I couldn't find it in the archive or catalog, but it seems it is time once again for a Historic Cosplay/Costumng Thread. Starting off with the first recorded costume, Forrest J. Ackerman in a "futuristicostume" made by his then girlfriend and worn to the first WorldCon in 1939. Just in case anyone was getting misinformation that costuming/cosplay started in the 1990's or something....
Angelique Trouvere as Vampirella in the 1970's.
Angelique Trouvere as Satana from Marvel Comics, 1970's.
A gaggle of Red Sonjas featuring comic artist Wendy Pini and Angelique Trouvere, 1970's.
More Angelique Trouvere, 1970's.
Angelique Trouvere from Ralph Bakshi's Wizards, 1970's.
1970's WorldCon cosplay contest.
1970's WorldCon costume contest.
>>9028575
>1939
Holy shit. The costume doesn't look particularly bad either.
Here he is with the costume creator in her matching futuristicostume, Myrtle R. Jones, also known by her fan name Morojo. Again 1939.
Have some 1956 WorldCon costume contest fun.
More 1956 WorldCon. No clue what they are cosplaying as.
"Robots"
it's either 1928 or 1930, I can't remember but definitely base on the film Metropolis
>>9028679
1930's
wish I hadn't lost my notes on who was what and the specific years
>>9028690
costume contest winners. Prince Charming and his Princess
probably 1940's?
>>9028699
same couple in full costume. Honestly I have no idea what they're supposed to be. But I think it was some sort of prince and princess
>>9028709
"The Moth"
I think it was for a Gala in the 40's.
>>9028716
For a costume contest in either the 30's or the 40's. Yes they are white.
>>9028725
"King Tut"
1930s
>>9028575
>Just in case anyone was getting misinformation that costuming/cosplay started in the 1990's or something....
Are you implying that those two are the same thing?
>>9028732
Costume for a Gala in the 40's
>>9028737
Gala costume from the...30s?
>>9028741
Gypsy costume from the late 40's....maybe early 50's?
>>9028747
Halloween costume party from the 30s
>>9028690
Just remembered, they're "The Sun and The Moon"
>>9028735
Fans costuming at conventions started when conventions started, in the 1930's. The term "cosplay" was coined in 1984 by Nov. Takahashi after he attended a WorldCon in Los Angeles, to describe what he saw there, but anime fans in Japan and the US were already making and wearing anime costumes in the very early 1970's before he came up with the word.
Yaya Han just said at her History of Cosplay panel at Anime North that cosplay started in the 1990's, which is, unfortunately, completely untrue and not factual in the slightest.
Ming the Merciless cosplay, WorldCon 1970's.
More 1970's WorldCon
1970's WorldCon
Ming and Maleficent, 1970's.
1970's WorldCon Cosplay, Elric possibly?
1970's WorldCon
WorldCon, 1970's. Harpy?
SDCC 1980
>>9028759
>Yaya Han just said at her History of Cosplay panel at Anime North that cosplay started in the 1990's, which is, unfortunately, completely untrue and not factual in the slightest.
Well, that's when SHE started paying attention to cosplay, and naturally since the entire community revolves around her it only makes sense!
Fucking delusional bitch.
1970's WorldCon. 85% sure this is from Mike Grell's Warlord comic.
>>9028766
At least fix the colors. It doesn't have to look like an old photo anymore.
>>9029977
I only collected them, I didn't scan them. They are on the WorldCon cosplay website archive like that so I guess old fans dgaf? No idea.
Meanwhile, some barbarian chicks from WorldCon, 1970's.
Cheech Wizard, 1970's WorldCon.
1970's WorldCon. Think this is a reference to the Yeats poem line "Golden Apples of the Sun, Silver Apples of the Moon". Golden Apples of the Sun was also a title for a Ray Bradbury short story collection.
Comic artist Wendy Pini as Red Sonja, 1970's.
Gundam, WorldCon, 1970's.
>>9031931
It was probably 79, since that's the year MSG aired.
Anyway, thanks for all of these OP, they're really interesting!
>>9031931
omg this makes me happy on so many levels
>>9028709
Beauty and the Beast maybe?
>>9031963
Aw thanks, this is barely scratching the surface of what I have saved. Meanwhile, have some random 70's cosplay nudity.
>>9034028
wtf man is that even allowed
>>9039419
I know right? But also manages to look classy as hell somehow - probably those 'tits in high fashion = art' type aesthetics.
>>9029460
>SDCC
Damn I didn't think it's been running for THAT long holy fuck
>been planning to start putting together a history of cosplay panel to bring to a local con or two
holy shit anon this is a GOLD mine, how did you end up collecting this stuff?
>>9040810
Different anon, but you can go on con websites and they generally have archives from way back when they first started out. Some of the bigger cons are much older than you think. Try finding out when larger cons first started and then Googling it by that year. For example, "Comic Con 1980s". You can also find costume archives and stuff at your school library, if you are in college. Especially if you attend an art or fashion institute. There's also old issues of anime magazines or cosplay magazines from Japan, if you can get your hands on them.
Here's a picture from Comic Con in 1980
And a few links:
>http://www.cvltnation.com/clothing-optional-vintage-cosplay-photos/
Not really vintage but still, I love physical photos of cosplay
>http://www.rdfn.org/gallery/otakon/
etc.
I unfortunately have nothing myself to add but these photos are great. Nice stuff OP.
>>9040871
I have this bookmarked for a fandom history panel I've been working on:
>http://fanac.org/worldcon/index.html
Anime cosplay starts popping up in the 70's and 80's.
You'll find a lot of older costumes aren't really "cosplay" as we know it today, but a lot of original concepts. Something that doesn't really fly in our culture of cosplay in the 2010's. You don't see that much anymore, especially after comic-cons have gained so much popularity.
When it comes to anime conventions and cosplay, it's interesting to see how the culture of cosplay as well as cosplay photography has changed and evolved over time. I miss those old days of just dressing up and having fun, meeting fans, etc. It's still there, but it's not like how it used to be. It's rare that I encounter situations at cons that remind me of those old times.
Also that Otakon Gallery. 2002 has my friend's Inuyasha group in several photos. Sadly none of them cosplay anymore and only one is involved in one convention. I remember the crowd at that con, compared to the last time I went in 2014, crazy. I hope I can go the last time before it leaves Baltimore. So many memories there.
All that cultural appropriation must make sjw cry.
I like it.
>>9031931
ok thats pretty damn interesting
>>9045144
>>9040871
Thanks for the tips guys, this is all really helpful and really interesting.
>>9040800
sdcc is in its 40s
Dk if you consider original costumes as cosplaying (in that case you could arguably go all the way back to Venetian masquerade balls) but the Bauhaus were well known for their avantgarde costume parties, 1920s
>>9029984
me also want snoo snoo!
Here's a Dalek and Stormtrooper in Blackpool celebrating the opening of the Dr Who Experience prop exhibition, in the late 70s.
>>9052089
The Doctor, Leela and K-9, presumably from around 1978.
>>9039419
>>9040425
In the early days of conventions and cosplaying it was considered an adult event, and not in like a triple x porn type way but just everyone knew it was for adults so they did adult things like some costumes showing breasts or carrying around alcohol (it wasn't uncommon for everyone to be completely plastered by the evening). It wasn't even really considered bad, just "in character". It wasn't until the late 70's and early 80's that people as a mass said "hey I'd like to bring my kids to that thing so you need to cover up and quit drinking everywhere" and that's where we are today.
>>9045173
They'll cry over anything if it gets them Tumblr points. Some stuff is legitimately awful, but most of it is people playing dress up and having fun... though God forbid you do that nowadays, since apparently a kimono in an art gallery is reason enough to shit yourself and fling it at the walls.
>>9045173
I'm sorry your life is like this
>>9028679
Hmm..Looks more like the Soviet sci-fi film 'Alieta'
>>9028709
Damn! Thats very evocative of the original French version La Belle et la Bête!
