When 2020 began, cosplayers had already planned out what their next projects would be, which conventions they'd have the chance to bring it out to, and who they would be involved in the process. Up until quarantine lockdowns were implemented worldwide by March. That didn't stop cosplayers from showcasing their work. With the help of social media, they could do so at the comfort of their own homes: safely amid a global pandemic.
Although it may seem like a big investment, one you feel like you shouldn't be making in the middle of a crisis, I assure you it's possible without spending all your money.
Before we get to the costumes, let's talk about the equipment. You don't have to have a camera in order to take good quality pictures. I, personally, have my phone on timer along with a LED Clip-On Selfie Ring Light. If you don't have a ring light, flashlights and lamps also does the trick. For a backdrop, most people I see on my feed prefer to use their walls but since there weren't enough space in my room I used my bookshelf.
Now, on to the costumes itself. I know it's tempting to be characters from the hottest games and series at the moment. Believe me when I tell you that the prices will drop in a couple of months. Keep your more intricate plans on hold for now. That aside, a lot of other characters are available online. I'm normally indecisive when coming up with a cosplay line-up. I tend to gravitate more towards western media - which are best done by commissions. A major exception was Danganronpa. I used the opportunity to grab costumes for Chiaki Nanami, Kyoko Kirigiri, and Miu Iruma. The day of the lockdown, I started playing Persona 4 and fell deep into the franchise. Which led me into getting Mitsuru Kirijo as well.
But Mitsuru wasn't the only Persona character I've done! With things out of my own closet, I was able to put together Naoto Shirogane in Yasogami High's Summer Uniform. The beauty of getting school uniforms is that as long as you have the right wig you can basically be anyone in the school. In fact, I also got myself a Hyakkaou Private Academy uniform from Kakegurui and it basically works the same way.
Costumes aren't the only things that could be repurposed, but props too. Especially when you work with your angles and editing to make sure no one can tell the difference. I've used one gun for Naoto and Mitsuru. My Arya Stark sword for Mitsuru as well.
Throughout the course of the lockdown, I've also re-used what I already own like Adora, She-Ra, and Peko Pekoyama - which I've worn for two livestreams. I've actually misplaced the skirt a while back but it's not like anyone's going to notice when you're only seen from the waist up.
A year later, I moved into an apartment. That completely changed my set-up in all the best ways. I made use of the white blinds as a plain backdrop for my Miu Iruma costrial as well as one I did for Kirari Momobami from Kakegurui. I've also used the end of the Attack on Titan manga to re-trial Annie Leonhardt until I decided that using my bleached hair worked better than the wig (a strategy I later on used for live streams as Mary Saotome from Kakegurui and Misa Amane from Death Note).
Once I'm done taking pictures, it's time to start the editing process! Sometimes, depending on my mood and how much fixing the raw pictures need, would either take me a couple of days or more than a year...
My personal go-too apps are YouCam Perfect and Snapseed. But lately, I've been using SNOW filters and Instagram more often. Getting everything to look cohesive may seem like a lot of work but that's why I make it a point to list down every change I make. Snapseed makes this a lot easier with its feature that replicates a specific set of edits by making its own filter. I'm also a big fan of its Healing tool which is an easy way to remove blemishes. This is nothing different from the way I edit pictures on a daily basis.
There's definitely a lot of pros and cons to quarantine cosplays. One of the biggest cons is how much money is spent if you don't have anything you can use in your personal wardrobe. It's no secret that cosplayers are narcissists (on different levels, obviously). When your public image is reliant on online engagements, some may feel the need to adhere to standards that they currently don't have the means to reach. There was a point where it got mentally draining to keep up with which is the reason why I later leaned more towards streaming. But I believe that if you genuinely like the characters you're portraying and if you're doing it at your own pace then you'll be fine.
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