Cosplaying at any convention requires following any guidelines the venue sets. They can sometimes vary from location to location. However, there are some basic comic con cosplay rules that are important to keep in mind if you plan to attend. Keep in mind when going over these rules, they’re generalizations for what is standard at most conventions. They are also meant for those wearing cosplays at the event.
The rules we cover will mainly focus on the costumes and props. I opted to skip covering behavior since the same expectations of an attendee without a cosplay is required of cosplaying attendees.
Convention Rules for Cosplay Props
This section will apply to physical props you might carry with you as a cosplayer at a convention.
- No firearms or weapons – Props CANNOT at pretty much all cons, be real. Real guns, blunt or projectile weapons and anything else classified as a weapon is banned from conventions. There is never really exceptions to this rule so your prop should always be a fake.
- No metal props – Props made out of metal are going to be extremely heavy to begin with. Not to mention they can easily be used as a blunt weapon as well. Thus why most convention centers will not permit props made out of metals.
- No hard wooden props – Whether it’s a prop you made out of wood or a wooden bat, it probably can’t go to a convention. Similar to the issue with metal props, these are hard and can easy harm someone.
- Bows must be unstrung or loosely strung – If your cosplay is going to have a real bow or a handmade cosplay bow, you might be able to bring it to the convention. Depending on the venue they will probably require you to either have it loosely strung or completely unstrung.
- Go to prop check – At every convention entrance, there is a security check point that you can have your prop inspected at. It’s vital that you get your prop approved and tagged so you can freely walk the convention floor with it.
- Orange tipped props – For replica firearms, it is vital they have an orange tip to indicate they aren’t real. This applies to any prop that is meant to look like a real gun.
- Arrows tips – For archer cosplayers, there’s a few things you can do in order to bring your arrow props. Your options are to have foam tips, remove the tips completely or keep them in a quiver that they can’t be remove from.
- Whips – Some conventions will allow whips to be brought in as props. However they need to be zip tied.
Convention Rules for Cosplay Clothing
This section will apply to the cosplay you are wearing as a cosplayer at a convention.
- No nudity – While not every convention is family friendly, they still typically won’t allow nudity. You always have to cover all of your genitalia while cosplaying at a convention. As for lewd costumes, this will vary from convention to convention.
- Dimension limits – If you’re someone who loves to wear or create larger than life cosplays, you may want to scope out the rules ahead of time. Some venues put a dimension limit on cosplays to ensure you and other attendees can safely maneuver the expo floor’s aisles.
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