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[Soku]

This is more of a rant to a recent frustration I'm having. I have many cosplay ideas that I would really love to do, but then all of a sudden I get this thought in my head that I'm to fat to cosplay those characters, so I try and find a another one, rinse and repeat. This is driving me insane, I've gone on a strict diet ( not for cosplaying) so I can lose weight, and even though it is working, Gahhh why can't I just be happy!

I'm not looking for comments or anything, just wondering if anyone else feels or has felt the same way, and what you did to get over it =)

[Lento*]

Um... *raises hand* Ditto? lol. It's stupid commercialization where everyone has to be toothpick size to feel good. I hate it >.< I myself started dieting and exercising this month (and yes, cosplaying is my motivation, I am guilty). I don't want to be Nicole Richie size, I just want to be... healthy. And I don't feel healthy, which bothers me. I think if I felt healthy I would be happy with how I looked in costumes, even if I wasn't a size -2 like the characters.

[tsuoi_kaze]

I feel the same constantly, don't worry. >.<

And it sucks, because my friends will encourage me to cosplay *insert awesome characters that I'd really really like to do here* for various reasons, but I know I can't. Because the character always shows too much leg/open midriff/low cut back/etc.

It is really hard to find the courage to cosplay as a character who's like thin as stick when you're plus sized. But honestly there are some cosplays where I prefer the person to be chunky or curvy.
Like for anyone who dresses in lolita, I find the plus sized loli's to be the cutest!!
You aren't as big as you're making yourself though...I think you're average sized, so worry not!
To get over it...I don't know what I do...sure I get my fears and worries that people will make fun of me for being plus sized, but overall I take fun>judgement any day. So that's probably it.

[Kasinator]

cosplay is rated E for everyone. Despite my dedicated fitness lifestyle, Cosplay to me was more about acting the part. not necessarily looking the part. i mean no matter how hard anyone tries, they cant be a pikachu, but ca they try to dress like one and act the part? You bet!

[InkyDoo]

I felt the same way and I actually stopped cosplaying because I had gained weight. I recently went back to a convention and realized that I can cosplay anybody I want, it just depends on myself and my level of comfort. I was stopping myself.

I agree with many that I too have found some plus sized cosplay is better than the skinnys out there doing it and some do it better.

I'm staying on track as far as dieting and exercising but I don't plan on stopping cosplay. It makes very happy and proud that I made something well and can work it. If I lose weight along the way then I can just pick different characters I feel comfortable doing.

If it helps I always post a post it note that says something I like on the mirror. Despite have Lilo legs (my friends call them that) I think they're sexy. I think you might be having to fight your mental self esteem and build it up. Post something or notice something that you like about yourself not just your hair or eyes but anything just think positive. Just saying my arms look really nice or sexy helps then saying Oh they look fat.

I've also joined a group that posts post it notes in public places that say positive things. I've noticed people cheer up a lot when you compliment them. I always tell the sandwich guy he always looks good in green and he did, later I ran into him at a bar and he was wearing a green shirt. I think positive thinking helps or I could just be a loony but its helps me.

[SourCherryTwist]

being of german descent, I have a very stocky, curvy, body. I used to hate it, but once I realised curves actually look GOOD, and help accentuate some cosplays

[aaachiaki]

Cosplay was part of my primary motivators to loose weight. So I've totally been there. In fact I remember one moment where I was trying on old costumes and I tried to put on one of the first costumes I'd made (nothing fancy, just Launch from DB) and I realized the shorts no longer fit me. And it wasn't like, they looked bad on me, or I had a muffin top, they legitimately no longer fit me. I couldn't even button them while sucking in. And that was a costume which I had felt slightly overweight in three years ago (at that point) when I wore it.

I'd been in kind of a denial stage about my gaining weight for awhile and my cosplay choices had really suffered from it... to not really cosplaying at all anymore at that point. I thought of all the characters I wanted to cosplay and then I imagined my fat ass in the costumes and I realized I wouldn't let myself do them in the shape I was in.

Really how I got over that feeling was just to buckle down and drop the weight. Not only do I look better, but I feel better and I am healthier. I set realistic goals for myself (and realized I could never really have Nami's figure because who could?) worked hard and then felt better when I got there.

[Oniigiri_Basket]

I think a lot of people feel too large to cosplay, especially if they compare themselves to Japanese cosplayers, who are usually very petite. Anime characters are infamous for being extremely thin and have unrealistic body proportions, so it's hard for anyone to meet up to those standards.
I know how hard it is to feel insecure about your appearance, but if you take a look around a convention, there are actually quite a lot of people that aren't what's typically depicted and and accepted as "thin" by society today. Do they keep it from letting them have fun doing what they love? Nope.
So just remember that nobody is "perfect" in every way, and we are all unique!

[CherryBambina]

Hello Soku! Its nice that i found your post because i feel like this actually! I recently made a new thread called "Girl cosplay for newbie!" if im not mistaken. Im new with anime and cosplay, so i have never made one yet but there is this local activity like a competition for cosplayers and i was planning on doing a cosplay ot at least dress-up as something to see how things go and in the future do more. I was searching the internet for easy cosplays to make and i always find some thin girl suggestions and im not so thin. So i decided to make a new thread because i didnt think there would be some other girls with this problem. Now i feel better knowing that im not the only one. Im going to start a diet because its not only to look good but to feel good.

I havent received any suggestion yet but someone posted that i should have put some pictures of me so i did it and now im waiting for suggestions. I think the same as most of the people that have answered this post, i dont think the person have to be completely thin as the real character because you can LOOK like her but dont know how to ACT like her. i would like to meet a character so well that i can even act like her. So yeah, it doesnt matter if physically we dont look like them because we are from different countries and we have different bodys and everything.

Well Soku, i dont think i can tell you yet how i got over it because that feeling still gets back at me sometimes. But i can tell you that if you feel good the way you look and your healthy, then it doesnt matter. You can cosplay anything you want! Hope we all make more cosplays and we can share them in this forum!

[zssfanxxx]

I have the same feeling hunni..I have to exercise and eat well everyday to be fit for my future Black butler cosplays next year! So I gotta look my best right? XD (of course I do!!!) Anyways.. Maybe going on the treadmill an hour a day would help you? Even dancing will help you!

[saiyamanmasenko]

I havewhat is essentially a beer gut, but I still cosplay. I know your feelings. I think (and from the responses it is pretty apparent) that we all feel too big to cosplay from time to time. I'm trying to work on my diet and exercise more, but I know from experience having friends who are supportive of you as a person. And besides, cosplay is for FUN. Just enjoy yourself first. Appearance comes later.

[Chirudesu]

If it makes you feel any better, I live this everyday even in normal clothes!

I am by no means round, curvy, luscious, chunky, oh no. I'm much much bigger than that. I get that ashamed to cosplay feeling from all angles, I'm really tall and dark-skinned too, so that's an even bigger a damper on my costume ideas.
But I do agree, it's very hard to find a costume that you like and looks good on you, but they're out there! Bigger people can cosplay too, it's just a costume in the end, nobody can ever be a replica of a character because there's always SOMETHING they can't fix about themselves.
The key for fuller cosplayers is that you should find something that fits your body type. Suits, long dresses, chibi characters, gijinkas, etc. Those work great! May not be what you want for now, but when you're thinner, you can do the fun stuff right?

[kiratsukai]

A thread aimed at overweight cosplayers was moved to the "fitness" forum in spite of requesting no advice or discussion of weight loss...

*facepalm*

Message to fat people: Want to be comfortable with yourself? The only way is not to be fat.

[BerryBunny]

From looking at your pictures you are not fat and DEFINITELY capable of cosplaying as anything you want to! So hush! On the other hand, cosplay is a good reason to start losing weight, not only to look good but it's important for your health!