My next article on Nerd Caliber is out, and this one is called, ‘The “Help! What Should I Cosplay Thread,” & 10 Reasons Why We Can’t Answer That Question.’ It’s a long title, but a very descriptive one as well.
You’ve all seen it before: droves of questioning cosplayers, overwhelming public forums looking for ideas on what might be their next big costume hit. Nearly everyone structures these threads the same way; they list their height, measurements, hair color, and maybe a short list of their favorite series. A few forum regulars may stop in to suggest one or two costume ideas, but without more information on the cosplayer and his or her skill level, these suggestions are pretty much given at random. I never see any sort of actual conversation taking place in these threads; they get two or three replies, and then get pushed down in the forum by a dozen other cosplayers who also want to know who to cosplay.
Will the madness ever end?
In this article, I attempt to explain why asking the internet for costume ideas isn’t going to get you what you really want, as well as how even if we the internet sincerely wanted to help you, why we cannot effectively do so. I hope that it is an informative read, and will help you make up your own mind about who to cosplay next.
Enjoy!
Shauna's Cosplay Pages 