#gnbcosplay

Today marks the 10yr anniversary of GNBCosplay!!! 10 years ago I went to my first convention (#AnimeExpo) and was instantly hooked! I soon after decided to open GNB Cosplay commissions as a way to create costumes for the community when there weren't many commission based businesses open. I remember researching how to set prices, outlining my f.a.q. section, figuring out what measurements I needed...etc... I didn't even have an actual site, just MySpace, cosplay.com & then etsy a little down the line. . . . Cosplay has allowed me to meet some amazing people, travel, and even come out my shell. There's so much more I want to say, but I'm so focused on finishing my collection for New York Fashion Week words escape me at the moment. Haha I will say, I'm thankful for those who have supported me over the years, even if it was just a "like" on social media, I see it all and blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. . . . I don't see myself quitting cosplay anytime soon. I may not make as many new cosplays because I'm balancing my clothing line right now, but I know I will always be apart of the community. . . . P.S. I couldn't fit all my cosplays over the years in one collage, but I did put my first cosplay in there. . . . #cosplayer #cosplay #cosplayersofinstagram #glowup #10yrsofAXandcounting #cosplaycommunity #cons #GNBCosplay #LRoyaltyclothing #sewing #patterns #commissions #werk #allthecosplays #celebrating

So I commented this on a friend's status on Facebook because they had mentioned that they were no longer interested in cosplaying. They hit a really rough patch, and they felt pressured to finish a cosplay for a con. They felt after they finished it, it was pointless because they only got a few photos & 40 likes. . . This was my response. I think some people get into cosplay expecting to get famous or to get noticed by someone, but I think everyone should really just be cosplaying because of the love of the character. Some people think hanging out with "popular cosplayers" will in turn make them popular. They think if they support them & share their work they are real life friends. Butttttt I've found that not to be true. . . Some people have asked me why I'm not that "popular" or why I don't have thousands of likes & fans because of how much I've done over the years. But I think it's because I never started cosplaying for those reasons. I always did it for fun & to help people. When I started my commission business in 2007 I wanted to help cosplayers get custom costumes they could wear to cons. At the time only really Ebay had costumes or you had to make them yourself. I was in fashion school leaning how to make patterns so I wanted to help others anyway I could. #gnbcosplay . . In 2011 I wanted to start a cosplay ball because there weren't any SoCal conventions having formal dances. I wasn't trying to make a bunch of money or launch myself, I was only trying to make a fun event for cosplayers. I barely broke even putting on that event. Shortly after many cons in SoCal added formal dances to their conventions because convention heads & staffers attended my event. #socalcosplayball . . In 2011 when my friends of @cho_co_co3 made our debut in the convention scene we were just trying to cosplay together & share our stories. We soon became trailblazers for diversity panels on the convention scene & shortly after was asked to guest cons. We didn't set out to become "famous" or "trailblazers" we just wanted to share our stories & invite others to share theirs. #chocolatecoveredcosplay . . #cosplaythoughts #whydoyoucosplay #cosplaydiscussions #cosplay https://www.instagram.com/p/CDHyZDejyot/?igshid=dwsk3mja3xdj

Cosplay memories with that time I was apart of this amazing documentary @cosplaydreams3d along with some amazing talent! . . . . . #cosplay #cosplayersofinstagram #GNBCosplay #cosplaydreams3d #movie #cosplaydoc https://www.instagram.com/p/BsTRYvvDhq1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wwsnmi16cgfl

It's hard to put into words what cosplay had brought me these past 11yrs, so I'll put them into photos. Here are /some/ of my best memories as a cosplayer. I went from attending cons, to starting a commission business, to hosting panels, to starting a cosplay group, to guesting cons, to hosting events, to tv shows, to magazine articles, newspaper articles, random cosplay shoots that aren't live yet, to being featured on Buzzfeed a few times. Time really does fly. I'll be sharing memories with you all this weekend as I spend all my time sewing for NYFW. Thank you everyone for your continued support of me, my cosplays and my dreams. . . . . . . #cosplayer #cosplay #cosplayersofinstagram #GNBCosplay #lookingback #celebrating #commissions #sewing #nyfw #newyorkfashionweek #dexterslaboratory #DeeDee #morticiaaddams #mortalkombatcosplay #mortalkombat #poisonivy #staticshock #princessandthefrog #princess #princesspeach #wonderwoman #catwoman #wendykoopa #powerpuffgirls #sailormoon https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm3YBT8gEzu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=c5r6kp5z7bj5

"I can show you the world..." . . . . . #throwbackcosplay #jasmine #disney #aladdin #cosplayers #cosplayersofinstagram #cosplay #sparkle #sexycosplay #cosplaybabes #longhairdontcare #gnbcosplay

If you see an #inaccurate #Moana #cosplay art #animela, just know it's a dumb bunny #cosplayer by the name of #gnbcosplay who didn't finish her #cosplay on time lol