- 1). Assemble a selection of visual references that show the character from various angles. This way, you will be able to judge the quality of any potential costume with a direct reference to how the character is dressed in the anime.
- 2). Set a budget. Figure out how much you can afford to spend on the entire ensemble. Don't forget to calculate shipping costs, as well as the costs of accessories including jewelry, weapons, wigs, and boots. Make sure your budget is reasonable. For instance, if you are looking to get a Rei Ayanami plugsuit made from molded plastic for under $100, you will have little success.
- 3). Give yourself time to do some comparison shopping. Anime costumes for shows such as Sailor Moon and Naruto are in high demand, and you can find them at many cosplay websites. Because they are popular, you will probably find great deals if you take the time to compare prices between different retailers.
- 4). Choose whether you will buy a pre-made costume, or a custom costume made to your exact specifications.
- 5). Search for pre-made costumes from online retailers such as cosplaymagic.com, hellocosplay.com, and cosplayhouse.com.
- 6). Visit comic book, sci fi and anime conventions to speak with dealers who specialize in anime costumes and accessories. Whenever possible, try to buy from the dealer after the conference via phone or their online store, as nearly all merchandise sold at conferences has a high mark-up.
- 7). If you choose to purchase a custom costume, get quotes from a couple different websites. A few places to start when looking for a custom anime costume are LimeBarb.com, dream-angels.net, and mooncostumes.com
Custom costumes will be the way to go if you are extremely tall, portly, or are simply looking for a costume for a character from an older or lesser-known anime series, ie. Rose of Versailles or Perfect Blue.
Whenever you are ordering a custom costume, make sure you have access to testimonials to former clients, and can view pictures of their past work. - 8). Haggle whenever possible. For the most part, if you are dealing with a human being, that person will be willing to cut you a deal rather than lose a potential sale.
- 9). Depending on what sort of anime character you wish to portray, you may find it necessary to shop cosplay retailers that are located in Japan. For example, a Utena rose ring can be hard to locate on this side of the Pacific.
If your Japanese isn't very good, one option you might want to try is http://www.cosmates.jp/, one of the few cosplay retailers located in Japan with an English website. Jlist.com is another great website that offers traditional Japanese footwear, kimono, and real Japanese school uniforms. - 10
Locate all the accessories needed to complete the look. The best places to search will be online cosplay retailers, Halloween stores such as Spirit, and eBay. Don't overlook items like jewelry, weapons, and shoes.
Google's shopping search is a great way to compare prices on these sorts of items.
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