy. It really doesn't matter if your wig is a shade off, or your boots rip halfway through the convention, or your boyfriend has to carry around duct tape to duct tape your wings to you. As long as you have fun! Don't forget to have a couple drinks, sit down every once and a while, do a couple fun costumes, and make a couple silly faces.





Photographer: Rene Hwang Photography
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Photographer: Billy Tran
v Underneath v







I may add more to these someday-- or just make a part two-- so keep your eye out for it-- and until then...

Happy Cosplaying :D

Sailor Moon

Sooo. I'm a huge Sailor Moon freak. :)

I'm thinking to do one Sailor Moon Cosplay for every con-- between now and forever. I'm looking for a group of 5 Fiiiivvve girls. Moon (myself) then I need a Mercury,&nbsp; Mars, Jupiter and Venus.

Mercury doesn't have to be the same mercury from con to con and mars doesn't have to be the same mars. I always want to be Sailor Moon though. Because I love her.
I have a couple prerequisites though.
A) The person has to be able to sew
--or at least try to learn how to. I learned everything I know sewing wise from cosplay. You can too. No buying costumes (parts are ok obviously but if we are going to be a cohesive group-- you have to contribute as a cohesive group member) if a group member wants to switch props for fabric or something,  I see no problems with that.

B) The person has to be able to listen.
-- I'm a control freak. Everyone has to have the same make up and the same type of fabric and etc. I'm not going to tell you to do something that looks bad. That's just the truth. I'm open to suggestions but i don't want to fight.

C) The person has to be able to commit
-- commitment is a big thing. If you tell me you're going to commit, I expect you to commit. If you don't, you harm the entire group and will be blacklisted from ever cosplaying with me, no questions asked.

D) The person must fund their own costumes
-- I'm not mrs money bags. I'm not loaning you money. If you can't come up with wig/shoe money, or prereg/hotel money, I will consider this a drop out and you will be blacklisted.

E) The person must exclude all drama
-- I don't care if mars has sex with mercury's cousin. I don't care if mars and mercury ever cosplay with each other again. But you committed.  The end.

Now. I can change or update this list at anytime I see plausible. I think they're all reasonable. I think pretty much all cosplayers will see them as reasonable.

Now... some cons I'm going to [hopefully]...
Otakon 2013
--[full: unless I find a group of princesses]
Neko or Ausa 2013
Katsucon 2014
Animazement 2014
Otakon 2014

Some costumes I want to do:
(I included some pictures but I dunno if they'll work-- I'll probably get to creating a special album on fb soon
Concept Art
First gen Manga
Princesses
Swim
Kimonos
Maids
School girl outfits
Eternals

Uhh~ so the last step is message me.

Message me a con... message me a costume or multiple costumes you think would be cool and what scout you'd want to be <3

Happy cosplay! Sorry that I didn't include more pictures but I'm on my phone and its being a butt because I don't have wifi.