This weeks costume is pretty close to my heart. It isn't about the character or how well the costume was made. It is about the person behind the costume.
Meet Briana Lawrence, a plus size cosplayer from Rosemont, Ill. She wrote a very moving article about her experiences at conventions. I know from personal experiences that it isn't easy to walk out in a costume that you feel self conscious in. She was feeling the same way but was also having people telling you that you are too big to be a character.
This breaks my heart that people are telling her this. Cosplay isn't about how thin you are or how you have to look exactly like a character. Cosplay should be about your love of the character and the way it makes you feel to be in their shoes for a while.
Briana said it best in her article: "At its core, cosplay is about emulating your favorite character and having a good time. You’re not just wearing a costume, you are literally a soldier of love and justice -- at least until you go back to work. You’re a walking testament to the character you love. It’s not just fun for you; it’s fun for the people who recognize you. For a second, they can forget their normal lives and believe that the fairy tale princess with the frog is actually standing in front of them."
So be the person that encourages creativity in working with a costume in a different way. Don't hate them because they don't match up to the character exactly. Life is about being unique and different. Why shouldn't cosplay reflect that?
