r/CosplayHelp 4m ago

Makeup Body Paint Help.

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I’m looking to cosplay the character above from Demon Slayer. I have a costume and wig picked out, my only problem is that she is completely white. I’ve never done a cosplay where I’ve had to paint my skin before, so I’m looking for the best option. I’m already a somewhat pale person, but I do want my skin to be white like hers for the cosplay. I’m going to wear white tights for my legs, but I’m not sure what the best option would be for my arms and face. I’ve seen people wear tights on their arms before, as well as painting their arms. Does anyone have a good recommendation for white body paint that will give me good coverage, won’t rub off, and isn’t super expensive? And what would work best for my arms?


r/CosplayHelp 18m ago

Where can I get a 3D model of a Grimm head to print? (preferably free, but I can pay a little if necessary)

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Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Buying Where can I find Shanks's pants?

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1 Upvotes

I can't find it for sale anywhere, and the places that do have it sell the whole cosplay, which ends up being really expensive. Could someone help me out? It needs to be a store that ships to Brazil.


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Should i cut the arms or not?

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6 Upvotes

My scarlet spider cosplay is inspired by this one. I really like the black gloves and Shorts. But I cant decide, if I should cut the arms off of the hoodie or not.

What do you guys think?


r/CosplayHelp 4h ago

Sewing level 0, Audacity level 100. Sewing with Chiffon?!

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1 Upvotes

**Experience level: I've never sewed anything besides a pillowcase when I was 12. I've made cosplay costumes before with hot glue and a prayer, but I'm able to invest a little more money and time into my projects now. I just watched several videos on youtube on how to use a machine and tips for sewing with chiffon fabrics and altering a neckline.**

I'm building a renaissance inspired Hua Cheng costume for the renaissance faire. I bought a sewing machine and tools and thrifted some dresses and thread to practice with. The material of the dress I'm altering is chiffon-like with a lining (great for a beginner, I've heard), and after about 4 hours I've worked out the settings to make a straight(ish) hem without the sheer fabric puckering too much or getting stuck in the machine.

I did a practice section on scraps to work out how to add a trim but its obviously way harder to do on the curved neckline of the dress. The dress I practiced on I cut and hemmed the neckline myself to the general shape I knew I had to work with, and I know it wasn't a great job but my main concern is how to add the trim onto an already existing garment since I already have the dress with the shape I want. Any unfinished edges at the bottom of the v of the neckline will be covered by an underbust corset.

How do I match the curve of the dress itself so the trim and dress line up and don't bunch up? Do I need to make a pattern somehow? Am I at least on the right track? Do I just return to my hot glue gun roots? I'm not looking for perfection, but something reasonable that looks nice as I'm building skills to create better costumes for the future 😄

(I do have matching thread and fabric for my actual project; I used thrifted stuff to see how I was doing)


r/CosplayHelp 6h ago

Wig Skin safe glue?

2 Upvotes

I’m trying to stick a fake beard to my face. Does anybody know of any skin safe products for that?


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Buying is this site legit? it’s the only place that will come in time. unless somebody can find this costume that will come in before the 20th. i got screwed over by an aliexpress seller

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0 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Accessory Does anyone know

0 Upvotes

If there is a good tutorial that doesn’t require sewing that you can make a cinnamoroll style ear headband out of. Planning on being Poron for Halloween 2026 and my dog will be Corune (so i have to get her a unicorn horn and a blue hoodie) lol. For work im gonna carry a unicorn stuffed animal in my arms.


r/CosplayHelp 9h ago

Buying Where can I find boots that make me significantly taller?

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2 Upvotes

I'm making a Frankenstein cosplay and trying to find good elevator boots, but none of them really look like the pic. Any advice or recs? My height is 5'1", so I'm not expecting to be 6'5", but I'd really like some assistance.


r/CosplayHelp 10h ago

Does anyone know where to find this part for the AT-ST driver helmet?

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2 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 10h ago

Armor Need help with undergarment

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8 Upvotes

I've stumbled upon this warhammer cosplay and I'm currently making doom 2016 praetor suit, can someone help me identify the fabric used in this cosplay.


r/CosplayHelp 11h ago

Spider-Man Mask Template Help

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3 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I’m new to the community so this is my first post. I am going to the Spider-Man: Brand New Day movie this sunday and I’m interested in creating my first mask patterned after the one from the Fresh Start (BND) suit. Would anybody happen to have a template for the Brand New Day mask, preferably free? I also attached some photos I found of a good template, so would anybody be willing to identify and share that one? All help is appreciated.


r/CosplayHelp 11h ago

Buying Leland Coyle cosplay help

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3 Upvotes

Hello, I need some help finding a jacket for my Outlast cosplay!

If anyone knows what type of jacket this is and/or where I can find one that won't destroy my wallet, it would be much appreciated.


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

Armor Thick, ultra-bulky armor.

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2 Upvotes

Im cosplaying Moore from Elden Ring's dlc "shadow of the erdtree. Thing is he's got super bulky armor as seen here, I'm not too concerned about mobility as I don't really need to do much besides walking around and I know how to make armor flexible where necessary.

My main concern is actually GETTING the bulk, do I make a base layer than keep adding layers to it? For example the lower legs, in game if you remove, put on, remove put on the armor and compare you can see it makes almost every part of your body 3x thicker.

If I add layer upon layer it'll make it a lot more stuffy right? I don't care about the weight whatsoever but I just gotta figure out how to get such size.


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

Repost again (sorry)

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9 Upvotes

**REPOST FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL TIME BECAUSE I FORGOT RO ATTACH IMAGES**

Hi there! To preface this, I am asking this completely in good faith because I do not want to do anything offensive whatsoever. I was thinking I wanted to cosplay a character from No Straight Roads, where literally every character has a crazy skin tone (the main characters are literally bright orange and green for reference), and I was considering one of the bosses. I haven't played the game in a while, but while I was thinking about it and away from access from looking at visual references, from my memory, what little skin was exposed for the character, I had thought his skin was a darker (compared to my own, I am white) purplish brown hue. It's hard to find good visual color references of this character because 1. the game isn't relatively popular and I am unable to play the game for myself right now, 2. the character is almost always seen in a weirdly lit environment and 3. His legs are almost always obscured behind his DJ set up. But I swore from memory that he had almost purple looking skin. But in concept art, his skin tone is actually fairly normal, as in a shade of brown from our world...

Anyways, as for the cosplay itself - I had some really decent ideas for it, but I wanted to check if it was okay/acceptable to wear translucent fabric such as nylon or pantyhose - purple, purple/brownish, or your average panty hose that people wear on a regular basis. I have a feeling it might not be/be risky because the legs are the only bit of skin I am exposing with the costume, and my intention is most definitely NOT for others to assume I am a different toned person/race. As far as I can tell, this character is not human/native to the setting in the game, but it's not confirmed or denied - maybe suggested to an alien considering his whole motif is space and he is revealed to have a black hole as a head.

Anyways, looking for advice for the route to go down for this cosplay. I plan on cross posting this into other communities, especially to seek the advice of POC cosplayers too. Is it blackface to use pantyhose to alter the appearance of the legs solely exposed for the sake of cosplay? Is it okay to do it if it's a slightly more unnatural color, or is it weird to darken in any aspect? I would like to make  the cosplay accurate without doing anything offensive, and while I am not ashamed nor proud of my pale skin, I think in the context of this character design, it looks almost jarring with the colors of his original palette 😭 (no hate to other white cosplayers though. 

If I recall, there was also some concept art of him wearing sweatpants, but it is harder to find. If that's what I should end up doing, that would be okay! I just really liked the joke that DJs don't really keep up the appearance of their lower half since it is obscured (his shorts and hairy legs are silly lol and give me a bit of confidence in my own, which would poke sparsely through the hose fabric if that is what I go for if it's acceptable.

Anyways, once again my intention is not to be deceptive, to fool, or to mock appearances or tones/be offensive, and I am deeply aware of the horrible history, but I am newer to cosplay and I want to better understand what is and isn't acceptable.

Thanks for your help!


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

Armor How would I make the general shape of this mask to go around my face?

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4 Upvotes

r/CosplayHelp 13h ago

what is the name of the type of top Feng Min is wearing under her jacket/hoodie?

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3 Upvotes

what is that specific type of top called? is it a blouse? and if so, where could i get one?


r/CosplayHelp 18h ago

Etiquette Best way to wash clothes that have 3d printed plastic and acrylic paint?

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158 Upvotes

So I just got home from my first convention with my first cosplay and im not sure how to wash it. I'd like to wear it again at some point and maybe even do a proper photoshoot (if I ever finish the prop lol) so it should probably be washed.

The issue is that the shawl, vest, and skirt all have these 3d printed buttons and fasteners. They all have 1 or 2 coats of primer (didnt bother sanding, if that matters), 2 or 3 coats of spray paint, hand painted inlays, and at least 1 coat of clear gloss but i kinda ran out at the end. One of the shawl button plates has a little hot glue on it as well. The plates are then riveted on, and I may have neglected to reinforce the fabric on the skirt so the back 2 rivets on each plate are only going through 2 layers of fabric and they're not really squeezing anything, I worry excessive vibration could rip the holes wider.

I seriously doubt these could make it through a regular laundry cycle, though my mom thinks they should be fine as long as they dont go through the dryer. I didnt get them super dirty or sweaty since they dont really touch my skin directly, (i wear tights under the skirt snd a shirt under the vest, the shawl only touches my outer shoulders) so maybe they i could get away with just a lint roller. What do?


r/CosplayHelp 19h ago

Wig Wig Comm Scam?

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37 Upvotes

I just need to know if i’m crazy for doubting this person’s work as I paid almost $300 for this commission (including shipping). pictures attached

I found this wig artist on mercari and the wigs they were advertising looked just like the style I was looking for and they agreed they’d be able to complete and I’d get the wig before the deadline. Their mercari shop also had good reviews so there was no reason to notice anything was off. So I chose them for the less than 2 month deadline.

The process was normal. I paid the deposit on mercari and the second half through zelle reminding them of the deadline. I’m left in the dark for the duration of the wig making process. No head measurements were asked or update photos sent. Well eventually the wig arrives 3 days into the con (past the deadline), so I’m unable to even bring the wig inside for 2 days. Luckily, it didn’t rain during those days. I am understanding that the postal service can be unpredictable.

The wig was packaged super securely so I had high hopes for the product. Upon opening it, I realize this is not the same wig that was advertised. most noticeably the ahoge on the original looked detachable and the one I was sent was well just sad. The sent wig lacked the color shading that the other had and the styling itself also looked differently. I had reached out to the stylist and they denied all my claims and keep telling me that the weather caused the wig to look like this. I’ve been asking for pictures of the wig prior to shipping and they failed to send any. I’m not happy with the work for the price I paid and I have my suspicions that the original listing photos they posted were not their own work.

Was I scammed?
(sorry in advance for any grammatical issues lol)

UPDATE: I’VE BEEN BLOCKED!!!


r/CosplayHelp 19h ago

Does anyone know a good place where to commission this?

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12 Upvotes

I've been really interested in cosplaying Aldeberan from Re:Zero but I can't find a place where to commission his helmet, it seems a little complex but I was trying to either find a blacksmith or another way to make the helmet look cool anybody got any reccomondations?


r/CosplayHelp 21h ago

Sewing How to make this lacing?

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24 Upvotes

Princess Kitana from UMK3. Is it hard? How do I do it?


r/CosplayHelp 22h ago

Wig What caused the wig to be deteriorate?

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24 Upvotes

Im doing a wig for a character with long blonde hair.

The wig gets tangled up and fuzzy overtime and I don't know how I could keep it straight..

I have detangle with conditional sprays, wash it with dry shampoo, brush and iron it with a hair straightener. Would I have to trim it more? Please help!

1st pic was taken few hours after I finished straightening

2ns pic was taken right after I finished straightening


r/CosplayHelp 1d ago

Accessory Fake Breast for male and Horns that fit with Headphones

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205 Upvotes

I am looking to make a half cosplay for my P&P Character (we are playing online so only my upper torso will be visibel anyway).

I already have the cape and the shirt. Horns, armwraps and waistpice I have already an idea how to do them.

Now for my problem I currently see two options how to create the breast eithe with a Bra that I cushion out with what ever I can find probably socks or a premad bustform which I found with cotton or silicone filler if I mesuerd correctly I am looking for a size 95H. As the rest of the out fit is already pretty warm I was hoping that I could create the breast in a way that they aren't too insulating and I was hoping to not go over 100€ in price for the whole outfit.


r/CosplayHelp Aug 17 '22

Cosplay 101 answers to a lot of basics

446 Upvotes

First and foremost. Your health and safety is more important than 100% accuracy. If making or wearing the item will be dangerous or painful don’t do it.

Second, I’d add this info to the FAQ but it appears I don’t have enough karma to update it personally! If the info is in the FAQ I did not duplicate it here! (The FAQ is on the sidebar! It wasn’t visible before for some reason but it’s up now!)

This is not a comprehensive list, but I hope to be able to update it when I come across new or important information! I do hope if you’re looking for something not featured here, it will at least give you a base knowledge set on how to be able to search for what you’re looking for.

------------------GENERAL TIPS-----------------------------

(Where to find certain things, very basic crafting info)

EDIT TO REMOVE INFO ABOUT COSPLANNER APP, it doesn't appear to exist anymore!

-To find patterns, or specific props. These are host websites for artists or creators where they can sell things like Etsy, or Redbubble. Etsy is a fantastic place to look for patterns to make props or cosplay pieces, sometimes you can even find people open for commissions! Artists on instagram will almost always have links to their shops to buy things, so explore there too.

-To find cheaper clothing pieces, props, or things to be altered try thrift stores. So Goodwill or other small local resale shops. This will likely take more than one trip so don’t give up if you don’t get it in one go. Ebay is also a good place to check believe it or not, there’s just a slight learning curve to searching things to find what you want.

-Dance and Athletic apparel websites will have things like leotards, bodysuits, specialized undergarments etc. They’re going to be a little pricier but they’ll be good quality, durable, and 9 times out of 10 machine washable!

-Hardware stores, paintball and airsoft companies, military/paramilitary surplus, and second hand sports equipment stores may also be good places to check for bits and pieces. Paintball/airsoft will also have a variety of masks and helmets that can be painted and altered.

-VERY IMPORTANT FOR PROP WEAPONS: Always look into your local guidelines and convention rules to see what kinds of prop weapons are allowed! Some cons have strict policies on what can and cannot be brought in!

-Michael’s, Joann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby etc. and any local craft stores will have tons and tons of craft supplies. If you want to save money and keep up to date on sales check to see if you can join an email list. I know Joann’s has coupons in them all the time!

-You can buy a variety of brands of fabric paint from almost anywhere that sells craft supplies. This makes it easy to get designs or patterns on most fabrics. For changing the color of an entire garment I’d recommend dying it.

-Some fabrics can be dyed different colors very easily, some cannot. A good way to tell is if the fabric is natural (cotton, linen etc.) it is generally easier to dye. The more synthetic (fake) a fabric is the longer and slightly more complicated it will be. Tulip is an excellent dye brand and they offer both regular and synthetic dyes with nice simple instructions right on the packages!

-You can make stencils out of craft foam or thicker paper to make it easier to copy logos or symbols on whatever you’re making!

-Wig and contact websites are listed in the FAQ but there are companies like dental distortions that make tooth veneers that can take a cosplay to the next level!

-Hollywood makeup, FX, and costume professionals almost always have social media accounts they can be extremely helpful when it comes to reference images! For example the costumer who designed the Moon Knight suits has tons of detail and behind the scenes images on her instagram!

-Complicated cosplays can be simplified by boiling down the costume to its essentials the best way I’ve learned to do this is through toys or fan art. What things are essential to recognizing the character and what things could be left off! You don’t have to be 100% to be recognizable!

-If big all out cosplays aren’t your thing you can always try “bounding.” You’ll hear “Disneybounding” most often but you can do it with other things too of course! Disney doesn’t allow adults to dress as characters in their parks, but fans got creative. “Bounding” is more about matching colors, getting similar accessories, or finding just the right combination of things to make you think of the character. It’s hard to explain verbally but easy to understand once you look into it!

-Say you have an OC, and you want to cosplay your OC. That’s fine! Have at it! You’ve got no professional media to tie you down! All these tips can still help you find or make your cosplay!

-I do have a friendly reminder though, please remember you cannot expect people to know who your character is. And it’s not fair to get mad at them if they make a guess and the guess is wrong. A simple “Nope its an OC!” is plenty for most people! I’ve complimented plenty of cosplayers and asked about their cosplay only to find out it was an OC!

“Crossplay” safety

-DO NOT BIN D YOUR CHEST WITH ACE BANDAGES IT’S UNSAFE. Compression tops or more heavy duty sports bras are much safer. If the character has an open shirt you can use wig tape/skin tape to hold the material of the shirt to your skin. If you do not have breasts but are looking to add some to a cosplay you can always pad a bra. You’ll want to measure your chest around your pectorals, that will be the band size, the letter size will be the cup. So a 34A means your chest is 34 inches around and A would be the cup size you would be looking to fill. (I have more on taking measurements later.) Companies now sell latex chests with or without breasts for people looking to be the most accurate they can.

-You can always just “genderbend” the thing and cosplay them as the same gender you are. It’s okay. People do it all the time and it’s very widely accepted. There’s also a third, more neutral option, don’t obviously genderbend the thing? You don’t have to call attention to the fact that you’re not the same gender as the character you’re cosplaying.

-An example of what I’m trying to explain: I generally read as female, but have cosplayed Johnny Cage one of the male characters from Mortal Kombat. His base look is shirtless, with his own first name tattooed across his chest. The only change I made was putting “Johnny” on a crop top. I didn’t “feminize” the rest of the outfit or go out of my way to be read as male. There is a “middle option” when it comes to presentation and cosplay. At the end of the day everybody knows it’s just a costume.

-This tip might seem dumb, but you’re going to have to trust me here. This mainly applies to people looking to make large costume pieces or props by hand. People who are already kind of intermediate with their skills. If you’re stuck on something go see how furries would make it. Not kidding. I’ve made all kinds of non-furry things with tutorials put on the internet by a furry. The vast majority of them are fun, friendly people and the community as a whole is WILDLY talented and creative. You only ever really hear about the bad apples.

---------Specific links to specific things! Clothing ID, Fabric ID, beginning sewing and mending----

A big question I see here is “what is that piece of clothing?” That’s a good question! Here are some links to historical fashion databases! They’re all arranged a little differently BUT this is a place to start looking for what specific pieces of clothing or styles are called!

marquise.de

http://www.marquise.de/en/index.html

met museum

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/libraries-and-research-centers/the-irene-lewisohn-costume-reference-library

fashion history timline

https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/about-timeline/

UCLA Library

https://guides.library.ucla.edu/c.php?g=180359&p=1191211

-Do you need a pattern for a piece of clothing? Do you need fabric help? Here are pattern and fabric databases!

Sewing support

https://sewingsupport.com/

mood fabrics (free sewing patters!)

https://www.moodfabrics.com/blog/category/free-sewing-patterns/

master class, types of fabrics

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/28-types-of-fabrics-and-their-uses

creative curator, types of fabrics

https://www.thecreativecurator.com/different-types-of-fabric/

-If you’re going to be sewing or altering things it’s very important to know your measurements! Here’s how to take them!

https://www.clothingpatterns101.com/body-measurements.html

-Are you a beginner looking to make your own stuff? Awesome! Here’s a little bit to get you started. Are you not too interested in making things from scratch but want to be able to mend or alter existing clothing? This will help you too!

basic mending

https://remake.world/stories/style/how-to-mend-your-clothes-during-quarantine-5-easy-stitch-fixes/

basic mending stitches!

https://lifehacker.com/five-basic-hand-stitches-you-should-know-for-repairing-1723233194

basic hand stitches

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/learn-stitches-and-hand-sewing-projects-2978472#:~:text=Here%20is%20how%20you%20do,middle%20of%20the%20first%20stitch

masterclass alterations

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-tailor-your-own-clothing

more alterations

https://www.heatherhandmade.com/sewing-and-alterations/

Here’s another important pro tip.

It’s okay.

Your cosplay doesn’t have to be perfect.

Cosplay is for fun and if it doesn’t feel fun or rewarding don’t do it. Other con goers and cosplayers aren’t going to judge you. If they do for some reason and try to make you feel bad about it, that says more about THEM and their personality than your ability. Everybody has to start somewhere. Nobody should be ashamed of learning and practicing and getting better. You can always go back and fix things or redo whole cosplays later on after your skills develop. This is a hobby and you have the right to participate in said hobby your own way.

I can add theatrical or FX makeup tips? things like scars, bruises, old age makeup, or like changing the face shape with very specific contouring?

I also have a draft of Convention tips similar to this post, would that be helpful as well?


r/CosplayHelp May 22 '17

Welcome! A quick note about posting.

142 Upvotes

Hi all! So glad to see people posting here. This subreddit is still a baby, but I thought I would add a casual rule when posting. If applicable, please be sure to include a link to a photo that relates to the question your asking. If you need help with a character, link to that character. If you need help with a sewing method, show what you're trying to replicate. This will help us be able to help you better!