Crossplay Techniques and Tips

Another tutorial! But this time it's for cross-playing :) For those people who wants to cross-play here are some of the tips that could help you in cross-playing.


Beginner's Level
This tier is for those just beginning cross-play or who are interested in getting started soon. Here we'll introduce basic tips for "pulling off" a male costume.

Use Shoulder Pads to Bulk Up!

"I've got wimpy shoulders, so I always use pads! I don't just put them in my undershirt either, but in shirts and jackets too." Some people are sticklers for details ~ if you haven't got the upper body of a man, you may not pass.

Watch the Shape of Your Heel When Choosing Shoes!

"Thin-heeled boots throw off the balance of your body. With thin heels, you'll have a delicate footstep and an appearance that's distinctly feminine." When you buy boots, be sure to choose ones with a heel that will suit your costume. We recommend fat, flat heels on chunky platforms.

Choose Underwear that Won't Show Through Your Costume!

 

"I was wearing a transparent over-shirt one day and didn't realize it. I thought I was passing well and took a ton of photos. But after looking forward to them... when they came out, you could see my camisole in all of them!! (tears)" Light-colored uniform shirts, light grey or tan pants, etc can be transparent! If you think your underwear might show through your costume, be sure to match your camisole and underpants to your costume or choose flesh tones undergarments. If you're binding, remember to match your binder or to use flesh-toned tapes.

Hide Your Heels with Boot-cut Pants!

"A full-on heel looks girly, even if it's chunky. It throws off the balance of your costume and it doesn't give the illusion of height at all." If you cut or buy your pants long, you can use the extra length to cover most of your heels.

Choose a Wig Net to Match Your Wig Color

"When doing short-haired characters, you're working with less hair and have less coverage. It's important for the wig-net to match or it looks kind of slip-shod..." In order to make sure your hair net shows as little as possible, choose a color close to your wig color.

-flesh/peach nets for blonde
-black nets for black or cool colors
-tan nets for brown or red
-white nets for silver or pastel colors

Shoot from Below for the Illusion of Height

"If you take photos shooting from the feet and pointing up, people look really tall!" When shooting photos, try angling your shots up from beneath. Placing one leg closer to the camera and being shot from below can give you a great illusion of height.

Use Concealer to Tone Down your Lips

"I always color my lips with concealer then apply foundation. If I don't, my lips look too red."

Draw Yourself Some Manly Eyebrows

"When drawing eyebrows, I always try to angle them up. I think they'd look good a little shorter than usual too."

To Avert Your Eyes, Look at the Corner of the Camera

"Photos look really great if you avert your gaze just a bit by looking at the corner of the camera. Getting an indirect eye-line can be hard, but with this trick, it's a snap." If you're not sure what to do with your eye-line or suck at posing, this one's for you!

*If you look at the corner of the camera, you get a nice drifting gaze.

Drifting gazes are cool, yo!

Intermediate Level
This next set is for those who've gotten a little used to crossplay over time and are looking to advance. With these tricks, you'll level up in no time.

Stack Shoulder Pads to Stack Manliness!

"If you're cosplaying a character with a great upper body, stacking shoulderpads will give you the extra boost you need."

Use Foundation to Banish Redness

"Women stereotypically have a warm glow about them. Controlling color with foundation can help you banish the redness for a cooler complexion."

*red is cancelled out by yellow and green. Either tone to your foundation will cut down on redness.

Block in Your Nose with Nose-Shadow

"In order to give your nose more definition and achieve a sharper, more angular look, try drawing shadows around your nose with nose shadow." A bit of shadow in the hollows of your eyes and nose can give you a more masculine appearance.


Take Care With Your Obi When you Tie a Yukata!

"It's no good to tie an obi at your waist. If you don't wear it around your hips, it won't look right."

Watch the Position of Your Hands

"Rather than putting your hand on your waist, try dropping it down to your hips. It looks more masculine."

*practice in the mirror!

Take Care of your Sideburns

"You can hide the hair in front of your ears easily by coloring over it with concealer!" We also recommend gluing down your wig's sideburns with eyelash glue.

Advanced Level
For those of you who've mastered the arts of manliness ~ let's move into the major leagues. These techniques take time and skill but will make a world of difference.

Dye Your Wig Net to Match Your Wig!

"If you're going to dye your wig anyway, throw the wig net into the mix as well. Mine came out so well that you couldn't see it there at all!"

*The same color is always the hardest to see underneath.

Holding a Sword the Cool Way!

"Some people just don't know how to look cool holding a sword... if you seem uncomfortable with a katana in your hands, it's difficult to pass for a character who actually uses one." Swords are held almost like you're wringing out a wet rag. (A standard kendo grip is shown.)

*Watch your wrists!

Hide Your Height with Boot Inserts

"I always boost my height with hidden heel inserts." More manly than platforms, inserts can boost your height in a less obvious way."


Give Your Lashes a Trim

"Trimmed fake lashes strengthen the impact of your eyes, they're really convenient to have!"

Warnings for Crossplay Beginners ~ Common Mistakes
According to our survey, these are the mistakes most crossplayers fall into at least once or twice! We'll show you what not to do, and what to do instead.


A Sudden Case of Girl pose

"If I relax too much, I find myself doing girlish poses. It's embarrassing." Be especially careful of your feet when posing!

*with just the tips of your toes ~ you're 100% girl

An Upward Glance

"I was always raising just my eyes to meet the camera when shot from above." None of that coyness! Tilt your head up and meet the camera head-on.

*It's almost like you're staring down the camera!

Cute Color Contacts

"I put in color contacts that made my eyes huge and sparkly!" When going for a manly look, be sure to opt out of circle lenses and sparkles.

Your Usual Blush

"I have bad blood circulation, so I was always using my usual blush. But I looked like a clown!" Choose a brownish blush and use it on your jawline, not the apples of your cheeks.

Well that's it for now. I'll add some when I think of something or seen something that wasn't in this list. Credits goes to kiratsukai of cosplay.com