Cosplay Everyday!

**~**Cosplay Everyday!**~**

Hi there!!! Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy it and stick with me as we go together through the amazing world of cosplay! A little about myself first...I am your average otaku from PA with a passion for cosplay, anime, manga, J-Pop, K-Pop, and the Japanese language and culture! I love to sing and be in musicals and plays and draw. I really believe that my love to cosplay stems from my costumes in plays and of course Halloween! I adore traveling...my most recent trip was to South Korea and a 24 hour lay over to Japan...too short and so much fun! I really enjoy make up and fashion as well.

* This is me...cosplay free ^_^ *

 My first cosplay and anime convention was when I was 18. It was the almighty Otakon, the biggest con on the East Coast. I had THE greatest time there with my best friend. My first cosplay was Nuriko from Fushigi Yuugi. If you aren't familiar with him, yes him, be sure to google to look and watch the series...it's a wonderful shoujo series and my first anime love ::sighs:: The outfit was lovingly sewn by my aunt. She didn't really understand (hahaha) what I was doing but she did an absolute replica of the character's outfit. One of my next posts I will definitely scan the pics taken of me there. It's funny, because I will look at the pics and think what could I have done better to resemble the character! Sure, I had the outfit down pat, (thanks to my sweet aunt!) but I look at the wig I wore as Nuriko and shake my head. It just was the right shade of purple and the style was a bit off as well. But back then in 2002, (wow I am dating myself now) there really wasn't tutorials or that much advice on how to perfect your cosplay. The wig, costume, lenses, and accessory sites were not plentiful. I ordered a blonde Rapunzel wig for Nuriko and got cans of purple spray and sprayed that wig down in the backyard with my cousin til our hands were stained purple. Poor choice I found on my part as the purple spray seeped its way slowly onto the costume. Thank God for dry cleaning.

Now back to just what you are doing here and what I am writing about! The premise is simple: cosplay everyday! Ok, ok, maybe we can't...I mean can you just imagine the looks you could get from wearing a Hatsune Miku wig on a daily basis! EEP! Alright, now THAT is courage, but honestly, it is not something one can do (geez, I know I couldn't do it, ha ha ha). You must take into consideration your job, school, family, non-otakus, etc! Ask yourself if it is appropriate. 

Now...this has happened to me recently, and perhaps to you too. Maybe you find yourself wearing a small piece of your cosplay outfit or accessory. It can be jewelry that you really liked wearing while cosplaying, or a dress, shoes, hair piece, jacket, shirt, pants, and the like. It's normal! You chose that certain character to represent for a reason. You like the character for their personality and the way they look and carry themselves and their importance to the anime or manga they're in. For example, my kareshi (boyfriend) wears a Quincy cross necklace from Bleach sometimes.  One of the things I do is on occasion wear my Hiyori Sarugaki jacket from the popular anime series Bleach:

OH HAI!

See? A kawaii (cute) little track jacket with the kanji saru (monkey) on it. I wear it with a white or black tee or tank with jeans (capris and shorts soon with the nice weather comin'!) and it works. I get compliments...it's different and not's something you go to Macy's and pick up. And just to clarify for those otaku familiar with Bleach: I am not mean like Hiyori! I am petite and spunky without the mean streak and that's just some of the reasons why I like her!

Another thing I do is at least once a week (I really recommend this; especially if you go the extra bit and wear colored lenses to match your character's eyes) I will pop in my colored lenses for the day. Last week, I wore my dark violet lenses. They're subtle and pretty. And I love the color purple, so yatta! (yay!). Most circle lenses have a shelf life of one year. So instead of letting them sit in your dresser in their case...wasting away 'til the next con...put them on for the day! If that isn't for you (and maybe you only have really bright or scary colors...like the ones make your eyes red or completely blacked out) I suggest cleaning out the lens case once a week at least. The last thing you want when you're cosplaying is a nasty eye infection!

This about sums up my first blog entry of "Cosplay Everyday!" I have given you a little taste of what will be discussed here. I told you a short bio of myself, gave a tip for caring for your colored lenses, and how to incorporate your parts of your cosplay into every day life. After all, you spent the $$$ on it or the time lovingly making it! Again, I must stress: don't go running around in your entire Sailor Venus or Naruto cosplay!!! I just wouldn't recommend it hahaha.  

SO, here's what I will help you with:

-Using pieces of your cosplays day to day.

-Make up tutorials for characters/what look will be best for them and give that extra zing!

-How to make your cosplay better...you got the outfit, now concentrate on the other pieces: accessories, lenses, wigs, shoes, etc! Why stop at the outfit itself? Embody your favorite character! You see the pro photographers at cons, and it's the best feeling when they stop you! Even other otaku for that matter! ^_^

-How to style your wigs.

-Recommendations on great stores for cosplay items.

-If you are on a budget, the art of thrifting or scouring your closet for cosplay pieces!

I'll take you along with me on my cosplay/con adventures...tomorrow I am going to a Sakura Festival and participating in a cosplay fashion show. I'm cosplaying Nanao Ise aka Nanao-chan from Bleach. Yes, I love Bleach and you will see a few cosplays I've done over the past few months have been Bleach. I also have some lined up for my next con that I've been preparing for. But I do have other non-Bleach cosplays on the horizon to do in the future. I also would love to hear suggestions on what make up tutorial you'd like to see or anything I have listed above. I love cosplay...and well anything I can do to help my fellow otaku makes me happy! Until next time...and thank you for reading...be sure to come back soon! *^_^*

One of my cosplays...

*Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach at Katsucon 2013*