Friday, May 8, 2009

Cosplay Convention Costume Guidelines

With lots of Cosplay conventions coming up in Spring and Summer across the country, it’s a good idea to check on the convention’s costume guidelines to avoid the embarrassment and frustration of being turned away at the door and missing out on the fun.

The goal is to create a safe environment for everyone, while also allowing costumers to show off their hard work and craftsmanship. So using the guidelines from the Animazement Convention coming up May 22 – 24 in Raleigh, NC, here are a few important things to keep in mind.

The convention staff has the power to decide if your costume of prop falls into the strictly prohibited category or not. These would be anything that could be used as a weapon—like anything metal or able to shoot anything (including air) at anyone. They’ve also had issues where carrying signs evolved into solicitation, so they've blanket-banned them.

The staff will allow weapons that are easily identifiable as fakes--made out of light and harmless materials like cardboard, Styrofoam, rubber, or other craft materials. But they still might ask you to take it off if you’re seen swinging it around or sparring, which will remove that element from your costume, making it less authentic.

Large props and costumes will be limited as to where they can roam, so if you want to see it all, keep it small.

A safe environment includes keeping kids safe from seeing things they’re not old enough to see yet. So essentially, their policy is that you should only wear outfits that you would be comfortable wearing in front of children, grandparents, and anyone in between. Nothing more revealing than a modest bathing suit—one that is robust enough to remain intact if you stumble, bump into someone, or burst into spontaneous jumping jacks. Moon Costumes can customize your costume to make sure no Janet Jackson-style wardrobe malfunctions occur.

Labels: Animazement, Cosplay Conventions, Custom Costumes