Cosplay quotes…is that something most cosplayers think about? Probably not, but we sure could use some inspiration and what better way to do so than with cosplay quotes!

In this post, I have 10 awesome cosplay quotes worth sharing with you. These quotes are inspirational, insightful or actual myths!

They’re not in any particular order; I find all of them to be equally awesome and useful.

Let’s get started with the first quote:

1. “You’re never too old to cosplay!“ ~Cowbutt Crunchies Cosplay

Don’t worry about being “too old” to cosplay; it’s for all ages! Image by Franck Barske from Pixabay.

Cowbutt Crunchies Cosplay is one of the most popular and talent cosplayers out there! She made a short YouTube video on her 37th birthday, talking about how you’re never too old to cosplay. The video is less than a minute long, but it perfectly sums why getting older is not that big of a deal in the cosplay world.

In the video, she mentions how she’s having more fun creating cosplays now vs what she was making 10 years ago. That makes sense, as your inexperience with costume-making can definitely lead to frustrating moments at times. But when you’re older and more experienced, you have less of that.

Another good point Cowbutt Crunchies Cosplay brings up is money. When you’re older, you’re going to a LOT more money now than when you were in your teens and 20s.

So when you’re older, no more:

When you’re older, you’ll have more money to make life easier and more enjoyable.

I feel there’s a stigma in the cosplay world where if you reach a certain age, it’s considered weird to still be cosplaying. And that’s certainly not true. This short video and cosplay quotes by Cowbutt Crunchies Cosplay is a great reminder of that!

2. “You can cosplay whoever you want!“

Harry Potter Cosplay
With the controversy regarding Harry Potter author, JK Rowling, is it right to cosplay from the series anymore? This is an example showing you have to consider the character who you’re cosplaying, and whether it’ll offend or hurt anyone if you do. Photo by 沅珅 蔡. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This line gets thrown out a lot in the community but it’s actually not true.

Well you can, but not without potentially offending people. In other words, offensive cosplays are generally not allowed. This includes doing cosplays such as changing your skin color or cosplaying someone that’s disrespectful.

The saying, “You can cosplay whoever you want!” does come from a good place though. But you definitely need to be careful, as some cosplays can be offensive to people. For example, it’s disrespectful to darken your skin for a cosplay, so don’t do that. Also, stay away from characters that perpetuate racial stereotypes.

The reason why I included this as one of the cosplay quotes because of how misleading it is. When it comes to cosplay creativity, do not let anyone stop you. But when it comes to respecting others, there are definitely limits you must know.

3. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now.” ~Ginny Di

small (cosplay quotes)
Everyone has to start somewhere. Image by skalekar1992 from Pixabay.

When Ginny Di mentioned this in her YouTube video, she was referring to sewing. But I feel this applies to all aspects of cosplaying (e.g. modeling, costume making, crafting). I loved how she used this proverb because it shows that no matter what level of cosplay you are, you can start anytime and become better at it.

I guess this isn’t really a quote from the cosplay world, but it sure applies to cosplayers! We always see beautiful and talented cosplayers at conventions and on social media. And that can be demotivating for some people who aspire to become good at costume-making.

But really, you should just focus on your own cosplay journey and not someone else’s. I know, that’s easier said than done. But I’ve seen so many cosplayers really feeling great about themselves when they notice their own improvements with cosplaying. Seeing your cosplay from 5 years ago and now, you’ll totally be happy to see how far you’ve come.

So don’t worry about not being a professional cosplayer when you start out. Plant the seeds today so you’ll grow stronger and better tomorrow!

4. “Cosplaying is supposed to be fun.“

Don’t forget to have fun while cosplaying. 🙂 Cosplayers: ayamstagram and i.am.honey_chan. Photo taken by dioeraclea.

Don’t ever forget this. For most of us, this is just a hobby. So unless you’re a professional cosplayer who has to do it for a living, there’s no need to put so much pressure on yourself when it comes to cosplaying.

5. “Cosplay is not consent.“

This is one of the golden cosplay rules and definitely important for all people involved. (If you want to know all about the cosplay rules, click here to check out my article about it.)

So just cause someone is cosplaying, does not mean you can treat them differently. So if someone is cosplaying in a bikini, that doesn’t mean you can snap photos of them without asking for permission or catcall them or start touching them.

Cosplay is not consent is a pretty big topic in itself. So check out this article to learn more about it. But to simplify things, when it comes to interacting with a cosplayer…always ask for permission first.

6. “Cosplay has to be accurate.”

It’s hard to accurately cosplay peanut butter, but totally possible to still look great! Cosplayer: layvendercos.

Although accurate cosplays are beautiful and wonderful, you don’t have to strive for accuracy with your costumes. It truly is up to you! Having an accurate-looking costume can make you stand out and there’s a lot of fun and passion doing an accurate cosplay that’s challenging.

But on the flip side, you don’t have to be accurate. In fact, there are tons of cosplayers who do original cosplay (OC) characters. These are totally creative. On top of that, some fictional characters are impossible to replicate 100% in the real world. Also, your own unique physical traits and originality can make a cosplay look amazing, even if it’s totally inaccurate!

So when it comes to cosplays, it can be both accurate and “inaccurate.” It really is up to you!

On a side note, if you want to learn more about cosplay accuracy, click here to read my article about that topic!

7. “Don’t build your castle in someone else’s sandbox.” ~Ginny Di

Email (cosplay quotes)
Having a space you own is a better place to build your followers. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

More awesome advice from Ginny Di. This quote is so true. If you’ve had a cosplay account on social media for a while, then you know how much things like algorithm changes can be annoying. And not only that, one small infraction and your account may get suspended or punished permanently, which will negatively affect your reach and engagement.

Ginny Di brings up a good point about establishing your fan base on YOUR home turf, not someone else’s. In other words, don’t rely on platforms such as Facebook or Twitter to grow your followers. Because you have no control what will happen on the platform.

This is why I have my own website and email list. So in case my Facebook or Instagram accounts get suspended, or the algorithm turns into shit (which it has), no problem! I still own my website and always have a way to reach you guys. 🙂

8. “Aside from giving me the opportunity to find the love of my life, cosplay was also the first place where I made lifelong friends. The value in going to cons and dressing up with them always outweighed the drama.“ ~Yaya Han

Sometimes you have to put up with shitty people and situations in the cosplay community. But as Yaya Han says, the fun times and other people you meet, more than makes up for it. Photo by Mooshu. Licensed by CC BY 2.0.

I found this cosplay quotes from her wonderful book, Yaya Han’s World of Cosplay: A Guide to Fandom Costume Culture. As a lot of you know, the cosplay community is not exactly the perfect place. As with any hobby, it can be stressful and a lot of toxicity can take place. But the joy, fun, excitement and fulfillment you get from cosplaying definitely worth putting up with those negative moments.

If Yaya Han – one of the biggest names in the cosplay community – is saying this, then I think what she says can apply to a lot of us in the community.

9. “The truth about commission work is probably that it’s rarely as lucrative, easy and fun as you imagine.“ ~Kamui Cosplay

Commission (cosplay quotes)
A huge amount of time and labour that goes into making a costume for someone else, which makes it hard to profit.

I myself don’t have much experience when it comes to commission work. But I definitely know it’s not a job that’ll make you rich. Even for a professional cosplayer like Kamui, commission work is not very lucrative.

The time and labour that goes into commission work offsets a lot of the profit you could potentially make. She mentions that you’d likely make money from a minimum wage job. Not to mention that you have to buy the materials yourself as well. So unless you’re charging super high prices for commission work, you probably won’t make too much money off of it. So if you’re going to make cosplays for a living, Kamui advises to have a secondary source of income as well. Because commission work is time consuming!

10. “Hey cosplayers! It’s ok if you’ve been injured, aren’t feeling well emotionally, low on money, or too stressed to complete your costumes. Cosplay will always be there when you are ready for it. Take care of your basic needs first <3” ~Vickybunnyangel

Yoga (cosplay quotes)
Hakuna Matata. Image by Shahariar Lenin from Pixabay.

I LOVE this quote by Vickybunnyangel! Sometimes we get so caught up in cosplay, we forget to take care of our own needs. Yes this actually happens. Whether we’re trying hard to finish a cosplay on time (aka Con Crunch), or spending way too much money at cons, these kinds of habits can negatively affect our finances and health. When this happens, remember that cosplay is just a hobby. And like Vickybunnyangel tweeted out; take care of your basic needs first.

Bonus Cosplay Quote

“Halloween is one day; cosplay is all-year round.” ~Roger Senpai

Not tooting my own horn. 🙂 But for a lot of people, they ask the question, “What’s the difference between Halloween and cosplay?” To that, I give them this answer. Halloween only takes place once a year. For cosplay, it could be snowing outside or a sweaty +35C in the heat. Us cosplayers dress up all year round!

I did an entire post about the differences between wearing a costume for one day vs cosplaying all-year round. Click here if you want to read about it!

Summary

Here are the 10 cosplay quotes for your Instagram caption:

  1. “You’re never too old to cosplay!” ~Cowbutt Crunchies Cosplay
  2. “You can cosplay whoever you want!”
  3. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now.” ~Ginny Di
  4. “Cosplaying is supposed to be fun.”
  5. “Cosplay is not consent.”
  6. “Cosplay has to be accurate.”
  7. “Don’t build your castle in someone else’s sandbox.” ~Ginny Di
  8. “Aside from giving me the opportunity to find the love of my life, cosplay was also the first place where I made lifelong friends. The value in going to cons and dressing up with them always outweighed the drama.” ~Yaya Han
  9. “The truth about commission work is probably that it’s rarely as lucrative, easy and fun as you imagine.” ~Kamui Cosplay
  10. “Hey cosplayers! It’s ok if you’ve been injured, aren’t feeling well emotionally, low on money, or too stressed to complete your costumes. Cosplay will always be there when you are ready for it. Take care of your basic needs first <3” ~Vickybunnyangel

Which of these cosplay quotes is your favorite or inspires you the most? Do you know of a quote that’s not listed here? Let me know in the comments below!

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