When you cosplay long enough, you pick up a few tricks to make things easier. Between youtube tutorials, costumes for myself and friends, and costumes for commissions, I’ve constructed hundreds of costumes over the years. Here are some of the cosplay hacks that I’ve picked up during that time. (And since wigs are often a source of great distress among us cosplayers, for one reason or another, several of these cosplay hacks regard wig tricks).

Puffy Paint Can Do Anything

Those little bottles of dimensional fabric paint have so many uses. It can double as a quick embroidery substitute. You can use it in place of piping to make lines on your costumes. And because it’s easy to paint over once it’s dry, puffy paint can be used to make fake “metal” details on armor and coins, or fake leather or wood details.

Just squeeze it out, let it dry, and paint over it. I’ve found the bigger bottles of puffy paint work the best. Not only are they easier to squeeze, but they’re more budget-friendly as well.

You Don’t Need a Wig Cap If You Can Braid

This is one of the easiest cosplay hacks there is. If your hair is long enough to braid, then you have a perfect, natural alternative to a wig cap. Just part your hair in the center and put it in two pigtail braids on either side of your head. Then just pin the braids up over your head to totally hide your hair under the wig.

Not only does this method conceal your real hair, but the braids going over your head give you a great base to bobbypin the wig to. I’ve been able to swing my head pretty energetically without worrying about my wig coming off when I use this method.

Craft Foam Is Cheap, But Cardboard Is Cheaper

While craft foam is a great cheap go-to for armor and propmaking, cardboard is generally free. You can recycle it from any box you have lying around the house. While craft foam is still a must for things you need to shape or round out, cardboard can be used anywhere you would have used flat craft foam.

I’ve made tons of props out of cardboard and found it has a few benefits over craft foam when I don’t need something super flexible. First it’s stronger than craft foam, so you don’t have to worry about your props wobbling. And second, the fact that it’s often free recycled cardboard also makes it more eco-friendy.

Gravity Is No Match For Felt

Need a wig to stand in a way that defies gravity and the laws of physics? Cut a piece of felt or pellon in the shape you need and then glue some of the wig hair onto it. Then just glue or sew the piece into the wig however you need it to stand. It’ll look like the gravity defying piece of hair-covered felt is a natural part of the wig.

Elmer’s Glue Is Magic

One of my favorite cosplay hacks. Seriously, this stuff is like sorcery in a tube. Make sure you always keep one of these school glue sticks with your cosplay makeup. It has so many uses. It’s non-toxic so you can use it to hide your eyebrows.

Or if you’re doing something like an anime costume where you need the wig hair to be partially obscuring your face in an unnatural way, smear a little of the glue stick onto your face. It won’t ruin your wig like spirit gum, so you can stick your wig to your face any way you need to. And the best part is, you can wash it right off with a little water.

Thrift Stores Are Sometimes Better Than Fabric Stores

While there’s nothing more intoxicating for a cosplayer than walking through the aisles of a fabric store, a thrift store is equally, if not more useful. While you won’t find bolts of fabric in the thrift store, you will find countless old clothes than can be used as costume bases or cut up for material.

Getting fabric from a thrift store is generally cheaper than what you can purchase new from a fabric store. So it’s the perfect way to pick up some of those fabrics that would normally be too expensive at a fabric store. Also there is usually a section of old blankets or other large items that work just like bolts of fabric, but for much less money. And as an added benefit, the material is recycled, so chalk one up for eco-friendly cosplaying.

Paper Fasteners And Scrapbooking Brads Are A Cosplayer’s Best Friends

If you need rivets for your armor, scrapbooking brads or paper fasteners are very convincing. I’ve used them on multiple bracers, belts, and armor pieces. Since most cosplay armor is just foam or cardboard anyway, they’re easy to push through. And once you get them painted you can’t even tell what they originally started out as. Simple, inexpensive cosplay hacks at work!

Two Wigs Are Always Better Than One

Since wigs can often make or break or costume, you want to be sure you get the best quality one you can afford. (It’ll last longer, look better, and you can often use the same wig for multiple costumes). However, sometimes even quality wigs just aren’t thick enough.

The solution? Sew two wigs together, one on top of the other. It’ll give a lot of added thickness, and since the stitch lines will be lost in the hair, they won’t even be notice. This is also the perfect technique if you need a two-toned wig for a character, but can’t find one that matches.

Don’t Body Paint Your Body

While we often have to paint our faces for costumes, there’s really no need to ever paint your body. It can get extremely messy, especially if you have to paint your hands as well. Everything you touch will end up with makeup on it. And if you have to reapply makeup halfway through an event, you’ll have a lot of places you need to reapply.

Instead, use a body suit for midriffs. Long gloves for arms and hands. And dance tights for the legs. You can either make your own, or they do have pre-made suits in thin material that are tight enough to look like skin when you’re wearing them. If you can’t find tights or gloves, etc. in the colors you need, you can easily dye them to match your character.

You Can Draw On Your Cleavage

This is one of those cosplay hacks that you’ll only need for certain costumes, but it does come in handy if you’re small busted, trying to cosplay a large-busted character. (It’s also handy if you’re a male cosplayer trying to cosplay a cleavage-prominent female character). You can give yourself “cosplay cleavage” by drawing it with eye shadow a bit darker than your skin tone.

Draw a line from the center of your cleavage up a few inches above them. Then curve the line out in both directions, making sure the lines are rounded. It’ll make your cleavage look much larger. Perfect for cosplaying some of those unrealistically proportioned comic book women.

Socks Look Great Under Wigs…Seriously

If you want that big-hair look, there’s an easier way than trying to tease the wig. Just roll up a sock and bobbypin it to your head. Then put your wig on over the sock. It gives your wig instant volume. You get that high, big-hair look with no fuss. I use this trick for Wonder Woman, Scarlet Witch, and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Hidden Pockets Are Super Handy

One of the biggest banes of a cosplayer’s existence is the fact that they rarely have pockets to carry anything. Obviously many costumes don’t incorporate pockets into the design. So one of the simplest cosplay hacks to remedy this is to add “hidden” pockets.

You can sew or glue squares of fabric on the inside of your costume. Under a robe or cape are great place to stick in these little hidden pockets. You can use them to carry your money, tickets, or a small repair kit around the convention.

Magnets And Velcro Can Defy The Laws Of Physics

Ok, so maybe they can’t really “defy” the laws of gravity, but they can make it look like you do. If you’ve got a piece of costume that needs to be removable, but also needs stay in place without the help of any visible straps, grab the velcro or magnets. You can stick them onto your costume piece and the part of the costume where it needs to stick. They’ll be hidden while still allowing you to move or remove the piece as necessary.

Fabric Dye Can Be Used On Synthetic Wigs

If you can’t find a wig in the perfect color, you can dye synthetic wigs very easily actually. Polyester fabric dye comes in a huge variety of colors. You can use this to dye your wig. It does require boiling the wig in the dye usually, but effects are generally worth the effort. I’ve changed the color of several wigs using this method.

Holograms Are Actually Very Easy To Make

A piece of clear plastic covered with a little puffy paint is the perfect way to make any hologram. I used this trick for the Doctor Strange magic circles and the Ben 10 alien hologram. The plastic is easy enough to come by. Just think of cookie boxes or cake covers that you end up with from store-bought baked goods. Save a few them and make yourself some holograms!

By Amber Reifsteck, The Woodland Elf

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