Cosplay always seems like such a expensive hobby! I know people who
spend thousands on each cosplay and that’s great but let’s face it,
not many of us can do that. Certainly not me! I definitely spend way
too much money on cosplay :P But I have a few tips/ways that means I
spend slightly less than it may seem (maybe).
1. Closet cosplays
A costume made up of clothing that was purchased or found in your
closet. Involves little to no alteration of the clothing
When I first started my cosplay page, I only had 2-3 cosplays. I
started watching Riverdale and realised I had very similar clothes to
the characters. I really enjoyed putting outfits together out of
things I already owned and bringing the cosplays together with makeup.
One of my favorite things about closet cosplays (aside form saving
money :P ) is recreating reference photos and making side by side
cosplay comparison photos. If you can edit or know someone who can
then this can also work so well and produce awesome results.
@delilahdragonstorm has some beautiful cosplays but recently her Kylo Ren closet cosplay (with a cool edit) really caught my eye.
2. Makeup looks Using make up can mean you can have a whole new cosplay in one night! Makeup and face paint is a way that you can really get creative in cosplaying many characters that you wouldn’t necessarily be able to achieve without (for example cartoon characters). Assuming you already have some makeup (which I know, not everyone does), this can be a FREE way of cosplaying! I love FREE things :P @anyonebutme has been a huge inspiration for me lately as she has constantly been creating amazing makeup looks and you should totally check out her page!
3. DIY cosplays Obviously, making your own cosplays rather than buying one is usually cheaper. If you can sew ( or glue gun * guilty*) or can build cosplays from foam, this is a great way of producing a costume that is completely unique to you. Obviously making your own cosplay isn't always considered 'cheap' but often you can create cosplays that you would not be able to buy anywhere. For example I would not have been able to buy 'Warrior Anna' anywhere, but I was able to make it on a budget.
@waywardafcosplay is a cosplayer who I have only recently discovered but her cosplays are amazing. She has made her Sansa Stark dress from scratch to save herself money. She saved over £700 by making this herself and she has done an incredible job!
4. Charity shops are you friends
You can get so many great bargains from charity shops or thrift stores. Prices obviously vary depending on product type, location, quality... However, they are usually very affordable. This means that they are great for finding pieces for your cosplay, especially if your cosplay consists of 'normal' clothes although, you can also look out for specific fabrics as well. What I love the most about second hand shops is that you can find such unusual pieces and can literally find inspiration for a cosplay by one item that you see. For example, my bride Harley Quinn- I had no intention of that cosplay until I saw a wedding dress in a local charity for £20.
@originalKiller.clown has been one of my favourite cosplayers for years and she is very passionate about second hand stores. She has an amazing unique style, that consists of lots of items that she bought from thrift stores. Her Marilynn Monroe Harley Quinn (Birds of Prey) jumpsuit and jewellery are second hand and look absolutely perfect!
5. Borrow from a friend
This may seem a bit unusual but why not? Swapping cosplays with your friends can be so much fun. If your friend has a particular cosplay that you wanted to try, then as long as you credit them, I see no reason why there would be a problem. Recently I had a photoshoot with @beci_bombshellcosplay and @ame_roisin_cosplays and we had some extra time so I said for them to go into my cosplay room and pick whatever they wanted and it was so much fun. I also strongly believe that as a community and friends we should help each other out, there is no need to be competitive in cosplay. If your friend hasn't got a prop and you have one that you won't need that day, why not let them borrow it? If their wig won't arrive in time, lend them yours. Obviously, this doesn't mean that you should just constantly ask to use other peoples cosplays or not credit their hard work. I've been in many cosplay groups where someone may have to drop out and others have offered them a wig to borrow (etc.) so they can join in and this friendliness just sums up the community.
@beci_bombshellcosplay very kindly lent her poison ivy cosplay to me as It fit with a photoshoot concept that I was apart of. Her kindness meant that I didn't have to go out and buy the exact same suit and I am so grateful that we have a friendship without rivalry. So a massive thank you to Beci!
@ame_roisin_cosplays is one of my closest cosplay friends and she has so many awesome cosplays, such as Wednesday Adams, Veronica Sawyer and Supergirl. She kept mentioning wanting to cosplay Harley Quinn and as she was at mine, of course I let her borrow one of my Harley cosplays. She made an amazing Harley Quinn. Even though the components of the cosplay are mine, she completely made it her own and that is what I love about cosplay. Everyone is different and amazing.
A common issue that a lot of us cosplayers have is that we find about 50 new cosplay ideas a day :P so any way we can make cosplays slightly cheaper, helps big time! Hopefully these tips will be useful or inspire you to try out something new.
Remember, cosplay isn't about who has the most likes, most accurate cosplays or who spends the most- what is important is that we all have fun, celebrate out favourite characters and make amazing friends!
- Ellie <3
P.S. Please make sure to check out these amazing cosplayers!