With conventions like Anime Central coming up in May, people are scrambling to put together last-minute costumes or are praying that all the pieces they ordered from overseas will arrive on time. Hotels are booked, money is saved, transportation strategically planned. When convention weekend finally comes around, every cosplayer will experience at least one of these on this list.
1. Painful Shoes.
Sometimes, the shoes are so painful that you have to plan your cosplays around which one has the most painful shoes and which ones will chafe your feet the most. Wear the painful one on day one, casual ones day two, then painful ones day three? Or wear painful ones the first two days and limp around pathetically on day three? Some costumes are heaven sent and have comfy shoes, but many costumes require heeled shoes, tight boots, or odd sandals that chafe and make your feet bleed and hurt.
2. Very Short Shorts (Or Skirts).
Is there a draft in here? Excuse me while I adjust my skirt or shorts every few seconds. Is my ass showing? Is my underwear showing? Is it cold in here, or is it just me? This is the most leg I've exposed in my entire life. No low angle or upskirt photos, please.
3. Nowhere To Sit.
Every resting area is already full by the time you get there. Always. This is especially true if you're wearing Painful Shoes and really need to sit down. Or you'll see an open seat when you're on your way to an event, and you can't actually sit down, so you pass it by. When you come back, it's filled again. In the end, you probably settle for sitting on the floor.
4. Hot Costumes.
Some costumes are very bulky or have a lot of layers, and boy does it get hot. This especially sucks when there is Nowhere To Sit. With costumes like these, it's a very good idea to invest in some strong antiperspirant that literally makes it so you don't sweat--if you can even find it. Second best is just lots of regular deodorant and perfume. Guys, don't be shy about borrowing or using perfume--it'll help mask the inevitable sweat smell of a hot (but probably super cool) costume.
5. Itchy Headgear.
Nothing feels better at the end of a long convention day than finally being able to rip that damn wig off and take off the wig cap. The mid-day panic when you go to itch your head, and you knock your headgear out of place. Then you have to spend at least 20 minutes putting it all back on and readjusting it.
6. Unexpected Cosplay Malfunctions.
Sometimes, your cosplay just breaks. Something falls off, a stitch comes undone, or something tears or snaps off. Your new best friend is the person who has the emergency cosplay repair kit in their bag. You'll probably buy them food as thanks after you calm down from your panic attack.
7. Food And Water.
When you're so busy posing, sometimes you forget to eat and drink altogether. On the off chance that you actually remember that you need to eat, walking into a civilian-filled restaurant in full cosplay can garner some pretty weird looks. Also, struggling to eat without spilling anything on your precious costume. Or, having to take headgear or face coverings off in order to eat or drink at all. Then, you have to spend at least 30 minutes after eating to put it all back on.
8. Using The Restroom.
Bathrooms can be a great place to touch up makeup, fix costumes, adjust headgear and even do a mid-day costume change. However, simply using the restroom to relieve yourself can be quite complicated- especially if your costume is a full body suit that you then have to remove completely just to take a piss. In those cases, you end up holding it for a long time. If your costume has a tail, you better watch out and make sure it doesn't plop right into the toilet. That would suck!
9. Using Public Transportation.
Being in full cosplay on a regular commuter bus or train earns you lots and lots of stares. Even walking down the street to get to the convention center or hotel gets you stared at by the people who are just going to work that weekend. In the case of a costume that is large and bulky, it can be hard to sit on bus or train seats without your costume filling up the seats adjacent to you as well. Walking down the streets while wearing Painful Shoes is suffering. If it's cold outside and you're wearing very short shorts or a skirt, you shiver violently the entire way there.
10. Making New Friends.
Cosplay isn't all pain and suffering. A lot of time and effort goes into making or putting together a costume, and a lot of the experience of wearing costumes at a three-day-long event is painful and agonizing and hard. But it's all worth it the moment someone runs up to you excitedly, recognizing your character, and asking to be your friend. It's all worth it when you leave the convention with new people to talk to and spend time with. It's all worth it with every compliment you receive and every picture that's taken. Meeting people and making new friends through a shared interest that you are quite literally wearing on your sleeve- or rather your entire body- makes all the hurt feet, blood, sweat, tears bobby pins, safety pins, tape, constricted movement, constricted breathing, full bladders, growling stomach, and exhaustion at the end of the day so worth it.
You'll do it all again at the next convention.
