Lately, I’ve seen so many of my fellow costumers and cosplayers post about the ambitions and cosplay plans for the year. And while I too, would normally be doing this (I’m so organised and nerdy I have a spreadsheet) this year I’m taking a step back from planning too much.
Generally my approach to costuming is to look at what events I’m hoping to attend throughout the year and decide where I will be re-wearing costumes and where I will be making new costumes. And then I put together my list of costumes that I will be making and start hunting down supplies. But, as a woman and it being my prerogative to change my mind, I have in fact put aside a lot of costumes that I had planned and purchased supplies for in favour of something else which fits in with the event in some other way. What this means is that I have a huge fabric and supplies stash and I blow through too much of my cosplay budget too fast.
So this year, things are going to change. And so far, I like it!
My intention is to rather work on a project as I’m inspired to. As I mentioned In previous posts, I do have at least one long-term costume in the mix that I am always working on but it’s nice to be able to still put together smaller projects throughout the year.
What spurred this was one of my projects last year. I made a new 1870s bustle dress. There was no real plan to wear it to any particular event (there was one I could wear it to but I have others in my wardrobe that I could wear instead), but I just wanted to work on it because I had cut it out and wanted it made up. But what it meant was that I could take my time. I wasn’t stressed about a deadline and rushing things to get it done in time. In fact, I took it one step further than I had planned and made a dust ruffle for the trained skirts. It also meant that as I didn’t like one of the fabrics I had originally chosen, I had time to find something else that would go with it better.
I’m at the stage with my costuming where I pretty much have something already in my wardrobe that I could wear. In fact, I’ve already sold a number of costumes that I no longer wear on my etsy store and I do have some inklings to sell more of them. This means that if I want to go to something, I just choose one already done, iron it, dig out the props and wigs and put it on.
It doesn’t mean that I’m taking a break from costuming. Far from it. At the moment, aside from working on my long-term historically accurate Ariel, I’m also working on sprucing up my Pin-up Elsa. And I will wear it when an opportunity presents itself. Let’s face it, there are plenty of conventions nearby that I can wear it to, so there’s not really a worry that it won’t ever be worn. And of course, there are always opportunities to do photoshoots as well.
One of the other things this means is that as I won’t be stressing about timelines for projects, I can spend a little more time on some of my other hobbies (cross-stitch, learning different embroidery, learning crochet) and I will have the time to blog a little more. Heck any more than last year will be a win.
So, to the future! New costumes and reducing my stash.
