[shinigamiJACULA]

i think the most i ever spent on a cosplay was around $150...i tend to be super ocd about making my cosplay really accurate and detailed so i usually make a lot of stuff from nearly scratch...i feel like i put sooo much time and effort into it and i only wear it for like a day and move on to a new cosplay...=____=

so lately i've been trying to do "easier" cosplays that are easy to make yet the character is recognizable, and i think that's really helped me save money ^^ i'm so glad that it's fairly easy to cosplay characters from katekyo hitman reborn--yay for dino and basil!!! xD

[BlackWaltzPinion]

Let's see...my cosplay this year with the coat and everything's going to run me about $50...but it's a very general character for the sake of self promotion. (I'm going as a plague doctor character named Figaro and handing out business cards with pipe cleaner leeches, whoo hoo!)

Last year...honestly, I spent $150 for two cosplays; Black Waltz 2 (comfy as heck!) and 1 from the movie '9' (not as comfortable!). I'll be reusing my black waltz 2 costume, going to work on some details and 'fine tuning' it this year.

[Dr_hallucination]

Lady_Aeris, on 19 April 2010 - 08:41 PM, said:

So i have 2 cosplays planned for ACen and i have almost everything for the construction but its costing me SOO much cause i want as accurate as i can get it...ive spent $100-125 so far and i still have to buy another $30 in supplies at least and then i have to pay for my wig and my ponytail which is another $60. YIKES! but im doing a RARE cosplay and an original version of a VERY well known character....Anyone else spending more than they planned?

Aw, man do I know. I've predicted the costs of my costume to be upwards of $250 this year (my most expensive yet!). Good luck!

[basili1250]

My theory on money in general, not just for cosplay- money comes back, opportunities seldom do. There's only going to be One ACen 20-- and if you're gonna go big, go big in whatever shape or form you have to. For some it's buying a lot and for some it's making most of the cosplay by hand.

I think all of us knows how we feel when we don't do what we wanted to in the first place...I hate that feeling.

7 months left, let's do this!

[Lady_Aeris]

Sorry for my long absence everyone...
So total for the 2 cosplays i wore to ACen one which was NOT complete but was complete for YOUMACON a couple weeks ago. And the added 2 i spent a total of $350. Oyi! anyways new cosplays are up and this will be a thrift store year BECAUSE my big cosplay purchase will be buying a real corset since im a plus-size cosplayer it will be my well not so secret weapon. but Im cosplaying LULU from final fantasy X and i know those belts are gonna be expensive.

[CurseOfTheLeek]

basili1250, on 07 November 2010 - 03:45 AM, said:

My theory on money in general, not just for cosplay- money comes back, opportunities seldom do. There's only going to be One ACen 20-- and if you're gonna go big, go big in whatever shape or form you have to. For some it's buying a lot and for some it's making most of the cosplay by hand.

I think all of us knows how we feel when we don't do what we wanted to in the first place...I hate that feeling.

7 months left, let's do this!

heck yeah!

[basili1250]

At least y'all CAN work on your cosplays...grumble frumble bumble...

[GITS SAC Motoko]

One of my cosplays I spent about $5...all I needed was paint and a paint brush, lol.

I'm HOPING to just go to $150...since my other secret costume doesn't need really expensive materials, but you never know. It's one of my dream cosplays so hey, I'm going for it. I'll be proud of it, and consider the money well spent!

[Aiko☆Noble]

I'm going to just assume I'm going to be spending boatloads this year. >_>
Then I won't be too depressed when I actually total up the losses at the end.

[Akroma]

Hahah Always! I just expect all my costumes to be over $200 at this point.

[TekoMuto]

all i need these days is a computer and a printer

I can make anything, anysize

and it weighs nothing

[GITS SAC Motoko]

Sadly because of funds my friend and I have to cut down on our cosplay.....instead of doing the BIG thing we are doing the general idea of it and decided to just do a great job on that. The extra things we wanted to do are to expensive and with the little time we have it will be very, very difficult to do. Hey, we have time to add things. ^__^

[Devil Trigger Dante]

Ya know...I spend so much on supplies that I lose track..lol

I try to budget though..with limited success.

[Millions_Knives]

takes out general journal (yay accounting)

of the $600 in capital $159 has been spent
with $290 ear marked for projected costs

if i can get anther $200 i want to have some real fun

This post has been edited by Millions_Knives: 24 December 2010 - 12:32 PM

[FantasticSunshine]

Oh my gosh... this thread just reminded me of HOW MUCH I NEED TO GET A JOB!!
edit: I just did an estimate for my cosplay last night and its looking to be around 150. Plus my badge, PLUS my portion of the room, PPLLUUSSS food and spending money... dear lord..

This post has been edited by FantasticSunshine: 30 December 2010 - 12:11 PM

[Sin Ai]

Cant say Ive spent alot on a cosplay yet (although Im currently debating spending about 115 for one)

In making my own projects I tend to spend just as much tho. Fur is not cheap sadly. ^-^'

[Akroma]

Speaking of over spending, I am hope to god finished buying all the beads I need for my friends vanille costume. And I also bought her wig for her... needless to say this is her christmas/ birthday presents for the next few years seeing as the beads alone were over $100 all together... the wig was actually only $30 so that was a nice break.

[KusanagiRobin]

*returns from her deep forum slumber*

Wow...2011 just kinda snuck up on us, didn't it? Four months left; time to calculate!

The cosplay list in my sig is more or less final unless I have the time/expenses to do an extra cosplay. One cosplay (Link) will be recycled because I got such positive feedback; I'm just making a new set of props. As for the other two, Sorincha won't need props (prop-making usually take up the biggest chunk of my cosplay budget) and her hair color/length is already close to my real hair, but I'm expecting the mask and costume to be quite a handful (it'll be the first time I'll be working with hakama; I'm hoping to find a pattern). Then I have Tima--an oversized plaid shirt, undershorts, a curly blonde wig I already have, and a transistor radio prop that I'll rig up to actually play music from the "Metropolis" soundtrack, using an old mp3 player I have lying around.

Last year, with three new cosplays it was around 75-80 dollars, so with one recycled cosplay, one simple cosplay with half the things already taken care of, and then Sorincha, I'm hoping not to spend any more than 50 dollars, and most of that might go towards props...AGAIN.

[shonen_jidai]

Yeah, cosplay can be expensive! I might spend between $200 to $300 altogether with nearly half of it going towards the shoes on the last 2 costumes I made. Wigs can add up too. But I always try to recycle as much as I can to keep costs down going forward.

BTW, if you're in or near Hyde Park on Chicago's Southside, a new thrift store just opened up. Here's the info I have, still need to get their phone number though. They're also looking to fill at least one part time position, message me for the manager's contact info if you're interested.

Encore Thrift Store
1553 E Hyde Park Blvd

M-Thurs: 11am - 6pm
Fri: 11am - 5pm
Sat: 11am - 4pm
Closed on Sundays

[Aiko☆Noble]

Oh, boy. One wig down, might hack in to my Grell wig for another cosplay to save time/money.
Can't see myself cosplaying him again, but it's just so long and pretty, and I'll have to cut most of it off. T__T
I'm not sure if I want to do that yet.

I've been scouring eBay like crazy to get the pieces of my costumes together. I'd rather not add up how
much I've spent so far. I can tell, however, that much more money will be spent in the near future.

[Goldeneyeuro]

For some reason, the mad idea of me cosplaying as FMWS's Lio Izumi gained ground because I thought it would be "cheap". Uh, no. Piecing it together by buying whole pieces of clothing =/= cheap cosplay. Even if several bits come from your own closet. I've spent... $58 so far, and still need a wig. Also found a dress shirt that would work perfectly, but the price tag frightened me away.

[SomeRandomGirl]

*hopping in super-late*

I have gotten obscenely lucky in general in terms of cosplay... My most expensive one thus far has only cost me about ~100 dollars, wig included. But then again, it's because my mom sews.... and she has a whole stash of fabric that I "borrow" sometimes

And I took a costume construction course, which let me snag some fabric for another cosplay....

On a side note, Lady_Aeris -- if I see you as Nailah at Acen I will hug you and probably not let go because Nailah wins. Forever.

[Lady_Aeris]

SomeRandomGirl, on 07 January 2011 - 01:56 AM, said:

*hopping in super-late*

I have gotten obscenely lucky in general in terms of cosplay... My most expensive one thus far has only cost me about ~100 dollars, wig included. But then again, it's because my mom sews.... and she has a whole stash of fabric that I "borrow" sometimes

And I took a costume construction course, which let me snag some fabric for another cosplay....

On a side note, Lady_Aeris -- if I see you as Nailah at Acen I will hug you and probably not let go because Nailah wins. Forever.

hehehe ill take that as far warning but idk if im bringing her to ACen i might just be going for one day and if i only go one day ill be HOPEFULLY dressed as Quorra from TRON LEGACY

[KusanagiRobin]

*comes back*

Well, I may have cut my budget down even more. (Whoo!) I scrapped the Boss Key/Ciela idea for Link and am now going with the Spirit Flute from ST, so my Phantom Hourglass!Link will now be Spirit Tracks!Link (luckily the costume didn't change at all). If I can I might add on one more prop, like the Whirlwind or something.

[Aiko☆Noble]

So, as of right now, I have almost everything I need for ONE of my costumes,
and it totals well over $100. I still need to purchase more things, and then
start the crafting/sewing aspect of it. *sigh* Why is everything so expensive!?

Also, a piece of advice - if you're looking for spraypaint, DO NOT buy it at Jo Ann's.
It's probably very tempting to do so, since you're probably already there for a bunch
of other things, but believe me, I just bought two cans of Krylon (red and silver),
which I was looking at at Jo Ann's for about eight bucks, at WAL-MART for three dollars
apiece. Save five dollars! Go to WAL-MART!

Now I just have to think about the two other costumes I have yet to buy for/finish. T___T

[Lady_Aeris]

well the estimate i have so far on my quorra cosplay is gonna be around 100...between the wig, wet-leather pants (there is No MAKING those) lol the fabric for her shirt and vest, gloves, the identity disc that im gonna have to buy, and the reflective tape 100 is a safe bet

[The Fujoshi]

My ex bf spends less than 100....like one outfit was basically under 50 dollars ninja outfit and he rarely added to it. Most of the stuff he mooched ._. I originally got him the ninja outfit back in like my college years in 2003-2004 for around 30 dollars and he only added 20 or 30 dollars to it. He still uses it to this day.

I think the cheapest he got was 50 dollars for a guilty gear: the sword he already had and took from a former friend and the coat was from a thrift store for 30 dollars. The hat was around 20 or less. *Doesn't know how he does it*

I spend like in the 100s: last year was 300 dollars and my Gai outfit was around 100-150 bucks. This year is going to be around 300 or so again ._. I have to buy in pieces because I have to custom order the Swiss Hetalia shoes in my size ._.

[Kasin]

I plan on over $200, but it depends on what tax money I have left. This year on eevee, and ash.

but next acen i will need a tuxedo mask, and mini moon cosplay. A big daddy, and hit girl cosplay. Also, hopefully, a green ranger cosplay.

[TekoMuto]

Hey kasin, i'll make you the Green ranger helmet for free (cept shipping and handling)



Was elected as vice president for my base Airman's council. Apparently groups like the base's 1st shirt org, Jr NCO council and the like, throw a surplus of money at the Airman's council.

Thus I'm pushing to organize a trip for airmen on base for both Otakon 2011 and Inochicon 2011 in which we utilize these surpluses of money to purchase both rooms and tickets for the cons.

I love the airforce more and more and more everyday.

[The Fujoshi]

Looking for cheaper boots and cheaper wigs for America. I found a lot of good ones but they are not in my size yet. I don't have a job either right now so the forum people that don't don't feel bad; lost it back in setember due to too many absences from UTI/flu/etc. Most of my refund is going to the family but it's going to be an arguement since I want to spend it on hotel/rest of outfit/etc. and half on the household instead of the whole bloody thing.

BTW good thrift stores in chicago are: The village located in kenzie (orange line) Western (blue line), as well as another one near 70ths but that's near the ghetto so I would say don't go to that one XD

@Kasin: If you do that cosplay it would ROCK.

This post has been edited by The Fujoshi: 20 January 2011 - 09:05 PM