Luggage-friendly cosplays!
If you’re like me and enjoy traveling often, then you probably also attend Anime and Comic conventions away from home as well. But unlike going to a convention that’s either close or within driving distance, a con that’s abroad is logically more difficult to plan. In particular, bringing your cosplay to the international convention may seem difficult or impossible! Whether you’re hopping on a plane or a bus, you will definitely have size and baggage limits that will make things harder to cosplay.
Not to fear though! I have many years’ experience going to Anime/Comic conventions outside of home and I’ve cosplayed many characters. I can tell you that it’s definitely possible to cosplay while also complying with size limits. Which cosplays? That’s what we will be discussing here!
In this post, I will give you 10 luggage-friendly cosplays that will easily fit your carry-on suitcase. That way, you can rest assured that you will be able to travel with a cosplay with you while also fitting size limits on a bus, train or plane.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Closet cosplays
On the top of this list, we have closet cosplays. If you didn’t know, closet cosplays are exactly what they sound like; costumes that you can easily create using whatever you have in your closet full of clothing! Surprisingly, there are a lot of fictional characters that can be cosplayed using regular clothing. All you would need to do is add a wig and perhaps a couple of parts and you’re good to go!
Because closet cosplays involve regular clothing, they will fit a lot easier in your luggage than say armored cosplay that are bulky and take up much more space.
Here are a few examples of closet cosplays you could bring with you on your trip:
- Android 17 and 18 from Dragon Ball Z
- Fionna from Adventure Time
- Chloe Price from Life is Strange
- Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service
- Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family
Note: if you’re looking for more closet cosplay ideas, click here to see my list!
2. Idol
Who doesn’t love Idols? Not only are they are awesome, but cosplaying them is easy on the wallet and for your suitcase! Most Idol characters don’t wear heavy clothing, so you can easily fit the costume and accessories into your luggage. Some notable Idol characters include Nico and Kotori from Love Live!, and the iconic Hatsune Miku!
3. Pokémon cosplays
Cosplaying from Pokémon is always a great choice. Not only is the franchise incredibly popular, but a lot of the characters are really easy to do. When I cosplayed Professor Sycamore from Pokémon X/Y, I found him easy to wear and I’d say I looked great as him! Because Pokémon characters such as Ash Ketchum and Misty wear regular clothing, they will easily fit in your suitcase. I have brought Pokémon cosplays with me to Anime conventions in my carry-on suitcase with no issues!
Here are some other Pokémon cosplays that are luggage-friendly:
- Brock
- Pikachu
- Candela (Pokémon GO)
- Klara
- Officer Jenny
Note: if you’re looking for more Pokémon cosplay ideas, click here to see my list!
4. Casual cosplays
Yes there is a thing called casual cosplays! So what’s the difference between casual and closet cosplay? While they may seem similar, closet cosplays usually involve a lot more effort using what you already have in your closet to look as accurate to the character as possible.
Meanwhile, casual cosplays usually involve only wearing 1 or 2 items related to cosplaying, and accuracy isn’t as important.
If you’re really struggling with luggage space but you still want to cosplay, then opting for a casual cosplay may be your best bet. You’ll save a ton of space in your suitcase, and people at the convention will know who you are dressed up as.
Here are some casual cosplay ideas you can do:
- Starfire (NASA edition)
- Super Sonico
- Mary Jane Watson
5. Sports Anime cosplay
I personally enjoy cosplaying from Sports Anime series. Not only are they budget-friendly (usually less than $50 USD for the whole costume), but they are extremely comfortable as well. They are really good for the summer or cosplaying in a park. In this case, Sports Anime cosplays are REALLY good for any conventions you plan to attend outside of home. Because they are small and lightweight, you can easily transport them in your luggage!
Here are a few cosplay ideas from Sports Anime:
- Kuruko No Baske
- Haikyuu!
- Yuri On Ice
- Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
- Slam Dunk
6. Sailor Moon
Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight!
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock all these years, then you probably heard of Sailor Moon. The iconic Magical girl series is still popular to this day. We all love our Sailor Scouts with their wonderful outfits and each of them having unique personalities. If you’re into magical girl and plan on traveling to a convention, then you should definitely consider cosplaying from Sailor Moon! Their outfits will easily fit inside a luggage. The only thing is if you want to bring their boots/heels, then that might take up more space. But I’ve brought boots with me to a convention and made it work.
Here are some Sailor Moon cosplay ideas:
- Usagi/Sailor Moon
- Sailor Venus
- Sailor Mercury
- Sailor Mars
- Sailor Jupiter
7. Shonen cosplays
Shonen series are always going to be mainstream and popular in the cosplay world and in this case, at conventions. They are where some of our favorite characters come from, and some of the best cosplay outfits are inspired by Shonen. Shonen characters are great for conventions outside of your hometown because a lot of the outfits are lightweight and not bulky. Since Shonen is incredibly popular, you can find them on many cosplay websites on a budget (click here for the best cosplay websites).
Here are some examples of Shonen cosplays that are luggage-friendly:
- Bleach
- Chainsaw Man
- Dragon Ball Z
- Hunter X Hunter
- One Piece
8. Wrestling cosplays
Yes, there is a thing for wrestling cosplays! You can cosplay as your favorite wrestler from promotions such as WWE, AEW or Impact Wrestling. In my experience, I’ve noticed that wrestling cosplays are far more popular in the U.S. than they are in Canada or anywhere else probably. So if you happen to be attending an Anime or Comic conventions in America, then busting out your wrestling cosplay is a great opportunity there!
Most wrestlers have 1-2 defining physical features of them where you can easily stand out when you cosplay them. For example, John Cena has his signature Spinner championship belt, blue shorts and cap. So if you just wore blue shorts, a John Cena t-shirt and cap, and bring his belt, you can easily cosplay as him! Wrestling cosplays are pretty similar to casual cosplays; you only need a few items to cosplay as the wrestler. And that is wonderful for luggage-friendly cosplays because you will save a lot of space this way!
9. Movie cosplays
Movie cosplays are another great category to cosplay if you’re limited with space, such as needing to take a bus/plane/train. Many popular movie characters don’t usually have elaborate outfits, so that means less room needed in your luggage.
I will say that movie cosplays are probably better suited for Comic conventions. But you can absolutely wear one at an Anime convention as well! I wore my Bugs Bunny Space Jam cosplay at an Anime con with no issues at all!
Here are some movie cosplay ideas for you:
- Barbie and Ken (the new film has made Barbie and Ken insanely popular now!)
- Lola and Bugs Bunny from Space Jam
- Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad
- Lara Croft from The Tomb Raider
- The Joker
10. Fullmetal Alchemist
Last but not least, we have Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA). If you didn’t know, FMA is one of the most popular Manga/Anime series of all time! With memorable characters a really engaging plot, it’s no surprise why so many people cosplay from FMA, including myself!
In my experience, FMA cosplays are great if you are traveling to a convention. With the exception of Alphonse Elric (who wears a complete armor), almost every character has an outfit that doesn’t take up too much space in the suitcase. So you’ll find it easy to cosplay from FMA if space is limited!
Here are some Fullmetal Alchemist cosplays that are luggage-friendly:
- Winry Rockbell
- Roy Mustang
- Lust
- Olivier Armstrong
- Izumi Curtis
Summary
To summarize here are the 10 luggage-friendly cosplays you can do while traveling to a convention:
- Closet cosplays
- Idols
- Pokémon cosplays
- Casual cosplays
- Sports cosplays
- Sailor Moon
- Shonen Anime cosplays
- Wrestling cosplays
- Movie cosplays
- Fullmetal Alchemist
And there you have it; 10 cosplay ideas that are luggage-friendly! I hope you found this post useful!
Contrary to some beliefs, you CAN cosplay even while traveling. While it’s certainly not as convenient as having a car or being in the local area, this post shows that you can definitely cosplay while abroad. I certainly have, and you can too. 🙂
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below!
My name is Roger Senpai. I’m a cosplayer that’s been in the community for well over a decade now. I’ve traveled all over the world to Anime and Comic conventions and hosted my own cosplay events. Now I’m writing articles for new and experienced cosplayers like you to help inspire, save you money and improve your cosplays!
