Picking a Convention Costume

Selecting a costume for a convention can be a lot of fun – you may even have in mind exactly what you’d like to wear! But it’s very important to select a costume that’s right for you. So many people select costumes that aren’t right for their them, but just liking the character you’re dressing as isn’t always enough.

This post will give you some advice on selecting a costume that will be impressive and complementary to you as a costumer.

There are really three things you should consider when picking your costume:

-What you CAN do
-What you are WILLING to do
-What’s REASONABLE to pull off

Hit the jump for more information!

What you CAN do
It’s important to select a costume that you will look good in. Take into account your body type. Are you overweight? Underweight? Short? Tall? Top-heavy? Bottom-heavy? Do you use a wheelchair or other medical device that you’ll need to take into consideration? All of these things are important to consider. Choose a character with a frame similar to yours. Or, if you’re designing your own costume, design something to complement your body type. (If you need help with this, check out this site: http://www.shopyourshape.com/. They have examples of different styles that work best for different shapes.)

One example of poor costume selection could be Slave Leia from Star Wars: one of the most frequently abused costumes in convention history. I would estimate that about 5% of the people I've seen dressed as Slave Leia actually wore the costume well. Everyone else is either too fat (most often), too skinny, obviously the wrong gender, or just didn't have the right shape. To portray Slave Leia appropriately, you need to have the same shape she does. Remember: "looking good in a bikini" isn't the same thing as "looking like Slave Leia."

Along with body figure, complexion should be considered. Think about your natural hair color. While wigs and hair dye can always be used to portray different characters, think about if the new hair color will look right with your skin tone. If not, you may want to think about portraying a character with a hair color more similar to your own.

You’ll also want to take your age into consideration! If you’re a teenager or younger, you’re more likely to be able to portray a younger character. If you’re a full-on adult (like Your Humble Narrator here), you’ll probably want to try for something more age-appropriate, unless you happen to look unusually young. If your costume complements your age, you won’t look old. If you dress too young for your age, you’ll end up looking older than you actually are! Also remember… kids dressed as young characters = always a good idea. Children dressed as adult characters aren’t nearly as charming as children dressed as child characters. This is what wins costume contests. Also, if you have a child available to portray a younger character from the same series as the character you chose to portray yourself, that boosts your awesomeness level insanely. Even people who don’t like children (a.k.a. Your Humble Narrator) can’t resist children used as costume props!

In the shuffle of matching your body type and age, don’t forget to take your personality into consideration! Of course, people are typically more drawn to characters that have similar personalities to their own… but make sure the character you choose to portray does, too. What is it about this character you love? Will you be able to portray that while in costume?

Make sure you choose something to fit your personal skill level! Don’t go after a really tough costume if you don’t have the skills to back it up! You’ll just end up looking silly and someone else may make the same costume as you, only much, much better. That’s embarrassing!

What you're WILLING to do
A costume may look like a GREAT idea at first. It suits your looks and personality perfectly. But how willing will you be, when it comes down to it, to wear that costume all day long at a convention?

If you've found a great costume that's as comfortable to wear as your regular clothes, then you're all set and don't need to worry. However, for the rest of us who don't live in Perfect Land, we need to take certain things into consideration. Let's look at some different possibilities:

• Hot, heavy costumes
• Want to wear a fursuit? Or something with a lot of padding? Perhaps you want to wear the winter costume of a character when it's summer in reality. Your costume may be heavy, hot, and difficult to carry around.
  Think about your threshold for pain and discomfort and weigh it against your determination to dress as this character.
• Revealing costumes
• Is this costume revealing? How revealing? How comfortable are you going to be in a convention full of people dressed like this? Remember that you'll need to travel TO the convention, too. This means that you'll have to cross to the convention center from the parking lot or possibly walking down the street from another hotel. Make sure you feel safe and comfortable in your costume.
• A lot of work
• How much work are you willing to put into your costume? How much time do you have to complete it? Make sure that you have the time and drive to complete this costume, or you'll end up with no costume at all. :( No sewing geeks want to be at a convention in a plain old t-shirt and jeans!
• Difficult to walk in
• A lot of costumes are difficult to walk in. Or, even if the costume is easy to walk in at first, it could end up hurting your feet or cause you blisters if you wear it for too long. Keep an eye out for tails or wings that protrude from your costume. Conventions can be fast-paced and crowded - a lot of people will be in close proximity, so be mindful of the possibility of your costume being stepped on, prodded, or bumped into - it won't "probably" happen... it WILL happen. Just be aware!
• Difficult to see in
• Is your costume difficult to see in? Anything that covers your face has the potential to block your vision partially or completely. In a convention setting, if your vision is compromised, even a little, it is VITAL to have an escort. Bring at least one person with you who is not in costume, who is able to help you navigate the convention safely.
•  Bodily Functions
• It might not be something you think about right away, but you will eventually. Believe me. The more difficult it is to get in and out of your costume, the more frequently you will need to use the restroom. It's the Murphy's Law of costuming. Try to have an "exit plan" designed into your costume, if at all possible. It can be difficult finding someone who is both willing and able to help you go to the bathroom at a con!
  

What's REASONABLE to pull off
Does your costume actually have anything to do with the convention you're attending? Think about that before you wear your costume. For example, you don't want to go dressed as an anime character to a Star Trek convention. You don't want to dress like a Disney Princess at an anime convention. And you don't want to dress like a cheerleader at any geek convention. Fer shur.

How easy is this costume to transport? Think about if your convention is in town, or if you'll be travelling. If travelling, think about how much room for costumes you'll have in your vehicle. Is there a possibility that your costume will be lost or damaged in transit? If it's not reasonable to travel to the con with your costume because it's too large, bulky, or delicate, you may want to reconsider it.

How much will you be able to experience of the convention while in your costume? Think about if there are panels you'd like to attend, things you'd like to buy, or celebrities you'd like to meet while in your costume. Think about how much it will hinder these experiences. For this reason, I like to plan at least one day per convention where I attend without any large or difficult to manage costumes.

Will you need assistance getting around in this costume? One of the greatest parts about costuming at conventions is stopping in the halls to have your photo taken. If your costume is impressive enough, you could end up spending the whole day in one spot, just being photographed over and over. Some people enjoy doing this for the whole day. If your costume is so big that you have trouble moving on your own, be prepared for such a scenario, and always make sure that you have an escort to help you move when you need to.

Finally, how much will it cost to create your costume? Don't cut corners. The more you skimp on what you really need for your costume, the worse it will end up looking. This doesn't mean you shouldn't look for bargains - just be careful when you cut corners, because it shows. If you seriously can't reasonably afford the materials to make your costume, you should probably choose a different costume. Or at least plan a budget so that you can make it using appropriate materials over a longer period of time.

 Just as a review, here are some important safety considerations:

• Bring an escort with you who isn't in costume. They can help you walk, see, and interact with other people.
• Practice walking in your costume before attending the convention. Get used to your costume's shoes and make sure you can walk in them easily.
• Avoid mind-altering substances like drugs or alcohol while you're in costume. They could make navigation in costume even more difficult.