Questions for Russia cosplayers

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

Hey all! I hope this is allowed, but I have some questions for those that cosplay. I'm hoping on going to FanimeCon this May, assuming I get the time off from work (cross your fingers for me!), and I'm going as Russia.

- How do you get your scarves to stay on your shoulders? I have a thin cosplay scarf that never stays in place. Do you pin it, or just deal with always putting it back in place?

- Where do you get his green pants? The last two times I cosplayed Russia I wore blue jeans because that was all I had, and it looked bad. I don't want to spend a lot of money on something I'm only going to wear maybe twice per year, so I'd like it to also be wearable for the rest of the year.

- I finally have a Soviet Union flag! Last year at Fanime I had a flag on a metal pole that the peace bonder said would be okay to take out, and then I was told by another staff member that the pole had to go, or else I'd be kicked out. For those that have used flags: What do you use for the pole, and how do you attach it?

Again, if this isn't allowed, mods, feel free to delete.

Comments

[honored-knight.livejournal.com]

*in an RP account lol*

You could use safety pins (pinned in a way so that the pin doesn't show) or since the scarf is thin, you could use fashion tape/ double sided tape to make it stay in place but still look loosely draped.

Green pants, you could probably make for cheap if you know how to sew/have a friend that sews. Since he wears a coat, it could even be elastic band, I guess. Another option is Goodwill/Salvation Army/etc

I've seen people use PVC pipes for flag stands (which is what I used for a banner). This you can get from Home Depot for very cheap. And since there's no metal, you won't get in trouble unless you're whacking people with it. I'm not a Russia cosplayer but I hope that helped.

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

That's an idea. I think I still have some fashion tape, but I don't know how long it would stick.

Fff, I can't sew, and I don't know anyone who does. XD I have a pair of green scrub pants that I could die dark green, if I can't find any green pants.

What do they use to connect the flag to the pole?

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

Oh hey! I'll see you there then~ (another Fanime goer)

From what I see of Russia cosplayers, its looks like they just wrap it around their necks and it just stays on XD Perhaps get a thicker scarf so that it has some weigh and wont easily slip off??

As for pants Goodwill is always a good go to place for stuff like that XD

As for the Soviet Union flag, eh, but I've heard some people complain about it. In the end, I suppose it's your own judgement. XD As for flag poles, I get some at Michaels. And it really depends on how big your flag is.

I'll see you there! I'll be Austrian Succession France~

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

I wore an actual functional scarf last year, and that kept falling off, too. I might just have to pin it up.

There's no Goodwill in my area, just some skeezy thrift stores, but I could swallow my pride and check them out.

Yeah, true...but I'm still going to take it with me. The flag pole I had last year came from Micheals.

Were you Austrian Succession France last year? I got a picture of a really awesome cosplayer wearing that last year.

[darth.livejournal.com]

- I just kept having to adjust my scarf. XD

- My green pants are Dockers, (http://us.dockers.com/home/index.jsp) I got them off eBay and they work really well, very comfy because they're work pants.

- I don't know, I wouldn't like carrying a flag AND a pipe. :p

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

- Lame. XD

- Hmmm, I'll think about Dockers. There's a place in town that sells them.

- The first time I cosplayed as Russia I had a talking Cheburashka doll, the second time I had a big sunflower. I want a pipe at some point, but a Soviet Union flag is good, too.

[raining-mangoes.livejournal.com]

Many of the Russia cosplayers I see fix their scarves to no end. OTL

As for the pole...Hmmm...Funny, I asked a France cosplayer about her pole and she said it's one of those poles with a net at the end (for pool-cleaning). Those are metal. I would agree that a PVC pipe's good. As for attachment, you can probably drill holes and attach rings to it? >_<;

[raining-mangoes.livejournal.com]

Or you can roll part of it around the pole! Sorry for double posting! >_<;

[blue-cage.livejournal.com]

I actually made two scarves for Russia - one out of a shiny cloth that kept slipping off. I had to pin it underneath to keep it in place, but then got a more matte cloth that managed to stay put. All the adjustments I did was to cover my chin the way it does for him. >_>

Uh, I've only done casual Russia and Fantasia Russia, and on both times I used pants I could find in my closet. :D

[radittz.livejournal.com]

I'm preparing Russia cosplay too so this discussion is really usefull for me, thank you.

I know it's random but I wanted to add something about Soviet Union flag. I'd be very careful about using it - it may hurt somebodys feelings so it's always better to take any other accessory. In some countries - like for example Lithuania or Poland showing it in public is illegal - just like Nazi symbols. Of course I'm from Europe and people in America probably aren't that sensitive about it but please, think twice about it.

[realityhelix.livejournal.com]

Depends on the American. We're all of mixed opinions about everything, so it's kinda hard to guess. But I can see how Poland and Lithuania would find it terribly offensive.

Personally, I find the Confederate flag to be offensive, but hey, if someone wants to paste it to the back of their truck, well it's their truck. Just so long as they understand what it's saying to everyone else.

sorry for lateness orz

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

That's a good point to bring up. Here in the states some people don't like to Soviet flag, but I don't think we're as sensitive about it as other countries, because we never had it forced on us. But I will bring another prop to use in case there's a problem with the flag.

[realityhelix.livejournal.com]

Most of the Hetalia cosplayers I've seen use thin wooden dowels for their flags, and they've either sewn loops onto the flags or tied them on with strings. Seems like the con staff are more lenient to the thin dowels.

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

I hope so. I don't want a repeat of last year.

[chococookies-ld.livejournal.com]

HELLO FELLOW FANIME GOER!
Sounds cool you're doing a Russia cosplay!
I'm pretty inexperienced in the cosplay department(even if I did cosplay as Eva-Beatrice last year) but I wish you luck so both of our Hetalia cosplays shall be awesome for Fanime this year! (I'm going as China~)

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

HELLO~~

If I get the time off for Fanime, how can I recognize you? :D

[dreamingallday.livejournal.com]

- I have a very thin silky scarf as well, but I made a paper collar which I put under the scarf and so the scarf stayed where it should (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=553252&l=20af846ad2&id=100000086363248) :3 even during action (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=553295&l=c08fa84c07&id=100000086363248) XDDD (except when strong wind is blowing from behind XD; cause yeah then it's blown down ^^; but you can use also double sided adhesive tape if you want to be 100% sure :) )

- I have green pants, but I never used them, as I liked how it looked with brown ones better XD;

- I had a flag but only a small one with plastic pole ^^

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

You're such a cute Russia! I love your wig; mine doesn't look like Russia's hair at all. That's a good idea for the scarf. I'll have to try that.

[vilemuse.livejournal.com]

Probably not helpful but I just made a better scarf. It was 3 layers of polar fleece at the cowl section and less on the hanging parts. It was sewn just big enough to slip my head through and heavy enough to stay put and quite warm. I stopped sewing with about two inches to go so it slipped on easier, and used a saftey pin to tighten up the back but it looked ok without too.

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

Good idea, except I don't know how to sew. XD;

[kuromeru-chan.livejournal.com]

I used a fleece scarf, and tied it in the back after wrapping it around twice. It sites well if you slightly tie it and it's not noticeable, but it sits very nicely.

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

The red scarf I used last year is long enough to loop twice and tie in the back. I'll have to experiment with making it look good before the con; thanks for the suggestion!

[allu-kun.livejournal.com]

I have a Russia cosplay in the works and from past scarf experience I can say with out doubt that epaulettes are your best friends. Seriously. Tuck or discreetly add a button hole. I'm knitting a scarf for mine though, and the thickness seems to correspond to... well, the stay-put-ness of the thing.

BUY ARMY SURPLUS. It's durable and won't break your budget. :DD

I don't really do flags... holding one is like having a purse-chihuahua: you gotta keep it off the floor, you can't sit on it etc.

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

That....is a really simple idea.

Fffff, I like that analogy. XD

[itsvanya.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm sure it's been answered already but here's what I do:

1.) My scarf is pretty thin (I think the fabric was twill) so I just lightly wrap it over my shoulders. It stays for the most part unless I move a lot (And I mean a LOT. Like dancing or stuff), if it's windy, or if someone messes with it. I guess it just takes some practice in getting it the right way so it'll stay

2.) They're green?! I've always used Khaki/greenish. Anyway, I know that Old Navy has tons of pants in every color for really cheap so I say check there or, try looking through the Dickies section of a store. They sell them in Navy, Khaki, Green, Tan...ect... So keep looking around. Both are nice enough to wear anywhere with anything even outside of cosplay

3.) Wow, our con (ACen) didn't mind us using poles with our flags as long as they met the height limit. However, I hated the idea of carrying around a flagpole with all my other stuff so what I did was I folded it up real small so that you could see the Hammer and Sickle as well as some red and pinned it with a free pin someone gave me in the Artist Alley. I would hold it on my arm like how waiters have the napkin draped over, and when someone asked for a picture, I'd hold it up. It was small and convenient, definitely easier than my friend who decided to put it on a pole and after every picture, wrap it back up.

Hope I helped at least a little despite the other comments probably answering you xD

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

- The scarf I have will stay on my shoulders if I wrap it all the way around, but then there's not enough to hang down.

- Yeah, they're green XD I might as well look at Od Navy, since I like their clothes anyway.

- When I first got to Fanime last year I went to the peace bonding table and after huffing and sighing a lot, the girl told me it was alright to use a metal pole. Then later in the day, another staff member told me to get rid of it. It was annoying; they have rules for peace bonding, but it doesn't seem that there's much communication between them. I'm going to try for a PVC pipe this year.

[golden-archer.livejournal.com]

Not a Russia cosplayer, but I can answer your flag questions.

When I use flags I usually just use my old staff from back when I took kung fu. It's essentially a 6-foot long wooden poll. You can buy something similar at Home Depot for about $5, in shorter lengths too if you want.


Good luck and I'll see you at Fanime~ (will be Finland).

[lokichan2004.livejournal.com]

See you at Fanime! If I don't have a Soviet flag, I'll have a huge long-stemmed sunflower.