If/when I finally get around to buying cosplay I NEED to aquire a chuuya one not just because he's an awesome character (which, admittedly, is one of the reasons) but my farmer ahh has sheep and I fear it'd be quite the nice little thing to cosplay him and take a picture with my orphan lamb
Howdy! Starting a little mini series on this! I’m not going to repeat stupid stuff you already know like “go to the thrift shop” or “use what’s already in your closet”. That stuff’s pretty obvious (though, definitely do go to the thrift shop and avoid directly supporting Temu/shein/other nasty crap that’s from slave and underpaid labor, can’t hold up to use and abuse, and will end up in a landfill after one wear).
Getting the Costume Basics
The tablecloth/curtain section at the thrift!
Ren faire goers rejoice! You know those funky fleur and gorgeous patterned curtains they sell for peanuts at the thrift? They make AMAZING cloaks or if you’re handy with sewing, stays, corsets, skirts, dresses, anything! It’s a great way to get neat, durable fabrics for cosplays or just for patterning practice for a lot less than at a crafting store.
2. University move out days
So cool tip for you: I’ve adjuncted for a few different universities and they all had one thing in common. When move out day comes, they always have big old donation bins. Now, those will normally go to thrift stores, so me and some of my crafty peers sometimes go and poke through them to see if there’s anything we want to use for our cosplays. We’ve found everything in there from foreign fashion from international students to jumpsuits to costumes that college students are done with. Fun fact: I haven’t had to buy jackets, shoes, or tee shirts in three years! (Protip: I always checked the dorm where all the art and film students lived. You sometimes even find their old props and costumes there.) Awkward? A bit sometimes. But the money you save and potential to find awesome stuff is amazing! And, oftentimes, you can make a likeminded friend or two digging through the bins!
3. Some cities also have a buy nothing page on Facebook or something of that sort that you can browse to get stuff for free or barter and trade for. All of its stuff people were going to throw out or donate to a thrift store anyways, so it’s helpful for everyone (and the Earth).
4. This one seems like a given but if you want to be an eco-friendly cosplayer, DO NOT CON CRUNCH! Plan things out ahead of time. Post progress shots if you must. I find it keeps me on track to actually following through and making things. However, con crunching leads to buying cheap crap online and making things that are more likely to break (and therefore, end up in the landfill). Have a costume or two already completed, even when you have no convention, meet, or photoshoot in sight, so you’ll have something to wear to avoid the pinch!
Go forth and create!