Do’s and Don’ts of Beginner Cosplay

As the NYC BNP squad gets ready to tackle New York Comic Con 2015, hundreds of other otakus, gamers, comic book nerds, and pop culture mavens are also prepping by getting their cosplay ready for the biggest con to hit the East Coast. Full disclosure: Though I’ve been hitting NYCC for a few years now, I’ve waited years to get in on the cosplay game, so I’m still relatively new. However, if you’re just starting out with cosplay — or thinking about doing it in the future — newbie to newbie, I’ve got some do’s and don’ts for your first year in the mask (or cape, or spandex, or ruffled shirt, or bands upon bands of double-sided tape — I don’t judge). [icon_check]Do put a lot of thought into picking your costume. Obviously, you want to pick out something you really like, but if you want to go for a brand-new series that you just got into last week, maybe wait on that. After all, you want to make sure this cosplay is something you’ll like for a while and that will stand up. You don’t want to pick something you’re into this year but will feel embarrassed to rep next year. [icon_check]Do go as obscure as you like. Trust me, someone will always recognize you. And if they don’t, they’ll certainly ask. [icon_check]Do pay attention to the trends; that will reflect how many of which cosplays you’ll see. If you want to stick out with your cosplay, then this is something you’ll definitely want to look out for. [icon_check]Do pay attention to the guests and panels. You may want to dress up as…