Costuming
Costume and Its Place in Hobby and Enthusiast Groups
Costuming is one aspect of a greater whole in almost all hobby/enthusiast/fan groups;
the relative size of that aspect varies widely not only with the individual participant,
but with the specific niche on which one is focused.
In some fandoms, costuming is nothing more than a perfunctory effort to wear clothes
bought at a big box store carrying knock-off brands of what your favorite TV or movie
character showcased. In others, it is both an obsession and a painstaking, highly skilled
process, which defines both the nature and the appeal of the genre in which the individual
is working.
In the middle those are a wide range of groups and ativities in which costuming is a nice, but not strictly necessary, part of the equation, or at least not with particularly stringent rules. Some of the larger and more popular groups in which there are a great deal of costuming activity include Civil War Reenactments, Steampunk, Anime/Manga, Colonial, Reenactments, Renaissance Faires and Festivals of various types, etc.
Costuming in Fantasy Fan-bases and the Distinctions
For almost 50 years, costume fandom has had a consistent and widespread following with costumers markedly influencing science fiction writers, artists and the media. Costuming, as an innovative, three-dimensional art form, has probed and broken all limits of imagination in SF and fantasy. From the first Worldcon in 1939 to last year's Worldcon in Philadelphia, costume fandom has emerged as a robust and dynamic force within science-fiction fandom.
At the First World Science Fiction Convention in New York in 1939, a 22-year-old Forrest J Ackerman and his friend Myrtle R. Jones appeared in the first SF costumes among the 185 attendees. The future editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland was dressed as a rugged looking star pilot, and his female companion was adorned in a gown recreated from the classic 1933 film Things to Come. Both of them created quite a stir among the somber gathering of writers, artists and fen (plural of fan), and injected a fanciful, imaginary quality into the convention's overly serious nature.
Now, over a half century later, costume fandom has come to represent a large segment of the hardcore genre audience. Artists like Kelly Freas, Wendy Pini and Tim Hildebrandt, authors like Julian May and L. Sprague de Camp, and fans by the hundreds dress regularly in costume. Groups, such as the U.K.‘s Knights of St. Fantomy, the Society for Creative Anachronism and the International Costumers' Guild, conduct business and ceremony in costume, and the masquerade has become the central event of most large conventions.
Costuming and Cosplay - What's the difference?
For many years fan costuming was confined to science-fiction and fantasy conventions, mostly in North America. Then, Nov Takahashi (from Studio Hard) coined the term "Cosplay" as a contraction of the English-language words "costume play". He was inspired by hall and masquerade costuming at the 1984 Los Angeles SF Worldcon, and his enthusiastic reports of it in Japanese SF magazines sparked the Japanese cosplay movement.
The idea took hold in the minds of the Japanese readers and they in turn adapted the idea by dressing as their favorite anime characters. In a matter of a few short years, fans began to dress up as characters at comic book and sci-fi events in Japan. Then in the mid-1990s, as anime, manga and all things related started to catch on in America, cosplay was reintroduced, this time on a much large scale. This has led to many North American cosplayers being totally unaware of their hobby's history, believing it was invented in Japan.
The fact of the matter is that the general approaches and attitudes towards costuming are very different in Japan and North America. North American costuming is still run primarily along the Worldcon model, in which people make their own costumes and compete at local fandom conventions. Original concepts and designs are welcomed and creativity is encouraged.
In Japan, for the most part, 'cosplay' is more about 'being' a pre-existing character, so the aim is to look as much like and act like the character as possible. To this end, there is not as much emphasis on making one's own costume, and there are not the same kinds of competitions as in NA. The aim is more to just have fun with your friends and have pictures taken. Cosplay is also more of a young women's hobby in Japan, whereas in NA costuming is practiced by people of all ages and walks of life.
The International Costumer's Guild
The International Costumers' Guild was formed in 1985 in the wake of CostumeCon 3, when groups of costuming aficionados formed and subsequently united in a common cause. Our purpose is to bring hobbyist and professional costumers from around the world together, and to foster, through its chapters, local educational and social costume events.
We welcome everyone with an interest in the art of costuming - from concept to assembly to display and all stages in between - in all areas of costume. Our members include historic reenactors, professional, educational and community theatrical costumers, Science Fiction fans, Renaissance festival participants, and a vast array of others who are interested in the making, wearing and display of costume.
The ICG exists on two levels; first, as an affiliated group of chapters across North America and Australia. Area chapters meet on a regular basis, trading tips, skills and ideas among members. Most chapters also produce newsletters several times a year, providing out-of-town members with a chance to contribute and share their own interests and ideas.
Each year members of the ICG converge at Costume-Con, the annual convention of costume hobbyists and professionals. Held at a different site each year, Costume-Con is an exciting time to see what fellow costumers are working on, trade tips and tricks on design and construction, and in general celebrate the wide world of costuming with fellow aficionados.
Costuming Sites
The links below are some of the most valuable resouces when it comes to costuming. If you want to
take the time to make a costume yourself (as many do) or just want to buy one pre-fabricated then
visit one of these links to learn more about costuming or to purchase one.
Also, the links are in no particular order just yet. We are working on builing a more comprehensive
and categorized area so that you can look for either general or a specialty costumer for a
particular period or era.