#whatawoman

The idea for Whatawoman first came from a normal dine-in at my neighborhood Whataburger. I sipped out of my cup and said: “hey, the Whataburger logo looks an awful lot like the Wonder Woman logo.” And thus, Whatawoman was born!

This is Whatawomans second year making an appearance at the convention. The costume was a combination of rookie seamstress and lucky thrift finds. The bottoms were found thrifting and the top was a normal Orange button up and I made the patch for the front and hand-sewed it on there. All that was left to do thereafter was make a last stop at a Whataburger and ask for two cups that I’d use as Whatswomans cuffs and a paper hat to complete her look !

Whatawoman was a big hit even while visiting a Whataburger location earlier that day. Some customers and employees snapped some shots there. We know how much Texas loves it’s Whataburger so Whatawoman was very much welcomed and appreciated by everyone.

To my surprise, I’m not the only one who decided to pay her respects to this popular fast food chain. There is an interesting individual from Corpus Christi by the name of Eddric who cosplays Whataguy! Who knew Whatawoman had a long lost brother?!

I wouldn’t personally consider myself an avid cosplayer but I’ve always loved dressing up! I am originally from Long Beach, California and grew up very much inspired by Disney and Universal Monsters and I guess the overall idea of being able to dress up and become someone else. My favorite time of year by far is Halloween because people creep out of their comfort zones for once and truly embrace being different. I feel like dressing up in costume or even dressing up nice on a normal day works as a shield for many, almost like literally putting on a cloak of confidence.

Aside from being Whatawoman when the city calls, my name is Erika Guerrero, I am a full-time hair and makeup artist and own my own little shop called Rockabella Hair Lounge!  Rockabella is located a few exits past Sea World inside the Rogers Premier Salon Suites. I specialize in vintage hairstyles and fashion color but perform all sorts of hair services including cuts, highlights, retouches, ombrés and balayage. I guess you could say that my daytime job is to help my clients discover their hidden superhero. I love transforming my clients into even more badass versions of themselves!

---- https://www.instagram.com/_erikaguerrero/

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It all started in 2014, when I saw a man dressed as a Whataburger bag. I thought “that’s funny” and moved on. Fast forward 3 years later, I see a meme on Facebook called Whatawoman. Me, a person that shouldn’t be taken seriously, decided I could do something just as good if not better. A year later, I accomplished that goal. The costume was put together in two words: trial and error. It was 4-5 months of drawing, planning, and building just to see what worked and what didn’t. Recycling cups and boxes from the local Whataburger and finding the right blend of cotton and spandex. As stressful as it was, it felt really rewarding finishing a specific piece and watching the costume come together. All the stress, money, and hot glue was worth it. You know you’ve done something right when Whataburger asks if they could use your picture for a story on their website. :) The response has been all positive and kinda overwhelming. I’m not used to the attention to be honest. I normally attend a convention as a volunteer or not in cosplay. But once I put on that suit, I could hear people screaming “Whataburger Man!” and I can’t help but laugh. It makes me feel happy that this “superhero” makes other people smile or laugh. It’s also very interesting to have to explain to people what Whataburger is. I just say its a Texas thing, and move on. Numerous people ask if I work there at Whataburger. I say no. But I actually sent a job application with a picture of me in the suit. I still have yet to hear back from them. HAH Cosplay is the last thing I expect to be doing. With work, school, and babysitting my 7 month old niece, I really don’t have much time for anything. That being said: cosplay simply amazes me. The time, energy, and attention to detail that people put in their cosplays fascinate me. I have the utmost respect for cosplayers and their craft. I used to think I could never do something like this. Even though I am fairly new to cosplay, I can’t wait to see how creative I can get with this. Not just me, but the many other individuals who bring joy in not only themselves but those around them. REMEMBER it’s not a popularity contest. It’s a fun hobby that supposes to be for EVERYONE. It is Whataguy. I have heard MANY names but my official character name is Whataguy. But stay tuned, I have some cosplays under development that I’m really excited for!