Name: Alouette Cosplay
Location: Orlando, FL
Twitter: @AlouetteAntigone
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alouettecosplaypage
Photographer(s): iM Photography, Shane Ramey Photography, MV Partsch, Morataya Photography, Tiger Shot Productions, N/A Studio, Luciano Alicea, Templar Digital/BriLan Imagery, Avidchick Productions and Victor Voyeur Photography.
What was your first Cosplay experience?
My first cosplay experience was back in 2008! My friend had invited me to a local convention (Anime Festival Orlando) and suggested we cosplay together! I was somewhat familiar with cosplay from social media sites and the such, and jumped at the opportunity!
As a dancer my whole life, I love costuming and performance. So it just seemed natural to combine that with my love of all things geeky! After attending the convention I was hooked and knew it was a hobby I wanted to pursue further.
How long have you been Cosplaying?
I have been cosplaying for seven and a half years!
Who or what inspired you to take up Cosplaying?
As I mentioned before, I have been a competitive dancer since I was five (and now am dancing professionally!) Part of what I love about dancing is performance and costuming. When I started to learn more about cosplay it seemed only natural to combine that love with my passion for comics, video games, fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and anime!
While combining two of my passions inspired me to take up cosplay, all of the extremely talented cosplayers I saw at the local convention and online really inspired me to continue with the hobby. While my two costumes that weekend were out of closet and (poorly fitted) eBay costumes, seeing more experienced cosplayers in gorgeous gowns, armor, and wigs really influenced me at that young age. Seeing that they could create such professional, amazing outfits that really transformed them into their favorite characters just made me want to do that as well!
Truly, some of the same people I saw back in 2008 along with numerous others still inspire me to improve, learn new techniques, and just generally continue to love the hobby!
If you had to pick a favorite Cosplay you have worn, or have seen someone else wear, what would it be?
This is always the toughest question to me! All of the cosplays I have of are characters I love, so its hard to chose a favorite since some of them are so different! I think some of my favorites are Miranda Lawson from Mass Effect since it is one of my all time favorite games and I feel like a badass bond girl in the outfit, Batwoman since she is hands down my favorite comic hero ever, Princess Tutu because I feel elegant and get to use my lifetime of ballet experience in it, Daenerys because flowing dresses and long blonde hair is too much fun, and Sera from Dragon Age because she is a fun personality… and the outfit is incredibly comfortable!
If you had unlimited funds and resources, what Cosplay would you create?
Ohhhh another hard one! I think I would just want to make every dress from Game of Thrones. The design of every outfit in the show is just spectacular and I would love to have a wardrobe of that! I think I would also want to pretty much create every female character from Mass Effect and Dragon Age (including alternate outfits haha!).
What advice would you offer to those who are aspiring Cosplayers?
Never forget to have fun! I know that sounds cliché and silly, but with the prominence of “geek culture”, cosplay, and social media in today’s culture it is so easy to get caught up in the more intense side of things and start to get down on yourself. I know it can be intimidating to see people who have invested hundreds of dollars and hours into incredibly accurate costumes with gorgeous wigs and props and beautiful photography/editing, but in the end we are all just nerds who share a love for the same shows, comics, games, and movies and like to play dress up too!
While everyone takes the hobby to a different extent of seriousness, enjoying the process (especially wearing the finished product!) is most important.
To learn more about Alouette Cosplay, follow her on Twitter: @AlouetteAntigone and check out her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/alouettecosplaypage
If you or someone you know would like to have a gallery featured on Geeks With Wives, please email Casey at gwwcapescrew@gmail.com!