Planning Your Trip - Cosplay at Celebration

 

So you want to cosplay at Star Wars Celebration. That's awesome! One of the best things at Star Wars Celebration is seeing so many fans in absolutely amazing costumes!

So where do you start?

Firstly decide what you want to be. Do you want to be a Jedi Knight or a Sith Lord? A hero of the Rebellion or the Empire's greatest enforcer? Do you want to be a character from the movies, the television series, Legends, or maybe a character of your own creation? Heck, why not mash it up a bit! At previous Celebration's I've seen a Jedi Joker, a Captain America Stormtrooper, and a Pikachu inspired Mandalorian. Be what you want to be!

Set a budget! Cosplay be done on any budget, and you will never find a more welcoming environment than Star Wars Celebration. Seriously, no one cares if your costume is home made or bought from a Halloween store, if your Jedi robe is an old karate gi or if you look like you just walked off a movie set. They will just appreciate that you've done it and you're having a good time. Cosplay is meant to be fun.

Making your own costume, or adapting a store bought one, can be a great pre-Celebration activity with friends and family. And going the DIY route often tends to be a cheaper alternative to commissioning a costume. My mother in law made costumes for both my wife and I, and I think the material for both came to less than £100 (though I really can't put a price on her patience when I was trying to explain exactly where the shoulder tuck had to be and when she had to redo both the outer tunic and the obi after I lost weight).

If you're going to make your own costume then make sure you check out the Rebel Legion, the 501st Legion, and the Mando Mercs. These guys are some of the best. Even if you don't intend to join or you know your costume won't meet all the requirements (I still need an updated inner tunic before I think about trying for the Rebel Legion), their costume standards offer some brilliant guidelines, and their forums are filled with fantastic guides and amazingly talented people who are happy to help and advise you as you make your costume.

In addition to those three amazing organisations, check out Facebook and Reddit, there are so many groups dedicated to Star Wars cosplay, even to the cosplay of specific characters. You want to know where to get the best lightsaber? There's groups for that too. This really is your first step into a larger world. So dive in and don't be afraid to ask!

Even if you're going DIY, there will always be some parts that you just have to buy. Like boots, for example. Shop around. If you're not going for a canon character or 100% accuracy you'll find plenty of good options.

Don't go extremely cheap. You want material and boots that are comfortable to wear and will last. It's often better to spend a little more upfront for better quality that will last longer.

And speaking of comfort - make sure you pick a costume that you'll be comfortable in. Anyone who cosplays as Chewbacca has my total respect for their dedication. I remember seeing one guy in the morning queue for Celebration London with his mask off. He was sweating so much he looked like he'd already run a marathon, and the day hadn't even started yet. If you want to be a Wookiee and you can handle that, go for it! You have my respect. Just make sure you consider your comfort when choosing your costume.

On a related note - think about your bathroom breaks. Chances are you'll be wearing your costume all day. It may seem silly to say, but make sure you're able to do everything on your own or that you'll have a friend who's willing to help with your costume when you need to go.

Travel and transportation is another issue to consider when choosing your costume. If you're local or in driving distance then pretty much anything goes. If you're flying in (especially internationally) then make sure you think about how you're going to transport your costume and any accessories you need, like lightsabers and blasters. A full set of Stormtrooper armour looks amazing, but will likely cost you for extra hold allowance on the plane or for shipping your costume to your hotel in advance. It's not a deal breaker and hundreds, probably thousands, of people will be doing it. But it is an added expense to consider if you're on a budget.

If you are travelling with costumes (especially armour) and prop weaponry, make sure to include a picture of your costume and a note saying you're attending a Star Wars convention, just so airport security know what they're looking at if they open your bag. Some pieces may be able to be brought onto the plane as carry on, lightsabers with non-removable li-ion batteries will have to be carry on, whilst blasters will more than likely need to go in the hold. If you're shipping your costume to your hotel then make sure you check with them in advance that they are willing to receive it, and if there will be any costs for holding it until you arrive. In both cases make sure you pack it well for the journey.

It's also worth noting that Anaheim in May will be hot and dry (unlike the snow storm we had in Chicago!) so that's something else to consider when planning your costume. Fortunately there's a lot of hotels within walking distance of the convention center so travelling across the city wearing you costume on public transport will be less of a factor here.

A couple more little tips;

Take a small sowing kit and some extra buttons, poppers, pins, etc. Hopefully nothing will go wrong but always be prepared to have to make a small repair on the go.

If you're cosplaying a character that requires make up (like Darth Maul), or even if you're simply wearing make up without cosplay, make sure you bring a make up sealer.

Bring a small hand held fan. You will get hot. Even Jedi robes are not as cool as they look.

And most importantly, cosplay is not consent. If you're in cosplay and you don't want to take a picture with someone, you have the right to say no. If you see someone in cosplay and would like to get a picture, ask. Most of the time they'll say yes. But don't be offended if they say no. Like you, they want to make it to that panel, or get to the store, or make it to that photo op.

Above all, cosplay should be fun. If it's not, then it's not worth doing.

I can't wait to see what you all come up with!!