Being a mom is no joke! It's a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but also very rewarding. Now pair it up with cosplaying and you just doubled up on what you've had before. I always wanted to create this article, and I'm so thrilled to finally do it just in time for Mother's Day. These moms have been such a great inspiration at comic book conventions, as they show their creativity and also how they show a good example to their children and positivity throughout the community. I'm excited to share a bit about their cosplay journeys with their families. Don't forget to look at the pictures as well - it will guarantee to pull some heartstrings.
Mom who Cosplays with her Daughter: Raechel
Quite possibly my favorite Mom and Daughter cosplay tandem is non other than Rachael and Victoria. For me, Raechel defines the real definition of cosplaying mom goals. Her and her daughter Victoria are often seen at Comic Book conventions rocking it with a tandem cosplay. They always make it look like so much fun to cosplay, and the best part is they cosplay my favorite characters. You can see them volunteering with this group.
How long have you been cosplaying?
I've always enjoyed Halloween and wearing costumes but I would have to say that it wasn't until I was in high school that I really got into Cosplay and going to Comic Cons. I used to work for Walt Disney World as a dancer and performer in the parades and shows so I even got to wear costumes as a job for awhile.
Favorite Cosplay
My Favorite cosplay has to be our MOTU Sorceress and Teela because it was our first Mother/daughter duo that we made mostly ourselves. Although our My Little Pony Equestria Girls Principal Celestia and Twilight Sparkle is a close second-we made that all from different pieces we found from thrift stores, and things we had around the house.
Dream Cosplay
I am a "glue gun" queen when it comes to how I make my costumes at the moment, so my dream cosplay would be to learn how to make a working moveable steampunk character cosplay someday.
What is the Best Part of Being a Cosplaying Mom?
I love having a hobby that my daughter enjoys just as much as I do. It's so fun coming up with the costume ideas and then watching them come to life and seeing the look on her face when they are finished. Being able to work on something together is just quality time no one can ever take away from us.
What is the Toughest Part About It?
The toughest part by far is getting two people ready in the morning on convention days, especially if we need to be somewhere at a specific time and/or we need a lot of make-up done along with our costume. Now that we are getting better at costume making and our costume count is growing its getting a little harder to pack now too.
What's Your Daughter's Opinion About Cosplaying Together?
I started putting costumes on her when she was a baby of course, but by the time she was 3 she went to her first convention dressed as different parts of Avengers and Spidey that she switched up throughout the day because she "just couldn't decide which one to be." By that next year we started doing cosplays together and have done them ever since. Victoria thinks it's really awesome and loves meeting all the new cosplay friends and really enjoys seeing everyone's costumes and ideas.
Raechel and Her Daughter is Part of a Cosplay Group Called Heroes, Inc. that goes and visits kids in the hospital and does local charity events around town. She gives us more information about their experience with them -
The first couple cosplays we did,we picked based on costumes I already had made for me, that way all we had to do was make Victoria's costume. After two or three times of dressing up though, I had created a monster-lol-she was off and running and has enough cosplay ideas to keep us busy for many years. We really like finding mother/daughter duos or characters that are closely related. We do volunteer for a local group called Heroes Inc. that visits hospitals and does local charity events so for that we came up with Wasp for Victoria since she is a smaller hero. 8. This summer Victoria and I are going to take some sewing lessons so in the next few years I'm hoping to see us in cosplays that have some more elaborate dresses or outfits that we actually sewed together ourselves instead of glued together or painted.
Soon to be Mom /New Mom who Cosplays - Tara
I met Tara this year in C2E2 and absolutely loved her original cosplay. Her son was born a few weeks ago- perfect timing for mother's day! When she wore her lovely cosplay on C2E2 this year, it was just so beautifully made, highlighting her baby bump. Something about it was just absolutely beautiful and very heart warming. You can find her cosplay at- Facebook.com/PerfectlyInsaneCosplay. Pictures by Felipe Almeida at facebook.com/roadsaltphoto
How long have you been cosplaying?
I've been cosplaying for about 2 years.
Favorite Cosplay
Favorite will always be my first cosplay - Harley Quinn!
Dream Cosplay
Emily from Corpse Bride
What is the Best Part About Being A Cosplaying Mom
The best part is knowing that I'm opening up a whole new world to him, a world full of magic and imagination. Knowing he will be going to conventions with me and be seeing all his favorite characters and thinking it's really them. Introducing him to the spot light that I love so much and hoping he likes it too! Letting him just be free to be who he is and showing him that he really can be anything or anyone he wants to be!
What is the Toughest Part About It?
Budgeting. Trying hard not to go crazy with new cosplays like I would of before baby.
What Advice Can You Give to Pregnant Women Who Want to Cosplay?
My advice would be to know your limits. Pick a cosplay you will feel good and confident in no matter what size you are. Don't try to be who you were before, your a new person now so it's ok to wear flats and let out the waist of your outfit. Remember to take breaks and listen to your body. Your still beautiful and be prepared to answer many questions about your baby!
What is Your Dream Cosplay For Your Newborn Baby?
A gender bent Harley Quinn!! Can't wait to make it for him when he's older and can run around with his big mallet!
Where Do You See Yourself in Cosplay in a few years?
I'm hoping to be able to learn how to make more things, like with foam and props. Hope to be doing even more cosplay modeling and getting to meet new people and introducing my little guy to conventions and hoping he likes to be dressed up!
Mom Who Cosplays with Popular Cosplay Daughter - Sharon
Another favorite mother/Daughter cosplay tandem I have is Sharion and Sami. while Sami is known for her suer cute BB-Sk8 cosplay, we have to thank Sharon for her absolutely amazing creativity. You can find their cosplay pictures at @SamiMiniCosplay in both Facebook and Twitter, and SHARONICON6 on Instagram. You can see Sharon and Sami in this upcoming event next week - Annual Superhero and Princesses Brunch
How long have you been cosplaying?
I have been cosplaying since April 2015 ( my 2nd C2E2 ) Sami has been cosplaying since her first C2E2 which was April 2014. I have always loved dressing up for Halloween and coming up with costumes for my 3 older children ( Bree 22, Savanna 18 and Jake 16) when they were little, but as they became teens they were no longer interested. Sami started being very interested in dressing up like someone when she was 1 1/2....she loved Nicki Minaj and started insisting on wearing this fake pink hair on her head and dancing to Nickis music because she had seen Nicki with pink in her hair. After that she would start pointing to the clothes with her fave characters and asking for them. Since we love comic and Disney characters we decided to go check out a comic convention in Chicago...C2E2 and from that day on she talks about cosplays ALL YEAR LONG! smile emoticon Her first real cosplay was Princess Captain America.
Favorite Cosplay
I am torn between what I call Conservative Catwoman and Flounder. Conservative Catwoman was very comfortable to wear. Flounder was a ton of fun because Sami was Ariel. It was great to see people smile or laugh when they saw us! smile emoticon
Dream Cosplay
I do not have a dream cosplay currently...what I do dream about is learning to make armor with worbla and foam! Once I can tackle that I may have some hopes of what I would like to do. I really admire those cosplays at the conventions!
Samantha has 2 dream cosplays...the first is Twilight Sparkle and she wants giant purple and sparkly wings that open and close. The 2nd is a bit of a secret because I am hoping to surprise her with it for an event this fall but I will say it is BB-8 related! She was talking to me about it last week and telling me how cool it would be so I know if I can pull it off she will love it!
What is the Best Part of Being a Cosplaying Mom?
The best part is the shared passion that trickles over into everyday life. We can be at a toy store and see a figurine that sparks a interest and then we start talking about ideas. Sometimes we are watching a movie or a tv show and a character or their costume will get us talking about ideas and get us excited. We are nothing but trouble in a fabric or craft store together. We see all sorts of things that trigger ideas. It is a lot of fun talking to her about all of this and her having a creative interest. She can not wait to learn how to sew! The other neat thing is that there are some fandoms she has that I have no interest in at all but I can find a way to enjoy it through working on the cosplays or talking about ideas with her about it!
What is the Toughest Part About It?
That is easy...saying NO! Sami is only 5 so she does not quite grasp the concept of time, money and my skill level ( newbie). LOL!
How Much of your Cosplays (Both yours and your Daughters) are Influenced by Each Others Ideas?
100% of it is influenced by Sami! I let her decide what she wants to cosplay and then I base mine off of hers. Most of the time you will just see me in regular clothes though that go along with her cosplay (Ex: I bought a super cute BB-8 bedazzled shirt off of Etsy to go along with her BB-8) and there are many reasons behind that. I usually find by the time I am done making hers that I am out of time and or financial resources. Some times she just needs me to be her "handler" . Hawkgirl is a prime example. Those wings were enormous on her and a lot of work. BB-SK8 is on roller skates and can sneak off on me much faster! LOL! I have a few Disney bounding outfits that go along with her cosplays as well. I also LOVE being behind the camera vs in front of it!
Where Do You See Yourself in Cosplay in a few years?
I am hoping that I have mastered making armor and masks and that my sewing skills have improved to the point where I could make a ballgown if I wanted to! I am also hoping that Sami has more opportunities to participate in charity events as she grows older. Whenever we attend one as a guest I explain what the charity is about ( usually involves children) and she really takes the information to heart and would like to help as well! She is VERY excited that she gets to participate in her first event this June as a cosplayer and help children. It is Maggiano's Make A Wish Annual Brunch. We also hope that we are having as much fun as we are now with it and continue to meet all sorts of awesome people! We have made SO MANY new friendships and that has been the best!
Mom New to the Chicago Cosplay Scene (and Killing It) - Whitney
I met Whitney back in NWI Comic Con 2016. She had this great Rey (Star Wars) cosplay that's been so popular this year and she did fantastic, winning a prize for all her hard work. You can find more of her work here- www.whitneywickham.com,
How Long have you been Cosplaying?
I have been cosplaying since I was 14 but took a very long break until just about a year ago. I worked for a character company and opened my own which I can say I have been working in that aspect of character performance for three years. But as far as convention cosplay goes I have really only been back for about a year.
Favorite Cosplay
Currently my favorite cosplay is Rey from the Force Awakens. She is my main character for line up this year and I am sure she will stay in my line up for a while. I do however enjoy playing Mary Poppins, Elsa and Star Butterfly as well. I would love to do Erza Scarlet's armor dress cosplay at some point, who wouldn't, but I feel like my craftsmanship with metal working needs grossly improved prior to venturing into that build.
What is the Best Part of Being a Cosplaying Mom?
The best part of being a Cosplaying Mom is getting my kids involved. They love to help create things and it brings us together in the time we spend discussing characters, which costumes they want to do, and even helping come up with the actual materials for those costumes. I feel it also teaches the value of creating relationships, sportsmanship, and of course how to be polite being as the cosplay world can get pretty nasty sometimes with jealousy. My kids are innately competitive so this really helps them tone down and be supportive of all those who participate.
What is the Toughest Part?
The toughest part is knowing that they feel they want to be at every convention. I love them being there but we really have to separate which days and conventions they are part of. I love my time with adult cosplayers too and spending that time with my friends as well. It can be difficult to not make everything a family affair. Also when your kid asks you if you can just build them a Toothless that sort of kind of hovers over the ground just a little and shoots blue fire, that would be awesome. Apparently I am able to do that? I wish I got that memo.
What Does your Kids and Husband Think about you Cosplaying?
My family is very supportive in the cosplay work I do and anything I venture into. My husband doesn't care for our house being a workspace...and I mean every square inch, which I am working on, but they are all very supportive and it has become a very normal thing for our family. There are no questions from them about why or how I do the things I do. It is like second nature now and I am sure they wonder why other families don't have cosplay build days and vacations centered around conventions.
What Advice Do You want to Give to Moms Who Want to Start Cosplaying?
Also- If you are purchasing more fabric that your storage can hold and you can't build the costumes fast enough to get rid of those stores...stop buying fabric! Yes...I have this issue.
Where Do You See Yourself in Cosplay in a few years?
Hopefully in a few years with cosplay I will be happy where I should be. My goal is really to be an actress so I spend a lot of time working towards that goal. Cosplaying feeds into that by allowing me to be other characters and also show my ability to create costumes and props from scratch. It brings out my other creative abilities I otherwise would allow to lay dormant. Whatever the universe brings to me through the world of cosplay I am grateful for and look forward to all of those whom I will meet along that journey!
Mom Who is the Only One Who Cosplays In the Family - Liz
I met Liz on this year's C2E2, and was blown away by her Chandra cosplay. Funny how the world of cosplay is such a small world, but our families were actually neighbors in the Philippines. I love how she does all this really cool cosplay - each one, as I have learned, has taken more than a few months to make. She has a full-time job, and always puts her family first, and cosplay is what she does on her free time (if she had any).
How Long have you been Cosplaying?
First time ever was at DragonCon 2010 - so roughly 6 years. I cosplayed as Simi (a character from my
favorite author’s books, The Dark Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon)
Favorite Cosplay
It will always be X-23. I love the character and the way she looks. Aaaaand she’s the All-New Wolverine!!
Dream Cosplay
Voltron! ‘Nough said.
What is The Best Part of Being A Coaplying Mom?
Being able to cosplay characters my family usually geek about.
What is the Toughest Part?
Time management and not having a real cosplay area to call my own at home are always obvious answers. But I’ve realized that I can definitely make time for it if I really want to take on all these cosplay projects and make sure to clean up after myself so the house isn’t even more of a disaster.
What Does Your Kids and Husband Think about you Cosplaying?
I’m blessed to have an extremely supportive husband who loves my hobby and continuously suggests projects for me to take on. But my kids? They think I’m weird. They’re 13 and 8. They’ll come around.
Which Cosplay that you've Done has been Their Favorite?
Chandra is currently their favorite – mainly because they saw how much time and *ahem* money was spent on it. They also saw me working with Worbla and EVA foam for the first time and they were intrigued by what these simple products can be created with those.
Where Do You See Yourself in a Few Years with Cosplaying?
I hopefully would have gained the skills to create a full armor cosplay already (Voltron or a Titan/Cabal from Destiny), and finally would have grown the balls to enter a Cosplay Competition.
I hope you enjoyed all the wonderful and inspirational stories from each mom that I featured today!
Happy Mothers Day to all mothers out there!
This Sunday, spend the night competing in Trivia and watching Game of Thrones with the Mother of Dragons at MiniBar! Trivia starts at 6:30 followed by the viewing of the show. :)
