As its the start of 2016 I decided to do the 30 day cosplay challenge now and then again at the end of the year and then compare results! I hate spam and would hate to trash through my followers readers with this challenge everyday so I’ve decided to combined it all into one post!
Day 1 Your first cosplay.
My first cosplay would have been Celaena from the cover art from Throne of Glass. This was explained in an earlier post this one! Because I never got photos from it and am far too embarrassed by it to recreate it I’m not sure it counts!
In 2014 however I did an Attack on Titan cosplay (bought) which I wore to Wellington Armageddon. The cosplay wasn’t character specific but I got called Sasha a few times so that was positive I guess! I also tried to be Mikasa once! (lets not go there any further) Here are the photos I still have!
Day 2 How many costumes have you done?
Celaena, Attack on Titan, Nightingale Armour, Dark Brotherhood Assassin, Dragonborn Dragon Scale Armour. So that’s 5 but I’m only really proud of the last three. I have completed many sewing projects however they weren’t costumes! I only really found a passion for making costumes in the last 10 months or so therefore its kinda expected I haven’t completed many costumes as most of the ones I have made myself are rather complicated. Simple isn’t satisfactory when it comes to costume making for me.
Day 3 Your most recent cosplay
The Dragon Scale Armour from the Elder Scrolls Skyrim. My first armored project which I am very pleased with!
Day 4 Your cosplay communities, where do you go to talk about cosplay?
(WordPress) Here is the most obvious place, where I write full blogs about the costumes I construct and is also more photo heavy than my other social media. Along with tutorials too.
Twitter (@NiverasWings) Short tweets that usually express my frustration of success with what I’m working on. Photos are more filtered there and only the best ones are posted.
Cosplay Amino (@niveraswings) Medium length blogs depending on what I’m writing about, my tutorials tend to be longer there. Again photos are filtered there with only the best being posted.
I don’t have a Facebook page and don’t plan on getting one.
Day 5 Blatant self plug! Link us to your cosplay page
Twitter! Cosplay Amino! Is an app but that is a link to the web version
Day 6 Your favourite cosplay (that you have done)
I have to go with the Dragon Scale Armour from Skyrim! It was a lot of fun to wear and surprisingly comfortable. It also lead to me getting my first shoot with a photographer at a convention! And it will always be the first cosplay I entered in a cosplay competition.
Day 7 The character you have cosplayed that is most similar to you (if none that you have cosplayed, then one that you will cosplay)
This question is hard as all of my costumes I have made are from RPG (Roll Play Games) such as Skyrim so you ‘pick your own path’ and such. A character that I will (possibly never) cosplay who is (kind of) like me would have to be Jenassa from Skyrim! She’s sassy and I absolutely adore he sassy comments in game. I honestly can’t think of anyone other character so she will do! Sorry Stu~
Day 8 Your cosplay plans for the rest of the year (if you have no more for this year, then do next year!)
My previous post explains what order I will likely be making costumes for this year.
Day 9 The dream cosplay that might just happen
I have always wanted to make a costume for an original character/design I have. Of course being me I haven’t actually drawn this out yet so I can’t post a photo, I would try and explain but that could get really lengthy!
Day 10 The dream cosplay that will never happen
Uhhhh! I honestly can’t think of any! There are costumes I like a lot but I don’t want to make them. If I like something enough I will put it on my list and if I buy the materials it will be made. Maybe something will come to me in the next day or so and I’ll add it then!
Day 11 Something cosplay-related that you will never do (eg. crossplay, cosplay from a certain series
I don’t see myself ever crossplaying and or gender bending a character. It just doesn’t appeal to me. I will never cosplay from DC Comics. I don’t see myself ever doing a closet cosplay. I hate AU cosplays so I will never do one of those.
Day 12 Your cosplay idol(s)
Beebichu cosplay who inspired me to make my own Nightingale Armour! She’s lovely and we occasionally talk over cosplay amino!
Lighting Cosplay Just an amazing cosplayer who can throw together brilliantly detailed costumes in little time! Her costumes are just brilliant!
Kamui Cosplay is another brilliant cosplayer who’s work with worbla is fantastic, she’s contributed to the community so much with her books full of tutorials and tips to help other cosplayers along the way.
Yaya Han is also amazing with a lot of fabric based costumes and the detail that goes into them is just fantastic her tailoring skills are inspiring!
Day 13 Your cosplay specialty (ie. something that seems to apply to a large amount of your cosplays, it could be a specific series, or a common feature in their appearance, such as glasses)
Elder Scrolls cosplays, to date including my unfinished costumes I have made 4 from the series. I do want to make more but am limiting myself this year and only making costumes that will have a huge impact and show a range of skills in my portfolio.
Day 14 Your cosplay-making habits (eg. singing while working on cosplay)
Procrastinating?!?! I listen to music (usually from a playlist) and I often talk my self through what I am making out loud while working. When I’m alone of course!
Day 15 Your least favourite thing about cosplay
I don’t like the negativity in the community towards people of color (Everyone can cosplay dammit) I don’t like hate in general within the community.
Un-ironed costumes.
Day 16 Do you belong to any cosplay groups? If so, what are they?
I haven’t cosplayed as apart of a group yet but I do attend cons with my friends so we just roam the halls in our totally unrelated costumes with each other all day and that’s fun enough for me!
Day 17 What events have you cosplayed to?
Armageddon Expo Wellington and Armageddon Expo Auckland.
New Zealand is very small so we only have one con per say but that con is held several times over the year in different cities.
Day 18 What is your best cosplay memory?
Attending the Auckland Armageddon Cosplay Competition in 2015. I didn’t win any prizes but I enjoyed myself so much and met so many amazing cosplayers and it was just really cool to hang out with them over the weekend!
Day 19 What is your worst cosplay memory?
Getting an image of mine reposed without credit and having that person semi impersonate me by not correcting over 40 comments from people complementing her on how ‘pretty she was’. That just disgusts me.
I’m still working on having the image removed.
Day 20 Have you won any cosplay awards?
No but I only entered my first competition late last year and am looking forward to entering Demongaze into the Wellington competition.
Day 21 Show us your best cosplay derp photo!
Is this derpy enough? I couldn’t find anything else!
Day 22 Have you worn cosplay in a regular situation? (eg. at school, to work)
I wore my Attack on Titan jacket to school once, surprisingly my fashion and textiles teacher loved the style of it and keep asking questions about it which of course I and the other anime lovers in the class found hilarious!
Day 23 Your most expensive cosplay
That I have made would be Dragon Scale Armour which cost just over $100 for materials ect. Aside from cosplay my Young Girl’s Loose Gown has to be the most expensive and I haven’t bought trims yet! The brocade is worth it though!
Day 24 Your most comfortable cosplay and most uncomfortable cosplay
Dragon Scale Armour wins this one again, yes I couldn’t sit down without taking the skirting off but most of the cosplayers I chatted to were standing anyway!
Dark Brotherhood Assassin looses this round.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, top sewing a non stretch fabric such as medium weight cotton on top of a stretch fabric such as spandex does not work!
Basically my movement was restricted because of the non stretch cotton on the spandex making it a little tight! To top it off I had two seams split into holes about 2 inches long on both my inner thigh seams. BUT I HAD AN INSTANT FOREBODING THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN and luckily packed a pair of dark leggings in my con bag and put those on underneath my body suit which made the splits unnoticeable.
Always have a plan B.
Day 25 The cosplay you put the most effort into
Dragon Scale Armour again! About 6 months of work and of course having to work with new materials and learn at the same time!
Day 26 Any unfinished costumes? Will you ever finish them?
Temple Priest robes from Skyrim (Dragonborn DLC)
Its highly unlike I will finish this cosplay as I now hate it. End of.
Lucina Fire Emblem Awakening
I will finish Lucina and I am planing to wear her to Wellington on the day I don’t have to wear Demongaze so she will be my comfortable cosplay!
Day 27 How many wigs do you own? Which is your favourite?
I have never worn a wig for cosplay ever. My hair has worked for all of them so far and will likely only need two wigs this year for Celaena and Lucina!
Day 28 Where do you work on your cosplays and where do you store them when they’re done?
I work in the dining room which has a large dining table for me to spread out my things on. I have taken over the whole room, its a good thing we have a smaller dining table in the kitchen! I ‘store’ some of my costumes on my wall if they are too long to hang in shallow closets. I do this by just putting a pin in the wall and hanging a coat hanging off it + costume. The costumes I can’t hang get put into storage boxes under my bed, folded properly of course.
Day 29 What is your favourite cosplay item? (eg. a pair of shoes, a wig)
My liquid leather bodysuit! It’s been used for quite a few of my cosplays now and will be used again for my Demongaze Armour and Lucina this year!
I bought it from River’s Edge Dancewear which has since closed down.
Day 30 Describe cosplay in three words. No more, no less.
Practice. Perfect. Preform.
And that is my 30 Day Cosplay Challenge completed in a day!
I think it will be interesting to compare at the end of the year.
-Nivera
Nivera Gilbert 