Awards and Cosplay

With cosplay contests come awards, sometimes really big and expensive awards. And awards can create some sticky situations. Everyone loves getting recognition for their hard work and it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you deserve to win. You may win an award, but more often than not you won’t. There will always be someone out there with more experience, a flashier costume, or fancier materials. You may be disappointed, you may be jealous, and it is okay to feel that way. But it is not okay to let these emotions dictate your actions. It is not okay to belittle or trash talk another cosplayer because they won an award. It is not okay to smear a cosplayer or convention all over social media because you did not win. Similarly, if you win, don’t rub it in other people’s faces. Be the mature adult I know you can be.

Cosplay competitions can be exciting and a great way to push yourself to improve your skills. As cliché as it sounds even if you don’t win, you still have an awesome costume and that much more experience under your belt. So go out there and have fun!

My Lillet cosplay was made for a competition, but did not win any awards. Looking back, I can see many areas for improvement, but at the time it was one of my prettiest costumes. Even today, it remains a unique design and I'm glad I cosplayed from such a beautiful game. (Photo by Fang Fox)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about cosplay sewing? Check out my e-book: (currently available in Kindle format, though can be read on other devices through the free Kindle app).