Couple Cosplay
This has to be one of my favorite things to plan and do, and I have roped my fair share of partners, friends, and sometimes even strangers to take pictures with me. I love the coordination, creating the look together so that it's not too different, and just looking amazing during a shoot or con. Today, we'll specifically be talking about choosing your partner for the cosplay, the cosplay itself, and how to properly execute all that.
CHOOSING YOUR PARTNER: Not all couple cosplays /must/ be with your significant other. This is especially true if you are asexual, single, or your S.O. refuses to cosplay (don't make them cosplay if they don't want to.) Couple cosplay just means that it is two people cosplaying a pair of characters from an anime/video game/series. When choosing the person you want to cosplay with, make sure they have a similar passion to the project as you do. If you're at a 10 on the excitement scale, but the person you want to cosplay with is only at a 2, it's best to find someone that is closer to a 7-9 at least. That mutual excitement will allow you to continue to be excited throughout the cosplay progress.
When choosing your partner, you'll have to have an idea in mind of the characters and outfit(s) you'll want to wear. Keep in mind that your partner may like the character you choose, but not necessarily the outfit, so try to pick 2-3 or be open to compromise for this project. So, for example, Tolia and I have been watching Bleach together. We knew we wanted to cosplay several characters, but we also weren't entirely sure who we wanted to wear first. The most iconic characters, Rukia and Ichigo, were high on our list, but we didn't want to make/buy the Soul Reaper outfits just yet, but wanted to do something that not a lot of other people have worn, if at all. The first opening is our favorite, so we decided to do the red, white, and blue outfits that are literally on the screen for maybe 10 seconds. I was down to do just about any of these outfits, so I was excited to make something that I have never seen before.
CHOOSING THE COSPLAY: As I said before, you'll wanna have a rough idea of what you want to cosplay, and it ties into who you choose for your number 2. One of your friends may be more into video game cosplays, while one is comic books, your SO loves anime, and your mom loves cosplaying Steampunk. When you choose your characters, make sure you choose someone who wants to cosplay with you, or else the outfits may never get done, or they won't be done right. If you are building the cosplays, you want them to spend the money on their half of the cosplay unless you are forcing them to cosplay, then expect to foot the bill. It isn't fair to expect someone to pay for a cosplay they don't want to cosplay, since it's a waste of money to them, and it may ruin your mood to wear them.
While your partner may want to wear a specific character, they may not be jazzed about wearing the specific outfit you planned on. I specifically told Tolia I didn't want to wear Soul Reaper garb until later, since I've seen so many people cosplay them. I enjoy standing out, and our outfits were the perfect choice. If your first choice of partner doesn't want to wear that specific outfit and you aren't willing to change your choice, you can always find someone who will. There are so many nerds out there that cosplay has touched that you'll hopefully not have a difficult pick of your partner for this outfit.
You don't necessarily want someone who isn't excited or knows nothing about how to cosplay, or you'll be stuck making/buying it all on your own. For Maya and Zer0, that's just what's happening. Tolia doesn't know much about cosplay construction, so it's difficult for him to be able to help me. If you are alright with that, then remember that it will only be you working on the project, and not your partner helping. Sometimes you can get them to do little things, but not everyone has the experience and knowledge you do. I have a tough time remembering this sometimes, and so I get frustrated. It's also probably because I'm under a lot of pressure to get these done in a week. Lol, hopefully this helps you choose your next partner for your couple's cosplay. Remember that cosplay is about having fun, and doesn't always need to have a romantic/sexual connection. Couple's cosplays with friends are just as valid!
