Benefits of Cosplay

I posted a thread about drawbacks, but let's not let it seem like cosplay is all just a crippling addiction, how about now we change the tune and speak about how cosplay has benefited you?

I'll start:

1. I used to weigh 200lbs (I'm 5'0" so that's about 85-100lbs overweight depending on various factors). However in order to cosplay characters like Jaina Proudmoore, Emma Frost and Harley Quinn, I lost 85lbs last year and also working out boosted my endorphins and a healthier diet gave me better sleep and health so I was able to get off my depression meds and still live a happy life.

2. I also used to be lazy and never finish anything, but now I'm so proud of my costumes that I work for ages on them and have become somewhat of a perfectionist to the point I may be able to start selling things.

3. The knowledge of sewing, fabric and crafts netted me a very coveted for cosplayers job at Joann fabrics and also more recognition at my seasonal Haunted Hayride job because I provide all my own costumes (when they needed a new Alice, I walked in with my old cos-lolita stuff like 'hey, what up? Alice reporting for duty.'

4. Some of my friends didn't know how to sew and always wanted to learn, so I was able to teach them as a Christmas gift last year when I was broke and jobless in exchange for gifts of fabric I could use.

5. I never have to buy another Christmas gift: Little brother wants a Joker coat this year, dad wants a blue pirate coat, mom wants something Rocky Horror style and most of my friends also want costumes, I have enough fabric to not have to spend a cent but enough talent that I'm not skimping on gifts.

6. My time management skills now? Epic. Just today I did three loads of laundry, one load of dishes, cleaned my room, caught up on Dexter, finished painting my new shoulder guards, went to work, visited my sick grandmother in the retirement home, worked out and planned out the next six personal costumes and commissions I will work on with time to spare so I can watch Batman and do some roleplaying.

I think you hit the nail over the head with it for me. I can't really think of anything else, except for maybe the social side of it, and Hetalia fans learn a lot of history... but really nothing else xD

I have a hobby that isn't theatre, dance or singing, so it's more possible it can help me go somewhere rather than the former talents (with the sewing and design and crafting aspect).

1. I'm MILES confident than I have ever been.
2. I'm just overall happier. I like that I don't have to be myself all the time.
3. I can finish all the things at a reasonable time even if I don't have much time. This is both good and bad because now I allow myself to procrastinate.
4. Sewing is my favorite thing to do now. I've also built skills in various other trades like woodworking, sculpting, casting, and others.

Cosplay is the best, obviously. ;]

I have a lot of the positives you posted.

1. It encourages me to get into and stay in shape. I've learned skills I never thought I could learn.

2. Cosplay really helped me get over the problems I had as a kid when my mom tried to teach me to sew. Now I can make just about anything. And I've learned things outside of sewing.

3. Being able to make things has also gotten me a little profit. I do commissions now and make a little money outside of my regular job.

4. My confidence levels have risen in the last ten years since I started cosplaying.

5. I've made some great convention friends over the years and had a lot of fun getting to know new people every year. I have been able to do that because cosplay has made me a more open person to meeting new people.

For me it is a great stress relief. The chance to spend a few hours as fantasy characters whose images I have enjoyed on the television screen. A videogame character doesn't have to worry about workplace stress or rush hour commutes. Life becomes as simple as a life bar.

1. I've become more motivated. Before cosplay, I wanted to get into shape, but never had any reason to. Sailor Mars, Poison Ivy, and Rangiku became my motivation to lose weight. And I'm finishing things that I never thought I'd get around to completing!

2. I've been trying so many new things! Before cosplay, I never thought I'd wear another costume again (I thought I was too old for Halloween, lol) and now I have so many lined up its ridiculous. That, and I never thought I'd crossdress. Ever. Me and my curvy figure and girly face could never pull off being a boy, or so I thought. Now I have more male cosplays than female ones. :D

3. A more active social life. Before cosplay, I had friends and we hung out occasionally, but now? Every weekend I'm doing something, and only half the time its cosplay related, lol.

4. Letting my creative juices flow. I've been writing since I was seven, and I want to be a graphic novelist one day (Hey, I can dream), but I never had a good outlet for my writing until cosplays. I've written three or four full skits so far, and two dance numbers, with many more in the works.

5. Meeting cool new people with the same interests. Both in Cons and outside of them, I've met so many people who like cosplay, anime, comic books, video games, etc.

6. I've become a lot more confident. Before getting into cosplay, dressing up in over-the-top outfits and hanging out in public terrified me. Now I can't get enough! That, and acting scared the crap out of me, but now I'm writing scripts and dance numbers and I'm even in a theater class.

7. I know this sounds weird, but cosplay allows be to stop being myself for a while. Real life has been overwhelming -especially in recent months- and being a totally badass character -whether its a Grim Reaper, an Alchemist, a zombie killer, an assassin, or whatever- I get to be someone else without all my troubles and stresses. Its like make-believe for teenagers and adults. Its freedom from reality.

Unfortunately, my sewing skills are still lacking (mostly because I don't have access to a sewing machine) But hopefully I'll get my own sewing machine that will improve with time too!

Crap, I wrote a lot.

[QUOTE=MagdaleneDaae;4166801]I posted a thread about drawbacks, but let's not let it seem like cosplay is all just a crippling addiction, how about now we change the tune and speak about how cosplay has benefited you?

I'll start:[/QUOTE]

Nothing to contribute, I just wanted to say - Awesome! :D

1. WAY more confident in myself now. I used to always be worrying that people thought I was a freak, and now I come to school dressed as a cat girl Lolita and think "yeah, they think I'm a freak, but who CARES?"
2. I'm MUCH better at talking to people. I seriously used to have issues doing things like ordering at restaurants and stuff like that, but after going to a con and talking to a bunch of people I'm like "hey~"
3. I have more motivation to do well in school. I've kinda had this whole "yeah, whatever" view, but now I wanna do well so I can go to college for costuming ^_^ Also, getting OCD with details on costumes made me start to get OCD about everything else in life.

1. Confidence. I'm a pretty shy person but when I started cosplaying I got a little more open and less shy. Sure I'm still shy around people I don't know but it has improved a lot from where it used to be.

2.Learning how to sew. Honestly, two years ago I never thought I would be able to make a dress from scratch and this year I did it in a month.

3. Friends. Honestly, I've been some awesome people over the past two years because of cosplay that I wouldn't have known otherwise.

[QUOTE=pinoycosplay;4166836]For me it is a great stress relief. The chance to spend a few hours as fantasy characters whose images I have enjoyed on the television screen. A videogame character doesn't have to worry about workplace stress or rush hour commutes. Life becomes as simple as a life bar.[/QUOTE]

^^ This

Cosplay has um....
1. made me more confident knowing I can do such things~

2. Give myself a healthier diet so I can keep in shape for my cosplays

3. Socially confident with people cause I think "if I can do this than I could easily do it normally" xD

Oh dear this is going to be a long.

1. Saved me from suicide. I've gone through some very dark times, a few to the point authorities had to get involved. Sometimes I don't even know what gets me through. Cosplay offered me a chance to escape such feelings, or a chance to get to be someone else.

2. Got me A grades in school. Seriously.
I took both theatrical makeup and costume construction classes and half of the things the professor taught us I already knew, solely from reading cosplay.com forums. I even knew more than the theater majors.

Also, I wrote a paper about cosplay for a Communications class. Got an A on that. Professor also thought it was cool that I cosplayed and asked what conventions I went to.

3. Makeup, period. I never wore makeup regularly (still don't) so I ended learning about different products and brands and application skills gradually along the way. I can easily say I've come a long way. I'm kind of addicted to makeup products now, even though I still only shop for them for cosplay.

4. Just learning new things. I've learned an abundance of new techniques and just basic information about sewing, wigs, props, basically everything XP, as well as types of materials and products to use. (Even if it's still just reading about it)

5. Becoming more outspoken. I am a pretty shy person, to the point that I used to get picked on a lot because of that. But like most of my hobbies, cosplaying is one thing that can get me out of my shell. I've actually become more outgoing and confident because of it.

6. It fulfills the performer in me, and allows me to play my favorite characters. It helps me a little with improv.


That's all I got for now.

Cosplay has made me more driven to pull me out of my shell and talk/ interact with people. I'm normally shy and make my friends do all the talking. Other than that, it has helped me with my physical appearance. You seriously would not recognize me a few years ago before cosplay. I'm so much more fit and driven to stay that way and also learning different make up looks have made me more conscious on what works for me and what doesn't.

- Much more into sit ups and push ups......
- More self-confidence I must say. My parents never bought a camera and never took pictures of me so I'm very camera shy until I cosplayed. I felt overwhelmed with happiness when someone asked to take a photo of me.
- More attention to detail? Apparently I lack in it so that's a great way to start building up on that skill.
- Better at sewing..... :D