Author Topic: A Serious Question Regarding Homemade Vs. Purchased costumes (Read 4885 times)

Keenon Williams · « **on:** June 17, 2007, 03:11:47 pm »

Okay, you guys are all familiar with the fact that I decided to go as one Ryoga Hibiki from my favorite old manga and anime Ranma 1/2. And if you were REALLY paying attention, you'd know that I had to BUY the outfit instead of having my mom make it, due to the fact of "Dad's Not Doing Well, So Mom Can't Be Arsed With It".

But here's the question. Is it outright BAD to buy the costume, or is it just not as original? I know that the people here are going to probably start a fight, but I really do wonder if I should have just gone as Narufro again rather than buying my costume.

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2007, 03:42:07 pm »

There is nothing wrong with buying a costume. That's why there are so many people out there who take commissions to make costumes for other people. It's a certainly valid thing to do. The aspect of making a costume yourself is just up to the individual, and (speaking for myself) adds a certain element of fun and satisfaction to wearign the costume. Knowing it is a good-looking costume that one has made themself. For competitions, though, originality is generally a pretty big part of judging and all that, but not a necessity. Overall, no, not bad at all. Just a preference for some over others.

totemo_oishii · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2007, 03:53:45 pm »

There's certainly nothing *wrong* with buying your cosplay. It's just that there's more pride and feeling of accomplishment when you make your own.
I have, in the past, bought most of my cosplay. However, this year I'm going to make it out of scratch. :3

Runa · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2007, 04:29:08 pm »

Whether you purchase your costume or make your own is a personal choice. I agree with the comments above that part of the pleasure of wearing a costume you made is that when someone compliments you on it, you can feel really proud because you know how much work was put into it.

The only place where a purchased costume is not allowed is in the cosplay competition (costume judging part). This is because the judges are judging your skill at making the costume yourself. (It also doesn't make sense to have professionally made costumes competing against ones made by hobbyists given the major difference in experience / equipment available).

manekineko · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2007, 04:37:40 pm »

To sum it up. No one will be bothered if you buy your costume instead of make it. What mainly bothers people is when you buy something and claim to have made it or enter a bought costume into a contest.

It happens unfortunately. Luckily, I think we're all smarter than that. :lol:

Trumby · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2007, 05:59:12 pm »

I don't have any problems with it..especially as I can't sew either

I'm actually doing that for a couple costumes..mainly because it's hard for my mom to help me make a costume when she lives 3 hours away from me <.<

{Die}Destroyer · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2007, 08:55:25 am »

dont worry i bought my cosplay as well. :-p

melchizedek · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2007, 11:18:58 am »

ditto, I've not a single needle to my name.

pinkrandomattack · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2007, 07:55:23 pm »

dude, if people didn't buy costumes i wouldn't do any business. i do personally have a vendetta against entirely "store bought" costumes, you know mass produced. like the vash coats i saw at hot topic. i might kick someone if i see them wearing one...not really but i might want to. but for me at least its kinda about supporting small business too.

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2007, 02:06:22 am »

Quote from: "pinkrandomattack"

dude, if people didn't buy costumes i wouldn't do any business. i do personally have a vendetta against entirely "store bought" costumes, you know mass produced. like the vash coats i saw at hot topic. i might kick someone if i see them wearing one...not really but i might want to. but for me at least its kinda about supporting small business too.

Agreed. Commissioning someone to do it for you is so very different than buying a store-bought, mass-produced costume. One has some decency and respectability to it....and the other is buying a costume from a store.

Okay, I shouldn't be so harsh. But store-bought costumes are just the epitome of noncreative costuming. Sorry, y'all.

BlackjackGabbiani · « **Reply #10 on:** June 20, 2007, 02:59:00 am »

What's the difference, then, between buying a "store-bought" costume and buying individual things *for* your costume that make up the whole thing? You know, like buying all Tracey Sketchit's outfit off the rack since it's all "real" clothes?

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #11 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:48:05 am »

Because at least then you put in the effort to look for the pieces and had the originality to think of what ordinary articles of clothing would work well when put together to assemble this (by most circumstances) abnormal assortment of attire.

Raccon-Faced_Keruri · « **Reply #12 on:** June 20, 2007, 10:33:58 am »

There's nothing wrong with buying costume pieces. I certainly don't have very good sewing skills. *shows needle-stabbed fingers*

EveofAbyss · « **Reply #13 on:** June 20, 2007, 11:02:13 am »

I agree. Hopefully nobody interpreted what I said as saying there is something wrong with buying cosplay pieces. I do that, and have no problem with it. What I am opposed to are the completely manufactured costumes that take no skill or requirements but a fat wallet. Now I can see some may say "well, then what is the difference between that and commissioning someone to make a costume for you?" Well, to that I would say that, at least when you have someone make it for you, it is still originally made, keeping the costume production in the "realm of otaku", as it were. And, as someone said earlier, keeping it with small businesses. I'm down with that. I just don't like big business, I suppose.

superjaz · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2007, 03:03:24 pm »

Quote from: "manekineko"

To sum it up. No one will be bothered if you buy your costume instead of make it. What mainly bothers people is when you buy something and claim to have made it or enter a bought costume into a contest. It happens unfortunately. Luckily, I think we're all smarter than that. :lol:

i agree, i make my owm cosplays and those for family/friends and i am proud of what i make, and i se some one wearing something bought and claim they made it irks me because i know how much work goes into sewing, right now i making my first quilt and it is time comsuming.

there is a kinda 50/50 differnce between making coustume out of pieces and you making the rest. think about all those naruto cosplayers, who would be head bandless if there head bands didnt count

SkylarTheAizen · « **Reply #15 on:** August 01, 2007, 03:28:08 am »

I personally prefer buying my costumes. I honestly don't see a problem with it, but I do agree that It's annoying when people try to pawn off someone elses work as their own.
I made a Chuunin vest last year was almost a complete disaster. It's just very time consuming to make a costume, and actually get it looking perfect. I'm a big fan of quality if you know what I mean. I've found the Costumes at www.cosplaymagic.com are awesome, and very high quality. I dunno where they come from but it's where I bought my Captain Aizen Costume, and I'm extremely happy with it.

superjaz · « **Reply #16 on:** August 01, 2007, 11:01:57 am »

i get a little glee when i look at that site and see the urahara i made for 30 and sellin for 96,and the one i made was top quality

Kayani_Neko · « **Reply #17 on:** August 06, 2007, 08:47:44 am »

I think it's alright to buy a costume. Sometimes better. If you suck at sewing/designing, it's better.
Lazily-made costumes are an offense to all serious cosplayers/anime fans.

Inaccuracy = NO. DD:

Though, a couple unavoidable/difficult things are okay to slip up on I guess.

~Kay

triforcehunter · « **Reply #18 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:36:42 am »

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with buying a ready-made costume, but like some other guy said a while back, you definately get more pride when you have to spend some time either looking for the individual pieces of the costume in various stores, or when you have to use your sewing skills to make the costume turn out just the way you want it to.

Rainfeather · « **Reply #19 on:** August 31, 2007, 09:42:28 am »

I like homemade myself, but if you can pull it off better when buying from someone else, than I'd say go for it. I made my Zim costume from scratch, for the simple fact that I don't think anyone else would make/sell it. It turned out perfectly. So it really depends on if you've got time and are willing to put in the effort, or you like someone else's work. Hope this helps. <3

Black~Rose · « **Reply #20 on:** September 04, 2007, 01:48:54 am »

I made my Arith coustume, bying things from Goodwill and such to help me. I am proud of it too, But If I had to money to I would have gone as tifa and bought her coustume. So either way, a coustume is a coustume.

Bundyangel · « **Reply #21 on:** September 04, 2007, 06:50:02 pm »

I guess it all depends on three or four things

1) your price limit
2) the difficulty/originality of your costume
3) pride/belief

If you dont have a price limit its a difficult costume to make and you dont care, i assume you would buy it. but if its a rare costume and you want to be so accurate, you would make it.

I made my namine outfit and it cost me about 70 dollars, mostly spent on fabric. Buying the costume online was between 100-300 dollars depending where i had looked. I felt so proud walking around in my costume and having people recognise me as namine.

Rude · « **Reply #22 on:** September 04, 2007, 07:42:48 pm »

well I won't lie, I have bought my costume thus far. but the three biggest ticket parts are things I really can't make/ don't want to do myself. My two pairs of cosplay grade shades, I just don't have the tools to make lenses and frames. And the piercings, cause really, good with a needle I might be but coming at your own head with 12 and 14 gauge needles is just a liiiiiittle freaky.

I am hoping to get a full custom suit going sometime soon, and I NEEED to make my own gloves. stupid store ones have little fingers or you have to have fat hands, I have niether.

I do agree with Barrett though that you should try to avoid doing things like the hot topic vash coat. they tend to look crappy to start with. But if you can commision a piece for yourself from someone that is actually into making costumes for others you are more or less making sure of two things, quality and a good fit. For those of you who saw me as Rude at the con I did happen to look into doing Vash at one point for grins and looked at the hot topic things for ideas, the stiching was low grade and the sizing was at best iffy. And if you happen to have any real height to you there is no chance to getting the fit right.

LittleCodfish · « **Reply #23 on:** September 05, 2007, 03:15:51 pm »

Nothing wrong with buying at all.

It's when you buy and say that you made it yourself is what bothers people.

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Author Topic: A Serious Question Regarding Homemade Vs. Purchased costumes (Read 4885 times)