Overweight Cosplayers (aka "Cosplay Turnoffs")

[The_ModeRazor]

Why do you use *th'* instead of *the* ?

And no, if you are fat, you shouldn't cosplay non-fat characters. Nobody wants to see fat people in tight clothing. Fuckin' hell, that's just gross.
Cosplaying already overweight characters is cool tho. Actually, you should be slightly overweight, if you wanna cosplay as them - or at least that seems to makes sense to me. And it shows you are both aware of your weight, and that you don't mind, rather than that you are a sad, sad person wearing tights.

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

4) Overweight/Underweight cosplayers
If you are overweight, I demand you lose an acceptable amount of weight before attempting to cosplay. Either that, or go as a heavier character. It kills me inside to see XXXXL versions of characters wobbling around a convention.
<spoiler=People who get it>

http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Street-Fighter-High-Musical-Gerald-Hom-as-E-Honda-and-Rufus.jpg[/img]http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l464lvg5BF1qznzeco1_500.jpg

Okay, I just love that Boomer cosplay. Something about the simplicity of how he's just rolled his shirt up and yet the character is immediately identifiable. I think it's something to do with how he's doing the facial expression perfectly. Oh yeah, and that Kingpin looks pimp.

 

[Smokej]

i've no insight into that scene, but out of those i have seen (they like to rally on book and game conventions here in Germany) maybe 5% have the looks to make those costumes work.

The girls are mostly plain janes and the guys unathletic geeks... I don't understand if this their favorite hobby and they like to portray some pop culture figures why they don't hit the gym or maintain an healthy lifestyle. It's as much of an important aspect of their whole appearance as building the perfect costume. It's pretty funny that for example nearly all of the good looking girls on a videogame con are hostesses who have pretty much nothing to do with the products they are promoting...

 

[Mitjer]

Green Arrow and Black Canary. Who cares if you're a little overweight, be proud of the costumes (assuming the costumes actually look like Green Arrow and Black Canary) and just remember. THOSE TWO CHARACTERS ARE AWESOME!

 

[Angelus SnV]

Green Arrow and Black Canary. Who cares if you're a little overweight, be proud of the costumes (assuming the costumes actually look like Green Arrow and Black Canary) and just remember. THOSE TWO CHARACTERS ARE AWESOME!

much agreed...o'course there a 2nd reason we picked those two characters ('least i have a reason, she doesn't know it yet)...i don't wanna say too much here in case she reads it though...

 

[TheDist]

Correct me if I am wrong since I don't play dress up really, but isn't the point of it all to have fun? If you turn up with a painted cardboard box on your head and have a fun time, is that not what matters?

So what if people are fat, ugly or unskilled at making costumes? If they have a good time, more power to them.

 

[Angelus SnV]

Correct me if I am wrong since I don't play dress up really, but isn't the point of it all to have fun? If you turn up with a painted cardboard box on your head and have a fun time, is that not what matters?

So what if people are fat, ugly or unskilled at making costumes? If they have a good time, more power to them.

No, you're right...that is th'point...but as a fan of these characters (as i'm sure most people that cosplay are fans of th'characters they're portraying), i'm wantin' to do them justice. And i'm not sure that my...flaws...won't be enough to completely take folks out of what/who i'm tryin' to accomplish...

 

[The Funslinger]

Wow OP, you're sure not afraid to type how you speak, are you?

OT: I'm not a cosplayer, though a friend of mine has convinced me to be the tenth doctor at some point (given that I resemble him to a degree) and I think it's better to stick with those you bear resemblance to but if someone has a specific character in mind (regardless of suitability) I don't see a problem with that.

 

[darthotaku]

personally, I think its not how good the costume is thats important but how much fun the person in the costume is having. I mean, next anime north I'm thinking of going as a 300 spartan, and I'm working out to get a six pack and a great chest for the occasion, but if a 300 pound guy wants to dress like that as well I say all the power to him.

 

[Azrael the Cat]

1) Different hairstyles than th'one the character usually depicts
As long as the hairstyle is canon. If the character is depicted in SOME FORM of media with that hairstyle, it should be fair game.

2) The obvious gender swap
Genderswaps are A-OK. It's pretty much standard, at this point.

3) different race of th'cosplayer than th'character depicted
Seeing as there's a dearth of black characters out there, I can somewhat let this slide. However, I'd be lying if I didn't say that it bugs the hell out of me. Anime -> asian, anime -> white, even anime -> latino can work. Black people cosplaying lighter-skinned characters just looks off to me.

4) Overweight/Underweight cosplayers
If you are overweight, I demand you lose an acceptable amount of weight before attempting to cosplay. Either that, or go as a heavier character. It kills me inside to see XXXXL versions of characters wobbling around a convention.
<spoiler=People who get it>

http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Street-Fighter-High-Musical-Gerald-Hom-as-E-Honda-and-Rufus.jpg[/img]http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l464lvg5BF1qznzeco1_500.jpg
<spoiler=People that DON'T>http://i43.tinypic.com/157173b.jpghttp://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i229/Sora-Sol/Funny/1171654131676.jpghttp://www.nupxl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Cosplay-Fails-fat-yuna.jpg

Yeah, that Kingpin is freaken AWESOME!

If you're a larger type, then going as a skinny or athletic character kind of has a self-loathing aspect to it, as though characters your own size can't be worth going as. I know that most comic/game characters are ultra-skinny, but there are still plenty that aren't (more comic though, I can't think of many game ones of similar coolness) - instead of squeezing into a rogue/wolverine outfit, why not go as a badass Kingpin, Big Barda, Strong Guy, Solomon Grundy (now that would be a kickass costume idea), Granny Goodness (or the other female furies)...

 

[Dags90]

Considering most comic book and animated characters have ridiculous proportions, I don't see the the big deal.

I mean, can anyone even begin to get close to Jasmine's head-to-neck-to-waist ratio?

 

[SageRuffin]

I've done a fair bit of con-hopping and cosplaying [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Magfest%208/Sage-K.jpg] to boot [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Katsucon%2017/SageWinduwithSaber-1.jpg]. I might be able to help you out...

1) Different hairstyles than th'one the character usually depicts

I'm one of those guys that's kinda anal about accuracy, BUT if the character does have an alternate hairstyle at some point, it's fair game.

2) The obvious gender swap

One of three things are gonna happen:
1.) no one will care
2.) it will be met with disdain or flat out disgust (usually for male versions of females, i.e. Male Cammy from Otakon [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Otakon%202011/DSCN1587.jpg])
3.) it will be seen as "cute", "sexy" or whatever other variation thereof. (usually for female versions of male characters, like these two rolling as Yuri Lowell and Capt. Karol Capel [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Katsucon%2017/DSCN1534.jpg] from Tales of Vesperia)

3) different race of th'cosplayer than th'character depicted

This is tricky one, as I've had my share of this particular blunder in the past. Long and short, sometimes [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Katsucon%2015/RSCN0819.jpg] it [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Otakon%202009/DSCN1011.jpg] works [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Katsucon%2017/DSCN1549.jpg]. Other times [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Katsucon%2016/DSCN1226.jpg]... well, you get the idea.

Fighting games tend to be pretty forgiving, but it usually comes as part of an alternate color scheme, and that scheme is usually engineered so that the outfit still matches the character. It usually a good idea to go in a color scheme OTHER than the default, but many people don't realize this.

4) Overweight/Underweight cosplayers

What do you mean exactly? If you're talking "overweight" in terms of body mass index, I don't think anyone's gonna care too much [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Otakon%202009/DSCN0876.jpg]. If you're talking "heavy-set [http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x326/SageRuffin/Otakon%202011/DSCN1702.jpg]", then I don't recommend going as a super-hero unless the hero in question was kinda heavy-set him/herself, at least not without running a few laps around the block first. If they have an alternate outfit that makes certain parts of the body less visible (if you get me), then I advise going for that.

Of course, this is dependent on how self-conscious you are of yourself. If you don't give a shit, then by all means, dress up and enjoy yourself.

Hope this helps. Whatever happens, have fun. ^__^

 

[IkeGreil29]

Bad cosplaying is trying too hard (read: the guys who make the impossible suits real to the point where they're practically naked a-la Ivy or can't move whatsoever within their costume)

Fat people isn't the problem, neither is skinny, race, gender, etc. It's whether you have fun while doing it, and also don't end up making a fool out of yourself because of the costume. If you're cosplaying every day, that's also a bit too far, mate.

You sound like the smart cosplayer: "I don't have Duke's muscles and ridiculousness, but I will have the most accurate/creative of the representations while maintaining comfort".

Also, I don't care how much of a Halo fan you are, those Spartan suits look terrible when you're a tad overweight.

 

[SageRuffin]

<spoiler=People who get it>

http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Street-Fighter-High-Musical-Gerald-Hom-as-E-Honda-and-Rufus.jpg[/img]http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l464lvg5BF1qznzeco1_500.jpg

Man... that is a gangsta-ass Kingpin (pun not intended). And I remember that Yuuna picture... oi.

I'll tell you something horrifying: if you can imagine Peter Griffin [http://png.findicons.com/files/icons/208/peter_griffin/300/peter_griffin_indian.png] dressed up as this lovely Pokemon trainer here [http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/pics/8/4579/how-to-draw-misty.jpg]...

Hope you have some bleach handy...

 

[martin's a madman]

Why do you put apostrophes in place of th' 'e's in 'the'?

 

[TehCookie]

To me a bad cosplay is a careless cosplay. People who don't care enough to get a wig or have the cloths fit them properly usually are just careless. A lot of times it's the little things that make a huge difference such as not letting you natural hair show through your wig or wearing makeup. Even if you're a guy a base can even out your skin tone and make you look a lot better. Also if you're fat I would say make an inaccurate costume that makes you look better, rather than go with something that makes you look bad. If you look good a lot of people won't notice you're missing a few details.

 

[Saelune]

I cant stand when crosplayers (crossdressing) DONT SHAVE!
The bearded Sailor Moon is something I want gone. Show some effort, and shave your biker beard dammit.

Everything else, hair, weight, e.t.c is not an issue with me. Mostly because 1, Dressing up is fun, and shouldnt be limited to the attractive, and 2. We're not actually them and can only get so close. The more accurate the better, but cosplaying should be about fun first.

 

[crudus]

That video did not just make fun of Sailor Bubba.

what DOES equal a "bad cosplay" to you guys

When you can't tell what someone is trying to cosplay as. That is bad cosplay. Beyond that people are just being dicks. Quite frankly, those costumes had a lot more effort put into them than I would be willing to put forth. I should also note that a lot of those are actually quite hard to pull off(without the right disposable income).

I cant stand when crosplayers (crossdressing) DONT SHAVE!
The bearded Sailor Moon is something I want gone. Show some effort, and shave your biker beard dammit.

Spoiler: Straight for Wikipedia

Male to Female crossplay is typically divided quite definitively into these two groups: those engaging in genderplay, and those attempting to pass as female. The stark contrast between these two groups is due largely to the social context surrounding the subject of male crossdressing. For most males, dressing in women's clothing is not something to be taken lightly, and so most crossplayers choose either to take the approach of ironic humor (intentionally not passing), or that of the masquerade (attempting to pass).