Cosplay is when fans dress up as their favorite characters from different shows. These fans are dedicated to their shows, and many of them participate in other fan culture activities such as fan social media accounts, fan videos, fan meetups, and fan art.

Cosplayers are talented hair stylists and seamstresses. According to New York based cosplayer Rebecca Davis, “a full costume on average is probably [around] 30 hours of work." However, Davis notes that wigs have a larger time range depending on the amount of work needed for the style. Davis mentioned that one of her wigs took 6 to 8 hours to complete, but most wigs take around 2 to 3 hours.

Cosplayer Amanda Gazzola, also a New York native, said that when it comes to the amount of time needed for a costume, “it really depends on the costume." She said that her Ezra costume, from the Japanese Anime Fairy Tail, took her around 250 hours to complete. The costume was complete with a prop. Gazzola said that “the staff did take a while to figure out, but honestly, smoothing out and building the armor is what took the longest."

Photo: Amanda Gazzola

These costumes display talent, hard work, and devotion. Davis says that “cosplay gives [her] a chance to make something with [her] hands that [she’s] proud of."

Cosplayers pose for pictures at events and participate in meetups to display their incredible skills and promote the shows they are invested in. However, there are some fans who do commission or buy their costumes.

Many cosplayers also participate in role play, and they act as the character they are dressed up as. This could range from repeating catchphrases to playing out full scenes.

Let us know which character you would like to cosplay as!

You can follow Gazzola and Davis on Instagram!