It’s okay, let’s have a little laugh at the experience of this cosplayer in lockdown.

Many grand visions for this little cosplayer. So much time! So many things I could accomplish! I remember being really kind of giddy and joking that this whole lockdown situation. Being stuck in a pandemic lockdown would buy me ALL this time! I could learn new skills, complete all those goal cosplays! Who knows maybe even join the TikTok cosplay community …BUT, I was so wrong. I was soooo wrong!

Speaking of goal cosplays. I did actually finish one in lockdown! My Poison Ivy! My poor Poison Ivy. The Ivy had so specifically created for a certain part of the HBO Harley Quinn’s cartoon. I actually got all her makeup, hair, and even have future mom-in-law help me with her, did I even try it on once? Ha! No. The wig is sitting on a wig stand, probably just getting matted and dusty, while all the rest has been stored in my cosplay trunk. So even asking about that “makeup run thru” that’s a laugh!

The realization of all of this hits me. This whole pandemic-lockdown deal went sooo opposite.

Motivation for cosplay just went out the window and as time passed I wondered just if/when I would ever be returning to the large crowd Con-Life? Would events like this ever be back? Will I ever feel comfortable going back? And now that events are back (WonderCon, Star Wars Celebration, …etc) reality is hitting me! Full force hitting me! I pause and wonder how many cosplays do I even still fit into? Eeek. I’m scared to ask …and even typing this knowing I can’t even bring myself to go try them on yet.

I remember a meme or a quote that was going around, “And suddenly, everyone shows up to Comic-Con with their cosplay actually complete.” If you are a cosplayer you get this. We always wait till the eleventh hour. Show up with our fingers red and welted from either sewing needle stabs or hot glue gun run-ins. I have to laugh cause not only was that year kind of canceled giving us even more time, (though there was a little outdoor event for the San Diego Blood Drive and the “SDCC Special Edition”) but really nothing has changed. I’m still “eleventh houring” this for the most part. I also imagine still seeing the same fingertip injuries at my first con back.

Don’t get me wrong, some of my cosplayer friends have excelled in pandemic cosplay skills. Some even adapting their cosplay to fit conventions’ evolving requirements. Honestly, Dude Vader and Capuchino Cosplay had this stuff down!! I’m jealous. But ya, not all of us are overachievers, hehe.

I’m not even sure what will be ready by the time 2022 happens this July. But fingers crossed I at least fit into “Hannah Solo” or “Kyla Ren.” Cosplay isn’t cheap, so doing any big changes can really get costly. It isn’t really that easy to constantly be adjusting, in case you were wondering why I seem filled with dread. And it’s not a cheap hobby if you were thinking about starting, it can be just as bad to your wallet as fursuiting if you were curious. But, with all that said, if you do it for the right reasons, it’s still super fun and rewarding!

Although I failed my cosplay pandemic dreams, I can’t wait to see all my SDCC-family again!

Fellow cosplayers and newbies, how did you do? Are you ready and back at it? Or like me? Lol!