Costuming Cosplay
Dressing the Imagination
Published on 1. November 2018
Book
Hardback
216 pages
978-1-350-03590-4 (ISBN)
Description
Cosplay, short for "costume play", has grown from its origins at fan conventions into a billion-dollar global dress phenomenon. Costuming Cosplay takes us from elaborately crafted DIY costumes to online fandoms, examining how the practice of portraying fictional characters from popular culture through dress and performance has become a creative means of expressing and playing with different identities.
With an approach that ranges from admiration and role-play to gender performance, this is the first book to fully examine the subculture and costume of the Cosplay phenomenon. Drawing on extensive first-hand research at conventions across North America and Asia, Theresa M. Winge invites us to explore how Cosplay functions as a meritocracy of creativity, escapism, and disguise, and offers a creative realm in which fantasy and new forms of socializing carry as much importance as costume.
Illustrated with color photographs of both celebrity and amateur Cosplayers, Costuming Cosplay is essential reading for students and scholars of fashion and costume, popular culture, anthropology, gender, and media studies, as well as global players and fans of Cosplay.
With an approach that ranges from admiration and role-play to gender performance, this is the first book to fully examine the subculture and costume of the Cosplay phenomenon. Drawing on extensive first-hand research at conventions across North America and Asia, Theresa M. Winge invites us to explore how Cosplay functions as a meritocracy of creativity, escapism, and disguise, and offers a creative realm in which fantasy and new forms of socializing carry as much importance as costume.
Illustrated with color photographs of both celebrity and amateur Cosplayers, Costuming Cosplay is essential reading for students and scholars of fashion and costume, popular culture, anthropology, gender, and media studies, as well as global players and fans of Cosplay.
Reviews / Votes
Engages with a variety of issues seated within the realm of cosplay ... Costuming Cosplay celebrates the creative power of cosplay, illustrating the significant effects of play and fun. * Journal of Folklore Research * [A] must-read for scholars of dress and culture or anyone interested in the complex world of cosplay and fandom. Winge's first-hand accounts and analysis of cosplay costume are insightful and engaging. The book provides aholistic background on cosplay and simultaneously investigates the nuances of the cosplay way of life. Especially intriguing are the detailed discussions on the construction and negotiation of archetype character identities through costume and body modification. -- Jessica Struebel, University of Rhode Island, USA Winge's insider role, as a fan of fandom and as a past judge of Cosplay competitions, contributes authenticity to this valuable guide to understanding the Cosplay subculture and the intimate meanings of their 'looks' or costume. -- Abby Lillethun, Montclair State University, USA Winge's analysis is full of fresh insight ... Indispensable reading for cosplay scholars it is likely to remain a touchstone for many years to come. * Journal of Textile Science and Technology *
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Laminated cover
Illustrations
16 colour and 14 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
504 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-03590-4 (9781350035904)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
11/2018
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Visual Arts
€30.99
Available for download
Person
Theresa M. Winge is Associate Professor in Apparel and Textile Design at Michigan State University, USA. She is the author of Body Style (Bloomsbury Academic, 2012), an avid fan of Cosplay, and has judged Cosplay competitions and participated in Cosplay costume panels.
Content
Chapter 1: Cosplay
Chapter 2: Cosplay Subculture
Chapter 3: Dressing the Part
Chapter 4: Cosplay is a Way of Life
Chapter 5: Girl Power
Chapter 6: Cosplay Worlds
Bibliography
Index
Chapter 2: Cosplay Subculture
Chapter 3: Dressing the Part
Chapter 4: Cosplay is a Way of Life
Chapter 5: Girl Power
Chapter 6: Cosplay Worlds
Bibliography
Index