Is it always a cringe fest, or is it acceptable under some conditions?
>>8974564
Never acceptable. It looks awful 99% of the time.
Not even sure if this is an exception, but when you have bald hair and the character is bald (aka Krillin)
What's even worse is when people dye or spray dye their hair, it looks fucking awful.
if you can style your hair correctly AND the color fits (correct tone of brown for example) i think it's cool. i acutally like it when people can manage that, but most can't and it ends up looking lazy
If the character has buzz cut length hair with exposed scalp, or it's a live action character who either isn't wearing a wig or is wearing a wig that cost thousands of dollars and is completely ventilated out of human hair and the style isn't too ridiculous to do with your own hair, it will sometimes even look better if the cosplayer uses their own hair.
For instance:
Bad Superwholock cosplays where they always use weird looking wigs that don't even look like the actors hair. You're not going to find a wig that works for Dean Winchester. The actor's hair is too short.
For certain types of media I think it's the best way to go. Anything live-action and certain realistically-styled video games are just going to look better if you cosplay them and use your hair as long as your hair looks like what it's supposed to.
Stuff like cartoons, anime, comics, etc., however, will NEVER look good if you use your real hair. Even animated characters with "realistic" hair colors and styles are just not going to look good when cosplayed with natural hair because wigs add a fantasy element that's needed in those kinds of cosplays.
>>8974605
This. Animated/drawn media always needs a wig. Cosplays from Movies or tv or super hd vidyas might look better or at least be possible without.
Self post of my Carina from GOTG. The dye is not in the right place because I happened to already have the right pink in my hair somewhere else, but yeah. One day i'll need a wig, but usually carina cosplayers dont get the hair right either way
>>8974772
but anon that looks really bad. and this is an example of one that needs a wig.
Gotta have good hair and it's gotta be used sparingly. I have a ton of hair and it's super healthy, but since 2008 I've done wigless cosplay twice. Both times were for characters that matched my hair color at the time (a natural dark brunette and a subdued red) and I was perfectly happy with the minimal amount of styling I had to do.
I'd say it's something you have to use good judgement on, but that still wouldn't convince the worst offenders to be realistic.
If it's a natural color and a natural, simple style and your hair matches, or if the character has a hair style with an exposed hairline and pulled back styling, real hair that matches looks better. Even the best wigs look like wigs, and pulled back styles look even more fake. cgl's wig boner is ridiculous and really myopically focused on anime (though even in anime, there are a lot of characters with plain, realistic hair).
>>8974853
I fully agree. Any decently realistic ponytail style is going to look better with real hair because ponytail wigs look awful unless they're super expensive full lace and fitted to a person's head.
>>8974853
Oh i love how greasy her hair looks. Fits the character.
Yeah ponytail wigs are not fun usually
>>8974853
I feel like in most video games where the characters look well, human, natural hair works best. for example, nathan drake's hair would look like shit if done with a wig, even with a lacefront
>>8975043
This but it's important to get the right haircut and minimal styling. A lot of guys just use their own hair for stuff despite having the wrong length or style
Does anyone have any good examples of wigless anime/comics cosplays?
>>8975063
Look up lobitah's cosplay (she now goes by shika) she always uses her own hair I believe
>>8975063
>>8975063
>>8975097
Pretty much all of the Ghibli protagonists can be done well without wigs.
>>8975063
Live action adaptation
>>8975063
Germany from Hetalia is a good example. His wigs totally sucks, looks so much better with real hair.
Random google find.
>>8975110
I used to date that guy
>>8975159
He's pretty hot.
>>8975107
those are different because in adaptations they don't bother to make the characters look much like the ones from the anime other than maybe hairstyles. they just pick actors who fit the characters well(and i just realized my one true issue with the GITS bawwing)
>>8975165
Hell yeah he is, and he is super kind.
Just an awesome dude
>>8975166
This is a 'wigless cosplay' thread. That live action version is a) wigless and b) very faithful to the illustrated character's hair.
it almost never looks good
Years back I did a Young Aunt Beru. I don't think a wig would have even been possible.
>>8976225
Back then, no. Now, definitely.
I'm going to a horror themed con in August and want to cosplay Shinichi from Parasyte. His hair is supposed to be messy in many scenes and is the same shade of brown as mine.
Can I pull off wigless?
>>8974573
The anime club at my university would have a cosplay suggestion night, and whenever someone would mention that they didn't want to buy a wig (cheap lazy fucks), someone would always recommend they use spray color.
Needless to stay I didn't stick around the club too long, I guess you're the only cosplay friends I have cgl...
I wish there was a way to look good without a wig. My hair is nearly identical to pic related, and I want to cosplay her, it feels like a waste to spend money on a wig that's basically my own hair, but I know it's needed.
>>8976347
i doubt you have bright yellow hair, anon
>>8976356
Pretty bright, bleached blonde. I'd go for a more natural wig if I do cosplay her anyways because banana yellow never looks good in 3D.
>>8976347
Ryona's hair is pretty yellow. Probably best to get a wig just in case. Congrats doing doing Ryona though, she's my favourite Senran!
>>8976363
Then that's what I'll do, thanks. And she's my favorite too! It was a tie between her or Shiki but I decided she would be easier to wear around a con, haha.
>>8976319
Yes. Just be sure to make some spikes and use hairspray
>>8976347
I cosplay Haruhi from Ouran and even though my hair is identical to hers (length, cut, color) I still use a wig. It feels silly to use a wig identical to my hair, but it's so much better. It holds a styling better, doesn't get limp and greasy at the end of the day, has the right amount of volume...
>plans on cosplaying without a wig
>does not prep hair
>does not cut hair
>refuses to dye hair
>use flat damaged hair for cosplay
>"This is how character would look like IRL desu!"
I am planing on cosplaying a character without using a wig for the first time in four years. And I have made this huge battle plan in order to make it look good.
Don't worry cgl, it is not anime related
It's not impossible so have a good cosplay without a wig, but most look meh at best without one.
Also you actually need to know how to style your hair well if you're going without.
Extensions are a good way to give your hair anime level fullness without a wig.
>>8977395
this is the most 2007 thing ive ever seen
>>8977486
Hell yeah it is. Especially if you combine it with volume powder
The only (anime, cartoon, etc) cosplays that I find can look good without a wig are ones with short hair and hairlines showing.
>>8976347
Even if your natural hair matches in color, you can't get the same volume, bang length +shape, and the particular piecey-ness her hair has without a wig.
>>8975107
This! The actors/actresses in live action adaptions often look way better than any cosplayer does when cosplaying the character, and they often don't wear wigs either. I think NANA is also a great example of this.
>>8975107
Please also remember that in live action adaptations, actors get their hair/makeup touched up constantly in between shoots and scenes and are not walking around in a sweaty convention hall for 8 hours.
>>8975331
Yeah but my point was not to tell people to look to anime adaptations for 'wigless' inspo because half the time they won't even bother.
>>8977548
And yet, lots of people in the real world manage to make it through an *entire day* without looking like a sweaty wharf rat with terrible hair by the end of it. My hair looks exactly the same at 8 pm as it did at 8 am. (And cons aren't literal saunas. I'm usually cold in convention halls.)
Has anyone else not used a wig for a cosplay?Pics?
>>8977589
Same here. Plus, it's also easier to fix when it gets tangled, as opposed to a wig.
>>8974573
i think its acceptable for some western games where the character has especially thin or grimy hair that is hard to achieve with a wig. I agree with everyone else in that lack of wigs look awful most of the time.
I'm gonna use myself as an example real quick.
In terms of my cosplay of Ib, I was very hesitant with using my actual hair instead of a wig. I even consulted as many of my cosplay friends if I should risk it or if I should just get a wig that was EXACTLY what my hair looked like.
My hair is unnaturally thick, to the point where I have to wear two wig caps (and braid it depending on length) just to get it flattened down enough so I can put a wig on. I was wearing her the first time at a smaller con, so I decided just to straighten it and style it the best I could, and gauge the reactions I got from it for the future.
Almost everyone thought it was a wig at first.
PLEASE NOTE. I am an atypical case where I have the ability to do this. I'm even gonna use my hair for a Quiet cosplay in the close future. But I will NEVER recommend using your own hair for cosplays. Because like others will tell you, it looks bad 95% of the time. I just got lucky with a character or two. Wigs are always a better solution.
>pic related (I know there's plenty wrong with the costume, but my point to make is the hair)
>>8977774
holy shit, you always come here and selfpost your IB cosplay.
>>8977774
I highly doubt you ran into anyone who thought your hair was a wig. Especially with a costume like this, you need a wig to elevate it above just looking like you put on casual clothing.
And for fuck's sake, learn how to do makeup. Your eyeliner looks awful.
>>8977641
I have, since I started cosplaying back when wig selection was extremely limited and quality even moreso. I have very straight, thick, healthy, medium brown hair, so there were a few characters I was able to do well without a wig. (And I ended up having bangs for eight years because of cosplay.) Looking back at those photos, a wig would not look better. I am not nearly stupid enough to self post on cgl, though.
>>8975103
thats my station lmaooo RIP
>>8977395
bitch should cosplay as aelita with that forhead
>>8977774
Even though your hair looks better than average, I still think you should have used a wig, sorry.
>>8974564
Acceptable if the character has undercut/is bald/ect that can't be achieved by a wig and bald caps look absolutely shitty
>>8978017
I hope you don't think that is me anon
It never really works for anime or japanese game characters. It just looks extremely off.
Like the rest of the people on this thread, I do think it works for western game character. And in some cases (and if done right) I think it might work disney characters like Esmeralda and Pocahontas.
When people don't wear a wig it just ends up looking lazy
%90 of the time, it's shit. But I think it's acceptable if you use it with half wig, etc.
Wearing a wig when cosplaying Japanese characters is a must.
>>8978106
I agree
I actually bought a wig from Arda with a lacefront so that I could cosplay a character that has that traditional "combed back with super short sides" look, like Germany from APH... Looks like shit. Wasted $60 when I realized that he's a character from a television show (live action, of course) and that we have the same hair color.
>>8974860
>tfw my next planned cosplay is an anime guy with a ponytail
What do?
Real hair are not an option, his hair are long and blonde while my hair are short and dark. I can save money to buy an extra-expensive wig, but I don't know anyone in my town who could fit it to my head.
>>8977641
I did once, when the wig I'd ordered didn't show up in time, and the character's hair was reasonably similar to my real hair.
It wasn't terrible, but it bothers me enough that I don't keep any of the pictures from that con.
>>8978730
I almost thought that was Jonathan from SMT from the thumbnail. That guys hair is perfect for it without a wig.
If it's a basic looking character, and your hair looks the same, just using your own hair the best option. Even more so when the character has an up do. So many horrible Nico Yazawa wigs, but this looks great as it is.
For everything that's not that basic, or other wise doesn't look completely like your hair: use a wig.
>>8978875
what character? you could always use a short wig and a clip-on ponytail. it doesn't look super-realistic but i think it looks decent enough for photos.
So I really want to cosplay Undyne, I have bright red hair with a shaved head on one side so I figured it would look good if I didn't wear a wig, what do you guys think?
>>8974564
For some characters it does look better, depends what they're cosplaying. If it's an anime character a wig is important 99% of the time, but most live-action characters look weirder with wigs. I have known people who pulled off generic anime school costumes wigless, but they were Asian girls and guys with hair that wasn't thin cosplaying from anime with a relatively realistic artstyle.
>>8979262
No, wear a wig or don't do it at all.
>>8974564
>Wigless cosplays
>is it acceptable under some conditions?
Yes, it is acceptable. I'd rather have someone do that rather than a fake and hideous wig.
>>8979262
No. It will look extremely rushed and unprofessional
>>8979262
A lace front wig would be best, followed by your own hair, and a non lace front wig would be the worst option.
Self-post. I used my own hair for my Germany and Italy cosplays because they were blonde and red, respectively.
>>8982961
>>8982964
you look like himezawa in this one kek
>>8982964
>pipecleaner ahoge
>>8982961
The one looks kind of shabby.
But hot daym. You make an awesome germany
>>8978997
This guy. That's how his ponytail is supposed to be. I have a sort-of shoulder length blonde wig, which might go well with a clip-on (will have to search for one but that's okay, I know places where I can get it in my town). Planned to go to a local con in it, but a simple photoshoot would be good enough.
>>8978968
I actually like real hair for Nico. I hate banana pigtails.
If your hair is thick enough and the right color and style, you can get away with it. Most people don't have thick enough hair though. Pic related is a cosplayer that used her own hair (I asked her where she got her "wig").
>>8975100
What con is this they look like they're having a fucking blast
>>8987120
For a ponytail like that, you should buy an another wig of the same kind, remove the wefts, and sew them into the back of the first wig. A clip-on isn't going to look right for that kind of low ponytail, only looks good for stuff like high ponytails or Miku twintails.
>>8987177
Wow, I love the colour of her hair. Usually you can tell but I genuinely thought this was a wig. Good job!
>>8988456
Thanks, will try to do it as soon as possible.
Self posting here, I have to half disagree with the notion that spray color never works. It very rarely works but back in the day with my first cosplay (the joker) I was able to color my hair with green hair color spray and it worked out pretty well. This however, is the only cosplay I have where I didn't use a wig. So I will say that on average I personally wouldn't recommend cosplaying without a wig, at least for animated characters.
>>8989220
A bit of a clearer image, I don't love this one though cuz I accidentally smudged on my shit collar. Oh well, learning experiences
>>8976381
that's terrible advice. It's like you've never seen someone try and use their natural hair to do spikes because it's a real slippery slope before you start fall into this territory. Pic related.
>>8976319
I think the whole point of animating it this way is to show the character has disheveled, unkempt hair. Real hair != anime hair.
Just use a little bit of wax and shake it around in your hair to give it that unkempt look, but don't go overboard or else your hair will look like a greasy mess.
>>8989223
who taught you how to apply setting powder?
>>8989511
Who can and cannot go wigless; a comparison.
>>8989793
What if yugi's hair was just a really fucked up afro all along?
>>8989521
Back then? I didn't use setting powder because I was young and stupid. Thank god I learned since then. That was several years ago, at least 5 years of experience and mistakes are with me now lmao. I've also retired the joker, I haven't worn him in at least a year.
>>8990010
Oh god my eyes.
I hope this thread turnes into a wigless cringe comp
>>8989793
this isn't cosplay great, but this is pretty great
>>8974573
>when people dye or spray dye their hair
I began cosplaying by spray-dyeing/perma bleaching my hair silver... Regret.png.
>>8989811
kek
>>8989511
I am an ex hairdresser and I could make spikes with a little back combing, white sands gold liquid texture and a blow dryer. I can even make trees with the stuff.
Basically if you can do it for a fashion show with out wigs (extensions and puffing may be needed) you can do it for cosplay.
>>8982961
Germany- Woodland not flecktarn
Are you even trying ?
>>8990724
>implying everyone is an ex hairdresser
I am sure it is possible to cosplay most characters with your own hair as a base. But, you have to be mighty good with hair and probably improve your hair skills quite a bit in order for it to actually look good
>>8977774
You look a bit like Mai from avatar
I'm doing Mal from Disney Descendents later this year and am using my own hair because it's the exact same shade of purple and style so. Also because it's a silly cosplay that I'm not planning on putting much money or effort into so
>>8994568
Just keep your hair healthy and good looking. If your hair looks broken and shitty then you will look like trash, anon
Unless you're cosplaying a live action character it is a huge no no
>>8989793
this looks better than a lot of yugi wigs i see
>>8977641
I did a Disney cosplay without a wig because Belle has human looking hair that's plaited, I didn't wanna have exposed wig parts
My hair is the same colour as it, anyway. Same length and was easy to style.
>>8997213
Do you have any pictures? You could hide your face if you don't want to expose yourself on /cgl/
>>8975110
Yeah most characters with slicked back hair look stupid with a wig
>>8974564
I learned by self-shaming, I made one from Hetalia years ago and I am still ashamed to not using a wig
I have made a pair of cosplays from Haikyuu, and I used my natural hair (dark brown. Long and a ponytail and short, spiked thanks to gel for other). I made one of a videogame when the character's hair was white and I went straight to use a wig.
So, if is not a strange hair, is okay. But when is a bit strange, for god's sake! use a wig!
But here there are tons of people that prefers to use his natural hair even of does not correspond at all, and ecks
I did Kraehe wigless and tried to justify it because my concept for the outfit was "IRL ballerina" but it was a nightmare to try to keep looking decent and I wasn't happy with the final style. Bought a wig for her and learned my lesson big time, though it's not nearly as bad as it could have been.
most TV character cosplays work well without a wig.
Not the best example, but me and my bf cosplayed from osomatsu-san without wigs because our hair matched the characters pretty well.
It was his first real cosplay too
Pic Related, but would teasing my hair while in pigtails give it the same volume?
I don't think a wig will make it here in time, the con I'm going to is the very first weekend of June.
>>9002193
please get a wig, anon. there's plenty of sites like epiccosplay and arda that can get it to you in time. it's already bad enough you're cosplaying from a game that doesn't even count as a beta yet. don't make it worse.
>>9002168
whoever this chick is I hope she cosplayed scully
I've been growing my hair out so I can cosplay as Katara- I want it to look as natural as possible. I'd have to straighten my hair for the convention but I think it would work.
>>9002224
I think for any anime, wig is a must. Anime hair has that unnatural hairline and often times, voluptuous styling that is just achievable with normal hair (and especially not for long hours at a convention). Same with comics. I think you could swing it in your favor if the character you want has a very "flat" hair style (slicked back, tied back into a pony tail) - but sometimes using wefts in your natural hair color to lengthen and thicken braids or ponytails or had bangs is recommended (because natural bangs get oily very fast).
Natural hair also LOOKS LIKE natural hair. Some wigs can mimic looking like natural hair if that's what you're going for, but it never works the other way around.
I think for western video games it's different just because the characters are being animated to look as close to real life humans as possible and so hair works the same way.
In either way, a well styled wig with some heavy duty holding spray is just a weight off my shoulders personally. In most cases, I'm not worried about things falling out of place or looking like a mess in any rando hall photos and since I braid my hair under my wig, my post con wig hair looks pretty nice once I take all the bobby pins out. I think natural hair is just a bigger hassle in general than wigs.
>>9002227
Your hair will probably frizz out in the end of the day.
It is pretty cool that you're going for the natural style, but honestly, I think wearing a high quality lace front wig will do the character more justice, and make it more wearable at a convention.
When I see someone using their own hair for a cosplay, I just assume that they chose to cosplay that character because they have similar-ish hair and want to save money by not using a wig, not because they actually like the character. If anything, I think that they are probably indifferent to the character they are cosplaying.
It just tends to look lazy as fuck.
i think wigless cosplay is a way cool thing. found her @ google
>>9002292
For a sec I wondered why you just posted a random scully pic, damn she's perfect.
>>8977488
lol right
I think it looks cheep.
I'm going to use my real hair for an upcoming cosplay, but mix in some clip-ons. It's a high ponytail and the wigs I've seen never look as natural as the real thing without full-lace or heavy styling. I'm hoping that since it's just tied up, it won't be too high maintenance to upkeep.
>>9002292
Holy crap too perfect and if she walked around people would think she is the real Scully. At least I would.
>>9002911
Just go for a high quality clip on on that case. If you use some cheap ass ebay clips you will probably look like shit
>>9003126
I got Arda's ponytail clip-on, but I need to dye it since their Natural Black is actually too brown for my actual natural black. Hopefully it'll blend in okay under different lighting (so far, the color isn't too far off).
>>8977774
Stop self-posting, we get that you're proud but it's not even that good.
>>9002640
What is this one supposed to be?
She looks lackluster, also horrifying Wa
Gotta use myself as example. Most Ponytail style wigs suck so I do these with my real hair.
I love well done real hair cosplays.
>>9001417
Wow, people actually cosplay from this show?
My little heart...
>>9003647
>3rd pic from left to right
Your smile is too cute, you need to smile more often in pics, anon.
>>9003647
Honestly, the the second to the left one with the pigtails is the only one that looks good. As a matter of fact, it looks really good. but the rest is kind of meh
>>9003647
your hair is way too thin and crappy looking for this. if anything, this pic is more proof why people SHOULD use wigs
>>9003647
Your Saber is cute! Yeah, I think updoes look better with real hair. You just can't sinulate roots well with wigs if you're not going full lace.
>>9003978
>thin
Bun the size of a grapefruit that you can see it on pictures from the front.
Full solid fringe.
Only time is it thin is Hiyori's bangs, but hers are suppose to be thin an piece-y like.
Salt more.
>>9003981
the sad under pony droop lump (as pictured) is what I can't stand.
I'm a dude cosplay as this. I have the beanie. And I guess my hair is close enough. Is a wig recommended for this situation?
And holy shit everyone is an asshole to each other on this board
>>9007841
>And I guess my hair is close enough.
Then that means it's not close enough and a wig is definitely recommended. Looking at the ref, you'll have a hard time styling your hair to have that little upwards tailcurve.
>>9007844
The wigs online look like shit. And I have no clue how I would make it stay in place and stick out. I never worn a wig.
>>9007848
Well, now is a good time as any to learn. You can use google or the wig threads here to gain more knowledge about wigs (maybe you'll find someone who'll spoonfeed you). And if the wigs you find look like shit, you haven't been searching in the right places.
>>9007852
Any good store boss?
Ebay and amazon suck.
>>9007859
lol that explains it
Match Wigs, CircusDoll (they partner with Lucaille), Arda, Multiple Taobao stores (Fantasy Sheep, GhostCos off the top of my head), UNIQSO, Bodyline have some okay ones every now and again
Also look at tutorials, not that hard. Hairspray is pretty basic my guy
>>9007859
Nu uh, no spoonfeeding. Seriously though, wig threads (you can check /cgl/'s archives for them). The sticky is outdated, but still has some good names. Otherwise, if you type in "cosplay" and "good wig", you'll find some recommendations for sure.
>>9007866
Well shit. Thanks. 1 more favor?
Help me find his orange motorcycle jacket?
His name is Yukiteru Amano from Future Diary.
I have everything but his orange jacket. And all the ones online look pretty shit. Also actual moto jackets cost way too much for a college student.
please. . . even an Amazon wig would be better. . . maybe
>>9002640
gr8 b8 m8
>>8997295
I know it's in sepia but this is the best picture I have of the hair itself. Don't have any from the back. A big problem I noticed was the front kept deflating and the bow slipped a lot, but that was all.
>>9007841
>everyone is an asshole to each other on this board
Welcome to 4chan have you heard of us? Like ever?
Self post
I had extensions in but yeah
>Welcome to 4chan have you heard of us? Like ever?
>>9014623
I think this actually works. Looks good
I have literally never not used a wig for cosplay, even when I was a fucking baby cosplayer I know better. That being said I've seen real hair look good irl two times, but that's out of the hundreds of fucking cosplays I've seen in person so
Depends on the cosplay, as people have already stated. I'm always weirdly on the fence with comic book cosplay. I usually wear wigs for them, but I use my real hair for Captain Marvel. Easier to style my own hair at that length than a short wig, and I think they look shitty IMO.
>>8976347
You don't have to wear a wig to look good. A well-done updo can look fantastic. There are also foam or mesh shapes available in beauty stores to add support and old fashion rollers or things like curlformers can provide a nice long lasting spiral curl through wet setting. Pony tail styles are hit or miss, most elaborate pigtails in drawing are based off possible styles. However, it can take an expansive knowledge of updo techniques to work with real hair.
Loose hair is problematic due to color and the fact the finished style is very susceptible to the environment. With a wig, you don't have to worry about humidity, wind, or sweat. Extensions would make it possible to use natural hair as long as the color matches up with the character. A halo extension can be used along with clip-in for volume. It's still 'heavy', but not as much as a wig. Extensions can also be used in pig tail styles and updos if the placement is modified. It provides some interesting styles.
I'm not sure an example, but short spiky hair characters can be done. Use a spiking paste and apply throughout hair, flowery completely upside down, brushing through it in all areas the whole time. Apply spray, brush again when dry and then flip your head up right.
All your hair should stick straight up, but it will still feel extremely soft. You can use a lightweight paste to lightly form the tips into spikes that aren't hard as bricks.
(With natural hair, carry a bag with a mini straightener or mini curling iron, brush, spray, and such to spruce up every now and then.)
Blowdry... Not flowery.
>>9010971
There's not enough volume in the "bangs" (they're not actually bangs but the front poof parts) and even if you styled it with the right amount of volume, it clearly fell out. That won't happen with a properly styled wig.
I'm curious, do you think not doing a wig would look better for this? My hair basically looks the same when I attempt buns, except for the way her bangs are. I feel like the super messy look might look better with real hair and not a wig, especially because I'll be going to a smaller con for it. Y/N?
bald characters, short haired characters and western characters are fine without wigs
fucking anime characters ALWAYS look awful without wigs
>>9023816
I say go for a wig it would look so much better. But if this is like a one time cosplay, you could just use your own hair.
>>9023829
I might wear it again for Ohayocon but I was thinking I'd get a wig then and go wigless for this one, but I might just get a wig anyways if you think it'd look better. I'm not exactly sure how to do it with a wig, though, I mean I know there's bun clipons but I don't know how to make it so messy.
>>8977774
> My hair is so atypically beautiful I don't even need a wig, but you do pleblords
please... calm down.
>>8974564
Usually, if the character has "ethnic" hair, I'll use my hair. But that's not many characters, and that's only because my hair looks better/less cheap than an afro wig or fake dreads/braids.
>>8974853
>cgl's wig boner is ridiculous and really myopically focused on anime
This.
>>9023816
It depends on how realistic you want to look. Normal hair gives it a much messier look than whats drawn just because of how natural hair works (although I'm not sure how thin or thick your hair is). Wigs just give you more control over how messy it will be and how messy it will stay and a more true to character look since you can style the buns as close as you can to this screencap.
For a smaller con, I wouldn't sweat it if you don't have time, funds, skill for it now. But I would definitely attempt it on a wig for a bigger con especially if you plan on booking a photoshoot or ever getting pro photos for it.
>>9004015
Droopy wig ponytails can be easily fixed.... Claw clips are your friend....
I admit, I just recently cosplayed wigless and it hurt not getting anybody to want to take pictures of me since I never do this, but I completely understand why nobody wanted to. I had my wig for my photoshoots, I just took it off because it hurt. I think that if you don't whine about nobody wanting to take pictures of you and you also don't look too terrible, going wigless at a con is acceptable.
>>8977983
>lmaooo RIP
Stop.
>>9023821
>fucking anime characters ALWAYS look awful without wigs
why? do you have any valid reason or you are just going to go with dogmatic expressions you hear on repeat on 4chan?
i dont understand how anime characters that are normal people, living in a completely normal non-fantastical world, cannot be cosplayed without a wig?
>ablublu because it looks bad
ok then
I've cosplayed Homestuck characters at meetups before wigless...
>>9025601
Because it looks greasy, isn't full enough, and doesn't hold its shape.
Photographer here, I'll use my photo as an example. She isn't wearing a wig.
Generally I prefer it when real hair is used simply because it looks better 99% of the time.
However if a cosplayer buys a decent wig and knows what they're doing then the difference isn't too big. Sadly that's the minority though. At least here in Australia a lot of people have bad looking wigs that look super fake and have lots of fly aways (stray hairs).
If your natural hair matches that of the character, I can't think of any reason why you should torture yourself with another wig.
>>9002193
Did my Ayano with my hair but for your cosplay you would definitely need a wig.
>>9027683
get out /fit
back on topic, I don't like "blonde" wigs. It's always a horrible sickly yellow or a washed out cool tone. On top of that, people for some reason tend to pick the exact shade between pikachu yellow and watered down piss that looks the worst with their skin tone.
If done right, it looks a little better than wigs.
If done wrong, it looks 1000x worse than wigs.
On tv series and movies wigs actually look pretty bad, you'll always look like a low-budget character.
On anime, personally, I like the type of cosplays that are more of a realistic live-action approach than overly clownish ones. This is not to say I support altered lazy versions: on the contrary, this type of interpretation actually requires more attention to detail and materials used.
The shine, weight and unnatural perfect styling of a wig often looks awkward. You're not 2D anyway, so try and be the best of the 3D version.
Bottom line: try to look like an actual person and not cgi model with bad shaders.
However, if you don't have the hair or the type of character to pull it off, stick with a wig.
These are perfect examples:
>>8974853
>>8977717
>>8978968
>>8987177
>>9014623
>>9026351
Depends on the cosplay for me. My best friend cosplayed Asami Sato with her regular hair and it came out really well, a lot of people loved it. But, if it's a more elaborate hairstyle (like most anime or video game characters) then no. And definitely a NO when people attempt to dye their hair instead of just buying a wig.
>>8974564
RIP
whats the best place to get a good wig? I really want to cosplay Lillie but all of the wigs that im finding are either too thin or shit quality.
>>9038401
Get a normal wig and sew in more wefts for volume.
>>9038408
oh alright, thank you!
>>9007870
get the fuck out, you lazy shitfuck.
You wont be just "finding" items. make them, or fuck off.
Every single cosplay I've ever done has been wigless. Mostly because I hate wigs but also because I go out of my way to cosplay characters wearing masks, hats, helmets etc, or do like a ginjinka cosplays where I can use my own hair anyway. I agree with most posters in this thread though, if it is a live action character or realistic character like from most western games wigs are optional. If you go full anime though you need a wig, even for generic shonen protag.
If its big, wig.
If its anime, wig.
If its ridiculous, wig
If its japan related, wig.
If its unnatural colours, wig.
If its short cropped hair, natural.
If its fully or partially shaved, natural.
Unless you were blessed with the most bountiful, thick, luxuriously healthy looking hair, or are cosplaying a dude with short/shaved hair, just buy a fucking wig.
>>8977774
I swear to go every time these threads show up youre here to brag about your hair.
>>9038401
I recommend matchwigs.com if you want some quality shit. The wigs are made out of the same fibre as Arda's, but as oppose to arda they have free shipping! Which is great. The wigs are of approximately og the same price range. If you want your wig to look really good then you buy two of the same wig (Which is about 60 usd in total). If you want your wig to have added volume, then you buy a cheap filler wig from taobao, ebay or my personal favourite; Aliexpress, and use the good quality wig as a base. Swear to god, people won't notice the shit one if the base is good looking.
I'm planning on putting together a female trainer
I have black hair that I'm getting cut into that bob
Is this acceptable?
Wigless cosplay isn't always bad.
For example, here's an amazing one.
>>9026056
>isn't full enough, and doesn't hold its shape.
Uh. Not every anime character has "crazy anime hair."
As for "greasy," apparently your hygiene habits are terrible, but for the rest of us functional adults showering and haircare are basic hygiene. Costumes don't cause hair greasiness.
>>9047196
Tbh most japanese cosplayers don't use wigs for characters with casual hairstyles so I don't understand why it shouldn't work for everyone else too unless the person got shitty hair in the first place.
>>9047394
This is a basic hairstyle. Most characters don't have the average, everyday hairstyle. I think it could work for some characters but not everybody has nice, full hair.
DISAGREE
>>9002193
why are so many people suddenly cosplaying premade characters from the unity asset store?
>>8977646
lol holy shit.
my friend did human inuyasha this year and used her own hair with some fake bangs and had pretty good rumiko takahashi hair. that said both her and I generally wear wigs, but I just wanted to compare to the other pic.
>>9044733
Could work if you have nice hair.
>>9048987
friends don't post friends to /cgl/.
>>9048987
This is okay but still would've been nicer with a wig imo
>>9047282
It's not a hygiene issue it's more about the con environment. Cons tend to be pretty warm and sweaty (yes even for the clean people) and you're there all day. Even freshly washed hair is going to look a bit flat and greasy after 10+ hours of con conditions.
You could carry dry shampoo and restyle throughout the day, or just wear a wig.
>>9049111
whatever i'm not posting her to bash her i wanted to show where hair was a better idea. i doubt it would fit under a wig anyway
how bad is it for a guy to not use a wig? Since a lot of anime/game males already just have short/medium length hair anyways with minimal styling
>>9049737
Men that refuse to wear wigs are usually the type that refuse to apply make up and so on, so the result is usually double as shit.
>does the character have short and/or cropped hair (shorter than, say, Shinji Ikari)
If so, it's probably fine. Wigs for short, short-haired characters usually look pretty bad. But you better make goddamn sure your hair is perfect for the character, and that you know how to keep it that way.
Anything that length or longer, i.e most male anime protags? Get a fucking wig.
Speaking of, I'm planning an Okuyasu cosplay and am not sure which way to go. His hair can be seen as being very close cropped on the sides or just combed back flat. Any wigs I've seen trying to emulate his hairstyle look like garbage on the sides. I can style a pompadour just fine and typically wear my hair shaved/very short on the sides. Obviously I plan to do a few tests beforehand to see how it looks, but it should be fine right? I already plan to wear makeup and everything else. Pic related on the shitty Okuyasu wig, this is about the best I could find. It's okay, I guess, but still looks too bulky.
>>9050014
How it's depicted in the manga for reference. See? Very close-cropped on the side.
>>9049737
Unless it's SUPER short and/or (preferebly and) your hair is picture-perfect for it, you can probably get away with it. Under any other circumstances, or if the costume is simple enough, suck it up and buy a wig.
If your hair is exactly like the character's then go for it. I mean EXACTLY
>>9049205
The cons I go to have the AC cranked so high I have to make sure I wear a padded bra when a cosplay.
>>9050099
Only time I actually agreed with this was with a Spike cosplayer. His hair looked much better than a lot of the wigs I've seen.
>>9050099
OT but he looks like Josh Groban's twin
>>9049731
My hair has been longer and I fit it under a Wig just fine. Make several(4-6) small braids and spiral them against scalp, put wig cap on top. Bam. No skull lumps
>>9047401
I don't know what kind of anime ou watch but most characters do have normal hairstyles, may it be long straight hair, long curly hair, twintails or ponytails.
>>9050498
What I mean is, most people don't have thick enough hair for it to look good. Usually looks sloppy. And it's much harder to make sure your hair stays perfect throughout the day than to just style a wig. I don't really know why you'd want to go through the added trouble.
Most of the time, it's just someone that's too cheap to buy a wig or too lazy to style one
>>9050506
>implying wigs can't look like rat nest shit by the end of a long con day
kek
>>9050099
Holy shit I just saw that dude yesterday.
>>9051022
if you don't know how to properly take care of wig maybe. You can choose to not wear a wig if it makes you happy but you'll probably look like shit
>>9048987
If you could not post me here (even for good things) that would be great.
selfpost time:
I actually do wear/prefer wigs (and can fit my hair underneath just fine). I just did it that way because it was 40C and I was already wearing 5 layers and was being lazy. I'm definitely not an example of "wigless done right" lol.
Since I can get that sort of lion mane at the back going on, achievable natty?
>>9003647
omg you have the cutest smile!!
Any character with a pulled back ponytail & no bangs is going to look best with real hair.
Pic related, I cosplayed Haru with a lace front wig with an upside down ponytail weft in the back, and not only was it routinely a pain in the ass to style, but it never looked as good as real hair would have. (But my hair is like 3 inches long, so not an option)
>>8975100
I want to drink a beer with them
>>9003673
There's a full Facebook group for it, even.
>mfw when thought one of the shirts was cute for work
>found someone selling it, apologizing for it not being distressed, which I insisted was a-okay
>they send it to me distressed.
I can't say I blame them since I never stated it was for work, but now I'm just going to sit on it for a while.
More related,
I'm glad /cgl/'s changing their mind a bit. I brought up in one of these threads I used my real hair for Ellie (since I also have medium length auburn hair), got shit on despite the fact that I make my hair look absolutely disgusting.
Tried to grease up a wig to please the seagulls, just didn't look as good as >>8974853 does.
>>9003647
Anon do you have an insta I can follow?
>>9055996
Pulled back styles would still benefit from hair pieces though. It's hard to achieve the amount of ponytail volume that most characters have with natural hair.
>>9047394
My hair is similar to this girl, maybe a bit fuller and I cosplayed a lot of characters using my own hair back in the days. It wasn't easy to get wigs then and there was many black haired characters I wanted to cosplay. I chopped my hair, sometimes used tricks to make it appear shorter. Not gonna selfpost but it worked 90% of times.
>>9050014
It's combed back flat, like Josuke's. It's noticeable on the manga, figures, etc, the combed hair makes somewhat of a "V" on the back where both sides meet.
>>9051809
sorry your friend is retarded
>>8977641
Half yes, half no. Once when I did Michiko. I'm sure a gull has a picture of it somewhere but I'd rather not upload it. I had a sew in so my natural hair was only partially showing.
I did Michiko again with a full wig (she had a high ponytail) and it was awful because the lace front kept bunching up and falling back from the weight of the ponytail no matter how many pins I tried to keep it controlled with.
>>8979262
I think you should do it. Really, it all depends on how you'll present yourself. If you're doing her full armor more power to you. Just make sure your body paint isn't unsealed trash.
Asking /cgl/'s opinions on anything will always yield the same results.
>>8974564
That guy looks nothing like sailor mercury
>>9050506
Unless you're balding, you have more hairs on your head than there are fibers in a wig.
>>8977774
no amount of good hair will fix that fug face and personality
>>9002224
That's Adella. She was one of the original cosfamous cosplayers.
>>9056218
True, but it's combed back flat enough that I could see it being a fair bit shorter than Josuke's. His has far more volume on the sides than Okuyasu does. I'll probably cave and make a wig for future cosplays if it doesn't look good, but even with it combed flat rather than buzzed my hair is pretty much cut like that already.
Any good tips on getting wigs to lie flat? Like I said, most Okuyasu wigs I've seen end up looking far more like Josuke. semi-related, an example of a really good wigless Josuke. i had to literally ask this person themselves to make sure it wasn't just a really nice lacefront
>>9057823
True, but not everyone's individual strands of hair are thick. Even someone with a full head of itcan just have naturally thin hair.
>>8974564
Are you Bailey Jay?
>>8990010
She didn't even bother to do the tattoos, she didn't even bother to spray paint her hair, SHE DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO DO A BRAID
>>9002292
yyyyyyeeeeeeeesssssssssss!!!!!!
>>9057823
thickness=/=number of follicles
I can't believe this needs explaining
If you dont give a shit then go ahead, otherwise no. Learn how to style a wig, its worth the effort.
Im planning to do Maka, Im normally 100% wig but do you think it would be okay to use my real hair for her? Ive had a lot of issues with tied up pigtail wigs fitting my head, I've used Arda and Epic ones but they all sit lumpy and uneven and never sit right on my head and look awful. I figured I could maybe get away with it since Makas hairstyle is really natural, thinner pigtails and I have no issues dying my hair an ash blonde color. Y/n? For reference I have straight, chest length, healthy hair.
>>9066841
get a wig
>>9023872
do you mind going into detail anon... ive run into this problem several times and cant seem to fix it effectively for a long period of time
>>9066841
don't do it anon
>>9066866
do you have long hair? that might be the issue, but if not I do not know
>>9066866
there are tutorials on how to take a regular wig and style it into pigtails
>>9047394
Most Japanese cosplayers also have hair that is coarse and stays straight and in place which also isn't super fine,
