15 Types of Cosplay that you’ll find at Conventions

Cosplay is a versatile hobby that has various styles that you can try out. The world of cosplay is very wide than what you think. There are some types of cosplay that you can try out to supercharge your inner artist! 

15 Types of Cosplay

Yes, you just read that headline. There are fifteen types of Cosplay that you try out for your next convention visits. While a regular cosplay is the King of all cosplay styles, there are also some alternatives for it!

Standalone Cosplay

This is also referred as a standard cosplay? The most common type, where cosplayers strive for the most accurate depiction of a character’s look. This involves meticulous attention to detail in costumes, wigs, makeup, and props.

This might be expensive sometimes and though for some beginner cosplayers. That’s why the other 14 types of cosplay exist. It makes cosplay more accessible, enjoyable and versatile.

I guess that you’re wondering why the word “expensive” is sliced out. The reason why I do that is because it’s a total lie! Role Cosplay is giving out a 12% discount code for new visitors of my website! All you need to do is go to their website and use the code “fandangoblogs” upon checkout.

That’s it, you have a standalone cosplay without breaking a bank. Launch your first cosplay today using RoleCosplay and flex that low cost but high quality and eye-catching costume in your next convention! I cannot wait to see you winning your first cosplay competition.

Original Character (OC)

Are you an author or novelist or an artist? Did you know that you can cosplay your own character that you write or draw? Yes, this cosplay is what the community called Original Character. This allows for ultimate creative freedom and self-expression.

If you can write that character in your novel publications, why not to bring that fictional character from your word processor software to real life?

Gijinka Cosplay

Gijinka is a Japanese word that means a non-living entity, object, or concept that has been transformed into a human or humanoid figure in art; a process of humanization. 

In this style, you will humanize a non-living things by cosplaying as your desired object. In the picture above, that SEO guy is dressing up like a Google Bot. This entity is not a living thing but an algorithm that crawl and index websites around the web. That’s the beauty of this style. An innocent Google Crawler turns to a living entity. Bravo!

Mecha Cosplay

Do you find a standalone cosplay not challenging enough? Well, you should give a Mecha cosplay a shot! Mecha is a type of cosplay that a cosplayer will dress up like a robotic character like Transformers. mecha encompasses all mechanical objects, including cars, guns, computers, and other devices,

Building and wearing elaborate costumes of robotic characters. This type of cosplay requires technical skills, engineering knowledge, and dedication to craftsmanship.

Fursuit Cosplay

Fursuit cosplay is cosplaying as a full-body animal costume, often with animatronic elements. Fursuiters embody the character’s personality through movement, expressions, and interactions.

If you are a pet lover, why not give Fursuit cosplay a try? It’s the best way to express your love for animals and brag about it down inside of the conventions!

Group Cosplay

This is a type of cosplay that most cosplayers found their true love. This is an act of coordinating costumes with friends or even their lover to portray a group of characters from the same series or universe. It adds a social and interactive element to cosplay.

Group cosplay is a good style to play with your friends. Doing group cosplay can be a good way to combine your cosplay skills and make an outstanding cosplay performance, bravo!

Casual Cosplay

Tight on budget to cosplay in your first convention? Casual cosplay to the rescue! You can cosplay your favorite fictional characters without breaking a bank. All you need here is an ordinary cloth and a wig that only costs Up To $15! If you want to learn more about the cost of Casual Cosplay, read my blog about it.

Casual cosplay is a form of cosplay that a cosplayer will wear any clothes in their wardrobe and wear a wig from the desired character. This is a comfortable, cheapest and accessible way to express love for a character in daily life. 

Cross play

Cross play is an act of cosplaying the character that has an opposite gender to you. It allows for personal interpretation and challenges traditional gender norms within cosplay.

Gender bend Cosplay

Gender bend cosplay is a mixture of cross play and Original Character styles. Gender bend cosplay is portraying the as the opposite gender, often with creative twists on the original design. It’s a fun way to explore alternative versions of beloved characters. 

Gender bend cosplay can be a good alternative to cross play for those cosplayers that are not comfortable to try cross play.

Historical Cosplay

Are you a big fan of history subject in your school? Historical cosplay might be a good style for your next comic con! This style involves recreating costumes and characters from specific historical periods.

 This requires thorough research and attention to detail in fabrics, accessories, and hairstyles.

It’s a good style for cosplayers that want to make their grandparents feel nostalgic about their past!

Closet Cosplay

Closet cosplay is a mixture of standalone and casual cosplay. If you want to cosplay your favorite fictional character using your wardrobe that has some accuracy, give the closet cosplay a try!

Closet Cosplay can be done by using items already in your wardrobe to approximate a character’s look. 

It’s a great budget-friendly option for beginners or those who want to try out different characters without investing in full costumes.

Body Paint Cosplay

Are you a visual artist? Are you comfortable to use your own body as your Canva to make an outstanding cosplay inside of convention venues? Give body paint cosplay a try!

Body paint cosplay is a usage of body paint to create elaborate designs and illusions for costumes.

 This requires artistic skill, talent, dedication and patience to achieve the desired effect.

High-Fashion Cosplay

Do you want more challenges? High-Fashion cosplay is one of the most challenging cosplay style that you can try out.

This combines elements of haute couture with character design to create elegant and avant-garde costumes. This style often pushes the boundaries of traditional cosplay.

If you are a professional in the field of tailoring, this might be a good style if you want to challenge your own talent. 

Fantasy Cosplay

Fantasy cosplay is a good style for a cosplayer that’s a big fan of magical books like Harry Potter. Fantasy cosplay brings life to characters from fantasy literature, movies, or video games. 

This allows for elaborate costumes, props, and makeup inspired by magical and mythical realms.

Some Fantasy cosplayers are pushing an effort to make a real working magical item to enhance their experience. One of the example is that some Harry Potter fans managed to make a working wand fire.

Steampunk Cosplay

Steampunk cosplay involves reimagining characters or creating original ones in a world where Victorian-era aesthetics meet advanced dream-like technology.

Cosplayers often incorporate elements like gears, goggles, corsets, waistcoats, top hats, and intricate accessories made of brass, leather, and copper.

The fashion is characterized by a blend of elegance, functionality, and a touch of whimsy, often drawing inspiration from historical figures, fictional characters, and even inventions that never were. 

What Cosplay Should I do?

It might depend on you. There are some factors should you should look for what types of cosplay you should try out. You might consider these 5 factors to help you to decide:

Budget

This is the first thing you should look for when deciding what cosplay should you try. If you are tight in budget, you might not to consider pricey cosplays like Mecha. 

If you are really broke right now but desperate to cosplay as your favorite character, you will consider doing casual or closet cosplay. 

If you are broke but willing to buy a full cosplay, it’s recommendable to find a huge best discounts from cosplay websites as I said before. Remember that cosplay can cause a financial burden if you don’t finance it wisely.

Comfort

Make sure that you are comfortable in your cosplay for the whole day inside of the convention. These are some factors to know about comfortability:

• Temperature: Is the convention venue that you will going to attend has a good A/C or ventilation system? If not, you might opt out to a cosplay that can cause you a bodily heat.

• Emotional: Are you comfortable to show that style of cosplay in the public without being embarrassed in your self?

Convention/Event Rules

If you are going to cosplay inside of the convention, make sure that you are familiar with the guidelines. There are some conventions that banned bulky materials.

Doing a cosplay style that abides the event guidelines can get you banned inside of the venue. The worst case in this situation is a lawsuit from the organizer.

Personal Style

It’s not acceptable to do pick your cosplay style because your family or friends told you to do it. It’s your passion, you should make your personal style a major basis!

Your cosplay should reflect your personality and style. Don’t be afraid to put your own spin on a character or add unique touches to make it your own. Cosplay can benefit you more if you are doing it for self-expression.

Doing a cosplay that aligns with your own interest can make your experience better. Cosplaying that doesn’t align with your style feels like a boring chore! There’s so many types of cosplay, so it’s impossible to run out of things to try out and find your own creative voice.

Transportation

This factor is important for those who commute. If you plan to attend conventions or events, consider how easy it will be to transport your costume.

Some cosplays might be bulky, fragile, or require special handling. These bulky props can harm other passengers inside of the public transportation vehicles like bus.

Availability of Materials

Research is the key to this part. You should know the availability and cost of materials needed for your chosen cosplay.

Some fabrics or props might be difficult to find or expensive, impacting your budget and timeline. Some of these materials may not be available in your country.

If you cannot find materials in your local market, you have a no choice but to order it online. The shipping time may delay your cosplay project. 

Skill Level

Be honest about your capacity. If you are an architect or engineer that doesn’t have a sewing skills, technical styles like Mecha will suits to your skill set.

Choose a cosplay that aligns with your skill level to avoid feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. Some types of cosplay require some advanced skill sets.

There are plenty of simple cosplays for beginners, while more experienced cosplayers can tackle complex projects.

Time Commitment

If you are going to DIY route, make sure that the cosplay that you will choose will not cause a bottleneck in your time. 

Cosplay projects can take varying amounts of time, depending on their complexity. If you are a beginner that doesn’t have much time for crafting, it’s advisable to start from buying a pre-made cosplay costumes.

Be realistic about the time you can dedicate to creating your costume and set a reasonable deadline.

No one will dare to choose a difficult cosplay style with a one day deadline unless, if you are willing to sacrifice your sleep and health.

Personal Interest

Your own guts are the number one decision maker in your cosplay journey. Trust in your instinct, whether the desired style is the best for you or not. You are the only one can decide which types of cosplay should you pick.

The most important factor is choosing a character or style that you genuinely love and connect with. Your passion will shine through in your portrayal and make the experience more enjoyable.

Remember that one of the rules of cosplay is to have fun. So, choose the character that suits to your personal interest.

Conclusion:

Cosplay is a versatile hobby with various styles to try out at conventions.There are so many types of cosplay to try it out!

 There are 15 types of cosplay, including standalone, original character, Gijinka, mecha, fursuit, group, and casual. Standard cosplay involves meticulous attention to detail in costumes, wigs, makeup, and props. 

Original character allows for ultimate creative freedom and self-expression. 

Mecha cosplay requires technical skills, engineering knowledge, and dedication to craftsmanship. Fursuit cosplay is cosplaying as a full-body animal costume, often with animatronic elements.

 Group cosplay adds a social and interactive element to cosplay and can be a good way to combine cosplay skills. Casual cosplay allows for personal interpretation and challenges traditional gender norms within cosplay.

 Cross play is an act of cosplaying the character with an opposite gender to you.