I have been seeing a new word online lately: cosplay. I finally looked it up last night — doing so with a bit of trepidation, in case the Googles sent me in either a very naughty or a very nasty direction. I typed in my search, then squinted my eyes tightly and averted my gaze, just in case. Luckily, my fears were for naught.
Apparently, in the truest sense of the word, cosplay is about dressing up as a character from a comic book, movie, etc. and going to some appropriately-themed event, such as a convention. I believe it goes beyond that, although I’m not sure if it includes dressing like, say, a Jedi in one’s day to day life. While I’ve never seen Superman or a Klingon at the grocery store here in my small town, I’m guessing it’s something that could conceivably seen in New York or another large city.
This is probably the point where you think I’m going to snark the hell out of adults dressing up as characters. However, what is actually on my mind is something different. Remember when you were a child and you had a favorite costume you wore every day for months? Or your own child refused to wear anything other than his Batman garb? Or she wanted a cape every day, regardless of the weather or occasion?
How amazing is it that small children have the confidence to wear whatever they want, whenever they want?
Found via Yahoo Images
Why is it that most adults don’t wear what they truly want? Obviously, there are certain parameters that need to be followed that involve modesty and health codes or dress codes for work, but why aren’t more of us wearing our own equivalent of a costume?
Link to the Etsy shop where this can be found is embedded in the photo.
One thing I’ve wanted to wear for a long time — and I mean I’ve wanted this for 20 years or more — is a long wool cape. Preferably in a deep, rich red. I love how capes look when the costumed interpreters at Colonial Williamsburg wear them in the winter and can imagine how much fun it would be to wear one while striding purposefully through my day. The way it would flow behind me as I moved around.
I haven’t bought said cape for a variety of reasons, including the fact they’re usually either expensive or rather cheaply made, although this one has potential. But the main reason is that I cannot envision a long red wool cape looking good on a short round middle-aged female. A tall thin female, yes. Me, no. And apparently I have not quite yet reached the age when I have enough hubris to simply not care how it looks and to just wear it like a boss. I keep edging closer to the idea, though, so hopefully I’ll get there at some point during this decade.
What about you? What would your costume consist of?
Updated to add: I originally found the photo of wee Wonder Woman on Pinterest, but I have since found the original posting for it here.
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I’d wear a cape, a tutu, boots and a tiara. And carry a sword. I loved when my boys dressed in costumes. Heck, they still do, but they’d never leave the house dressed up like superheroes or ninjas any more.
Until recently, Pat’s career choice meant he spent most of his time out of doors and not wearing a tie. We were getting ready to attend a wedding and when both of us came down the stairs clean, pressed & dressed up, three year old Edie took one look and asked us, “So you’re going in costume?”
That’s become our version of ‘costumes’ – looking like so-called normal adults. Won’t you join us?
I’d like to claim Wonder Woman would be my choice. But if I’m being honest, I’m going for plaid flannel pj pants, a long sleeved T-shirt from Maine emblazoned with the cutest darn cartoon moose you’ve ever seen, wool socks, and a 20 year old, soft, well-worn grey hoodie. I am Comfortable Woman…hear me rawr!
It would be sequined…I can tell you that!
Up until I had a child to take care of, I did really wear the things I wanted. I wore flowing Indian print skirts with those little mirrors sewn on, low-heeled ankle boots or sandals, and cotton t-shirts–tights sometimes, but never pantyhose. When I first started teaching, I had to convince the Library staff that I was actually faculty, and not a student. I felt great and I really didn’t care if I wasn’t wearing the costume of a serious professor.
When Emma was really young, I was too busy with her to even look at myself in the mirror before I left the house, so I just simplified to neat, clean, and easy to match. I think I’d go back, now, to my previous costume if I felt better physically. So watch out next year!
One of the best things about getting older is the process of letting go of things that really don’t serve you like, feeling limited by convention in regards to your clothing. If you are still too inhibited to buy/wear that stunning red cape, Jen, take heart. You will feel marvelous about it in the coming years. If you only live once then you should truly live your truest fullest self- cape and all.
My sweet niece, the mother of triplet kindergarteners, recently posted this on FB:
“If kindergarten “What Do You Want To Be?” dress-up day accurately reflected the workforce, it would be comprised of 40% firemen, 12% cops, 15% princesses, 5% nurses, 10% girls with fluffy skirts and 18% unemployed.”
I think if you really want the cape, go ahead. Sounds both elegant and cozy.
You will notice that most of the ladies in the Red Hat society (they wear a lot of red and purple) are mostly older ladies. I am not one, but they do seem to feel very confident wearing their “costumes”. Not sure what my costume would be, but it would be very comfortable! When I see babies wearing onsies and footie pj’s I wish that I could get away with wearing them too
I’m sorry, but all I see is the Emporer’s Royal Guards in that cape photo. (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Emperor's_Royal_Guard) But still – that’s pretty badass. : ) I also love a good cape but haven’t found a quality one at a price I would pay. (I do have a cape-ish sweater I adore and wear often in fall/spring. Unfortunately it doesn’t fit under a coat well, so it doesn’t get much play in winter.)
I tend to ignore fashion and dress however I want. Does that count as a costume? What my costume consists of depends on a lot of factors (time of year, how in shape I am, what kind of mood I’m in, etc) but always has one common denominator: must be comfy. My daughter is Queen of the Mismatched. And I’m sorry if that offends your delicate fashion sense, but I am not going to deny her this. It’s strange how the reactions I get are always strong, and always one of 2 things: 1) *horrified gasp* “you let her out of the house like that?” or 2) “That is an awesome outfit. It’s so nice to meet a parent who gives their kids freedom of expression and doesn’t dress their girl in head to toe princess.” I’ve taken to buying multiples of 1 shoe style in different colors so she can mix and match to her hearts content. See also: shirts, socks, pants, skirts. Pattern and color means NOTHING to my 3 year old. The more the merrier. My only rule? Undies go on first, not last.
I never have felt very comfortable dressing in costumes – I felt awkward as a kid dressing up, and even for Halloween I was much more comfortable in the ubiquitous “bum” costume teenagers wear than anything fancy, although I do remember a fairy outfit with tinsel-wrapped wrie coat-hanger wings.
I love the look of striking clothes and hats, but I don’t feel comfortable wearing them – not even hats, unless they are the most bland and unexciting. I wore a straw hat against the sun for a week in Venice this summer, which was uncharacteristically bold for me.
I have an almost-wonderful olive green woolen cape that someone brought me back from Ireland, but I’ve never worn it because it isn’t really suited for Southern California.
that photo of the little girl as superman holding her daddy’s hand? was taken at a Bart station….also known as “no pants day” Bart train…which leaves me feeling rather ick. But, here in the Bay Area…a lot goes. Or, goes without. You can dress as you like, come as you are, no one cares. Except…on no pants day. Fabric seats, plus very little below the belt (if anything) is a combo made not for cosplaying…but it is a very popular day to ride the train. I think a little girl in a costume riding with her dad is pretty pedestrian. Compared to seeing all kinds of “junk” or funk. Or whatever. No idea what my point was. Is. Heh.
Oh MY… I made a red velvet cape lined with black satin and have worn it on many occasions ;D I couldn’t resist. Now, I think I lent it out this year at Halloween to my daughter…I’m going to go check now. Thanks for the reminder.
My costume would be quite princess-y, I think. Or maybe more fairy-ish. Either way, it would be super girly – and maybe just a little bit Supergirl-y! lol
I would definitely wear a lot of dresses. That may sound silly because dresses are perfectly acceptable garb for adult women but there are not a lot of dresses that are flattering on my body so I don’t wear them. If I didn’t care about what other people think about how I look, I would wear dresses.
I love the idea of a great cape. A capacious (great word), swirly one with an enormous, drapey hood, a la The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Only red.
Did you see our pictures from Disneyland? Toby chose to wear his Prince costume one day and his Peter Pan costume another day. He was so cute. I was thrilled he wanted to dress up – next time we go to Disneyland, he’ll likely be 8 and probably won’t be into dressing up anymore. I got some great pictures and we’ll have those memories forever. Aw man, he was so cute, and people were so incredible with him. We had people coming over and bowing to Prince Tobias and asking for his autograph and everything!! And that attention was just from tourists – the Disney employees were even sweeter.
I have always wanted to get into cosplay because I loved acting and pretending as a kid/teen and I still kinda do. Some of the costumes people come up with are incredible. Also crazy. I couldn’t imagine storing some of those things – people that make $200 dinosaur robot costumes that make them 6 feet tall and wide. Sheesh. But I could be a Jedi. Jedi robes would be easy. And not too crazy wild. And Star Wars is really the only thing I’m in to anyway so it’s perfect. Now I just need to lose weight so I fit into my robes.
My everyday costume is yoga pants, because I love comfort. Last summer, I mentioned somewhere (here? the Manor?) that what I loved were longish flowing skirts, and someone asked why I didn’t dress that way now… I thought about it, and then went out and bought myself a couple of maxi-skirts. I love them! They aren’t practical to wear around the house every day, but I do enjoy wearing them. They are feminine, comfortable, and not too fussy (plus I can still wear them with a simple v-neck tee shirt).
My 13yo son has quite the Jedi look: his Karate Gi, a long black hooded cape that he made himself from old black denim jeans, and an assortment of lightsabers.
You need to see this real-life BBC News piece then: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21658793 Made me laugh!
K xo
I think that’s why I like those mud races. It gives me the approval to wear a crown and a tutu over top of yoga pants.
And why do elementary schools allow pajama day and places of business do not? Oh how I envy pajama day every year.
thank you for posting my 4-year-old Wonder Woman pic! my mother hand sewed that costume for me in 1981
http://jenkimmade.com/2010/07/25/yes-i-can/