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 Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:01 pm
So, you wanna be a crossplayer Well, there are billions of costume ideas floating around in the world today. And if you're like me, you don't wanna be confined to sticking to cosplaying characters who are in your gender.
This is something we call -> Crossplay! (Crossdressing costume play)
In this thread, I will be discussing the basics of crossplay (more specifically FTM* crossplay [I think this is the right term to use...] )
***THIS THREAD CONTAINS A LOT OF STUFF I'VE COPIED OFF OF THE COSPLAY.COM FORUMS. STUFF FROM MANY DIFFERENT THREADS THERE HAVE BEEN COMPILED HERE FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. ALL OF THIS THREAD IF THANKS TO THE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY OF CROSSPLAYERS ON COSPLAY.COM.***
Table of contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 4:55 pm
What is crossplay? And what terms should I know?
"CROSSPLAY" is merely a subset of "cosplay". Cosplaying is a theatrical behavior, the definition of which follows below.
NOTE!! The definitions below include "crossdressing". Both crossplaying and crossdressing-during-cosplay (separate things) are theatrical modes of behavior. This FAQ is not meant to cover crossdressing outside of the theatrical mode, which is an entirely different topic suited for another board. Disguises is a COSPLAY BOARD.Some basic definitions:
Costume (noun) = clothing, props etc. worn to represent a character.
Costume (verb) = to make a costume (noun) of a character.
Costumer = the person who makes / puts together the costume. (Sometimes also used as a synonym for "cosplayer", meaning the person who wears the costume.)
Cosplay - origins: a contraction by Nov (Nobuyuki) Takahashi (of Studio Hard) of the English-language words "costume play". He was inspired by hall and masquerade costuming (including anime!) at the 1984 Los Angeles SF Worldcon, and his enthusiastic reports of it in Japanese SF magazines sparked the Japanese cosplay movement. (Cosplay in the US is a RE-IMPORT, not a homegrown Japanese phenomenon. )
Cosplay (noun) = the state of wearing of costumes, as in "he's involved with cosplay". Sometimes used as a synonym for "masquerade" at an anime con.
Cosplay (verb) = to wear a costume of a character.
Cosplayer = the person who wears the costume. (Often the same person as the costumer, but not always. Some cosplayers have their costumes made by another person; ie: cosplayer kids wear costumes that friends make.)
Crossplay (verb) = a subset of cosplay: to wear a costume where the character in question is of the opposite sex as the cosplayer.
Crossplayer = either a girl wearing a costume of a character who is a guy, or a guy wearing a costume of a character who is a girl.
Crossdressing = wearing non-gender-neutral clothes considered to be appropriate to the opposite sex. A character may be crossdressing, but this does not automatically mean that the cosplayer wearing that costume is crossplaying. "Crossplay" has nothing to do with whether a character is actually crossDRESSING; it only refers to a difference between the sex of the character and that of the cosplayer.
A guy cosplaying Nuriko, Kamatari or Mana is NOT crossplaying, although he IS crossdressing.
A girl cosplaying Nuriko, Kamatari or Mana IS crossplaying, but is NOT crossdressing.
A guy cosplaying Utena or Sakura is both crossplaying AND crossdressing.
A girl cosplaying Kenshin or Vash is both crossplaying AND crossdressing. (Note: I am not referring to "femme versions" of costumes, but the costume designs as actually worn by the original male characters.)
If I cosplay Dilandau, I'm both crossplaying AND crossdressing. (The character himself is not crossdressing, just me.)
Neither crossplaying nor crossdressing actually indicate anything about a person's sexual orientation. You CANNOT tell if a crossplayer is Gay, Het or Bi just by the fact that they crossplay. As for crossdressing, whether in cosplay or even in mundane life, it may or may not indicate something about a person's gender identity, so NEVER ASSUME, because you could indeed be wrong.*
Trap = The term is used most commonly to refer to a MtF cosplayer who passes well enough to be mistaken for an attractive female. (Example of an Anime Trap -> Bridget from Guilty Gear)
Reverse Trap = This term is similar to trap, but geared towards FtM cosplayers who pass well enough to be mistaken for an attractive male.
(Example of an Anime Reverse Trap = Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran)Why have a crossplay threads:
In order for cosplayers to discuss issues related to crossplay; from the basics of temporarily altering body shape (ie: chest binding for female crossplayers and creating fake boobs for male crossplayers) to dealing with the social aspects (ie: possibly disapproving parents, people mistakenly assuming that crossplayers are gay, etc.)Why do people crossplay?
The reasons vary. Occasionally one may see crossplay done as a form of satire / humorous behavior, but it appears that a large majority of crossplay occurs simply because:
1) a cosplayer likes a particular character,
2) they like the character enough that they want to cosplay as that character, and:
3) they do not feel that a simple difference in gender between themselves and the character should be a barrier to cosplaying that character.** In the past, some people are confused as to what the differences are between a transexual, transvestite and a crossplayer.
I hope these definitions would also help clear up some confusions.
Here are the definitions as defined by Psychologists:
Herotosexual-"Straight" or one who prefers the opposite gender.
Homosexual-"Gay", "Lesbian" or one who prefers the same gender.
Bisexual-One who prefers both sexes.
Transvestite-One who wears clothes of the opposite gender as a fetish.
Transexual- One who is mentally female but male physically or male mentally and female physically.
Note: Transexuals are not homosexuals because they see themselves as the same gender of their gender psychologically and mentally. To Transexuals, they are not crossdressing but are wearing what is normal attire for the specific gender. Gender identity and Sexuality are TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS!!
Hermaphrodites-Who has the same physical characteristics (Including genitals) of both male and female. Hermaphrodites and Transexuals are often lumped into the same category.
Bi-Gender: a person who considers themselves to be both male and female mentally, despite body type. (AKA: two-spirit)
Note: Psychologists do not have crossplay or cosplay in their official vocabulary.
Crossplayer- A subset of cosplay.
A crossplayer IS a cosplayer.
There are many reasons why cosplayers crossplay.
Among them are:
1. They admire the characters and doesn't let their gender stop them from cosplaying the character.
2. They do it for laughs or comedy.
3. They do it for shock value.
4. They love to cosplay.
5. They see it as a challenge.
It is a common myth and misconception for some people to naturally assume that crossplayers are all homosexuals or transvestites. Many crossplayers are straight and lead normal lives outside of cosplay. There are cosplayers who are also gay and do a wonderful job of cosplaying. When it comes to cosplay, it should bear no significance if they are straight or gay.
There are NO straight or gay cosplayers.
There are only COSPLAYERS.
Table of contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 5:26 pm
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas You would not believe how often this question comes up.
And really, there's not better way to put it than this.
If you're cosplaying a pilot, do you try and fly the jet on your plane flight home from the con?
If you're cosplaying a firefighter, would you try and run up and get in the way of real firefighters trying to save lives just because you had a costume on while you drove by?
If you're cosplaying a gangster/criminal, do you get money from the ATM when you need cash for the vendor area, or do you go rob a convienance store down the street from the con?
If you're cosplaying a vampire and get hungry, do you get a hotdog, or bite the person next to you and try and suck their blood?
Hopefully the answers were No, No, ATM, and Hotdog.
I fail so see how this question is really any differant, aside from hopefully the consequenses for violating it are hopefully not as bad. (If you actually DO put lives in jeapordy when you use the bathroom, I recommend eating less spicy food).
*So please... if you're playing someone of the opposite sex don't try and actually use the bathroom the character would use. You are not the character. You are a real person playing make believe. It's no more polite then those other 4, and just like them it is likely illegal and might get you arrested.
Unless you have legally gone to a courthouse and had a judge sign off on your gender being other then it was when you were born, use the right bathroom for what you really are underneath the costume.
TL;DR:: Use the restroom that matches your ID
People go to a con for fun, they don't wanna have to worry about feeling uncomfortable in the bathroom. Heck, bathrooms can even be fun if you're crossplaying. If you're crossplaying and both you and a friend enter the room, you can be "in character" and say how it's the first time you've ever been in the ladies'/men's room. This can be both amusing and a little inside joke after the con. And who doesn't love inside jokes?
But, if you're still concerned about getting yelled at, look for a single serve, "family", or unisex washroom. That way no one can complain about you being in the wrong room. Or, worse come to worse, use the bathroom in your hotel room, or try to avoid drinking too many liquids so you won't have to use the restroom.
If you're still nervous about it, well.. keep this in mind (this mainly applies to females, sorry guys I can't say anything on this section for you guys.) more often than not, the restroom will be filled with FtM crossplayers, heck you may even hear things like "Cloud needs a tampon, can you spare one?"
And remember the golden rule: No matter what, a con and crossplay is all for fun! Don't be weighed down by little things like the washroom. ^^
* The only exception would be medical emergency, IE: nobody's gonna call the cops on a pregnant lady using the men's room when the lady's room is down the hall and around 2 corners, and if a friend is having a horrible nose bleed and you're in the wrong restroom to get paper towel to stop said nosebleed, no one will complain, well some might but if you explain the situation they will understand and possibly try to help. And if you're dehydrated to the point you're about to pass out and go into the nearest bathroom to get a cup of water people will understand.
Table of contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 5:50 pm
Binding 101 - or, how to handle those pesky breasts!
A big problem girls have when crossplaying is trying to hide their 'assets'. (Especially females with a larger cup size.) But fear not, for there is something that can be done to achieve that boyish chest.
Binding
TIP FOR ALL METHODS :
Remember, getting 100% "flat" is not actually your goal. It's about SHAPE, not size when it comes to a more masculine look. If you go somewhere that you can try on products, remember to try a shirt on over them, too.
Getting totally flat will actually make your rib-cage look smaller, and therefore more feminine. Sometimes, if your costume or attire permits, you may want to pad out your stomach area / sides where hips to ribs makes curves.
Proven Safe Binding Methods* :
*That safety of these methods relies much on buying the proper size. I cannot guarantee that they are foolproof, either, so please don't try to sue me.
1. Chest Binders from various companies, these can be dyed to a flesh-tone. This works mainly for products with a high nylon content, as nylon dyes well. A highly polyester product would need to have a wig-dye sharpie method used.
a. Underworks. http://ftm.underworks.com/ *
Of all the brands I've seen, I rate this one the highest. There are no zippers that can fail or velcro that can lose its stickiness. It's simple - but sometimes simple is the best way to go.
The tri-top has been used by many on here to great results. I've seen A-DD completely disappear with it in person, and I've seen people on here with great results for even larger chests. The "Double Front Ultimate Chest Binder" has good reviews as well, but is known for rolling up since it's so long.
These are hands-down the best binders for those with larger or hard-to-bind chests. Breasts can tend to be more "firm" or "flabby" - while a "flabby" B might be able to use a sports' bra, a firm one might not get the desired results that way.
The general consensus on here is, if you are right between sizes, err on the side of the larger size. Results may vary, so feel free to ask questions if you're not sure.
b. T-Kingdom. http://www.t-kingdom.com/
These binders seem to be best for those with smaller chests or those who don't require much pressure to bind.
If anyone owns these personally, I would love to link to before and after pictures - I haven't seen any of these whereas I've seen a fair number of underworks "before and after" pictures.
c. Love Boat Shop. http://www.lesloveboat.com/shop/index.php
If anyone knows anything about these, please write in. They appear to come in different colours, which could be useful.
2. Sports' Bra. Your best bet for this is to go to the store and try a few on and see which one squishes in enough but also isn't uncomfortable. Look for the ones that are more "sportswear" than "underwear".
3. 3" or wider elastic from JoAnn's or other craft stores. You can use safety pins for something temporary, or you can sew this and use those bra extender hooks and eyes to make a closure.
If you plan on re-using this, make sure to pre-wash them first. You'll need approximately 3x your chest (to be safe) - but this might be more or less depending on your exact body.
DO NOT WRAP TOO TIGHT.
DO NOT WRAP JUST "AROUND". You know, like winding yarn around a spool or something ? DON'T do that ! It's not worth it and it will take MUCH more pressure on your rib-cage than if you better distribute the pressure of the elastics.
You need to distribute pressure so it's pressing the breasts DOWN, not necessarily all pressing IN. To do this, you want to bind in an "X" or "K" pattern with the free ends spread out on your back. Since this is hard to visualise on words alone, please see the link below for pictures.
Here is a diagram of how to do this:
OPEN SHIRT METHOD
This is a little different, since it operates on different principles than a full binder. It's pretty safe, but you need to be very careful - do a test beforehand and make sure your skin isn't too sensitive to the tape used (you don't want it peeling off or breaking out).
This is a tutorial I found => http://vandorwolf.deviantart.com/art...rial-139817876
It's better to use medical tape that's designed for skin, though, especially if you have sensitive skin. Make sure you read the package for removal instructions. I've heard that removing during a shower can help.
Please be aware that using tape CAN cause skin sloughing, rashes, irritation, and even scars.
NEVER use tape all the way around your chest. Doing so will restrict your rib-cage too much. For optimum comfort, try not to overlap the tape in the back - this will allow your rib-cage to expand horizontally in the most normal manner.
SIGNS YOUR BINDING IS TOO TIGHT :
Difficulty breathing (you should NEVER have trouble breathing while binding, EVER)
Bruising
Sharp pains around your sternum or any other area
Swelling
Itching
ET CETERA
Some people notice that they feel "depressed" or "upset" before they realize there's pain - please be aware that this could be a symptom of binding being too tight.
If you ignore any of these signs, you can be in for hundred-fold pain after a long day of wearing that too-tight binding. You can cause serious damage that way, and even if it's not permanent, 8 hours of feeling like your chest is breaking isn't worth it.
Binding Proven to be Unsafe :
1. ACE bandages. These were not made for your chest. These were made to compress - like a boa-constrictor that gets tighter every breath you take.
Do not use these. Your health is worth at least the $3 it takes to buy and pre-wash those 3" wide elastics. Seriously.
2. Using non-stretch or barely-stretch fabric to make your own binder or to tie around yourself.
3. Using tape completely around your chest - see open shirt biding section above for details on how to do this safely.
Questionable Methods :
There are a lot of "makeshift" devices that can work for some people, such as girdles and lumbar-support devices. However, I'd think that it's better to invest in a $30 binder than to buy a $20 girdle that wasn't made to go over your ribs and lungs.
Use these with caution and stop if anything feels wrong. These are really a last resort and I wouldn't recommend buying one specifically for crossplaying - you're better served by any of the proven "safe" methods.
Table of contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:12 pm
Crossplay & Makeup! A very important aspect of cosplay in general is makeup.
And as such, I will be making a separate topic to handle all make up inquiries and some cute lil tips. (I'm not as good with makeup as I seem.. I have a friend who does most of my makeup ^^;; But I do know a little bit.)
This post however, mainly details crossplay & makeup.
Now, you're probably saying to yourself. "Gah, Idxem are you telling me I need to do more than simply dress the part?! I gotta dip into the makeup too!" To which I reply "Yes, now deal with it as this will be worth it."
Now, I know my thread is totally sexist as I mainly focus on FtM crossplay (Hey, my reason is I'm a girl so I mainly look that stuff up..) but I'm gonna try to be fair and include some tips for the MtF crossplayers too! Kay??
(No, Fake boobs won't be covered under this post, sorry boys~)
Makeup FtMWhile I could write up individual tutorials, I feel it'll be easier to just post a link to a really good one.
Female to Male makeup
Makeup MtFAnother link to another tutorial!
Male to Female makeup
I would like to cover prostetics here, but I do not know much about them so I cannot. If you would like information on them, or have some please feel free to look / contact me and I'll add what I can.
Table of contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
Voice
Other little things
Reserved x 3
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:31 pm
FtM -> Killin' the curves to appear more masculine
Now ladies, we all know that with our "Sexy sexy" curvy bodies comes problems.
Well, thankfully there are ways to overcome this.
Now, while I couldn't find tutorials, I did find tips which I will post.
The tips!
* Pad your waist and the small of your back, this helps reduce the appearance of your natural curve and create a smaller hip to waist ratio.
* If you can't do that, at least wear shirts that are loose in this area.
*Wear your pants a bit lower on the hips (because guys have longer torsos and a shorter abdominal area). Keep the waistband loose, preferably if possible rising loosely up above the point of "hang" (helps cover narrower waist.) If the pants legs do not go narrower than the widest point on your thigh, the butt will get less emphasis.
*Wearing shoulder pads will make the hips look narrower by making the shoulders look wider.
* If your costume has a belt: wear the belt low and loose, if you wear it snug to your waist it will look very female and if you can, try to poof the material around the belt more as well.
* Wearing your pants low on the hips I've noticed to be one of the best thing
* If you don't mind too much, change the costume. In little ways, to accent things
* Color counts: Wear DARK colored pants if at all possible. Light-colored or white pants will just balloon your hips. >.<
* Standing / walking: Avoid the classic female S-posture = pulled back shoulders with outthrust chest and butt. Tilt your hips forward (as if doing a pelvic thrust ) - you'd be amazed how much that lessens the butt.
Stand square on both feet - weight on one leg will tend to thrust out the opposite hip in a more "girly" manner and emphasizing it.
* Posing: Stand with your hips 3/4 to the camera for the narrowest appearance. (If you then turn your upper body somewhat more square to the camera, the shoulders definitely get more emphasis over the hips.)
In that pose, another trick is to let your arm (the one more in front) hang down at your side in such a manner as to conveniently cover more butt.
* Body Language:
Guys naturally take up more personal space (social conditioning, I bet.) Do it. Let your elbows out. Sit with your knees apart, or your ankle on the opposite knee, etc.
Don't walk with your knees turned in! - Or even straight, if possible - try to make them go outward when you walk, like most guys. You'll probably have to walk with your feet turned a bit more out than you are used to, but it will look normal. (Good practice - try walking up and down stairs "like a guy".) *
Stride.
* Exercise! Building muscle tone is really important. Not just for crossplay but for health reasons anyway ^ u ^ Running and taking the stairs can cut any pudge you have on your thighs =) *
* Compression vests (see binding section) and men's sport compression shorts can really help a lot! But these can be expensive Dx
** Exercises: again, I know this is like... the bullet before the last one, but this one is SUPER important.
There will be another topic all about this. No need to worry ^ u ^
*** a note about the walk: nachoman on cosplay.com It is NOT social conditioning! Its a concern that plagues every guy outside those who actually enjoy excruciating pain. Every boy above the age of five must already have developed the basic instincts, and every boy at the age of ten already implements them so smoothly that he doesn't even notice his own actions. Lets put things in perspective: You thing that we boys make a big deal when every boy winces when one gets a ball between the legs? Now, why do people make such a big deal when you see an obviously pregnant woman be kicked on the gut? I don't think That particular pain would be particularly physical (at least for the woman), yet the "low hit" on the man is a purely physical pain. Or, to be more precise, pure white pain extending from below the belt line and extending to all the pelvic cavity. I've compared the pain to other kinds: the pain of a mid-powered kick on the balls is about as intense as being poured a cup of boiling water on your chest, just below asking the dentist not to use anesthetics (I did it once, being me a mayor coward toward needles), and some way above a generous splash of pure alcohol on an open knee (This last one I've received repeatedly). So, in order for you ladies to have a workable example, imagine you have two minuscule Morning Stars with very short chains hanging from the front of your panties: you know it'll hurt like hell if you make the wrong moves, yet you know that by simply giving then some space you'll be able to mostly ignore them. Then there are jerks like John Wayne who keep their legs wide enough to give birth to pineapples, yet lets ignore their example. Anyway, getting straight the importance of keeping your knees apart, notice that guys do have something there. If no bulk shows, the impression is incomplete.
*create a renaissance style corest, omitting just enough of the boning that you can wear it lowe on the body. Those styles of corsets are ALL flat, no room for boobage, and if you wear it around the waist and hips, backwards, then you get rid of that 'natural' curve. This works best if you have the chance to wear a bodysuit or if your waist is covered.
* For girls who are still developing, it isn't always genetics that gives you your curves. It also goes with all the fat that you eat. The fat that isn't burnt off is used to fill out your "girly parts" (boobs/hips/butt), you can loose the extra fat though. As of how, I don't know. Though if you don't want your boobs to get bigger don't do what they did in Grease. (heels of hands together and push, it works out your muscles). Eat healthier girls!
* Diet! And no I don't mean those "LOOSE WEIGHT QUICK HERE'S HOW!" or slim fast things, I'm talking about eating healthier. Instead of potato chips, go for an apple. Instead of ice cream, try frozen yogurt.
Drink lots of water instead of soda pop. It helps trust me.
I'm horrible for junk food. My sweet tooth often commands me. But my metabolism is pretty good since I eat healthy as well and drink lots of water. But I still have some pudge...and my hips and butt are kinda big ORZ
* You can, however, tape the "tummy pooch" to get a smoother line. A girl's did that as an addition to her workout routine to actually shape her waist; she says it works like a "sweat band" and helps you to lose additional weight while shaping you at the same time. Use the widest sports tape you can find, and practice in advance of wearing it to the con.
Compression garments aren't really expensive either (vs. sports tape over the long run)--you can get a decent one for about $30 (shipping may add to the cost) if you do the research. Since you can only use sports tape once (and sometimes have to use a whole roll at one go), $2-$3 a roll adds up if you're going to do a lot of binding in the future.
* elongate the torso by simulating a higher chest...
how to do this? first, find the place where your waist ends, it should look like the "birth" of the curve that starts your hips (it's like from the belly-button)... you must hide that curve (and with that your hips and butt), so every piece of bottom clothing (pants, shorts) must hang in that area (or a little bit down)... is your butt is thick (like mine) or if you have big hips, pants should be a little bit loose on that area, and should be "bootleg": narrow at the knees, wide bottoms... this way you can balance how your legs look...* Saavik8 when it comes to binding/ slimming what i find works miracles are old dance leotards. I wear them over a sports bra and then *bam* instant-flatness... they also nicely smooth out the rest of the torso... of course this only works if you have something over them as they are quite visible... The trick is the type of body suit you buy...you don't want to have too much stretch in it...the ones I use are too small (they are old ones from my youth) also if you want to look more manly i recommend that you use a good foundation for your entire face and neck and use it to slim down your lips and then cover it with a powder...When you use the powder also cover your lips...this will create the illusion of having thinner, paler lips... sometimes to add that extra bit of man i also give myself a very faint five o'clock shadow... by using eyeshadow and a bit of eyeliner (not liquid)...i first add a faint layer of eyeshadow and then make some light small strokes near the sideburn area with the eyeliner..after it is all smudged I cover it again with some powder... finally if you want to lose weight i recommend taking up irish dancing...man that's weight-busting stuff... that and making sure to watch your diet... what works well for me (i'm now 5'8, 109 lbs) is eating a good breakfast (fruit, egg, juice) not eating much for lunch (water, fruit) and then eating a light dinner (salad, pasta, some protein (chicken, tofu)) and make sure to drink lots of water during the day, it helps keep you hydrated, and healthy...when you get hungry during the day have some water or juice and maybe cheese...I eat a lot of cheese...actually sometimes I just grate a bunch of cheese and eat it.... also i never use diet products...anyway that diet+lots of exercise works miracles...it also tones the stomach and legs and if you mix dance with pushups and weights you can tone the upper body too
* Keep in mind that AEROBIC exercise will burn fat (anything that raises your heart rate: running, skipping rope, DDR, chasing the bus you miss everyday, stair-machine, dancing). In order to lose weight you have to do one of these aerobic activities for AT LEAST 20 minutes at a time. NO LESS.
ANAEROBIC exercise will tone muscle. This is any and every sort of repetitive action that will make your muscles ache. Push ups, sit ups, bench presses, triceps, leg lifts, etc. This will make your muscles stand out. (Girls don't usually get muscle "bulk" but instead get that lean swimmer-arm look.) Don't forget to stretch before and after or you can damage your muscles.
Table of contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
Voice
Other little things
Reserved x 3
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:15 pm
MtF - Creating those "sexy" curves~ and other things of note While girls trying to masquerade as guys may seem a bit challenging (well..not too too much given a lot of guys in anime & video games seem pretty feminine to start with) the harder task is for guys trying to masquerade as girls.
Let's begin with the basics!
Slimming that waist of yours
Girls tend to have smaller waists than men do, (and larger hips.. but we'll get to that in a moment) so you'll wanna find something to help slim yours down.
There are a number of things you can try, but the best option is always the classic one - The Corset.
First of all do not use what is claimed to be corsets at the stores. they are cheap imatitions of the original corsets. They are mass produced & use inferior materials if you seriously want to pull in your waist a few inches. You will just waste your money buying what they got.
Here are some sites to look at that make corsets by hand using the best materials ment to 'train you figure':
http://www.sallyanncorsetshop.com/
http://www.axfords.com/corsets/catalogue/
http://www.darkgarden.net/
corsret links at bottom of the page
http://www.free-adult-hosting.net/si...i/corsets.html
info: http://www.staylace.com/
http://www.romantasy.com/cyboutique/...ansgender.html
http://www.absolutecorsets.com/index.htm
What I suggest is that you read the history on corsets & what they are used for. look it up on the net.
Really good corsets are good to have if you want to really cinch in your waist. Of corse the really good corsets are expensive.
Although, if you're cheap, poor, or trying to save some money; the REALLY cheap alternative of duct tape.
Effective, but needs some caution, and probably not for a long time...
suggestions: get something from a flea market to wear underneath, then tape. Trust me, you don't want that much tape straight on your skin. It's unsafe and can cause irritation. (See post on binding)
Well, now you got the waist down, let's talk about the hips~
Padding those hips
Women have larger hips, this is an obvious fact, and to a man trying to dress like a female character, you're gonna have to do some work.
There are many methods, but let's start with one that is easy and somewhat cheap.
Two shoulder pads duct-taped edge to edge to from an oval shape thin in the borders and thick in the centre. Do this for both sides and they stay in place by whatever is worn on top.
As I am not a guy, I don't know too much about MtF crossplay, but if you need more help, check out This guy's videos, specifically the ones in that playlist.
Boobs~Merle-kun on Cosplay.com How to make your fake boobs, by Jason Balduf (No putting this anywhere with out my name attached!) Anyway, on to the false boobies! I recently made myself some good ones and they're dirt cheap too! I had read a long time ago about rice, bird seed, etc etc. But I was embarrassed and didn't want to try that, so I kept using winter socks. But somewhat recently I was brave enough to give this a shot once I seen how nice they could look. I'll do this recipe style! Here's your ingredients! 1 bag of short grain rice (Ideal, but if you cant find it long grain will do) 1 package helium quality ROUND balloons, WHITE. 1 set of funnels I got all of that in one trip to Walmart. The rice was about 1.30, the balloons about 70 cents, and the funnels were another dollar something. So all and all this will cost 3-4 dollars depending on price, and you can make two sets of boobs! A pair of Cs and a pair of Ds! Instructions: Ok, now that you have all this together here's what you do. Blow up two of the white balloons to stretch them out. Next, place one of them over the funnel's spout. Make sure to get the funnel that best seals around your mouth. Why you need this seal will be explained in a bit. Anyway, you do not need to tape the balloon to the funnel, you need somewhere to hold, and this is the best spot. Now comes the filling! When I was making these, the original instructions were put the rice in a ziplock back, roll it up and stick it in a sock. Didn't seem very well made that way, lots of extra stuff in there to mess with the shape, not to mention poke into your chest over the course of a day. Sure it feels fine when you first put it on, but think about a WHOLE day wearing them, ouch. So I decided that placing the rice into a balloon was the best way to do it, in effect making my own stress balls. Rather large ones though. So the problem was how to get the rice into the balloons. You certainly can't stuff it in there with your finger, I tried that. So I needed to inflate the balloon somehow. Well blowing air into it then getting the rice in wasn't going to work, and the only other way was creating a vacuum outside the balloon. Yeah, I know that's overkill.. you don't need to buy anything like that. In case someone doesn't know what machine I'm talking about, it's the kind flower shops use to put bears into the balloons. But, before you put the rice into the balloons you need to know how much equals what cup size! The friend who told me about the zippy bag method gave me a rough estimate on cups of rice versus cup size. Two cups of rice equals a C cup. And to get the larger anime chests that some of the girls have, for my second set, I used the rest of the bag. I think it was around 3½ cups to 4 for each breast. I don't know about anything lower than that.. I would guess at 1½ being a B, and A probably a cup or less. But for those you can probably get away with socks. Here's the secret on how put the rice in! With the funnel inserted into the balloon, measure out your first cup of rice, and pour a little of that into the funnel. You'll have to test the amount to see what fits your face and funnel best, but it's a no brainer. Once you have this fixed, seal the funnel around your mouth, and gently blow the rice through it and into the balloon. This may take a bit of wiggling to get it through the end because it can get a little jammed, but nothing serious has ever happened to me. Once you have all or most of the rice into the balloon, it's time to let the excess air back out. WARNING! Let it pass the seal SLOWLY! Otherwise you'll have rice shooting all over the place, on your floor, up your nose, down your throat.. it's not fun. Repeat this until your allotted amount cups of rice. Then, simply tie it off and voila! You have boobs! Bra Tips For Your New Boobs! I recommend a demi bra. If you don't know what this is, go to a bra site and look one up. I don't know a lot about bras yet, but these have the better cup shapes because they have the entire breast area covered, so they make the nice tear drop shape we who lack boobs need. Just don't over fill that bra and you'll be fine. I hope that helps some people! Now that there's a crossplay section, I'll have a better reason to read the forums more often! =3
Now, the hardest part. Due to gaia's overall site rating, I will be posting a link to a cosplay.com forum topic for this part. (you can find everything I've posted in this thread on the forums over there, I'm just re-hashing information for your benefit, and so you don't have to surf through hundreds of pages to find the information.)
How to tuck. Might be a bit graphic and a slightly long read, but it'll be worth it.
Table of contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
Voice
Other little things
Reserved x 3
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:42 pm
Voice While not a necessary thing, some people like to get really into character.
Little word of note before we begin this lesson (lawl this lesson is also part voice acting..but we have no voice acting section and I'm not gonna make a topic on that.) It's more about the intonation than the pitch.
This whole post is just going to be little notes about this subject, if you're more interested look up some voice acting boards. ^ u ^
Let's begin
If you start doing "voices", you'll find that a lot goes into them to get them really good. You might or might not think consciously of every little part - but to get a good, cohesive "voice", you need to take into account all the sounds you're making and how you make them.
In general, men tend to be less sing-song than women. Character can overrule this, of course - there are plenty of men who might cultivate a more melodic voice - or languages or dialects that encourage it.
It's one of those things - you can learn by listening to many different examples and mimicking and paying attention to what your voice is doing.
The real "key" to doing a specific voice (and I suppose this is probably applicable to ANY cosplay or crossplay) is to listen to SOUNDS and not WORDS. Note how a person produces sounds and syllables rather than entire words and phrases. The people who attempt to reproduce entire words and phrases end up being able to do just that and only that; they can quote the character they're playing, but can't make conversation in-character (think the people who can't do a British accent but for "Oi, 'Arry!" and "Bloody 'ell!"). When you can discern HOW a specific character or person makes their vocal sounds, you can apply them to other words too.
As for the "paying attention to what your voice is doing," that's a little easier said than done. Sometimes you have to really work at it and practice for awhile, trying out different sounds, resonances, inflections, etc. You might have to repeat a single sound over and over and over again until you get it really hammered out and perfect. It sounds a little dumb at first when you're sitting there by yourself practicing a long o until it sounds right. Many times, however, this is the way to make any sort of progress. Once you get good enough at this sort of thing, you can do it mentally rather than out-loud (which is great for producing a voice on-the-spot).
If you want more tips and tricks. Well... look that up yourself *chuckles* sorry guys, but as I've stated before this isn't a voice acting topic.
Table of Contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
Voice
Other little things
Reserved x 3
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:53 pm
Other little things Well, now you know the basics of Crossplaying, but there is more you can do. All of this stuff is optional of course.
And as such, I won't be putting too much detail in it.
Let's begin
~ Practice walking/sitting like the character would. For example, Snake (Metal Gear Solid) wouldn't sit like a dainty princess now would he? Nope! He's too manly for that! And you should keep that in mind.
~ Find a scent that matches the character you're dressing as.
Examples include:
Ciel- chocolate and sugar
Kaito - Obviously Vanilla Ice cream!
Rin - Oranges
~ Use bodywash/deodorant/hair products the opposite gender would use. Or unscented.
~ Some people even go as far as wearing the same undergarments the character would...
~ Extra makeup can't hurt, but don't go too overboard.
~ If FtM "Man up" before the con. Quote the Mulan song "I'll make a man out of you" and do over the top stereo typical manly things for fun. People may think you silly, but you'll have lots of fun.
~ If MtF Do the opposite! Do stereotypical girly things. It's all for fun after all.
~ and always remember the golden rule
Have fun!
Table of Contents
Intro
What is crossplay and terms to know
The ever present issues of washrooms and other gender segregated areas
Binding 101
Makeup
For Women -> Less butt/hips/waist and more shoulders! Covering those pesky areas of your figure that'll throw off the illusion.
For Men -> ~Curves~ and how to tuck *** This post will contain a link to a cosplay.com forum thread that may be a bit graphic. This is a warning****
Voice
Other little things
Reserved x 3
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:53 pm
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:54 pm
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:55 pm
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:56 pm
This thread is now open for posting~!
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Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 4:57 am
I have a question (I can't stay on long and I only really skimmed through so i'm not sure if this was there or not.) Like, if your short (I'm 4"7') do you know of any way (aside from High heels, I can't wear those to save my life.) to make yourself taller, like, I wanna crossplay as someone, but he's freaky tall.
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Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:47 am
Hm, well I suppose you could try heeled boots/shoes (not those silly shoes with the teeny tiny heel those are ridiculous and I wouldn't wish those on anyone.) I've seen a lot of people do that. Or get lifts for your shoes. you can get some hereUnfortunately I don't know many ways to make yourself seem taller. I'll look deeper into this if you'd like.
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