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No. 2858
Do you have more specific tips you're looking for? "First con" tips, like con etiquette, what to bring, what to avoid? Sewing/crafting/makeup/etc. tips? Posing/photography tips? Specific character tips (like how to make so-and-so's weird-looking doodad)?
There's definitely a lot involved in cosplay/cons worthy of advice. There's also a lot of advice and info floating around the internet too.
I'd say the most important universal advice for cosplay/cons is how important early planning is. This applies everywhere from booking hotels early and firming up plans with friends (plus making sure said friends are dependable beforehand, since cons tend to bring out all sorts of issues) to making sure you're in good shape (pacing, realistic expectations) to get your costume together on time, so you're not having last-minute late-night crises before the con that ruin everything. Cosplay cons are pretty notorious for last-minute crises (hello, big project deadlines!), but the more you can do to avoid them, the better.
...Seriously, though. I know everyone "knows" you're supposed to do things early and it kind of gets shrugged off. But I've had to really learn things the hard way so many times at cons over the years. Most of my worst experiences can be traced back to staying up way too late the night(s) before the con doing stuff at the last minute (or riding/rooming with friends doing this), and one problem leads to the next since exhaustion sets up all these other issues that ruin the con (as well as one's health/safety/sanity), and in the end it really isn't worth it.
Now, having said all this and almost hitting send before even looking up the con in question...I now see Ohayocon is at the end of this month. If you haven't started your cosplay yet, please take a step back and be real with yourself. In the majority of cases, and especially if you're inexperienced, I would highly recommend against starting a cosplay three weeks before the day of the con. Things always go wrong and take longer than expected, and things go even wronger and longer with less experience. The best way I could see this happening and turning out alright without a lot of stress is if it's a simple costume made of stuff that could be found off the racks at local stores (no shipping) and/or with some easy pieces that you're sure you can whip up really quickly. (A costume like Scout?) Otherwise, I would really recommend not killing yourself trying to do something in a couple weeks* and instead saving it for a later con. (*The last days/week should really be for planning and finalizing the details of the trip and being well rested, not hardcore crafting.) Like, if do you start it now and are realistically nowhere near finishing it on time (without wrecking yourself, your friends, or your family), just put it aside, go plainclothes, relax, have fun, and start back up after the con (bonus: be finished early for the next con!). I just...I had a friend who once tried to sew her costume in our hotel room during the con, and later barely missed doing it again and was an exhausted wreck of a dangerous driver the next day; both times were disasters, so I had to cut her off. Please don't do this to yourself or your friends. (If this stuff isn't the case and you're managing fine, I'm sorry for the insinuation and lecturing. I just really want to help other people avoid my disasters.)
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