hetalia | I'm back with more cosplay questions

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I'm back with more cosplay questions

These involve wigs and chest binding.

1. When I cosplayed last year I pinned all of my hair back with many, many hair clips. It was inconvenient because it kept slipping out - how do you manage your hair under your wig? I've seen some people use some sort of hair net thing, but I don't know where to get them.

2. How do you bind your chest? Last year I used a sports bra, which was fine as I was doing Russia (no laughing, please) and could pass it off as muscle. But since I just decided to cosplay England, I won't be able to get away with it this time.

3. Bonus England question. I'm going to wimp out and do his loafers-white shirt-sweater vest combo instead of his uniform; should I buy men's pants or women's? Women's pants are cut to show off curves, but I would have no idea on how to buy men's pants.

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1. I use the hair net, you can pick it up at your local beauty store for about a dollar or two depending on where you get it.

2. The most comfortable way to bind your chest is a compression vest. But if you lack one like me, I use the combo of a sports bra, and ace bandage.

3. If you have curves, then get men's pants. And if you're small like me, then you will probably actually have to shop in the boys section for pants rather than the mens.

Hope this helps~

1. I can't believe I didn't think of that earlier.

2. Where do you get a compression vest? For you, what do you put on first - sports bra or bandage?

3. Ugh, I'm built like Ukraine, I have no business cosplaying as a skinny Englishman. :| And I have no idea about converting men's sizes to women's.

Thanks for the help!

You can order a compression vest online. One of my friends brought her from T Kingdom (http://www.t-kingdom.com/), and said it was the best one she ever bought. When binding, sports bra goes first then bandage.

When in doubt, just try on the clothes is what I always say. I always look at something that looks like it would somewhat fit around my size, then go try it on.

Edited 2011-02-09 05:47 (UTC)

That's a great site, thanks.

1. Wig caps, they're about $2 at the local beauty store here, but amazon sells them for 50 cents. Really cheap and works well! (:

2. I recommend this: http://www.underworks.com/983.html A little pricey, but it works really well. You could also use tape, but ACE bandages aren't very good. They're unsafe and pose certain health risks. ): And you don't want to hurt yourself!

2. What health risks? ._.

If binding too tight with something like ace bandages it can make breathing harder, bruise your torso, hell I've had a friend who broke a rib because her binding was too tight.

Yikes. It seems like a compression shirt/vest would be way too tight, though.

If your chest size is too large for the compression shirt method I would suggest looking though this thread. It suggests multiple binding methods for whatever size you might have.
http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=15709

Thanks a ton! That's a big help.

The bandages tighten over time and constrict breathing, and I've heard of some people suffering bruised ribs or damage to their ribcage from wearing them too tight.

I second the underworks. Mine is a longer length, but pretty much the same. I'm a DD, and I don't need to wear a bra under it, and I was flat as a pancake. What little of my breasts were still obvious looked like healthy (not ridiculous) muscle. Expensive, but both comfortable and easy to wear, and I've never had any problems with it. I sing opera and do a lot of pants roles, so I use it pretty frequently. :D

Like the post above me said,

1. Use a wig cap. You can get these at Sally's Beauty supplies stores, but not all of them (in my experience in my city).

2. Compression shirt is the easiest and most comfortable way to bind your chest and is the method I use. For me, the combo of ace bandages+sports bra fails because the ace bandages slip down and pretty much make it like you're just wearing a sports bra. Underworks compression shirt/vest (whatever they call it) is the compression shirt I use.

For more basic cosplay information like #1 and 2, cosplay.com is a good place to research :)

Thanks for the advice. :)

2.
http://abessinier.deviantart.com/art/Cosplay-Tutorial-Binding-I-179918030
http://the-savage-nymph.deviantart.com/art/How-to-cosplay-a-guy-58817845
http://o0hotaru-chan0o.deviantart.com/art/Binding-tutorial-ACE-Bandage-164636520

Good luck with your cosplay :D

Thanks! Those links are a big help, since you can see how they're applied.

1) Those are called wig caps, you can get them at almost any costume store or some salons that sells wigs and hair extensions, and if you're worried about price no need since they are pretty inexpensive.

2) Chest binding ranges differently for everyone. While some use the sports bra method (they tend to work well for those of small cup sizes), there are others who had used the cheap method by binding their chest with ace bandages, duct tape, sports tape and tummy slimmers. I had tried the bandages, it does work but only to a degree that it won't suffocate you. Plus it is really annoying to readjust every few hours.

Another method is investing in chest binders. Since I crossplay a lot they had help me greatly, since I didn't need to worry about having to readjust, suffocate or receive weird temporary welts from them. As a bonus they don't make you sweat a lot like that bandages because of the material is breathable~ * o*

3) Men's pants for sure if you want to pass off as a guy. Sadly I do not have any experience in buying men's pants other then buying them in your size, sorry! (I usually make my pants)

If any of these this doesn't satisfy your question I'm sorry for haven't you to read this wall of text! m(_ _)m

2. After hearing about ace bandages and bruised ribs, I'm a little wary of trying them, but I'll keep the idea in mind.

And since I don't cosplay that often I don't know if I'd be willing to pay for something I'd only use twice a year. Argh, what do?!

Thanks for the help!

1. Hair nets/wig caps are typically the way to go if you're having trouble keeping your hair under the wig. As loveanime18 said above, you could probably find them at beauty stores and what not, but I've heard the feet of pantyhose works as well.

2. I haven't really bound my chest before (and looking at my cosplay photos, I probably should because I'm not as small-chested and the clothing I've been wearing isn't as baggy as I thought), but I've read that using two sports bras (one worn backwards) works well and is a little more comfortable than some other methods. Otherwise use an ace bandage, but be careful how you wrap yourself.

3. I don't really see what the difficulty in finding men's pants is; find what you're looking for in your size (but then, I'm a rather tomboyish person in the first place who doesn't really care, just as long as it fits and is comfortable). It's always a good idea to try stuff on before you buy it though, just to see how it looks.

2. Hmmm, two sports bras? I guess if nothing else I can try the ace bandage method.

3. Is there a noticeable difference between men and women's pants? I've never worn them before.

3. The biggest difference I think would be how they, for lack of a better term, are shaped/meant to fit. Womens pants are meant to accomodate and accentuate curves in most cases, while mens pants don't typically need to so they're more straight, I guess you could say. But really, it highly depends on the kind of pants you're looking for. Loose jeans will be different than neat slacks/dress pants in terms of shape.

1) I have long hair myself, so I know the pain of wigs D:
As said before, try a wig cap, or (if you're a cheapskate like me) a stocking. Then, if you're still worried about slippage, you can pin the stocking to the inside of your wig. (Try not to pin your skull though...)

2) I usually use a combination of a sports-bra, then a step-in (wireless sports bra, then the step-in on top). You know those body shaper thingoes that flatten your belly? But instead of your stomach, pull it up over your chest instead. I've got a Ukraine worthy chest too, but it worked to make me a passable guy (even if I was doing Cuba and the Ottoman empire at the time)

Only thing about this is that your chest kinda hurts at the end of the day (But then, I was in costume for 12 hours...), and you can't really run around in it because it makes you short of breath if you do anything strenuous -3-

3) I guess if you were to buy mens pants, the best thing to do would be to try them on. Curvy types have to do that really, because dudes pants don't allow for curvy hips and backside. So it gets a little restricting! *Speaks from experience*
Even if you have to get a bigger pair of pants that's loose around the waist, you can always use a belt to hold it up.
Personally though, I buy womens pants~

Hope this helps :D

1. Thankfully my hair is shorter now than it was last year, but it's still a lot to cram under a wig.

2. Step-in? Where did you get yours?

3. It's looking like I'll have to try them on. I have curvy thighs and I want to hide them. -_-;

1) aha, you sound like a mate of mine. Short hair, but a lot of it.

2) you can usually find them at underwear stores. You know, shops that only sell undies? I got mine from a local store though. Win things like that, you need to try them on to make sure they're not too tight.

3) yeah... Guys pants have no place for hips I find... Sure, you can get special underwear that flattens out your hips, but they cost alot and kinda hurt after a while.

I just cosplayed England a couple weeks ago, very cool! As far as binding, I don't have any suggestions other than what's already been said. But for the wig, I can give you a few tips.

Using a wig cap or stocking is a must, but it can still slip. So I'd recommend putting your hair up in pin curls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPS_xW8fzpg) underneath the cap beforehand, and pinning the cap to your hair too. Still have a problem with slipping? Get a cheap fabric headband from the drug store, and bobby-pin your curls or fly aways to the headband itself and then put the wig cap over it. Don't be afraid to pin your wig to your head either, especially around the temples and along the neck line. Just try to find pins that are roughly close to the color of the wig and hide them as best you can. All these items (bobby pins, hair pins, wig caps and headbands) can be found at a drug store or beauty supply place for less than 3 or 4 bucks each usually).

Hope this helps!

DAT ICON.

Seriously, with regards to England, at first I liked him, then I didn't, now I like him again. I'm going to give him the biggest eyebrows. XD

Also, what I do when putting on a wig cap is put one edge in my mouth, pull it over my face and head, move the side that was in my mouth so I can see...
then split my hair in half down the middle (with my wig cap still on) fold one half of my hair over on itself (kind of like starting a bun) and stuff it in the wig cap. then I do the same for the other half of my hair.

Quick and easy way to get a wig cap on w/o any help nor any pins.

The easiest way to get your hair to go under a wig, especially if you have longer hair, is to french braid it ( typically two pig-tail braids ), and then pin it up under a wig cap. Or atleast thats been my method for the last few years lol.

Seconding this. I have long, incredibly thick hair, and French braiding is definitely the way to go. I used to put over nine thousand pins in my hair and stick it under a hairnet and it was such a hassle. I did two pigtail braids and stuck them under a wig cap at AnimeFest with my America cosplay and it worked wonderfully.

1. I use a wig cap. Although I've found that they can stretch out pretty fast (I mean, over 3 to 4 uses.), so I recommend buying 2 at a time to be on the safe side. FYI, they tend to start working their way off your head as the day goes on, so you might want to redo it halfway thru your day. They can end up giving you headaches. ^_^;

2. I'm virtually flat so the sports bra method works really well for me, but the problem is that no matter what you do it still looks like you're wearing a sports bra. Which is not necessarily a good look for Germany. XD Personally I'm saving-up for one of these --> http://www.t-kingdom.com/shopping/english/page1980_english.shtml , so that I'm able to take the jacket off (wool is not your friend in a summer/early fall con. X_X).

3. As far as men's pants go, take a measuring tape and measure your waist, that is your men's pants size. You can take my word on this- I hardly ever buy women's pants anymore. :3 Depending on brand it might actually be slightly different, but as a starting point for fitting room time it's indispensable. :D One ting thou- you might end up needing a slightly larger size to accommodate your butt (as we all know, very few men have an ass. XD), which just means they'll hang a little lower on your waist. If you want a pair but don't want to pay much, go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army or stores like that, you can usually find them for fairly cheap.

Thanks for the advice! All of the comments have been so helpful, and I'll take everything to heart when I start putting my costume together.

No problem! I'm glad to offer advice. ^_^

Haven't read through all the other comments, so I'm sorry if my advice is repeated (also sorry I'm longwinded):

1. Hair. My hair is on the long side and thick, but it braids really well. I put my hair in two braids (starting just behind the ear, no hair tie), and wrap the ends around the back of my head in opposite directions so that the ends of the braids wind up in the front just at my hairline. I secure the ends with bobby pins or those triangular snappy clips, and add more wherever I feel my braids are sagging if I need to. A wig cap goes on top of the whole thing to hold it in place.

If you can find some excuse to wear something on your head -- a scarf, a hat ~~a tie~~ -- then all the better, as it will help keep your wig in place and give you that much more confidence. But because you can't feel it on your actual head, you have to be careful about losing it!

2. Binding. I used to do sports-bra-then-bandage, but it would always hurt and I couldn't figure out why. After an all-day binding session, I found bruises up and down the sides of my body where the seam on the sports bra had been. I no longer suggest sports bras. If you're small enough, you can get away with just a bandage. You have to wrap a bit tightly (not so much that it affects your breathing, of course), and it'll take a bit of practice, but it looks fantastic. You might also have to readjust during the day, because the wrap will slip down.

There's also the tape-binding method, in which you use sport tape to bind from the center around your back. It looks amazing and you can even do open-shirt cosplay with it, but I don't suggest it, either, because I had a terrible personal experience. Other people like it, though.

If you're a bigger girl, you might want to look into a compression vest. From what I've seen, they work very well. In the end, you've just gotta find what works for you. Don't be surprised if it takes a really long time; just be patient. Your binding is out there.

3. Pants. Even in normal situations, I swear by dude-pants. I'm a very hippy girl, but I find them far more comfortable and less restricting. And if you're going to play a dude, you should try to wear dude-clothes (England would probably spit out his tea if you tried to put him in tight girl-pants ~~if he's not being a punk... or drunk~~, and then complain that you made him waste good tea. We don't want that).

Men's pants are pretty simple to size. (Note: the following is US only, I don't know how other sizes work.) There are usually two numbers, say 28/30. The first number is the waist size in inches, and the second is the length of the leg (if only one number is given, that's the waist size). Get someone else to measure you to see what size you'll need, and work from there.

P.S., it's not wimping out. Casual cosplays are my favorite Hetalia cosplays, just sayin'. I like seeing how creative people get with them, because they're just regular clothes, you know? :D

With regards to my chest, I'm a C cup, but I really don't want to shell out the dough for a compression vest that I'll in all likelihood only wear for one convention. I think I'll just try to squish everything down with a sports bra or two.

And the pants: I tried on dude's pants today; 36-30 seems a good fit for me, but my thighs made everything look way too small. Looks like I need to hop on the exercise bike before the convention, haha. I did buy a black sweater vest though. I wanted a green one, but since sweater vests are hard to find in my area, black will have to do. And besides, it's not like England only wears green sweater vests. :)

Edited 2011-02-10 07:33 (UTC)

(deleted comment)

So much information! XD Thanks for the advice; I'll take everything into consideration. I bought a sweater vest today and tried on some men's pants; seems 36-30 is a good size for me, but my thighs made it look way too small. ._.

Seeing as pretty much everyone has answered your questions. I just want to add one tiny little bit in.

For chest binding I would, 100% go for the compression shirts. I am a 30 FF and mine disappear completely. I can easily breath and I walked around it for a few hours with no problems whatsoever. I HIGHLY reccomend it. Do NOT use binding.

I recommend reading this thread as it gives you many other choices and tips and hints. What is slightly dangerous, completely fine and what NOT to use.
http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=223461

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I'm back with more cosplay questions

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