Quick Post: Purchasing Costumes

Purchased Leia costume;
thrift-shop toy gun  (2007)

In starting this blog and talking with a lot of people from ECCC, I think it's important to address impostor syndrome in cosplay. No, not as in you're pretending to be a character you're actually not; that's all the fun! I'm talking about not feeling like a "real" cosplayer. I know I mentioned feeling that way at the Star Wars meetup when I dressed as Rey before someone complimented me on my painted armbands. Others were sheepish about pieces they'd reused, thrifted, or (GASP!) purchased as a costume piece.  It was this last option that seemed to make the most people uncomfortable. If you buy a costume instead of making it yourself, are you a "real" cosplayer?

Cosplay: Rey (2016)

This past month was my second ECCC (Emerald City Comic Con) and my most difficult cosplay to thrift yet. I loved Star Wars: The Force Awakens and I decided to take on the challenge of making a cosplay for the amazing female lead Rey. However, it's one thing to make a thrifted and discount store cosplay when you're playing a character like Jubilee with mostly "everyday" clothes as her uniform. But a character from a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away? That's another story.