Now you may be thinking, wow! I love seeing cosplayers and I love this anime, I really want to cosplay from it!! So here are some tips to get started on choosing and creating your first cosplay.

-Pick your favorite anime:

Choose your most favorite anime in the whole wide world! It can be a really old one or a new one, regardless, there will be somebody who says ‘Hey, I know where you’re from!’.

-Pick a character you like, even your favorite:

While some people don’t like to cosplay their favorite character, I personally love it! There’s nothing more exciting to me than to be able to cosplay my all time favorite at a convention and have someone tell me that I look the way they imagine the character to look in real life.

-Start with a simple cosplay:

While a more intricate cosplay is always nice, those are best saved for a second or third cosplay, once you have a little more experience. Try shopping locally and piecing together a cosplay out of parts you can find at a thrift store or things you already have. Try cosplays like Misty or Ash from Pokemon, Finn or Fionna from Adventure Time, or L or Misa Amane from Death Note!



-Sewing:

If you or someone you know sews, try asking them or sewing yourself a simple costume out of a store bought or printed out pattern. You can also try adding simple little details like lace or sequins.

-Wig:

Invest in a wig that matches your character’s hair but if your hair matches the color or length, you can use your own hair for your first cosplay by styling it or using a temporary hair dye if you want to match an odd color (and if your parents say it’s okay). If anything, a wig would work better because you wouldn’t have to mess with your own hair and they are usually fairly cheap on sites like eBay or Amazon and even on Miccostumes!!

-Contacts:

If you don’t normally use contacts, go to an eye doctor and get your eyes fitted to make sure you can even use contacts first. The safety of your eyes is the most important thing to think about before cosplay. Also if your parents say it is okay, choose a set from a place that sells licensed contacts in the color of your character.

-Props;

While your costume may be simple, you can always add some pizzazz with a neat little prop to help pose with during pictures. If you’re cosplaying Misty or Ash from Pokemon, you could buy a Pikachu plushie or paint a wooden ball to look like a Pokeball. For a Death Note cosplay, you could make your own Death Note out of black paper, a white gel pen, a notebook and some tape, or even just use an apple or some food as a prop for your cosplay if your character loves to eat.



My first cosplay was so long ago, it’s hard to remember. It was Mello from Death Note and it was worn to a very small con at a local college around 2005. I personally did not buy a wig and used my real hair and length and styled it accordingly, as well as using plain black pants and black boots I already had and a quilted patterned vest from my local GoodWill. I was only about eight or nine years old so it was my first cosplay.

While a first cosplay is very fun, do what makes you the most comfortable and happy. You don’t always need a cosplay for a convention or outing but it makes the experience fun and interactive.Most importantly, have fun and enjoy yourself at the convention with your first cosplay.

More resources for you to start the first cosplaying: