Customer Spotlight: Sillywhims
Sillywhims
Wig style and color: Lulu + Long Wefts in Light Blonde 013
Photos by Papanotzzi + Leo Photography
This week we interviewed our customer, Sillywhims! See more of her work via ACParadise!
Q: When did you start cosplaying, and what got you started?
A: Well, I always loved dressing up for Halloween and for fun as a kid, seeing how I had a big box of costumes at my disposal so I could let my imagination run wild! In middle school, I wore my first anime costume of Sailor Uranus, where I actually cut my hair that short. My grandma had made the costume 95% from scratch and I tried to learn a few things from her as she worked on it. When I learned about conventions and cosplay shortly after that, I knew I had to get involved somehow! My first convention was in 2002, where I had the cosplay-mindset of, “Hey, if I wear these bell-bottom khakis and keep my legs together for photos, it’ll look like a dress! This character also has dark brown hair but I’ll use my frizzy dirty blonde hair, no problem!”…Hey, we all gotta start somewhere!
Q: What is your favorite part of the costume-making process?
A: I love both gathering the supplies for a new costume and then sewing it together. I could spend hours in a fabric store, going back and forth between what fabric would work best for something. “Hmm, this blue looks more accurate, but this one has such a nice authentic texture, argh!” Ya know, the fun yet sometimes aggravating part. Sewing everything together and seeing the costume take shape is always rewarding, and I tend to sew just to relieve stress. It gives me something to focus on and not worry about anything else that may have been bothering me before I sat down at the machine. Wig-styling is fun, too, especially if it’s a challenge! I get bummed out sometimes if I’m doing a costume where the wig is just left as-is!
Q: Which costume are you most proud of?
A: Probably my original design based on the Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I had designed it, along with about 28 other Walt Disney World-inspired costumes, for my senior project in college. I worked really hard to make my design a reality and was so incredibly proud of myself for the work I did, from the concept stage to actually sewing it together and wearing it. Is it my best sewing job? Not really, no. But the costume means a lot to me on a personal level and it will always be one of my favorite cosplay achievements. (https://www.acparadise.com/
Q: Do you have a favorite Arda Wig style and/or color?
A: I like the Ferrari quite a bit! I’ve used it for both long and short styles, and it fits great on my head – very roomy! As for color, there’s a TON of colors I would love to get someday, but in my experience the Light Blonde is a really pretty one! Not too natural and not too unnatural, if that makes any sense.
Q: What advice do you have for new cosplayers getting into the hobby?
A: HAVE FUN! That’s the main advice I have. I started this hobby because I just always had fun dressing up and hanging out with friends and meeting new ones. Don’t let negative comments get to you, especially if you’re starting out in the hobby. Everybody has to start somewhere and luckily, we’re in a time where there are so many great resources for new (and experienced!) cosplayers and just about everybody is willing to help each other out.
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