Costuming Cosplay: Dressing the Imagination

(Paperback)

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Cosplay, short for "costume play", has grown from its origins at fan conventions into a billion-dollar global dress phenomenon. Costuming Cosplay takes us from elaborately crafted DIY costumes to online fandoms, examining how the practice of portraying fictional characters from popular culture through dress and performance has become a creative means of expressing and playing with different identities. With an approach that ranges from admiration and role-play to gender performance, this is the first book to fully examine the subculture and costume of the Cosplay phenomenon. Drawing on extensive first-hand research at conventions across North America and Asia, Thersa M. Winge invites us to explore how Cosplay functions as a meritocracy of creativity, escapism, and disguise, and offers a creative realm in which fantasy and new forms of socializing carry as much importance as costume. Illustrated with color photographs of both celebrity and amateur Cosplayers, Costuming Cosplay is essential reading for students and scholars of fashion and costume, popular culture, anthropology, gender, and media studies, as well as global players and fans of Cosplay.

Reviews

Engages with a variety of issues seated within the realm of cosplay ... Costuming Cosplay celebrates the creative power of cosplay, illustrating the significant effects of play and fun. * Journal of Folklore Research *
[A] must-read for scholars of dress and culture or anyone interested in the complex world of cosplay and fandom. Winges first-hand accounts and analysis of cosplay costume are insightful and engaging. The book provides a holistic background on cosplay and simultaneously investigates the nuances of the cosplay way of life. Especially intriguing are the detailed discussions on the construction and negotiation of archetype character identities through costume and body modification. -- Jessica Strbel, University of Rhode Island, USA
Winge's insider role, as a fan of fandom and as a past judge of Cosplay competitions, contributes authenticity to this valuable guide to understanding the Cosplay subculture and the intimate meanings of their 'looks' or costume. -- Abby Lillethun, Montclair State University, USA

Author Bio

Thersa M. Winge is Associate Professor in Apparel and Textile Design at Michigan State University, USA. She is the author of Body Style (Bloomsbury Academic, 2012), an avid fan of Cosplay, and has judged Cosplay competitions and participated in Cosplay costume panels.