NS – Kayla, thanks so much for taking the time to speak with NerdSociety! So let’s start at the beginning… What inspired you to first start cosplaying?
Kayla – It was mostly following a lot of amazing cosplayers on Instagram that inspired me to first start. So when I went to my first con, I thought “Yeah I definitely can’t go without some kind of cosplay.” I did a quick, cheap getup of Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead and felt so cool and confident with everyone wanting pictures and telling me how awesome I looked, ever since then I’ve been cosplaying. It’s cool cause I have so many great cosplayers that inspire me, as well, with their originality and their sense of confidence.
NS – Who are your favorite characters?
Kayla – My favorite characters are definitely a lot of strong females such as Storm, Elektra, etc. If I’m not cosplaying an awesome woman, I’m doing a genderbend of an equally awesome male character. It honestly all depends on you know, which comic, video game, or even anime I’m into. I never have just one favorite character. I’m too indecisive for that.
NS – Do you prefer solo or group cosplaying?
Kayla – My friends and I will go to a con as a group but dressed as individuals. I’ve never really done an actual group cosplay where our costumes have correlated but we definitely plan to. It just seems so fun. But for now, solo cosplay is my route.
NS – Which Cons do you typically frequent?
Kayla – Living in Las Vegas, there’s not as many cons around me. I’ll always go to cons like Wizard World Las Vegas or even the Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con. I’ll go to California frequently to go to some awesome comic cons there. I’ve done Long Beach Comic Con, and I’ll be back this year. I still have yet to go to SDCC and it breaks my heart every year it passes me by! I’m determined.
NS – Can you tell us about a funny cosplaying experience?
Kayla – I can remember one really funny (awkward) moment at Long Beach Comic Con. I was dressed as Baroness from G.I. Joe and some older guy, I’d say mid 50s, whispers in my ear, “I’ve had a thing for you since I was a kid. Can I touch you?” This was my first big con so I wasn’t sure if this was normal so I busted out laughing. I’m pretty sure I came off rude but I couldn’t help it! Rebelling the experience to my friends was probably the funniest part, I was cracking up. I think having your friends around you at a con is probably the REAL funny experience. We laugh at everything.
NS – Yikes! So have you experienced any negativity through cosplaying, i.e. cattiness from other cosplayers?
Kayla – You’ll experience a lot of negativity doing ANYTHING that brings you confidence. I haven’t experienced it at a con, mostly through social media but there are those people who will call you weird, nerdy, a wannabe model, things like that. People will tell me I try too hard or I use my beauty to get guys to like me. There’s even people who will say “Your cosplay wasn’t even accurate.” They’ll just nitpick at the smallest things and it’s best to tune them out. I’m here for me, cosplaying for me. No one else. That’s all you have to keep telling yourself.
NS – What advice do you have for someone just starting out?
Kayla – If you’re just starting to cosplay, here’s my advice to you: whoever you’re cosplaying, rock it with the utmost confidence. Never mind the wig that won’t fit right, the fact that you wore the wrong shoes, or even if you’re missing one small detail. No one noticed. You look great. Pose for those pictures, feel the character you’re cosplaying, and especially, forget the haters. You’re there to have fun, that’s the biggest thing to remember. So do that! Have fun and rock it!
NS – Whats next?
Kayla – Oh, so many cosplay ideas, so little time. Next, I want to do something from an anime. I have yet to do so only because I really want to do my favorite animes justice but I think it’s time. I think I’m going to start working on Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z and a genderbend of Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul. I’ve also been putting off my Batman V. Superman version of Aquaman cosplay, genderbent. I just have so many ideas, but for right now I’m going with the flow. Like I said, I’m indecisive, so I’m that person that will have an idea of what I want to do months before a con, then switch it up a couple weeks before it happens. So we’ll see!
NS – Awesome! Great advice! Thanks again for the interview, Kayla. See you around!
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