What was the very first costume you ever made?
My first deliberate (complete & homemade) costume was an outfit for the Renaissance Faire, in 2002. Immediately followed with a series of Renaissance style Fairy costumes, complete with wings. [Which I wore to school, because my parents never let me go out]. I was really into corsets that year. But I didn't really cosplay until after high school [because my parents weren't going to fund/encourage/support/allow me to go places/spend money on a ridiculous hobby]. Costuming gathered momentum in college [after I got a job and could afford it], and has kept growing since. [And this website was born in 2012.]
What characters do you like cosplaying best?
I'm really fond of my star trek uniform because of the great subculture that recognizes and supports the franchise. I like doing characters that are really well known, because more common people readily accept/recognize it. [I try and stick to the classics] Also, because I watch way more movies than anime, most of my costumes are movie based, not anime/manga based. I do not have a list of characteristics I look for when selecting a character to cosplay, if there's anything I've learned it's that age/gender/body type/ethnicity does not matter if you capture the real essence of the character. Recently, most of my costumes have stemmed from a "Ooo that looks cool, I wanna be that" mentality.
How long have you been sewing/crafting/cosplaying?
I learned how to sew when I was very young, but I wasn't very good at it until about 2006. It's the same with crafting, I started young, but I wasn't very good at it until about 2009. Power tools help a lot, also money.. money helps a LOT. But, I've always been motivated to create [so, since birth, I guess] and I was drawn to the idea of wearable art.
What's the most important part of cosplay for you?
Simple enjoyment. It doesn't really matter how professional your costume is, as long as you're having a blast wearing it. I love all my costumes, but I never feel great about most of them until I get a compliment from a normal [non-costume] person who has never met me before. I am incredibly shy, so this was an excellent way for me to meet people.
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What are your other hobbies/interests?
Well, I love costumes, but there are other things I love as-well.. things like: camping, dancing, Star Trek, painting, snorkeling, sculpture, ukelele, swimming, photography, acting.. <<that's just a few, check out my About page for more
What advice would you give someone who is just starting to cosplay?
Don't be intimidated. These days everything you need to know is online [friends, events, advice, tutorials] It's a great community, full of friendly creative people. It's super easy. Just dive in! [..and maybe check out my Presentation Tutorial, I packed it with all the general advice I give to new cosplayers. It's not the best advice, but it's what I've learned.]
what's your secret? / How do you do it?
I like to say that the secret is proper underwear [I'm only half joking], & what I mean is: having the "right tools" for the job is a good start. But, the real secret is 'time & energy & love'. If you're looking for real advice about how to do something, google it or read through my workshop page, making good costumes/props is 80% planning [so, I hope you are a creative thinker].
How many times do you wear an individual costume before being done with it?
I wear it for a mini photo shoot right when it's completed [just for documentation. That's why some of the pictures in my Gallery look like they were taken in front of a sheet or in a bathroom]. Then usually 3-4 times after that, but it really all depends on props and shoes. Costumes with comfortable shoes get worn more than costumes with crazy impossible shoes and/or how bulky the props are. I take a motorcycle to a lot of local things (I HATE crowded parking lots), so if the costume has large cumbersome props [or dangerous looking props] that wont fit into a backpack then it's less likely to get worn to events; or it's a really long road trip with limited space to pack, and crazy things just wont fit.
Does being eyed by the general public make you nervous?
Sometimes, but not as much as people trying to sneak pictures. [Most of them are really creepy about it, OR they do a walk-by [snapping pictures as they go] while I'm actively doing something] never saying a word to me. I prefer it if they come up and actually talk to me [treat me like a real person, instead of a dancing monkey]. I'm friendly, I promise.
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Does your everyday style look costumey?
On any given day, I look like crap. No makeup, no whimsy, no effort. [I spend all my time/money on other things and my daily appearance/wardrobe suffers] I'm also extremely shy [It takes me hours to warm up to a new social situation]. You would not recognize me on the street. edit: SOMEONE RECOGNIZED ME from a Leia cosplay picture on a Star Wars forum. I was shocked.
Are you Chinese? / What are you?
Seriously?.. no, I'm mixed race. Born in California. I'm totally Westernized. I have freckles, and my dads chin. I get that question A LOT from American-Asians who just can't figure it out.
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How do you deal with the attention/drama/negativity that online social media exposes you to?
Trying new things can be scary, but if you want to try something, just do it. Be proud of yourself! Don't watch reality television.
Try to avoid the negativity, and if you can't avoid it, then screw it, get new friends and a cosplay name. ;P Don't let anyone hold you back. ALSO, you may notice that none of my pages have a "comment" area, the reason is that I really don't care what you think [people can be cruel, and I don't want to give anyone the opportunity to be a cyber bully].
If you really like my work, send me a message. I'd like that. I'm generally a very nice person.
Try to avoid the negativity, and if you can't avoid it, then screw it, get new friends and a cosplay name. ;P Don't let anyone hold you back. ALSO, you may notice that none of my pages have a "comment" area, the reason is that I really don't care what you think [people can be cruel, and I don't want to give anyone the opportunity to be a cyber bully].
If you really like my work, send me a message. I'd like that. I'm generally a very nice person.
Are you a model? / Is this a modelling portfolio?
No and no. This site is strictly costume/craft related, and I am not a model, at least not a fashion model [I'm too healthy a shape for that]. I am a very normal human shape, I'm 5' 6'' tall [168 cm] and a dress size 10-12, which is 10 sizes too big for fashion modelling. I was an athlete for most of my youth, so I was never really twiggy. I'm also a bit self-conscious, so I think being a model would give me anxiety [or anorexia].
Have you ever thought about costuming as a profession?
Done and Done. I do work in theater and I've actually lived and worked in Los Angeles. I've worked professionally in the wardrobe department of some student and independent films. But, Hollywood sucks. LA, in general, is filled with mean people, and I'm much happier with costuming as a hobby. I'm not saying that I wouldn't go back to doing it full time, I'm saying that I tried it, and still have a full time regular office job.
Do you take commissions?
Only if we're friends, and it's a favor/trade. Doing things 'once' for money isn't my style [I've got a real job for that]. Also, I'm a huge advocate of Do-It-Yourself. I believe that the biggest problem with kids today is that they've forgotten how to be creative [or no one is teaching/encouraging them to be]. I do tend to give a lot of free sewing advice [it's my area of expertise], but I really don't want to do any of the fun for you. But, I guess I can refer you to someone else if you really really want something made... I used to make functional props out of wood/fiberglass, but I know better now : cardboard/worbla/foam is SO MUCH EASIER [and cheaper].
What can i tell you about my life?
Well, I tend to go full force with things. I like to say that I have only 2 speeds, go & stop. My life tends to be divided into chapters by my main focus at that time. So I tend to flip flop between working very hard for my future, and playing very hard for fun. A long hard few years of school/work, then a year of play, then work/school again, then play. I tend to carry on this way. I play hard, but I work so much harder.
During my play time years, I travel and experience lots of new things, making lots of costumes and indulge in new hobbies/interests. But, then I go back to work, and go full force until I burn out again, then I go back to play.
During my play time years, I travel and experience lots of new things, making lots of costumes and indulge in new hobbies/interests. But, then I go back to work, and go full force until I burn out again, then I go back to play.
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