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I worked at a costume shop for seven years strait. It wasn't one of those rinky dink once a year Halloween super store types. It was a year round theatrical shop with everything from wigs to makeup to accessories to costumes to just about anything you could imagine. In those seven years that I worked there I helped a ton of different people come up with and put together their costumes. Many of those people were cosplayers. So here's a little bit of advice on how to shop for your cosplay stuff comming from a cosplayer who also worked at a retail costume shop.

1: Don't wait till the last minute. Start as early as possible. You have no idea how hard it is to help someone who needs something the next day. If you are a procrastinator understand that you may have to settle for close enough rather than perfect. Some stores don't carry certain things year round so you may have to order it and it's also easier to compare prices and products if you have the time to do so. Also it allows the person helping you to give you all of your options rather than the ones that are doable in a day or a week.

2: Always, always ALWAYS bring some sort of visual reference with you. Some people have never heard of certain characters or shows or even anime itself so it's always much easier to have something to show to the person so they and you are on the same page. Further more, I can speak from experience that sometimes I can't remeber all the little details of every character I've seen no matter how familar I am with it. So it's helpful to know what I'm trying to help a customer duplicate. If possible try to have multiple pictures of the character from different angles and in different lighting so you can see all the colors and details. It's helpful as hell to have that.

3: Don't be shy about asking for help or advice or to tell the clerk at the store what you're doing. They may have never heard of cosplay but they will still go out of their way to help you if they know what you're trying to acomplish. Plus, most people don't find cosplay as weird as you might think. That and the clerk knows where stuff is and what they can order for you. That's always helpful. And don't forget the perspective of another person can be very useful as they might think of a way to do something that you wouldn't.

4: Polite people get the best service. Trust me. If you've worked retail you know that you are far more likely to go the extra mile for someone who is treating you with respect and curtasy rather than someone who's giving you a hard time and treating you with disrespect. Retail workers are people too and just like other people they tend to respond in kind to how they are treated.

5: Bring a friend. This not only helps to add a second opinion but also helps you feel a little more at ease when shopping and it makes it more fun than chore and that always makes the experience better.

6: If they don't have it see if you can order it and how long it will take. Many stores have this option and can get you things rather quickly. Don't just assume that they don't even carry it if it's not on the self. It may be something that they are out of or even that they don't always display year round. So asking is always a good thing. Also, most places do know what their compeitors carry too so if they don't have it and can't get it for you they may know who does or can.

8: Bring a note book (or at least something to write on) and a pen or pencil. This way you can sketch things and take down information on prices and products and so on.

9: Keep in mind that you might not find exactly what you're looking for and you might have to alter an existing product (such as a glove, shoe,  jacket, wig, etc.) in order to get it.

10: If possible find and employee at the store you're at who cosplays or at least watches anime or is familar with what you are doing. This will help create a raport that will aid in the creative brainstorming and make you feel less weird to boot. (Hey some people really feel weird when they go shopping for cosplay stuff, ya know)

I hope this helps a little. If you have any good advice feel free to add it here. And allso, keep in mind that while this was written with costume shops in mind it does hold true to just about any retail shop you might go to find your cosplay items.

Thanks for reading
~Mowse-chan

Tags: Cosplay Shopping Advice

My last blog was about how to give it now this one is how to take it. In our life we will recive a lot of criticism from a lot of sources. How we take it can affect our self image and the views others have of us. So here's a few handy tricks to help you shrug the negative stuff off and react to it with grace and poise.

Step 1: Elenor Rosevelt once said " Noone can make you feel infuriour without your permission." That is very true. If you let the negative stuff that people say get to you it only makes you feel bad. And while we all want to have people like what we do that's not possible. So going into a negative critique try to keep in mind that the words of others only have as much power over you as you allow.

Step 2: Don't respond right away if you're that upset. When you're upset you're bond to say things that aren't very polite and that will start an unnecessary fight. Instead wait a few minute or however long it takes you to be less upset. Then respond politely and maturely. Thanking them for their honest if not tactful opinion is much better than telling them they suck right back and it makes you look less whiny and insecure.

Step 3: Keep in mind that you aren't everyone's cup of tea and you never will be. You could be the most awsome fantastic talented person in your field but there will always be someone who has a differing opinion regarding it and you. So just accept that people have different tastes and that it's not you they are judging at all but rather your work. And no, you're work is not you. Everyone has hits and misses. (Hell, I'll site my Gloria cosplay here. She isn't my best cosplay and I freely admit that.) You just have to learn to accept that. One persons opinion is not going to ruin your life.

Step 4: Ask them what they didn't like about it. Maybe they didn't think to tell you. Maybe they just hate the character. At least after they explain you'll know wether or not to listen to anything else they have to say about it. After all, some people just can't get past their hatred for a series and no matter how nice a costume is they will hate it because of what it's from. if that's the case you simply thank them for their time and then move on with your life. You don't have to defend your likes and dislikes with them, after all. If it is something technicle, like the color you can then explain why you choose to do it that way. Don't assume everyone thinks like you. If they don't know what you were going for or why you made the choices you did then it isn't their fault.

Step 5: Ask them if they have any suggestions as to how they would fix what they don't like. They might surprise you and suggest something you would never have thought of. Opening up a dialoge with people makes them less of an enemy and more of a college and friend. I have made some amazing friends by just asking someone who gave me a horrible review what they didn't like and how they would change it. So keep that in mind when you are dealing with people. they may not be the jerks that they seem at first glance.

Step 6: FLAME WARS ARE NOT OKAY!!!!! Don't spam, stalk, bad mouth, or gossip about the person. If they are consistently bugging you ask them not to via a personal message. It's okay to tell someone "Hey, it's okay for you to not like my work but I'd appriciate it if you didn't leave such nasty comments on my page. Thanks." And if they continue to be less than cordial ass hats then you can tell one of the site officials about it. But don't become part of the problem yourself by acting just as immaturely or getting your friends to do so either.

Step 7: Try to consider that the people leaving such comments may in fact not be very good at writing their opinions. Or perhaps they're tired. Or maybe they had a bad day and they just endded up venting on you for some reasone. They might be jealous or even insecure with themselfs. There are a whole slew of unrelated reasons that contribute to rude behaviour. That doesn't make it okay but it can explain things and you understanding that the problem isn't always you or your work will help you cope better with the negative.

Step 8: If you can't respond maturely don't respond at all. Seriously. It isn't worth the time or energy to write a scathing bitchy response. For one thing some people write such negative and insulting stuff to get a rise out of you. For another, you only make yourself look bad. The internet, contrary to popular beleife is really not that anonymous and your words and how you react to things say a lot more about you than you may think. It may only be a cosplay site but you still have integraty while you're on it and noone's insults are worth damaging that.


Okay, so there it is. I hope this helps you cope with those nasty critiques that come our way every so often.
Thanks for Reading
~Mowse-chan
A.K.A. Adana K. Logan

Tags: Criticism Cosplay Negative Critique

If you read my last blog you know what this is about. For those of you who didn't: This is a basic HOW TO regarding how to give negative criticism without making yourself seem like a rude jerk. You may not need this but hey, it's free advice and you never know, you might learn something or be able to add something. So read one. After all, you went through all that trouble clicking on that link, right? ;)

Step 1: Before you write/say anything actually look at the picture or peice of art. Don't go on gut reaction. For all you know it could be a fantastic costume but a really bad picture or the lighting could be all screwed up. Heck, the pose could just be bad. So before writing it off as "pure and utter suck" take a good look at it. Examine it.

Step 2: Read the poster of the pictures comments regarding it. I know many people explain things about what they did. It may be that they were going for something that you don't know about. Or maybe they choose that color because they looked better in it than the origenal. Or perhaps the peice isn't finished. You won't know if you don't read their comments.

Step 3: Don't read other peoples commetns. It's hard to do but you shouldn't let yourself be swayed by the opinions of others. Who cares if they think its horrible and you think it's great or vise versa. You should feel free to state so without worrying about peer presure.

Step 4: Try to find something about it that you like. It could be the compostion, the photo site, the colors, the make up, the fact that they have awsome shoes or even that they had the guts to go out in public in something you would never have the courage to. Whatever it is, use that as your opener. It sofens the blow of the negativity to come and it makes you look like less of a jerk. it also shows that you aren't just out there to rip someone apart to make yourself feel good about yourself.

Step 5: Don't use cuss words or be insulting. " Ewww... You should stop trying. You look like s&%$ in all the pics of this costume!" while honest is neither mature or polite. Instead try to keep in mind how you might feel if someone said the same to or about you. You can say the same thing and still be tactfull.
" Hm, maybe this character isn't the one for you. It could be that these are bad pics but the look doesn't suit you very well." See?

Step 6: If you don't like something explain why that is. Don't just say: "I don't like it." Tell them what about it you find unappealing. Is it the color? The cut? The picture. Not only will explaining what about something you don't like and why make you seem more mature and entitled to your opinion but it will also provide the the cosplayer or artist or writer with some insite as to what they need to improve.

Step 7: Be part of the solution. If you have an idea regarding how the person could fix it or what is missing that you would like to see let them know. Maybe they didn't think about it. Maybe they're working on it and ran out of time. Or maybe they won't listen to you but at least you'll have tried to help.

Step 8: Reread before you post. Always, always, always reread what you're written. And try to see it from another person's point of view. Many people don't think before they post and that can cause a lot of unnecessary nastiness that could have been avoided by a simple bit of self editing.

Step 9: Don't get into a flame war with the person. If they react to your critique in a bad way don't start a fight with them. Either don't respond or explain to them in slightly different (but still polite words) why it is you said what you did. And remember to reread what you posted so you can see where they're commign from. Maybe you did insult them a little and didn't realize it when posting. If so, appoligise and explain what you meant using better wording.

Step 10: Take credit for your words and keep in mind that the internet is not  as annonymos as you think. What you say reflects on you and nobody else. And if you say too many horrible things you may get yourself kick off of a site snubed by people at a con. Noone wants to hang out with a jerk, after all.

So there it is. Some handy dandy advice that you can use or disregard as you see fit. Still. I hope you keep it in mind the next time you're posting.
Thanks for reading.

~Mowse-chan
A.K.A Adana Logan

Tags: Criticism Cosplay Critique How To Tact

How many of us out there have been the victume of insulting, immature and unnecisarily tactless negative criticism? Even if you haven't yet, trust me, you will be. It only takes one unflatering picture of you or just someone not liking you. Or hell, someone being jealous or even just not liking the character or the series or whatever. It happens. You can't be everyone's cup o' tea and aside from that people are all individuals and like different things. Out of the billions of people out there in this world, even if you're the grand high cosplay god/goddess at least one of them is bound to think you suck. That just goes with the artistic territory we tred in.

That doesn't mean that tactlessness and immaturity are okay in the critique world. Those of us who have taken art classes or litureature classes have had it drilled into our head that our critiques should be honest but also constructive. Hell, in Kindergarten they told us that if we had nothing nice to say we should keep our traps shut till we did have something nice to say. But how the hell do you do all that? What is "constructive critiicism" anyways? And how do we remain honest but still polite? Is that even possible?

And then there's the flip side of the coin. How do you take negative and disparaging criticism without getting all upset or being just as rude and immature? It is possible to be gracious and polite when someone insults you. Honestly, it is.

In my next two blogs I'm going to cover both subjects. Mainly because I feel that in the world we live in these things don't get taught the way they should. Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I think it's necessary to be professional even if you aren't a professional. So take what you want from my advice or just leave it.

As always, thanks for reading.
~ Mowse-chan

Tags: Tact Honesty Politeness Criticism Cosplay Jerks

Hm... life is interesting. I guess. Been working on my drivers license. Almost ready to take the test. Not sure how confident I am but gotta try, right?

Relationships and things are kind of weird. My exboyfriend is now sort of my boyfriend again. We've been talking a lot lately and figuring stuff out and well... we sort of got back together. I don't know where it's going to lead but like my driving test we gotta try. A lot of the stuff that ruined things for us are things we could work through but were too stuborn to try. So after a month and a half of not being in eachothers hair and working out some things we got to talking and well... yeah. Starting slowly for now. No need to be mega serious. So I guess that's good news. Some of my friends may think it's a mistake and maybe it is. But sometimes you have to try things and see.

On the cosplay front: uh... not much is going on so far. Which is evident by the lack of pics for you all. Some friends and I are starting a site called 8BitGirls. When it's up and ready I'll post a link. I'm not going to tell you too much about it right now but if all goes well I think may of you will like it.

That's about it for now. See you soon

Tags: Life Relationships Driving Dating Emotion Love Hate Stuff Boyfriend

So I've been looking at some of the pics of me in my Gloria costume. Some of them I look quite good in despite the fact the costume isn't done. Others... let me put it this way there were a few I took one look at, cringed and said "ew OMG I look so fat." It's not that I am fat. I'm really not. It's just that the angle the pic was taken at and the positioning of my body just make me look... a bit chubby on the sides.

It also doesn't help that I didn't have time to reinforce the sides the way I wanted to or to fix the legs so they stayed down. So all in all I just see flaws. But I figure, hey, I'm a perfectionist. Of course I see them. But usually not very many other people do. So no worries. Right?

Wrong.

I've been cosfucked. And I hate to say it but I agree with them. So I can't really get irate or indignant about it. Granted I could go on a long rant about how deconstructive critisisum given in a rather spiteful mannor only makes the one giving the critique look like an unintelligent and insecure jackass who can't even say something eloquently enough to give it any credence. But I'm not going to. I know that for the most part (and I'm sure there are exceptions) people on sites such as cosfu and 4chan and so on tend to be elitist prics who rarely know a damned thing about what they are critisising about. I have a nasty habbit of looking up the posters websites and gallerys and taking a look at their cosplays and normally what I find is mediocure somewhat bland costumes on people who look bored and somewhat disinterested. And that pisses me off more. If someone who was of a caliber that I haven't reached yet said something rude about something I worked my ass off to make I'd be less inclined to be upset. I'd take it withh a grain of salt and I'd try to find some useful info in said critique. But to have some talentless jerk who thinks he's the s&%$ say my costume is "meh" makes me want to belt someone.

Yeah, I know, I'm getting all worked. I know these cosplayer bashing sites were created because most of these fucks got kicked from sites that are trying to build up useful comunities. Not to mention they were started to cater to the elitest hobsnoblins that feel they are better or know better than everyone. Therefore, I stay on my side of the internets and they stay on theirs but...

Here's the deal, have I slid backwards in my talents. I use to pull something out of my ass and it would look amazing and noone would bitch and now... I took a risk and I'm getting nothing but flack for it. Part of me feels like I should just trash Gloria and stick her in the Failed Cosplays drawr. I don't know. *sigh*

Tags: Cosplay Fanime Gloria Worst Pics Bad Pictures

well, went to the doctor's yesterday to figure out what the heck was up with this cold thing I've been having off and on for the last two weeks. Turns out it's brochitious verging on pnemonia. So I have to take mega super scary antibiotics and stay in bed. Yuck. Least I get to go back to school and work tomarrow. Not that I really rejoice in that fact but I get to see people other than my family and I get to be somewhere other than my house so it's a good thing. Can't wait to be 100% better. But that takes time. So yeah, that's my update.

Tags: Sick Adana Tired

Blar, taking me forever and a day to get my stupid Gloria costume done. It's 50% done. All I need to do is sew some fabric and trims to gether and make the epiletts and tada! Done. But stuff keeps comming up and I just don't get it done. I need to just buckle down and make the time. Also need to work on other costumes too. Blar!

Tags: Cosplay Convention Fanime Gloria Devil May Cry 4 Procrastination Sewing Cos

Um I don't know. weird mood. Been stressing over my math class. Math and I have a very estranged relationship. We don't get along well at all. Bugs the hell outta me too.
As for cosplay update type thingys? So far haven't gotten a damn thing done. Been busy with school, work and generaly living my life. I'm gonna set aside some time this weekend though. Right after my big math test. As a sort of reward for not dropping the class like I keep wanting to. lol.
Anyhoo... that's about it. Thanks for reading.

Tags: Stuff Things Weird Wtf

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