Cosplay Materials

Now that you have a concrete idea for your cosplay, it’s  time to get the  materials! This is where you’ll be on the hunt for your cosplay materials using some  signature cost-effective techniques and tips. 

Smart Shopping for Cosplay 
A cosplay thrift store hat I purchased
A cool fedora I found at a thrift store for $5

Firstly, this is where thrift stores and cheap stores like Goodwill and Dollar Tree will be your go-to for supplies for a low budget cosplay! You can find the shirts, fabric, boots, belts, and other random materials at these places. I managed to find a pretty new looking brown fedora at a thrift store that  for $5.00. (Otherwise would’ve been $20 or more if I had purchased it online.) Who knows what hidden treasures you’ll find there!

After visiting all the local thrift and cheap shops , you can then also visit arts and craft stores such as Michaels and Hobby Lobby. This is where you will get you the tools you need as well for the least amount of money. I recommend checking out as much local arts and crafts stores to compare prices as well.

If you need even more materials or what you’re looking for isn’t in local stores, then you can research online for the best deals you can find on your items and compare. Or if a store near you has a website I would check if the materials you’re looking for are in stock, to save you more time.

The Cosplay Toolkit 

Here are some common cosplay tools   you may need from the stores to assemble your cosplay depending on your idea: 

  • Contact Cement
  • Scissors
  • Box Knife
  • Cheap Sewing kit
  • Scrap plastic
  • PVA Glue
  • EVA foam 
  • Hot glue gun/glue sticks
  • Ruler
  • Flexible Acrylic Paint
Closet Cosplay 

Or perhaps you don’t even need to spend any money at all? (What???) That’s right! If you have any old  or existing clothes in your closet, garage or basement that match the style/color of the cosplay you’re going for ,you might get away without having to spend a penny on them! This is also known as “closet cosplay.” Or if  you also by chance have made a cosplay before, chances are you’ll be able to recycle the parts/accessories for your new project. Also using any discarded items you can find lying around your place or even in the recycling bin might also be useful . Doing this whole process will not only save you money but also enhance your creative  and artistic thinking!