There are a lot of attention whores in cosplay. However, I think people who put in the time and money to create really good costumes can't possibly be doing it only for attention. I put so much effort into my costumes.If that was only for the sake of other people, I wouldn't have the hear to keep working at it.

At the same time, I think there are kids who buy costumes to hang out with their friends or whatever.

However, I think both these types of people become at least partial-attention whores after they've started cosplaying. How can you not? People taking your picture all day and stuff. It does go to your head a little. There's a certain rush you get every time someone thinks your costume is cool enough that they want a picture.

But like I said before - if that's the ONLY reason someone is cosplaying, they're pretty fucking stupid.

I think your friend's friend's friend's theory is half bullshit. It's true that people like to be noticed. It's bullshit that 99% of cosplayers grew up being unpopular.

>>1939374
That's a pretty stupid theory. Maybe for people who wear costumes to the mall or whatever, but you're not going to stand out particularly in costume when you're surrounded by people in costume. And if you're unable to maintain peoples' interest normally, you'll have as much or less luck at a con surrounded by interesting shit.

I think our statement is true but in all it REALLY depends on the person....

like for me, yeah I'm not the most beautiful girl in the world but I know I could be more attractive if I lost weight.. (working on it btw) I have nice lips, hair and eyes but yeah you get the point...
I used to think looks mattered for attention but the truth is it doesn't. It's all about how much of a social butterfly you are. When I went to school, girls who were overweight and uglier than I was got more attention. (They were huge whores as well, No pun intended...) Probably because they were more outgoing and I was extremely shy and reserved.

But anyways, yeah there are people out there who probably cosplay to get noticed. As for me, yeah it's nice to get noticed! but I do it just because it's fun and I LOVE to dress up.

tldr; it depends on the person.

I look more attractive out of costume.

Though this is true for many people, I find I am exactly the opposite. I was a bully asshole during junior high, and then mellowed out in High School and had a kickass time. I had tons of friends and honestly loved every moment of it.

.......

Though, to be honest, I was into competitive sports, drama and academics growing up. That spurs on more people than you know to cosplay (and compete). Competition and driving yourself just makes life more interesting, and quite a few cosplayers do it for that reason, not some attempt to recapture HS popularity.

>>1939393
Maybe if you had more than two costumes bro.

OP, I'm sure it's that way for some people. Personally, I just like making things and occasionally see a costume in anime that makes me go "omg, that's fucking badass! Must.. have..."

>>1939392
also, no I don't think all cosplayers grew up being unpopular.
I knew a girl who was EXTREMELY popular and was an anime geek. Kinda mean and acted like a whore but she was just someone who could easily make friends. She had that personality.

>>1939393
You look even more attractive with your head under a bus.

>>1939402
oh look, a troll

Mnn, I wasn't especially unpopular in school.
I wasn't with the cheerleader crowd, but a good portion of that was because I wasn't a rich bitch (seriously, by Sophomore year their parents had bought them ALL cars), and I didn't feel like cutting my hair and dying it blond, and getting an orange tan.

I get a good amount of attention, even without the cosplay. I'm a fairly good looking redhead, which is less common that a blond with a boobjob, so.. yeah.

I mostly just do cosplay because I like sewing, and wigs and having fun and taking pictures. Plus, I like travel, and conventions are a great way to do that.


Also, your friend's idea is a hypothesis.

It really does depend on the person. No way does it apply to 99% of cosplayers.

I'm noticed not for my looks, but for my rather brash personality. I understand that I'm at least reasonably attractive - I've had multiple boyfriends and am currently in a long-term relationship - and cosplay not to be "noticed" or for "attention" but simply because it's a hobby.

If I wanted to be noticed, I'd cosplay more popular characters. As it is, no one really knows who I am half the time and I fade into the background of a thousand more popular characters. I don't really care, though, because I cosplay for myself, not for others. Also, sewing is a great time killer, and I usually have a lot of time to kill (especially during the summer).

tl;dr: No, your friend is retarded.

I really wish I could say you're wrong OP, but....

I make all my costumes myself so that people will notice me and praise me for my hard work.

I was one of the "smart kids" in HS, so I think that scared people away from me.

>>1939414
Seems to me cosplaying a very popular character is a good way to not get noticed. Who's gonna pay attention to the umpteenth L or Sasuke unless you're MIND-BLOWINGLY good?

But I pick characters I like, popularity isn't a factor at all. Sometimes characters I pick are totally unrecognizable except to a small niche group that happens to have watched that obscure show or played that unknown game. I do it anyway because I like the character.

>>1939425
That's what I do too. By "more popular" I meant "more popular than what I'm cosplaying," not "super-mainstream."

I imagine for some people, what you described could very well be a motivator, OP.

my reasons are far more nerdy, to be honest. I wasn't miserably lonely in highschool or anything, and I found friendship in people who shared my geekery. That's the main reason I stick with this hobby I think, too.

But in the real world, am I noticeable? I dunno. I have people tell me I'm attractive, sure, but I doubt them. I'm dense, but I definitely notice the fact that I'm the only girl at my work that doesn't get hit on regularly, despite being thin and not (completely)socially retarded.

Maybe they all think I'm a lesbian? WHATEVAH, haha. I don't really mind.

>>1939374
i don't think it's very true. at least not for me. I think the theory can make a little sense but I know that it doesn't apply to me at least.

as for my history of high school i wasn't mister popular but i was a social guy. but i must say cons have been a great thing to get into for me as i've been able to do the things I love to do and share the things i love with like minded people.

I was a varsity athlete and cheerleader in high school. Cheerleader, dance team and sorority in college. I cosplay because I like looking at pictures of my friends and myself posing in our costumes.

I just hang out with a bunch of ex-nerds in college, and they're the funniest, most outgoing bunch around. I guess it finally got time to own up that you won't be thinner/nicer/more popular next year, so we all just said "fuck it" and became the awesome people we are inside. I particularly pity the manchildren of /jp/, because they're either still stuck in the loop or just given up the effort. It's not that hard to get the ball rolling.

ITT: Lying fat virgin women. I WAS A CHEERLEADER/POPULAR MEAN GIRL IN SCHOOL, I STILL GET DOUBLETAKES

WHO'S THAT LADY, WHO'S THAT LADYYYY

>>1939456
Just because you're that nerdy loudmouth who I wouldn't sleep with in high school doesn't make it any less true. What? I'm not allowed to like anime because I'm not a fat nerd? Get over yourself.

I look attractive in and out of costume. I wasn't terribly popular in high school and that's fine. Most of my time was spent at the senior center where my mom worked either volunteering in the kitchen or chatting up the old coots. At least twice a week, one of the old people would call me some variation of beautiful and I'd get double-takes all the damn time while out and about in town. Only recently has it become a bit of an issue since I've discovered the wonders of skirts and boob shirts, but it hasn't affected me all that much. Yeesh. Rambling. ANYTHEWAYS, I'm pretty and I cosplay sometimes. Neither attention or the need to be noticed are what fuels my costume-donning but it can be fun to find someone in either the same costume or from the same show and get a few pictures with them.

>>1939456
marry me?

FYI: being a cheerleader doesn't mean you were popular. I was a cheerleader in high school. I also did drama and was on the colourguard squad, plus did dancing.. While I wasn't unpopular, I definitely wasn't one of the popular kids.

hmmm well, I was in hobby lobby once, and this creepy old guy (like 40s kinda) said I had really pretty hair,
yes, I do take pride in my pretty hair. but then he asked my age...har har har

>>1939461

I feel you should provide some proof about how lecherous old men really think about you, and /cgl/ will be happy to point out which animal you most resemble.

ITT: we use highschool sterotypes and cliches to imagine how we WISH we were in highschool

>>1939460

LOL. The newfags are really precocious this summer, its cute. :)

>>1939484
Wait, wat? Okay, hold on. I don't have any pictures of me in costume at the moment, but this will have to do.

Sage for self-post.

>>1939511
Blurry zombie party pictures will have to do as well. :P

>>1939511
if that's you, that what you said was bullshit...
I mean you're not UGLY but you're not fucking beautiful like you said either...

I wasn't really noticed much in high school despite being told I was pretty all my life growing up (ugh, even during the hideous awkward years, wtf). I can remember thinking "I wish I could be more popular with the guys like so-and-so" and now, looking back, I don't think it was that so-and-so was prettier than me (and she sure as hell wasn't smarter), she just had the confidence to make guys want to like her because it was the socially acceptable girl to like.

So, when I cosplayed during high school, yes, it was because I felt like the popular hot girl at cons that I couldn't be in high school. However, once I got to college, I realized that I'm just as hot out of costume (minus the dorky appeal to fanboys at a con), so now I'd say I cosplay to keep in touch with friends, travel, meet new people, share fandom, have fun, etc.

So maybe your friend's hypothesis applies to those who have yet to actually get out of HS. lol

>>1939524
Admittedly, that I wasn't having one of my best days but I'm still fairly attractive when I put effort into it. I just don't the majority of the time because I don't want to. Being a slob and a little dirty is kind of nice. Not worrying about if your hair is flat or if your face is getting too oily is refreshing. :)

ALSO. I couldn't be bothered to go digging for any other pictures and cocking up the thread with self-posting out the wazoo. But if you insist...

Whoops, forgot my sage in the last post. Oh well. :P

Nice group picture here, after a day of larping and asshattery. <3

>>1939533
P.S. I won't provide pics because this post seems rather conceited and I prefer people to think I'm a cosplayer with humility. @_@ If it helps, I'll add that I'm always on those stupid "hot female cosplayers" images, but I'm usually crossed out in lieu of Laura, Erica, Soni, etc.

>>1939524
Depends on your definition of 'beautiful' though.

IMO she's okay and likely old people can't see shit anyway

>>1939541
Huh. I just noticed the glaring typo in >>1939536. Whoops again! Have a picture from a short road trip to the city.

>>1939541
I would say you're pretty but not double-take pretty. Right about the beautiful hair color though.

Wanna know a horrible secret? Part of the reason I go to cons is because I know I'm good looking and I love the attention. You don't have that kind of power over people in real life, because people in real life actually go outside - but the people you meet at cons are extremely reclusive and are easily dazzled by someone with good looks and an ounce of social skill.

Why do I do it? Because it feeds my ego, durr. I was a huge nerd in highschool and, fuck, I still am. But I was self-aware enough to realize my flaws and work past them. Now I attract a normal amount of attention in day-to-day life and spend my days at cons seducing young women. It's a beautiful life.

To be honest, I'm kind of the same. I get told I'm attractive a lot, and I think I'm certainly not bad-looking. I think that the people who are good-looking or even just average-looking are the people who cosplay for fun, or as a hobby; the awkward, truly nerdy, and the down-right ugly are probably the ones who do it to feel noticed. Which is kind of sad, really...

>>1939564
THIS.

>>1939456
>>1939488
This.

Its weird, for me college life vs. high school vs. cosplay life are completely different. In high school, I was heavy into volunteering and in all sorts of clubs and generally well-liked among my schoolmates and teachers, despite not conforming to the "Howard Beach" type. College is vastly different. I go in, go to class, eat a burrito and then I'm outta there. I don't really care too much about making a billion friends in college or volunteering, though I'm thinking about changing that this semester.

And cosplay life, well, its alright, I'm generally outgoing at cons and like meeting all sorts of people and I get a whole lot of "you're not as scary in person like you seem to be on the internet."

And I get attention for my looks I guess whenever I'm walking around, but that's cause we have a lot of guys (Well, the majority who catcall are hispanic and blacks, its rare among the other ethnic groups) here who are always willing to catcall a seemingly alright looking girl.

So no, I think your friend's friend is wrong in that assumption that all cosplayers are starved for attention because they don't get attention when the costumes come off and reality sets in.

>>1939583
My "this" is better than yours.

>>1939511

Proof positive /cgl/ is made of overinflated egos and average girls. I blame society with their "everybody is a winner" attitude.

>>1939591
You'd still hit it.

>>1939564
Nah, from the viewpoint of a male on this board this is what I see.

Fat people are a wide range of different people. Some fatties have sewing ability and do it to show that off/win prizes (despite deep down they know that more than likely will lose to someone prettier with a shit costume).

There's also fatties that just want to be part of a group enjoying being a nerd without any skills whatsoever. It's somewhat endearing how they do it despite people being complete asses (hell, there's people being asses about the girl with downs, wtf?)

And then there's the fucking yaoi cunts that want to just shit things up.

>>1939591
I blame peoples misinterpretation of "everybody is a winner/everyone is special". Mr. Rogers was saying there's something good INSIDE, because you're fucking ugly on the outside, and no matter what there's SOME thing in there that's worth of value. Like putting together the boxes for Happy Meals.

>>1939595

No, I wouldn't.

>>1939585
Good point. When I say "in college," I mean around town because I live in a college town. I definitely don't have dudes pushing each other over to sit next to me in classes or anything. I pretty much blend in, sit down, and walk out.

Wish I could make more friends in college, though. :\

>>1939591
>>1939607
That's great. I wasn't really aiming to ooh and ahh. Its just the internet. :P

>>1939616
You're not pretty, you don't get double takes, old men are blind.

>>1939607
ITT Masa lies to himself.

>>1939591
>overinflated egos
>overinflated egos
>overinflated egos
>Masa
>overinflated egos

ITT:
another discussion turned to drama

.

>>1939619
>>1939623

samefag

>>1939639
Yeah, why the hell do people dislike you so much? You're an okay guy on the phone(besides the whole not texting back dealio) and you're not too much of a dickbag on /cgl/.


GETTING BACK ON TOPIC.


Certain people will crave attention in any form they can find it. Sometimes its not the healthiest choice but that's their business unless its bringing harm upon another person. Cosplay is a way to put yourself out there for people to ogle and sometimes admire. I guess what I'm trying to say is that everyone wants their spot in the sun no matter what their personal history is or what they look like.

>>1939660
Because at the risk of sounding like an urbanite, he "keeps it real." He calls people on their bullshit and realizes that cosplay isn't to be taken seriously. That bothers drama queen dickbags.

Oh, and the annoying sage bombing shit he does sometimes.

It's a possibility, OP, but statistics made up on the spot don't mean a damn thing to me.

Is it possible that 99% of us are as your friend claims we are? Maybe. Maybe not. The majority of us, then? Possibly, possibly not. Maybe it's 25%? That could also be true. Or it might not be.

All I'm trying to say is that the moment that you said that your friend brought a statistic into his argument, a statistic that he made up on the spot, I stopped caring.

Oh, and barely anyone recognize my costumes, and that's more or less how I like it.

I generally try to blend in as much as possible. In high school, I only hung out with people I was comfortable with, and in college, I go out of my way to avoid being noticed.

But once in a while, it's nice to have a little attention. I feel like I get my fill while cosplaying, and then settle back into my life of anonymity.

Until I came to cgl, I never knew that cosplay could create so much drama

get over yourselves

I think I look better outside of cosplay because my skin tone doesn't work well with many hair styles/colors, but that doesn't mean I consider myself ugly. I consider myself average though many people claim to "rate" me much higher.

I wasn't popular in high school but I was also one of the few people who liked anime (my school was private and had 200 kids so the odds were against me). I don't cosplay to compensate for not being popular, I cosplay because I enjoy it. I like sewing and being crafty and it's a great way to show my love for a particular character or series. I don't go to cons to show off or have people take my picture (even though it is nice when they do!); I go because it's a great way to meet people with similar interests and to just hang out and have a good time. I'm sure there are people who go to cons to get attention or whatever, but everyone has their own reasons for doing things and I'm not going to judge them for that. I'll just stick to what I'm doing and they can do what they want.

See, I don't know if that theory is correct because the only time I was teased was grade school. High school it was fun and parties and I was friends with everyone. I still love my video games, not so much anime anymore, and its something my close friends and my brothers have in common.

I also love theatre and designing clothes, so cosplay came natural to me.

Without being egotistical, I know i'm pretty actractive outside the "nerd" community. I get flirted with constantly and beeped at, and it drives my boyfriend up the wall.

Like I previously stated, I'm not being conceited, just truthful.

Plus, who else here knows how awesome it is to use your looks to get free stuff? XD <3

>>1940322
>>1940322
ITT: whores

I heard that Cosplay is the only thing that people are attention whores in and that doesn't happen in things like sports or work or everyday life.

Well, to be honest, I do think that the attention that girls get from crossplaying can turn them into lesbians. They never got much attention for being femininely pretty, yet when they get so much for being a guy, they thrive off the attention and keep it alive by accepting/flirting back/etc. Going lesbo basically.

LOL at this girl saying she's beautiful, and gets double takes, then posting pictures of herself and turns out she looks like she was a tuba player in the fucking marching band.

She's one of those nerds who thinks shes hot because most other nerds are even uglier than her. DELUDED.

>>1940426
THIS

I think that your friend would be right if it was 50% and it was based on overall motivation, not per capita.

I'm good looking and I cosplay because I like to make stuff, to have a hobby to do with friends, to meet people, and in part for the ego boost. I'm not going to lie and say it isn't a factor. It's part of it, but not at all the whole.
Pretty much everyone likes to be complemented, so what does it matter if that motivates us some?

That said, I'm not particularly happy when the attention goes beyond photos, though. Just like being cat-called normally, it's not that much of a complement when some guys try to pick you up.

I think it's the girls who clearly are -only- doing it so they will be hit on that perpetuate a negative stereotype of narcissistic and insecure cosplayers, but that's a rather small group who just happen to stand out because they are sad.

During Elementary school I wasn't too popular, but by middle school and especially highschool I was popular. I was a part of all the cliques and basically a social butterfly. I think I was able to obtain that because I rose above the petty highschool drama and told people flat out I didn't care what they thought of me, that I was happy with myself and they could either take it or leave it. I guess that gave me respect from others.

To be honest, I was a real douche bag in high school too. I had a fanclub of sorts in school, especially when I became President of the Japanese Club.

However after highschool when I entered college I became socially awkward, delved even more into the cosplay scene, and since then I've been fucked. I find it difficult for me to talk with people and often feel out of place around them since my sense of humor/hobbies are not the normalcy of others so it is often not understood and comes off as weird.

:| Lame. So all in all, I think being a part of this community definitely separates you from the normal society, but it does not mean you were unpopular in school and desire attention due to that.

>>1940443
back* not bag wtf..?

I wasn't popular in high school but I had great friends so it didn't matter too much to me in my last couple of years. Oh sure, I tried to fit in in junior high and my freshman year. Who doesn't want to be liked? As I got older I just kinda stopped caring.
College-wise was like Soni said...I went to class, I left class and that was pretty much it. I hung out with my dorm-mates on off hours and made some good friends there but at my school there really wasn't "popularity" per say. Everyone just did their own thing and no one really cared...buuut I did go to a pretty liberal hippy-town college so that probably had a lot to do with the attitude there.

As for cosplay: I started cosplaying because I always liked Halloween and coming up with a good costume idea. When I found out there was an excuse to wear costumes outside of that I got really excited.
It never entered my mind that it could be considered attention whoring until I was a couple of years into the hobby and starting hanging out on cosplay-related sites online where it would get brought up.

Lol, people and their trying to fit the entire world into cute little theories.

Sure, I wasn't attractive or whatever in high school. but honestly, pretty much NOBODY is. But I hit about 21 and BAM, suddenly I had hips and boobs. Don't know why but that's how it happened. Now like, anytime i see someone from high school they're like HOLY SHIT, THAT'S YOU? it's pretty fucking hilarious.

However, i've cosplayed throughout the entire time. The attention has just turned from negative to positive. shrug.

>>1940443 During Elementary school I wasn't too popular, but by middle school and especially highschool I was popular. I was a part of all the cliques and basically a social butterfly. I think I was able to obtain that because I rose above the petty highschool drama and told people flat out I didn't care what they thought of me, that I was happy with myself and they could either take it or leave it. I guess that gave me respect from others.

*high five*

>I find it difficult for me to talk with people and often feel out of place around them since my sense of humor/hobbies are not the normalcy of others so it is often not understood and comes off as weird.

you know you can talk to me any time ;A;

I'M STILL IN HIGHSCHOOL GAIZ

but for some fucking reason they always know my name and who I am but never know who are they.

fffffuuuuuckkkk

>>1940527
i hate that. It makes me feel like total shit when people know me, even people i've met before, but i can't remember who they are unless i've spent some significant amount of time with them.

When I was in high school and the beginning of college I was extremely outgoing and had a shit load of friends and "friends". But I also partied a lot and went to local shows which wasn't the healthiest lifestyle (and I mean everyday). I got more attention at that point than from cosplaying by far. I didn't start wanting to cosplay until I backed out of that social group and became more introverted. If I wanted to get attention or be noticed I would go back to what I was doing because I think it was probably more of a self esteem boost for me than cosplaying (at least browsing /cgl/).

So I'm not buying OPs friends theory.

>>1940443
Funny, I tried the whole "I don't care" thing and people just beat the shit out of me.

>>1940530

Don't worry Mugsy, I'll walk up to you and say "HAY BUDDY I'M THAT GUY FROM CGL/AX BOARDS" just to narrow things down a little.

>>1940561
YAY! that'll totally help >:/ lol

I started cosplaying when I didn't konow it was called that, makin outfits from what I saw in films at 1999 and the early years of 2000, when I was in Junior High. At the time I was pretty popular and I had many friends.

Then when I went to High School suddenly people in my family started dying, I got the stigma and people started acting like I was a retard. I still continued at summers, since people from my school weren't at the conventions I went to.

>>1940575
>people in my family started dying
>I got the stigma

wat? I'm afraid I've yet to hear "You know how those girls are that belong to a family of dead people, amirite?"

Halfway right.
There are tons of fugly fags and I was once one of them.
Totally the geeky girl with ugly glasses, greasy hair, acne etc although I always had a good body.

Actually in the cosplay-scene was the first time that someone told me I was pretty (please note the full pathos in this!) and from that point on I began to pay more attention to the way I looked like.

Nowadays I get told by normal people as well, that I was very attractive.
I think it's true, but maybe I am just lying to myself.

I get more looks being at a con in normal clothes. Usually a mix of "what the hell", positive remarks, and general confusion.

Am I the only one here who doesn't cosplay for anything related to appearance? I mean, I'll only wear costumes I'm suited for, and I'm neither ugly or obese, but I do cosplay because I like shows and characters, and because I meet cool people through it.

The whole point for me is about being a "mini-celebrity". You may get noticed in real life, but do random strangers stop you and ask for your picture, or yell your name from across the street, or want to ask you for hugs? I'm guessing not. Even if you're amazingly hot, and people look/stare/pay attention, it's still no where near the level of being dressed as a popular character at a con. That's the reason I do it, and also the reason why I wouldn't want to be permanently famous. It's fun for a vacation, but I wouldn't want to live there.

>>1940426
>>1940432
Same Jealous Fatty. Just because someone happens to take average photos doesn't mean they're ugly or average in real life. Shit, band geeks are fucking hot, and so is she. Just not in that slutty-hot way that runs rampant on /cgl/. She looks like the kind of girl you'd bring home to mom and would be a good chef.