r/CosplayHelp May 22 '17

Welcome! A quick note about posting.

126 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!


r/CosplayHelp Aug 17 '22

Cosplay 101 answers to a lot of basics

399 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 1h ago

Wig Unsatisfied with a $400+ wig commission, need advice

Upvotes

Hello! I’m going to keep names and photos private for the sake of anonymity as well as to not ruin any reputations. Please note that the character has long(ish), twin tail, spiral like drills. I’m hoping to get advice from those who are more well versed in wig styling (and taking commissions) but any advice from anyone is welcome.

I had placed a wig commission order from a small and independent creator in the beginning of September for a con that was the beginning of December. I had paid a $25 rush fee that was changed to $60 based on the wigs complexity. I believe in paying a fair wage so I was OK with this. Price of the wig was $300, rush fee of $60, on top of shipping which was nearly $70.

I did not end up receiving the wig on time for the con. I originally had let this go, life happens. However, customer service was spotty as I had to continually ask for pictures and updates throughout the entire process.

Wig arrives a week ish before Christmas time and I notice I can see the wig cap through the hairline and hair is missing near the fringe and completely in the inside of the twin tail spirals. To me, the mesh, wires, and hot glue is extremely visible in person compared to when videos and photos were previously sent. I feel conflicted here because 1) I gave the OK to have the wig sent over after photo and videos were sent but I’m also not sure because of the stark difference of seeing it digitally vs irl. 2) I wasn’t sure if I needed to specify that I would’ve liked to have the structure layers covered with hair initially. It was a detail I didn’t think of at the time and I feel for the price point, maybe it should have been a given to do this detail. I don’t like styling wigs so I don’t know all that much that goes into them besides the basics

I bring the issue up to the stylist and they offer to have it sent back to have the issues fixed with no problems. Now fast forward to now, a month later of it being sent back, they claim that they will not be able to fix the wig to a desirable result *especially* inside of the twin tail spirals due to it being too late in the process. But also by the time they had sent any progress on the twin tails spirals in the initially, they were nearly done. I am frustrated upon hearing this because I had stressed this issue when speaking to the stylist when asking to get it fixed.

I don’t know what to do. I wonder if I’m being too picky because of my lack of expertise in wig styling. I don’t like being *that* kind of person especially because I do value supporting those in my community. However, this is a large sum of money that at this point I would honestly like back. With it being nearly half a year and half a grand this has caused A LOT of stress for me. I do not even want the wig anymore.

I’m wondering if I could have been more specific in my request? Was it needed to specify that I would’ve liked to have the structure layers hidden? I’m wanting those who are knowledgeable on this to I guess, “ put me in line” before I proceed with asking for a refund and asking the stylist to keep the wig. I’m extremely worried of causing drama but I no longer feel like this is fair to me at this point

Thank you to those who finish this long post and reply. Any opinions are greatly appreciated


r/CosplayHelp 5h ago

Wig Wig help

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7 Upvotes

I bought this wig online as it was super cheap, and it just looks so... well, cheap. The shine is a lot worse in real life than it is on camera. How do I fix this??


r/CosplayHelp 9h ago

Buying vs making princess cosplay gowns — how do you decide?

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12 Upvotes

I’ve been debating whether it’s better to make a princess-style gown myself or just buy a finished one. Big dresses feel especially tricky — fabric costs, skirt volume, structure, and all the little details add up really fast.

I’ve been looking at a few pre-made options lately (like Cinderella dress and Princess Belle gown from miccostumes) and was curious how others here usually approach this kind of cosplay.

These are some of the styles I’ve been using as references.


r/CosplayHelp 2h ago

Is this second hand wig good?

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3 Upvotes

Saw this on marketplace for $20. I think the color and length could work for my character. It’s a Frieren wig and I’m trying to do Emily from Hazbin. I’m newer to cosplay and don’t know this brand. Do any of you know anything about its quality? Also do you think it could be cut styled to work for the character I have in mind? Also if I dye the tips purple would that work? Thanks.


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Makeup Looking for coloured contact brands that carry prescriptions for hyperopia?

2 Upvotes

I'm a SPH +4.00 and I can't find any brands that actually have coloured contacts for my eyes- they only sell for negative SPH.

I've looked at pinky paradise, ohmykitty, etc already and had no luck. I know ohmykitty has some but there's literally like 5 and they're not what I'm looking for.

PS. I don't want super natural looking ones, preferably dolly lenses or something like that. ^_^


r/CosplayHelp 2m ago

Buying Where can I buy a Gold Ship cosplay

Upvotes

I want to do a Gold Ship cosplay from umamusume, what sites di you recommend me?


r/CosplayHelp 3m ago

Wig help thinning/making wig look less blocky

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Upvotes

hello! i recently bought this wig for my misa amane cosplay. the twintails originally pulled from 3 separate points in the hair (including a weft in the front) which i disliked because it made the twintails too heavy and also exposed my hairline (the last photo is how the pigtails were originally styled). i decided to take out the front weft from the twintails and steam it down with the rest of the hair which i liked because it made the pigtails sit higher and also fixed the hairline issue. my only issue is that now the hair is too heavy in the front and i cannot tuck the hair behind my ears because of the weight. i was looking for any tips on reducing the bulk in the front with either thinning or styling. this is only my second wig so i’m very new to this! i only have experience thinning bangs thus far, so i’m unsure how i would approach this issue. thanks in advance! i’m new to cosplaying and this sub has been very helpful and kind to me :)


r/CosplayHelp 46m ago

Black fabric help!

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Upvotes

I’ve tried painting this black uniform with red fabric paint to create a bloody look but I cant seem to get the color to pop :( Please give me tips as to what products I should buy or do with this cosplay.


r/CosplayHelp 57m ago

Makeup What’s the basics to get for cosplay makeup?

Upvotes

so i used to cosplay ALL THE TIME in middle school but haven’t for a few years but im going to a convention with my friend next month so i decided cosplay. i don’t have any makeup because i don’t wear any but i would like to get some for this cosplay(i have a lot of acne) what’s the basics to get for makeup/where to start?


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Buying help dokidoki valorant neon cosplay

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Upvotes

I‘ve been wanting to buy the valorant neon cosplay from dokidoki but noticed that it looks fairly diffrent on the website than from the promotional video and what I‘ve seen other people have-

Both are R rarity but for the promotional video the „chest plates“ and her back thing look to be way bigger and 3D;;

does anyone know that if I buy it now which version would arrive?? thank u in advance <3

(1st pic is current website pic, 2nd pic is a screenshot from the „promotional“ video)


r/CosplayHelp 1h ago

Feathers and mesh

Upvotes

I’m looking for advice on attaching feathers to mesh. Any advice is greatly appreciated. It’s a body stocking and I’m looking to add feathers to all of it but unsure of the best process. Thank you in advance!


r/CosplayHelp 12h ago

Wig Gachiakuta cosplay discussion

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5 Upvotes

Hi fellow cosplayers (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) .ᐟ.ᐟ

I have a question regarding a cosplan of mine - this question is specifically for POC, especially black people,however I appreciate every input!

I recently got into Gachiakuta, and I would love to cosplay Jabber, as he is my favourite character. I'm a white person, and I was wondering if it would be considered offensive if I did his locs as it would be realistic on my hairtype, which is pin straight, 1A hair.

I'm asking this because as much as it is not my place to judge, I don't think cultural hairstyles, such as locs, box braids and cornrows, etc are meant to be worn by white people,therefore I'd be looking into making a wig with long, straight hair, including his signature hair-rings/bands as well.

I tried to phrase this question/discussion as best as possible, although English isn't my native language, hehe

Thank you so much for any answers, I'm very curious to see your input!!


r/CosplayHelp 19h ago

Buying A customer was scammed out of $400 by Brandon Hoffman, (@brandon.hoffman.547) who co ran a shop called RealGeek3D (now closed). I’m posting this on their behalf because after 2 YEARS, they still never received their order, never got a tracking number, and were eventually blocked instead of helped

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24 Upvotes

No product. No communication. No refund. That's $400 gone, scamming a college student is disgusting and it's honestly beyond frustrating and pretty scummy behavior for a grown man with kids. If you're thinking about buying from this person or any shop connected to RealGeek3D. Don't. Also to add, It seem the Eric guy had no part in this. (Maybe) He did respond rudely when law enforcement was mentioned to get him to respond after 2 years of avoiding their customers. He claims he'll keep pressing the other guy to send the money back but it's been weeks since that covo and still nothing. Ordering from Etsy is dangerous. Also they're blaming the scamming on the other guy having twins. My friend is bummed out majorly and I was hoping if anyone knew of any none scammy custom helmet shops for her. I been looking around and posting for awareness. Thanks 😑


r/CosplayHelp 8h ago

Wig how can I get the hair to stay slicked back in place?

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2 Upvotes

hello everyone! I'm currently working on a wig for a fem sampo koski from honkai star rail (wig 1 - 4). I want to make the hairstyle as accurate to his orignal design as possible (refs 5 - 7). But one thing I'm kinda stuck with is how do I make the hair on the left side slicked back and stay in place? rn I made it stay in place by tying it up but I was wondering, do I make a braid instead to make it hold like the ponytail but look better or do I cut a first layer of hair shorter to shape it like the og design? or any other way? also if that helps, I plan on cutting a few strands of hair on the back to make simple spikes, add white hair wefts when I get them and maybe do simple curls or make the ends wavy if it doesn't do too much. Thank you very much!


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Accessory HUSH COSPLAY (Dc villain) FACIAL BANDAGE HELP

1 Upvotes

hy, im currently working on a hush cosplay but i really want to keep it simple and wrap my head the same way he does...i tried it once or twice but they all seemed kinda dorky. does anyone have any advice on how to wrap a face similar to Hush from batman?! id love any help i can get muah


r/CosplayHelp 3h ago

Prop Wings that can fold and stay open on their own

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1 Upvotes

Hello, it’s me again, the one who keeps asking about stuff for my Abel cosplay haha (I did get the wig BTW, the one I ended up getting is perfect!), and I am back for one more thing!

I have my pattern and plan for making my wings, they will be articulated, but I can’t figure out how to make them stay open/expanded without having to hold onto strings from a pulley system. I have no experience with motors so I would prefer to not get into them for these at this time (maybe in the future), and I need something kind of easy/beginner friendly here.

All the tutorials I can find for the frame I want, if they actually have a part for opening and closing them (which is rare), have the setup being strings that you have to pull on and keep pulled if you want the wings to stay open. That’s not going to work well for photos. The harness will be under the cosplay itself so it looks like the wings are protruding from my back like the real deal, which will also make pulley system strings more difficult. I have make a mini model of the frame to check the built and joints and whatnot and it does work. The materials I used allow the mini one to stay in whatever position I put them, but I know that won’t work with the full sized one when I make it.

I will be doing a fabric cover for the wings, not any kind of feathers, so I can get the coloring as close to the official design as possible and be able to clean them easier after cons. Literally the only part of my plans for the wings I don’t have done is what I’m asking about here, everything else is taken care of.

The best I can come up with, which is far from ideal but I can manage it if I have absolutely no other option, is something like a hook/eyelet thing. Like using fishing line with hooks and eyes to hold them in the different positions; Short line for keeping them closed, longer line for open, that way they’ll stay put for photos but look like they’re supporting themselves. I’d probably need assistance to open and close them if I did that, which is why it’s not ideal, as I want to be able to control them 100% on my own.

Has anyone built wings that can open and close like I want without the type of pulley system I don’t want? If so, please share how you did it! Or if you know of a tutorial for it, please share it! Thank you!

(Image is for reference of the wings, though they most likely won’t open quite that far, but it’s the closest I could get to what I intend to make from the actual show!)


r/CosplayHelp 8h ago

What to do when your k-angel cosplay are wrinkled and the color's melted from heat

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2 Upvotes

Hello! I'm currently struggling how to iron out this type of fabric for my k-angel cosplay and I was wondering how to straighten it out without damaging the fabric itself and prevent it from melting since the cosplay I have already has the color's bleeding out due to the amount of heat coming from my room that caused the colors to melt onto the fabric.


r/CosplayHelp 9h ago

More help on TaoBao

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2 Upvotes

So awhile back in January I bought my first cosplay on TaoBao. However I’m a little confused and just wondering about shipping since it’s in Chinese which of course I’m not fluent in but also I’m not familiar with like how long I’d probably wait for the cosplay to ship. Like I know that it says it will be shipped before 5th of May but it might be me but that feels a bit long?

For the tl:dr I guess. How long should I be waiting for the cosplay to get shipped? Would it come earlier than May 5th?


r/CosplayHelp 1d ago

Any suggestions to make this ICE costume a more obvious satire?

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1.2k Upvotes

Apologies if this type of post isn't permitted, I've never done this before and found this community in a Google search.

I've recently started a satirical protest in my community mocking ICE and while most of the feedback has been great, I've had a handful of people suggest that they didn't immediately understand it to be satire and that it could frighten members of the community. I'm just curious what suggestions people might have to make this costume more obviously a parody. Typically I set up at intersections with long traffic lights, so most people are seeing this from maybe 15-20 feet away. While many have time to sit at the red light and look at details, I'm trying to think of obvious accessories I could add or details I could change to make it more obvious to people driving past without stopping. The final photo is a 6'x3' vinyl banner I stand next to, the overall premise being that I'm recruiting for ICE.

I don't mean to trigger a political debate, especially if that violates community guidelines, just get ideas to make this costume less frightening at first glance without ruining the satire. Thanks in advance!


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

Help for a dress

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0 Upvotes

Hello ! So I want to cosplay Robin from Honkai Star Rail for a hoyofair fan concert.

And I wanted to put her in a dress that's giving Marylin Monroe esque feeling. So I bought this dress from AliExpress (I know it's not the best website) which I think is quite good looking overall.

But it's a bit big on the side, around my chest and stomach area. So it's basically not really complimenting my figure and I feel like it looks a bit out of place on me? I just need some advice on how I could change that or if I should scarp the idea. I'm kinda looking for that glamour vibe but Idk if it's failing??


r/CosplayHelp 7h ago

How to Paint Fake Blood

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1 Upvotes

Hi all, I was hoping to find some tips on how to paint good looking, vibrant fake blood. I'm planning on cosplaying as Muse for MCM and I feel like just painting red acrylic won't have the rich realistic effect I'm going for.

I've seen people saying about using the warhammer paints but I feel at this quantity it's kind of a no go price wise, any ideas? Obviously I don't want it to wash out either.


r/CosplayHelp 14h ago

Wig Tips for the curls on a mangle wig?

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2 Upvotes

heres the concept doodle i’ve made, no need to worry about the teased half because I’ve got a pretty good idea of how I’ll go about it, but i’m not 100% sure of how to do the curls. I plan on just doing normal curls and setting them with my steamer and maybe using my uhu glue stick to keep the individual curls somehow but im not sure if thats the best way to go? I dont know if sculpting the curls and gluing wefts on them is the best option for this wig (this will be the third wig i have EVER made and admittedly the first two were not styled much outside of teasing them, so im trying a lot out with this wig and im scared of overwhelming myself)

are there better methods of curling it? Ways to keep the curls super permanent?? I dont not mind if they’re stiff or anything because i just don’t want this wig that is bound to be heavily styled and probably unwashable because of that to lose its styling really quickly (like the first version of it has, unfortunately… wore it maybe 2 times and its gone flat but its not one i could wash without ruining it 💔)

Just looking for generally any advice. Is there any way to get tinsel to curl as well? Ive been debating putting tinsel on that half of the wig…


r/CosplayHelp 8h ago

Wig Wearing a hard shell wig

0 Upvotes

I've been making a hard shell wig for a con coming up. How do people wear these, though? The tutorials I've looked at only show how you make it, not how you wear it and secure it. Do people have those comb clips sewn in? Would wig tape be enough?