What It's like Cosplaying for the First Time

I have gone to two cons in the past, and one of the best parts of going to them is meeting the people dressed as your favorite characters from TV or cartoons. The kind of characters that you would either not meet or have to pay for a trip to disneyworld to meet. This weekend there was an event for people who cosplay to just meet up and come in as a character.

I don't have any costumes, but I did have a tank and skirt. When I joked with my friend that if she had a black jacket and blonde wig I could go as Buffy, she said she did and the rest was history.

I meant to go for the TV show version, but honestly, I think my outfit came out more like the movie versions.

1. You want to plan ahead

While I did luck out and ended up being able to come up with something halfway decent out of it, usually cosplays can take months of prep and making. I have plans for what I want to do come September, and luckily they're pretty easy, but aside from that anything extravagant you want to really prep for.

2. When someone gets what you are without having to be told it's the coolest thing in the world

I worked the cash register to help out because of people getting stuck in traffic, and I ended up with a sign asking where Buffy's boyfriends were. A lot of people enjoyed that and got the costume right away after seeing it, but one girl made my day when she saw me and without glancing at the sign said "Oh my god Buffy! You're my hero!" Can't be sure but I think that is the moment that the photographer captured here. I almost cried because someone actually got it.

3. Meeting people who cosplay is some of the best parts

Honestly, it is a lot of fun, and getting to learn about how to create the looks is a great learning experience as well. You make a lot of new friends and get introduced to new characters and shows all the time through it.

4. You really do become a whole new person

When I sent the picture of myself to a friend who didn't have my Facebook they actually asked me "Wait is that you?" I have never dyed my hair blonde or ever done my makeup like this and I can tell you right now it's a startling difference. My Facebook is literally just full of friends giving me hair care advice because the general consensus is that my brown/red hair that stubbornly stays that way should be bleached to blonde. Because of course it was a wig that I was wearing. It was fun for just a day to look completely different, and though I know I didn't act like Buffy and was just my usual giggly self, I had fun and in general it was an amazing time. I wouldn't change the experience for the world.

And come this September I'll get to do it all over again as Sookie from True Blood and Anya from Anastasia... Better get that bottle of bleach ready....