This is a translation/transcription of my interview in French for #Infolux https://www.info-lux.com/cosplay-kate-oriley-quelle-histoire/
Hi Kate, can you tell me a little bit about yourself, who are you? where are you from and how did you become a cosplayer?
Hi everyone! My name is Kate O'Riley, I live in Jambes (Namur) and I've been a cosplayer since 2007/2008 so almost 15 years now!
I'm originally from Eupen, in the German-speaking Community of Belgium where Carnival is like a 5th season, it's a big part of our folklore and our living heritage. I always loved to celebrate it at school, with the scouts... My grandfather always took me to see the processions and his brother, my Great Uncle Jean, was even Prince Carnival in 1953. So you could say that it's in my blood. I just fell head over heels into costumes when I was little! As far back as I can remember, I have always played dressed up. When I was 4 years old, I asked my aunt to sew me a mermaid tail and every day after school, I would put it on and jump around the house as if I were in a potato sack race!
Then when I was 10 years old I made my first cosplay without even knowing it by asking my aunt to sew me a replica of Lady Marry's dress from the comic book "Yoko-Tsuno - The prey and the ghost" by Roger Leloup. I was also Android 18 from Dragon Ball Z at the school carnival long before I heard the word "cosplay".
O'Riley, that doesn't sound very Belgian... is it your real name or a nickname? An alias?
Well, Kate is simply short for Catherine, my first name and O'Riley is what I would call my stage name or artist name. My official last name is not easy to wear and doesn’t sell. In the “business”, everyone has a nickname and mine comes from the character Riley Finn from my favorite show, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". This character is inspired by Captain America, who is my favorite superhero, so I killed two birds with one stone by choosing this name. It also allows me to keep a semblance of anonymity outside of cosplay and to separate my private life from my hobby which is more public. Not that my private life is particularly interesting or requires absolute secrecy but I like to make the distinction between the two. Through cosplay you meet a lot of people, not everyone has your best interest at heart and it's important to protect or shield yourself a little.
Alright! I get you! This is pretty smart and a good advice!
How would you explain what cosplay is to someone who knows absolutely nothing about it?
Well, thank you for your interest and for asking me this question, because this hobby is quite confusing and often misunderstood. Indeed one can quickly get the wrong idea! So thank you for asking me the question, there is no harm in not knowing what it is or not being sure to have understood it correctly... I'll try to explain it as simply as possible...
To make it short: It's a form of art with many different techniques that pays tribute to a favorite character/ universe from pop culture.
But it's more complex and subtle than that... Where a fan can pay homage to his favorite character/series in many different ways like for example by drawing fan-arts or writing fan-fiction, the cosplayer fan will use his ten little fingers, a little bit of cunning and a lot of elbow grease to recreate the costume and look of the character the most accurately possible.
To begin with, the word "cosplay" is the contraction of the words "costume" and "play". It can be roughly interpreted as: playing dress up.
As it all starts from a passion for pop culture, the main goal is to try to recreate your favorite character as identical and accurate as possible, whether it’s a character from TV series, movies, manga, comics, video games, cartoons... Any character with an official reference image and coming from a specific universe can be cosplayed (yes, yes, even Ronald Mc Donalds!)
And, once the costume is done, you play the character: you take their mimics, you copy their behavior, voice... you have fun playing them and really BE the character through and through.
And this is where it gets interesting because there are two types of cosplay:
- The handmade cosplay: Costume made by oneself (sewing, crafting...) mainly to take part in contests. Depending on the contest and the rules, where at least 50% to 80% of the costume must be handmade. The goal is to recreate the character’s outfit it as faithfully and as identically as possible in order to really look alike.
- The purchased cosplay: There is no shame in not knowing how to sew or craft. We all started somewhere and if you don't want to go to compete in a contest, no stress, you can have fun and wear your favorite character's outfit just by buying it. However, you won't be able to participate in most contests... But again, don't worry, that won't prevent people from appreciating the character if you embody it well and you will be photographed too!
A successful cosplay, whether it's homemade or bought, is a cosplay that gives the impression of seeing the character embodied and coming to life and not someone dressed up or disguised as X.
Ok wow! that was really well summarized and complete, thank you! So where do you start?
You begin your journey simply by being a fan of a character, and then to want to dress up like him and play him. Then we put on our thinking caps:
- Would it fit me physically? Do I have similar features? If not, does it seem doable with my means and abilities (make up, wig, lenses...)
- Is the costume within my means (technical, financial...) ? Is there a challenge? Is there something I need to learn, something to research (historical costume, modification of a pattern...)
From there, I go hunting for reference pictures: front, back, profile, close up... And we analyze all that! What are the fabrics used, the colors, the materials, how was this or that piece made?
Then, shopping trip to get the necessary material: pattern, fabrics... sometimes we can have a strike of luck and find the perfect fabric (material, colors, etc.), sometimes we have to think further: dyeing, patchwork...
Since I began to cosplay, there are more and more specialized stores that have opened; access to good material is easier and there are a lot of tutorials circulating on the net.
There wasn't all that 10-15 years ago: back then we were playing MacGuyver! We used to make crazy things with bits and bobs, and even if the DIY/handmade side was more obvious, it gave a charming crafted look to some costumes.
For the role-playing side, I'll think about the character's facial expressions, key phrases... I'll replay scenes and imagine how the character would interact...
Sometimes the costume you buy will be cheaper than making it yourself ... but sometimes it's the opposite. It all depends on the complexity of the costume and the materials used.
Whatever you choose to do, the ultimate goal is to enjoy playing your favorite character and pay tribute to him in your own way. There is no right or wrong way to cosplay as long as you are having fun. Remember that there will always be someone who will make the same costume as you, better or worse... In the end, what matters is to do it for you, with your means. We don't all have access to a sewing machine, a 3D printer, an embroidery machine... we don't all have the same level of sewing or crafting skills (practice makes perfect). There is no need to compare yourself to other versions of the same character made with different techniques and materials. I personally think it's great: everyone brings his personal touch and does it his way. That's the beauty of handmade cosplay because there is never 2x the same costume even if it's the same character.
In fact, if I love cosplay so much, it's because I really find in it everything that I love doing: dressing up, changing my appearance, playing a character, creating, tinkering, learning, meeting people, sharing... this freedom of creativity and the pride of doing cool stuff by myself, exceeding my limits, seeing my improvement… I’m living for this!
Is there an age to start? An age limit to stop?
No, there is no age to start or to stop.
I know cosplayers who bring their children with them in costume which is pretty cute!
I also met some senior cosplayers who amazed me!
At the rate I'm going, I'll probably still be cosplaying on my deathbed at age 100!
I'm impressed to see how varied it is... sewing, crafting, wig styling…
Oh yes, as cosplayer you are: costume maker, prop maker, makeup artist, hair dresser, actor, model, sound OP, director etc… all at once! It's a very rich hobby and I personally learned so many new things and skills because of it! I took evening classes to learn how to sew, I've learned how to pose in front of a camera; something I would never have done as boring ol’ me... Cosplay allowed me to boost my ego, to (re) gain confidence in myself, to meet great people, to exchange with them (tutorials, tips, cake recipes...) to learn how to style and wear wigs, to make my own hair, learn how to make my own clothes, to apply makeup in many different ways beyond the classic daily makeup, and to alter my facial features... I wouldn't have learned half of it if I hadn't started cosplaying!
Honestly respect for learning all this stuff! At first glance no one would think there is so much behind a “simple costume” I guess it's also useful outside of cosplay?
Oh yes! Learning to sew has allowed me to sew a few things for myself, or to patch up stuff. I've also gained enough confidence in myself to pose without a costume with trusted photographers. I've learned to make things with what I have, recycle, think out of the box and I use my cosplay tricks in everyday life.
As a history buff, I always enjoy learning about period costumes, I've learned a lot about the evolution of fashion, the making of certain fabrics and materials... for me it's a blast! (I'm a Ravenclaw nerd if you haven't guessed).
Cosplay also allowed me to meet people of all ages, coming from everywhere in Belgium, Europe, the world… all lovely people with the most diverse and varied jobs; Mailman, doctor, soldier, train driver, teacher... Cosplayers are not necessarily professionals of the art professions like costume designers or actors (though I also know professionals who cosplay...) everyone can become a cosplayer if he wants to, if he is passionate and is not afraid to dare!
And when your cosplay is finished, where do you wear it ?
Mainly in conventions or I arrange with photographer friends and cosplayer friends to meet up and have a photo shoot day in a nice location or in a studio. I've also done some entertainment at some events, movie premieres, etc…
Conventions are the ideal place to see cosplayers, those are fairs dedicated to pop culture, often in large exhibition halls, which can accommodate tens of thousands of people. There you will find various booths that either sell or exhibit things related to pop culture: Figures, games, derivative items, jewelry, handicrafts, cosplays and cosplay accessories (wigs, lenses, gadgets of the characters), replicas of weapons, stuffed animals… you name it, they have it!
Often conventions also invite actors to come and do photos and autographs. Recently, cosplay guests are also in demand, but that's for the elite.
There are also food booths and animations: tea ceremony, martial arts initiation, lightsaber duels, role playing tables...
In the exhibitors' booths, you will find a lot of fan clubs of cult movies/series like star wars, star trek, Harry Potter, Ghostbusters... that will exhibit props and recreate parts of film sets. I for example am part of a Ghostbusters fan group!
Great, can you tell me about it?
With pleasure, but that’s gonna be for another interview ;)
Do you compete in contests ? Have you ever won one?
I had my moment of glory in 2012 when I was selected Belgian champion and I was able to participate in a European scale competition in London. But it didn't bring me anything financially or in terms of job opportunities... On the other hand, I have made very fond memories from a human point of view. I met very nice people, very talented cosplayers who inspire me a lot when I see their work. I really enjoyed this experience.
Around 2016 I stopped competing because I was a bit fed up, it was getting the best of me and my ego, I felt like I had reached the end of my abilities, as if I had nothing more to offer... like other were better then I could ever be. It's hard sometimes to have to admit that the costume in which you put all your savings, love, sweat, tears and blood is not good enough compared to the other competitors... it gives you the unfair feeling of not being good enough and not be appreciated at your true value when it’s not necessarily true. I preferred to take a break to come down and since then, I make smaller, simpler costumes, but they give me much more joy even if I get less photographed than before.
Competitions are very trying : you have to be stress resistant, finish your costume in time, respect the rules of handmade costumes, make a decent audio file to make a quality performance...
As much as I have always loved being on stage and play my character, I have never really been competitive. I was never interested in winning anything at all costs. I don't compare myself to others: in cosplay, we don't all start on equal footing, we don't all have the same level and the same means, the same access to the good materials, etc. It discourages many to participate in a contest which I understand. In the end, as long as I do better than the previous time, as long as I evolve and do my best... I'm happy and I don't really care what the others do or think. I know my value, I don't need a jury or an award to tell me what I am worth. I've proven myself enough as it is, I don't owe anything to anyone anymore. In the end, being known in cosplay is like being a millionaire at the Monopoli game: it doesn’t mean anything…
So yes of course there are some "cosplay stars" who managed to have a worldwide fame, good for them! But for me it's not my goal, I'm not interested.
You talked about actor guests, have you ever met like big Hollywood actors? Who have you seen and how did it go?
Yes, several! But you have to pay to see them! Autographs and pictures with them are not free... some of them are even very expensive...
When you go to a convention, the best thing to do is to buy the tickets little by little, starting with the entrance tickets, then as the actors are announced, you decide if you want to go and see them for a photo or an autograph... it allows you to spread out the payments because once you do the math of everything, it hurts! Some of them can cost more than 100€/£/$ for a photo/autograph! This price is not their responsibility though, it's an arrangement between their manager and the convention organizer... there are commission rates, taxes... I'm not sure how it works exactly but I know it's not the actor who puts X times 100€/£/$ in his pocket for example...
Also be careful not to take everything on the same day! For example if I know that an actor is there on the weekend, on Saturday I like to take the picture and on Sunday I let him sign our picture. (When you're in a contest you don't have as much time to enjoy the convention because you have to follow the contest schedule and you spend a lot of time backstage) You have to be organized because you lose a lot of time waiting in line!
At a convention, if you have a busy schedule, you won't have much time to do anything else. You'll have to choose between the activities you want to do, the things you want to see... it gets so big and crowded that it becomes impossible at some events to do everything. But there are also smaller events where you won't have this kind of situation.
Otherwise, you basically have to queue to get in, queue to put your stuff in the checkroom when there is one, then you queue to pee, then you go from an autograph line to a photo line, then another one for the food and to get out you have to go through the queue again but in reverse...
You have to be in good shape, you're going to walk and stump a lot and it's more tiring than a 30km walk ! Remember also to drink and eat enough to avoid discomfort or faint!
When it's your turn to go to the signing table to meet the guest, take a deep breath and enjoy! It's normal to be nervous, excited and happy to see them, but don't panic! They usually don't bite, the staff feeds them! But you can always bring them chocolate, usually they like it! If you don't speak English, there is always a staff member who will help you translate. In general the guests are really nice, I had only very few bad surprises. With some of them, you will want to talk all day long but sometimes the staff or the manager will cut you short because other fans are waiting behind...
The best time to talk to them is at the autograph table, at the pictures it goes by much faster. Don't hesitate to do funny pictures with them, they usually don't mind if you ask nicely... but don't exaggerate with complicated poses that will delay the flow, don't ask them to do a handstand with a feather in the... well you know where...
And after the convention?
You sit your ass down and rest! I'm not even kidding, conventions are not only physically tiring but also mentally. I like to have some quiet time at the end of the day to recover because it eats up all my energy. The older I get, the longer it takes me to recover!
As for my costumes, I wash and iron them before storing them in a dedicated closet, sometimes in a cloth bag and the accessories/wigs go in dedicated boxes. I have specially arranged a small room as a dressing room where everything is stored and grouped together because I am a bit of a neat freak…
That’s not a bad thing! It makes sense to store your stuff neatly.
How does your entourage react to you cosplaying? Do they have prejudices or negative reactions?
Well, frankly, and to many’s surprise: no. I've never really been labeled as "weird", at worst I'm considered as a creative person, a bit eccentric or very passionate, but that's in my nature anyway, so with or without cosplay it doesn't matter. I don't take any offense, I'm proud of my passions and I don't hide it. I've never really had a negative reaction at work either, my colleagues love it when I show them my costumes. I have never had any prejudice in this area because from the beginning I have always explained very well what it was all about to avoid confusion and as a result people are more intrigued and curious. Often they are even impressed to see what I do, they don't recognize me on my pictures. My colleagues are very happy for me when I go to conventions to meet actors and "play dress up", they are amused when I tell them about my adventures when I come back. I'm really lucky that it's taken with so much kindness, I know it's not the case for all.
As for my family, they sometimes have a hard time understanding that I spend so much time and energy into it or don't understand how I can be so invested in it. It's not the cosplay itself that bothers them but my passion and the fact that I talk about it all the time and with so much passion. They don't really understand what it is. But since I don't smoke, drink or do drugs... they quickly stopped complaining.
I even managed to take my 67 year old mother to a convention for one day! It was great to finally be able to share it with her, she didn't expect it to be so crowded, she was quite impressed by the costumes and intrigued by the booths. In her words, "it's like carnival with a covered market!” It made me giggle but she's not wrong... She understands better why I am so tired when I come back from these kind of events, why it takes me so much logistics and time, she is more understanding and caring when I leave and more open to look at my pictures when I come back. It’s really nice to be able to share it with her.
Have you ever had bad experiences? Stalkers? Perverts?
Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that I've had my share of dirty d*ck pictures, very inappropriate and insistent remarks/messages, insults from strangers, intrusive people who need to interfere in everything I post or do...
Unfortunately, harassment will always be everywhere, no matter what you do, no matter how you do it, there will always be trolls and envious, stupid and nasty people to comment...
But overall for me, frankly it's fine, it's not a daily thing so I really have nothing to complain about.
How do you deal with this kind of situation? Is it common in the business ?
Yes, as with everything we post online, we get criticized and insulted often for no reason by envious people and trolls. But it's the same for all hobbies and in all fields. I think that we have to expose these people publicly because ignoring this kind of behavior is too easy, it's like burying your head in the sand. You have to be able to stand up for yourself and not hesitate to put people in their place. Sure they might move on to someone else when you ignore them... and you can always simply block them, but I think shaming them by calling them out publicly is more effective. And it shows everyone how stupid they are, they don't expect it and it has a mass effect, like a united front. It dissuades them from continuing if they are alone, while we, cosplayers, are legion.
You have to remember that as cosplayers, you are exposed to compliments as well as critics and haters. You can't have only positive things and you have to be aware of it and have strong enough shoulders to take it.
What have been the weirdest questions, requests you've had?
I have been asked for pictures of my feet... to each their own... I don't judge...
I have also been asked once if I was doing porn... and he was very serious about it!
In fact, while discussing with the person I realized that he completely misunderstood the concept of cosplay because when he looked it up on Google, he found mostly images of half-naked girls... and in the end I couldn't blame him for the confusion and the unfortunate mix-up... So I took the time to explain to him what it was and he apologized.
In fact, in porn, some people like to dress up to get into action. Again, I don't judge, to each their own... but one thing leading to another and porn has integrated cosplay in its videos... which is logical: some fantasize about Poison Ivy or a manga character with big boobs for example.
And some cosplayers, in order to be noticed, choose to make costumes of sexy characters or to make costumes that are not necessarily sexy sexy... so the limit is sometimes very blurred, especially seen from the outside...
What often harms us too, is the oversexualization of heroes and heroines. Of course, in order to look like them, you have to play the game and reveal yourself in a way that you wouldn't do if you were you. This is also the "play" side of cosplay. Sometimes the public is ignorant, confused and takes us for whores when no, we simply play our character...
But of course there are always some chicks that will exaggerate and play the game a little too well and go a little too far... but in general you can quickly see the difference between the girl who wants attention and the one who enjoys dressing up.
This is sick! However, great reaction to this question! I know some people who would have smacked the guy...
Oh, the idea of slapping him crossed my mind... but violence doesn't solve anything, I preferred to take the time to explain In the end, he was more ignorant than mean...
... but the perverts, is it a myth or do they really exist ? Have you ever had to deal with dubious characters?
Unfortunately, it's not a myth! They do exist! Not only in the cosplay world... but let's just say that some of them come to conventions only to ogle as if they were at the erotic fair...
You won't believe which costume got me the most dirty comments!
No, which one?
Cinderella.
The princess in pretty sparkly ball gown?
Yes! Unbeliveable huh? I've had dads come up to me and whisper in my ear "I've always wanted to kiss a princess! Let me go under your skirt, I'll show you a good time!" while theire lady was 2m away with the kids...
Well damn!
And one day as U.S.O girl from Captain America someone took pictures under my skirt...
So yes, perverts do exist, we have to be careful and sometimes remind them "cosplay is not consent" just because you walk around with a "sexy" look doesn't mean that it's an invitation to touch you or to sleep with you...
the "cosplay is not consent" movement came around about the same time as #MeToo, it's the cosplayers' way of putting this kind of people in place and exposing this kind of behavior. It's a pity to have to come to that... but at some point you have to make them understand that it's a hobby and that no, you don't walk around like that outside conventions! Yes today I dress like a sexy manga character but no, it's not my daily look. Cosplay is just a way to express your creativity and show that you are a fan... and that’s it...
What's a pity too is that despite the hobby being for all (whatever the age, the color, the morphology, etc.) in practice it's not really like that. I's always those who are physically "pretty" who will have more success. This makes me sad. A lot of talented people don’t get the recognition they deserve because of that and it spoils the fun. Also whether it's a handmade, bought, or commissioned costume... this sometimes leads to misunderstandings with the outside world (this dear man who thought I was doing porn…) and talented people are ignored because Miss Silicon Boobs with her bought costumes gets more views and likes…
You are a history buff, can you tell me a little more about where cosplay came from, when it started, how it evolve?
Of course, with pleasure! Come on, let's take my Delorean and go for a ride in the past!
At any time, there were already masquerades, masked balls and Carnivals. The idea was to dress up so as not to be recognized and under the cloak of anonymity to mix and mingle between poor and rich classes.
Before pop culture became what we know today, people already liked to read fiction and science fiction novels. At that time, newspapers were already posting small stories in the form of pictures that follow each other, which will be the precursors of the current comics. Often they were satires and caricatures of political people of the time, but very quickly it was extended to fictional characters. We have traces of a couple dressing up as Martians in 1910!
The first science fiction convention took place in 1939 in New York, the same year the first Batman was released! At the time, science fiction comics and novels were becoming more and more popular and were easily accessible to people of all ages. It's no wonder that afterwards people tried to gather around this passion. It was of course also a great opportunity for the publishers to get known and promote their artists.
Then there was a big boom after World War II with the appearance of color television and series like Star Trek and movies like Star Wars ... the craze was such that Japanese artists who worked in the video games and animation field have taken up the concept at home, but the translation of the English term, of French origin "masquerade" had a connotation of "aristocratic costume" which didn’t sound right. Therefore, the term "cosplay" was invented in 1984. I wasn't even born yet, can you imagine!
Since then, pop culture has come out of its niche, it's no longer this almost underground movement reserved for "geeks" and "nerds". The access to comics/mangas and derived products is much easier (supermarkets sell Funko Pop for example...) No need to go through online stores or to go to the capital to find a specialized store. (I'm not talking about the Franco-Belgian comics which are obviously very accessible here in Belgium where I’m from) Today, almost everyone is a geek and I think very fondly and with a lot of affection of my generation who reached the age of becoming nostalgic and who managed to revive and rediscover these "old vintage cartoons" and share them with the new generations. Besides, I love to see the families coming together in cosplay!
Pop culture has also evolved to the point of creating sub-cultures like Kawaii Lolita, gaming and retro gaming etc.
Today's generation may not realize it, but they are fucking lucky… "back in my day" (I sound like an old lady...) we didn't have access to half of the materials like quality lace front wigs, semi professional make up and tools, accessories, 3D printers, patterns, tutorials etc. that we can now easily find everywhere on the net today. At that time it was really tinkering with bits and bobs à la MacGuyver. But even with the easy access to all of that, you still need talent and training to do a good job, and that is not given to everyone...
Wow... you are a real encyclopedia !
... I have a bit of a training in tourism and therefore a bit of knowledge in history... and my natural habitat after conventions are museums... and did I ever tell you that I'm Ravenclaw?
That explains a lot! Well, back to you! Tell me about your plans, your goals, your dreams!
I've always dreamed of making Sissi's star dress (Me a history buff? Just a bit!) I have the pattern, but I'm going to need a lot of fabric and I haven't found something I'm happy with yet... if I'm going to make it, I want to make it right and give it my all! (... and save money because a project of this size is not cheap...)
I'd also like to do something more audio-visual around cosplay, like a Youtube channel, tik tok... try to put myself a bit more out there and in the forefront, why not make "talk shows" on twitch with other cosplayers as guests... I don't really know where to start, I'm lacking material and technical team… but something is slowly coming up...
Otherwise I would also like to do some cosplays of favorite characters like Lady Amalthea from the last unicorn, Samantha from Bewitched, Fleur Delacourt from the Harry Potter universe… the list is long!
One last question and I'll leave you alone: Best memory, cosplay anecdote? Best meeting with a celebrity ?
Recently I had the great pleasure to meet Barbara Eden, 91 years old, who was Jeannie in “I dream of Jeannie” in 1965... I loved to cosplay her and the moment spent at the signing table was just magical! Barbara greeted me with a big smile and did Jeannie’s cult gesture. I was over the moon!
I also had the chance to meet Stan Lee. For the occasion I had made the cosplay of Amora the Enchantress because she’s a character that he created and his agent recognized it and complimented me with a big smile and thumbs up. What a guy Stan Lee is... when you know his history and his career! We owe him almost all the Marvel heroes and so many comics nowadays!
Meeting Nichelle Nichols from Star Trek made me almost tear up which never happened to me before! What a lady!
I'm very very big fan of the shows Gotham and Buffy, I met almost the whole cast ! I did the same as for the Pokemons: catch them all! They were all the most adorable people I ever had the pleasure to meet! I saw some of them multiple times over the years and now we sort of became comic con buddies. When we see each other it's no longer the fan girl who has jittery knees in front of the super star... it's "Hey long time no see! How's your husband?".
Fun fact: the flowers on Irene Adler's hat are from a funeral home...I couldn't find the right color in the store!
There you go!
Wow crazy... thanks for all your explanations and good luck!
