What does the term cosplay mean to you?
I’d start with the obvious meaning, making outfits!
Something that lets you put your all into making it and that is rewarding to
wear at the end. It can be individual or teamwork; either way, it’s a lot of
fun. I know there’s a negative stigma still hanging around in mainstream
western culture; that everyone who cosplays is an otaku who doesn’t have
focuses anywhere else, but I think that’s changing, which is good news. There’s
nothing like meeting all of your friends at big events after months of work on
your outfit- the atmosphere is great, and I’ve never seen more hugging and
complimenting strangers anywhere in my life. It’s a great confidence boost!
What characters to you cosplay and why?
Personally I don’t have a lot of time for making complex
outfits any more, although I’d love a chance to get back into it- I’m just
waiting for the next inspiration. I’ve done group cosplays from anime shows in
the past, and more recently some members from Visual Kei bands. Intricate
outfits are the best- no matter how red raw your hands are, or how strained
your eyes are, it’s so worth it!
Why do you enjoy it?
It makes me feel like I’ve made something that other people
appreciate- I’m not normally up for being the centre of attention all the time,
but getting compliments from people about the effort I’ve put in, and having my
photo taken, is such a great feeling.
Can you describe your look?
Wow, challenge accepted! My style has developed very rapidly
over the past two years. I went through a teenage period of grunge and gothic-influenced
clothing, but I quickly moved away from that when I started buying more
Japanese brands and discovering more of the styles that emerge from the
Harajuku district in Tokyo. From dolly kei to mori (forest) kei to visual kei,
I’ve loved experimenting. The clothes I wear now are remnants of this
exploration, so I suppose I look a bit like a jumble sale at the moment. I like
it though!
Who do you look up to and admire?
I guess I go to the people around me first- my family, and
close friends. I follow blogs by people whose fashion sense I admire too,
although for hair, makeup and clothes my main influences are probably members
from Japanese rock bands, Visual Kei or otherwise.
What music do you listen to?
In case you hadn’t guessed yet, almost exclusively Japanese
rock! The artists at the top of my list haven’t changed in a while- I tend to
follow bands now more closely than a few years ago. The best examples from
Visual Kei are An Café, the GazettE, ScReW and Mejibray, while for rock it’s
ONE OK ROCK. I’m not so keen on the pop music, although there are some artists
I just can’t resist. And in terms of western music, I’ve never been able to
give up on Muse and My Chemical Romance, although I like dubstep too.
How often do you dress up and what kind of events do you
dress up for?
I dress up whenever I have the excuse too. Whenever I go to
a concert, a convention, or any cultural event, I always make sure to wear one
of my best outfits and put a lot of work into hair and makeup. That said, I try
and wear something interesting as often as possible!
Who makes yous costumes?
I do! Nobody else is allowed to see until I’ve made
significant progress, either! I’m quite protective of my cosplays, and I am
constantly planning and making notes as I think of new solutions. It’s nice to
have something creative to throw myself into occasionally.
How many do you have?
Only a couple at the moment, which is kind of sad now I
think about it. I really should make an effort and make something new for this
summer!
Would you say that cosplay was it's own social stereotype?
How/ why?
I think at one point it was quite stereotyped, and to an
extent there are still people who look at it that way. But like I said before,
attitudes are changing, and I think it’s a really good thing for people to be
enthusiastic about making their own clothes- everyone used to do it, after all!
Which clothing brands do you tend to look at/ buy the most?
Here in the UK I look for independent shops and alternative
shops, although I love the lacy dresses you get from brands like Yumi. I’m a
big Cyberdog fan too! But my favourite brands are sadly from the other side of
the world- Listen Flavor, Grimoire Almadel, and Spank!
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