How To Cosplay On A Low Budget

Cosplaying has grown from a niche little hobby into a mainstream industry. It's no longer just avid fans making costumes in their bedrooms for parties. Conventions are big business, with celebrities and influencers getting in on the act.

While it's great to see cosplaying so widely accepted, it does put pressure on fans to create high-end replications of well-known characters. Many assume they need to spend a fortune to create an acceptable cosplay costume. That isn't the case at all. You can bring your cosplay ideas to life on a limited budget and steal the show.

Determining Your Budget

You can't begin dreaming of costume ideas and embellishments until you have a budget in place. Some characters require a lot more financial investment than others, and there is no point in committing to something you can't afford. Be realistic about how much you are willing to spend on the whole costume. Then, start looking at your options within that window. You could use the majority of that budget on the outfit and go DIY with make-up and accessories. Or, you can spread the cost over each aspect.

The hard part is sticking to that budget when there are so many tempting pre-made pieces for sale. However, you need to stay focused so you don't run out of money before you're finished. Stay on target.

Choose A Simple Character You Can Connect With

With your ideal budget in mind, you now need a character. Ideally, you want a familiar but adaptable character you can mold to suit your circumstances. You can start with a basic idea and then play with it, placing characters in different scenarios and themes to match your wardrobe, props, hair, and make-up. We'll look at each of those a little later. You want someone recognizable without too many specific features or accessories. Someone whose mannerisms will elevate any costume choices. Alternatively, you could go for someone really niche and get away with some original DIY adaptations.

Barbie is a great example of a blank slate that comes alive with accessories. A simple Barbie plaid dress is a great starting point when building cosplay ideas. Wednesday Adams is similar but on the other end of the spectrum. Black pigtails and a deadpan demeanor bring a simple long-sleeved black dress to life. Sticking with the spooky theme, The Ada Wong Resident Evil dress and harness is simple but effective.

As for some of the traditionally male roles, you can't go wrong with a classic Superman Battle Suit. Add whatever quirky details you want to this to stand out from the crowd. Or how about the white lab coat and brown pants combo of Rick from Rick and Morty? Again, this is easy to play around with because of the transformations he goes through on the show.

Use Your Own Wardrobe

You could buy a cheaper cosplay costume and accessorize it, or you could find a way to use your own clothes. What do you have that you could easily see a beloved character wearing? It doesn't have to be exactly the same as the one on the show. If they are famous for wearing a leather jacket, why wouldn't they wear one like yours at some point in time?

This is also a good way to play around with clothes you don't wear anymore. Tear up some tank tops and rip some jeans for some post-apocalyptic chic. Paint up an old t-shirt with neon paint for a Cyber-punk aesthetic. Lean into a style and then place your chosen character in that world.

Make Your Own Props

Another mistake first-timers make when considering their cosplay costume is assuming that cosplayers buy everything brand new. There are many avid fans prepping months in advance for conventions by making their own accessories. These projects make the costume more unique and personal while adding to the excitement.

There are two habits to get into early on. First, you need to get comfortable crafting things from cardboard and foam. You can shape foam into anything from wings to swords and cover it with fabric. Second, you need to start saving scraps of materials just in case they come in handy for something.

Fill storage bins with styrofoam packaging from deliveries, broken-down cardboard boxes, and scraps of fabric. You can then adapt your cosplay ideas based on your ability to make fun props with these materials. Remember that emphasizing the props also draws the eye away from inaccurate or low-key costume choices.

Get Creative with Hair And Make-Up

This is an area where it is easy to blow a large portion of your budget. We see so many cosplayers in stylish wigs and immaculate make-up that we want to emulate them. Instead, lean the other way. How can you make your natural hair work for you? Can you style it to match a specific scene or episode? Could you create a sort of alternative timeline alias where they're now an innocent blonde or a gothic brunette?

This is where you can get creative with make-up too. You can play to your strengths with your normal palette and let your costume do the talking. Alternatively, you could go wild with a cheap face-painting kit and play with the theme. Still want to be Barbie? Why not go as one with crayons all over her face and her hair in messy pigtails. It's easier, more creative, and gets people talking.

Have Fun With Low-Cost DIY Cosplay Creations

The most important thing here is to keep that budget in mind. You set that spending limit for a reason. You will thank yourself when you make a big impression for half the cost of other attendees. The second most important thing is to have fun with it. Budget-friendly cosplaying doesn't have to be a sacrifice. Instead, it is a chance to be more creative and resourceful. It shows us the brilliant things we can achieve when we don't cut corners.

Let everyone else waste their money on expensive costumes and kits where they all look the same. Embrace the DIY low-cost approach and think about all that cool merch you can spend your savings on.