5 Cosplay Tips for Your Next Nerd Convention

As you prepare for your next nerd convention, follow these tips for a better cosplay experience.

Tip #1: Ladies, Decide How Much Harassment You Want

Powergirl

Ladies, it doesn’t matter if you have super model bodies or if you need plus size Halloween costumes, there are plenty of guys at your next nerd convention who will fall in love with you just because you know the name, “ River Tam .”

That being said, you have some control over how much harassment you get. If you don’t want some fan boy drooling over you all night, don’t wear a skimpy costume. If you’re looking for a lot of attention, feel free to show some skin.

Tip #2: Know Your Character

Broodingventress as River Tam photographed by Dana Harper

Cosplay enthusiasts can get really into character. If you don’t know every detail about your character’s past, then you’ll look like a total n00b.

How do you learn about your character’s history? You watch a ton of movies and you read an unbelievable number of books.

If you only want to devote limited time to your character, stick with a short series of books, movies, or TV shows that you can remember easily.

Not to make this all about River Tam, but Firefly is a good series to use because it only had one short series and a movie.

Don’t even go near Star Wars or Star Trek. There’s way too much to know and fans get way into knowing it.

Tip #3: Connect With Other Characters From Your Universe

Baby Wookiees

Remember when Marvel and DC crossed universes so that characters from each company’s artists could interact with each other? The results weren’t great.

You’ll get a similar outcome if you show up to your next convention dressed as a Wookiee, but you try to spend all of your time hanging out with Vulcans. It doesn’t make any sense!

Instead, seek fans dressed as characters from your universe. That way, you can stay in role without concocting some weird J.J. Abrams theory about parallel universes.

Tip #4: Stay in Character

Jabba the Hut and Leia

Once you choose a character and make your costume, that’s it. You can’t break character in the middle of the day (unless it involves eating lunch.

If you try eating lunch like a starving Jabba the Hut, you’re going to lose a lot of friends really fast.) Staying in character takes more work than you might think, so choose your personality carefully.

Do you want to wear to speak in grunts all day or do you want to have real conversations?

Tip #5: Have an Awesome Costume

“Cosplay Queen” Meagan Marie as Lady Two-Face

Cosplay is mostly about character, but you’ll have more fun with a costume that shows you pay attention to detail.

The other nerds at your convention will notice, and they’ll appreciate your efforts by inviting you to join more group activities and exchanging numbers with you so you can hang out in the “real world.”

If you’re a veteran nerd, what cosplay advice do you have for people heading to their first conventions? Making their experience will only enhance your own.

[images iva obsoletegamer.com , fashionablygeek.com , kulfoto.com, mydisguises.com , mymodernmet.com ]

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