(spoiler) constructive criticism please :)

forkgirl

Hi everyone, i JUST found and joined this site (OP forums!?!? too good!!!). I recently went to my first con (Akon) and had a blast!! All the one piece cosplay there MADE my con! I saw so many characters i didn't expect to see, it was awesome! So many amazing costumes. My first cosplay was also at Akon, I went as Boa Hancock. I'm not finished with the costume and would definitely like to improve it. Any constructive criticism appreciated-I promise I'm not easily offended. the shirt needs major work -.- And I do plan on outlining the snakes on the skirt and giving them eyes.

The hooker shoes were a last resort, lol.

CoralSnake

NOSEBLEED I was the Duval and X. Drake xD I actually think your cosplay is among one of the BEST I've seen ANYWHERE and it was a priveledge and honor to see such an obscure cosplay in person! You made my con that day I was SO HAPPY to see a nearly current arch character at A-kon!!!

btw you are seriously GORGIOUS O.O

forkgirl

thanks so much!! blushes I'm glad i keep finding you everywhere, haha (here, cosplay.com…any other awesome websites i should know about???) man, i really wish i could've seen your Drake in person! your avatar looks awesome though!

You and all the other amazing cosplayers i saw really opened my eyes!! I was thinking i could only do female characters with similar face shapes, hair and skin color, etc...but y'all made me realize the possibilities are endless!! The best Zoro at AKON (and anywhere online IMO) was a girl!! And Calgara, Norland, CP9, YOU....EVERYONE was awesome! too many great ones to name! so much creativity, and i'll stop now or i'll go on forever! ^.^ I think i'm definitely getting into a new hobby though!

junkeemunky

I gotta say that you did an awesome job for your first con cosplay. Even though you can improve aspects of the costume, it still looks like you put a good amount of effort into what you wore. I like that you actually made big snake earrings.

The first thing you need to do is get a good wig. Even if you cut your hair into Boa Hancock's style, a wig is still easier to deal with in the long run. It's often harder to maintain natural hair throughout a convention day, and often it will go flat or become unstyled. This also saves you time when it comes to putting on everything and looking good before you head out in costume.

Also, when you rework your sleeves, you need to make them more like bell sleeves on the bottom. The color of the designs at the cuffs should also be more of a gradient, and the lines of your shirt designs should maintain some consistency - if you use black outlines on the sleeves, you should also do black the outlines on the collar.

captain usopp

I was the girl chopper at Akon. and as I stated, I woulda never guessed that was your first cosplay. you could definitely teach me a thing or 2.

Arei

O_______________________O

As your first cosplay I am totally floored. Do you sew regularly or was this your first sewing attempt ever?

Either way, holy crap. Awesome awesome job. I can't beleive I didn't see you!!! DX Fail. I love how you didn't skimp out on the details of the skirt, they are really beautiful

If you do edit it, the cuffs are larger and bell shaped and the collar details need outling but thats about it.

Your real hair worked out really well, though if it gave you trouble during the day a wig might be easier to maintain. Only thing about the wig is you're probably going to be VERY ANGRY if you get a LOOOOOOOOOONG black wig and have to spend ages detangling it after a day at a con, so if you go the wig route, 101% length accuracy will be painful.

Are you coming to AnimeFest?

forkgirl

junkeemunky-
thanks for the advice! I see what you mean about the sleeves and the collar. And how the sleeves get darker as it goes up the wrist. Man those sleeves are going to be a pain!
As for the wig…I dunno, to me, wigs look really fake most the time. The thing that really makes me like cosplay (besides the creativity and resourcefulness needed) is the challenge to make these animated characters look real. I prefer dyed/cut hair to wigs because I think it looks more realistic and in my opion, better. But I'll definitely agree with you on how difficult it was to maintain throughout the day, plus my hair isn't as long as hers. Maybe I just haven't found any good wigs? I'll definitely look around more. Either that or find amazing hairspray -.-

captain usopp-
thank you!! I still feel like I have so much to learn though haha.
you were a very cute chopper btw!!

Arei-
Thanks!!! That skirt took forEVER, i feel like a proud parent when people compliment it haha ^.^ I've been sewing for myself for years. Just projects of my own or clothes or whatever I want to make. I'm definitely no pro though, just know the basics for a machine and hand.
when/where/etc is AnimeFest? I'd definitely want to go to more cons!!! I just don't know anything about where to find them.

Arei

AFest is in Dallas on Labor Day weekend. If you're free you should definitely come, it's a lot more fun then A-Kon (in my opinion, anyway XD) XDD

Gekko135

you really pull of a wonderful Boa Hancock.

This is the first cosplay i've seen of her….

...and probably the only one i'd like to see as well.

captain usopp

actually, i felt like you do towards wigs, but after hanging around here for a while, and after seeing some cosplayers with amazing wigs, I find there's room for both.

LynnValentine

Its a personal preferance on wigs really, if your hair can do the style then that's fine, and boa that's an easy one to keep, as she doesn't have an un-natural color or gravity defying hair

and for length you could just do extensions into the back of your hair, This works better then a wig for poses that boa does with her head back

cause unless you anchor a wig into your hair really well any wig will fall off in that pose.

KamenRiderNeko

Hey, welcome to AP! I was the Kaku and I don't know if you saw any of my other cosplays, I was also Skypiea Robin and Yuri from King of Fighters.

I thought you looked so fantastic! Out of all the Hancock cosplays I've seen, yours is definitely the best! You have the face and body to pull off such a gorgeous character

I can totally agree with JM, if you can find a good wig, it would save you so much trouble. www.cosworx.com and www.amphigory.com have pretty good wigs that can probably be cut and styled into Boa Hancock's hair.

forkgirl

oh btw do yall think my hair is dark enough or should I have dyed it black?

@Arei:

AFest is in Dallas on Labor Day weekend. If you're free you should definitely come, it's a lot more fun then A-Kon (in my opinion, anyway XD) XDD

oooh I'm definitely interested in going. I'll have to see about work, school, and money, haha. Gahh, and I'd want a new costume. I'm so broke right now, sigh. And someone stole my sewing machine! ;_; for AKON, i had to buy one from walmart, sew everything that needed sewing, then return the machine to walmart haha. I'm sure I have friends that will want to go, so i'll try to make it happen!

@Gekko135:

you really pull of a wonderful Boa Hancock.
This is the first cosplay i've seen of her….
...and probably the only one i'd like to see as well.

Thank you!!!!
@LynnValentine:

and for length you could just do extensions into the back of your hair, This works better then a wig for poses that boa does with her head back.

I hadn't thought of extentions!! I think that would be perfect for Boa. Thanks!

@pirateneko:

Hey, welcome to AP! I was the Kaku and I don't know if you saw any of my other cosplays, I was also Skypiea Robin and Yuri from King of Fighters….

I don't think I saw your other cosplays, but it was awesome seeing a Lucci and Kaku!! Your costumes were so accurate and detailed!!! I hadn't even thought about girls cosplaying males and vice versa and looking good, but wow, y'all changed my perception on that!
And thank you so much!!
oooh and thanks for the wig sites. They are a lot cheaper than I imagined wigs would be!

Arei

I think your hair color is dark enough if you didn't want to do anything with it xD Just be careful if you died your hair black and got the extensions (unless you find them in your color) that the black dye is usually not temporary, even if it says it is (though your hair is so dark, it may not bother you to have it stark black for awhile).

I feel the broke thing == I also think I waited too long to get a summer job (well obviously) because it would be so rude to take off from a con within a month of starting, and if I couldn't get off I would rage/cry forever. But I've got 3 cosplays in mid-work and just about out of money @@ If you can come to AFest that will be awesome though, I do want to see your Boa in person XD

And you haven't seen much in the way of crossplay? XD There's loooooots of that going on, especially with OP… Theres not much in the way of female characters that most of us would feel comfortable doing XD And the guys are so awesome.

Ooo and if you ever needed a normal style/color wig/extensions, try to find some local wig shops. They'll be so much cheaper (and if they have a clearance spot they'll be almost nothing) then trying to order them online. I've spent like $10-$25 (if that much) for REALLY nice normal style wigs at a local store.

MoonNeko

Hey Forkgirl!!!

OH MAN.. I love your comment about the best Zoro being female xD Aahahah Spork made such a good man <333 My sis and I primarily dress as guys for the same reason as we are chubby, short, and I doubt ANYONE would find us all that attractive, though if I had your body I'd be cosplaying as EVERY SINGLE version of Nami I could think of.. ALL OF THEM xDDD

I was SHOCKED to say the least about seeing a Boa Hancock xD I don't know if you ever saw me outside of Shabondy Usopp, but I also cosplayed as Eustass Kidd for a while, several times during the weekend xD He was my fav big and awesome cosplay this year, god that costume was hot x_x;

I'd have to agree with the wig thing, as I've cosplayed Sanji many many time trying to use my real hair and it's a pain in the ass cause I'd have to try and get some idiot here in Muskogee, OK to figure out how to cut my hair the right way even bringing a figure showing them that's how it needed to be cut. So in the long run, I got a crappy wig so in the long run I am going to need to buy ANOTHER wig if I ever want to cosplay Sanji again since I loath the one I have =_=;; It hates me as well xDD LOL

Other than that, I think for your first costume… DAYUM.. you are GOOOOOD O_O I was still soo incredibly happy to see a Boa Hancock, god that was awesome xD And the fact my friends Sami and Pyro were cosplaying as Ace and Luffy from that arc was sooo great xD They were happy too to see you

I hope I get to see you again soon at a Texas convention, but sadly I doubt it'll be till next year x_x;;

forkgirl

@Arei:

I think your hair color is dark enough if you didn't want to do anything with it xD Just be careful if you died your hair black and got the extensions…

And you haven't seen much in the way of crossplay? XD There's loooooots of that going on, especially with OP...XD And the guys are so awesome.

hmm now that you mention it, maybe dying it black would be better so it can match the extentions 100%. I wouldn't mind my hair being black, as long as it didnt look super fake. sigh, i don't really know much about hair (real OR fake lol) but i guess its something that comes with experience. Thanks for all the advice on wigs/extentions/etc. I'd be totally in the dark without it haha

Agreed! The guys are all awesome!! <3Ace and Zoro<3 I'd love to be Ace someday!!!

MoonNeko: nooooo I didn't see your Kidd ;; my friends texted me saying they saw a Eustass Kidd, and I was so disappointed that I didn't see it!! ;; I've seen pics though and you looked awesome!! Sami and Pyro were cool!! Pyro was awesome to help me walk around (stilleto heels+soft dirt+my feet used to wearing tennisshoes= omgpain!!cantwalk haha). I was glad to meet everyone and see all the awesome cosplays!