Cosplay Anxiety

[Shine]

I've been a cosplayer for a few years now. Before that I liked to dye my hair fairly abrasive colors. So you'ed think that I'd be ok with being seen. However unless I'm with a group or going to a convention I have HUGE cosplay anxiety. And because my troupe lives thousands of miles away (I travel to attend conventions with them) I'm almost always cosplaying alone.

I shoot video in parks from time to time and I'll take photos in things I've made to sell on Etsy. But it takes a lot of building up courage just to leave the house in costume. Once I'm out I can normally get into character (or at least assume a more outgoing persona) and then I'm fine... but the stress before hand is amazing. I put off taking photos in the grass right outside my apartment complex today because I just couldn't deal.

Does anyone else get nervous about going out in cosplay (either for a convention or just casually)?

Any suggestions on how to deal with it?

[BeccaAnn]

well its going to be my first time cosplaying at LAC however due to the crowds of fellow cosplayers I'm hoping it won't be to daunting...
Its not the cosplay your anxious about...its people seeing you in it who won't understand or know what it is... and will mock or tease.
Anyhow, try and convince yourself your not in cosplay and that its your everyday outfit. Or wear a coat on top and take it off when you feel more comfortable? x

[Lina Loaded]

I am, hands down, the strangest person my neighborhood has ever seen. Yet I'm actually normally terrified of people. But I cosplay for myself, for my own fun. And being scared puts a cramp on my fun.

Before I leave the house I do a run down on my costume; is everything attached, does it look ok, do I look like a clown? And in the end I take a deep breath, and get on the bus. I'm livening up their worlds, how could I ever forgive myself for not exposing everyone to the joy that is acting like a lunatic cosplay. It's no worse than some of the looks I get for the hair colours/clothes I wear. And I'm going to be with like minded crazy people. And really, I see people in "fashionable" clothes go almost naked and they usually don't care. Not that I ever want to show that much skin, but strange > nearly naked.

But really, sadly, mostly no one looks at anyone else anymore. Children stare in curiosity, but adults are too busy thinking to see anything going on.

[KTC_UK]

I always get a bit of anxiety when I do this kind of stuff (it's mostly due to the crossdressing aspect though) but as soon as I'm doing it I'm fine. Hell, I've even had comments directed at me and laughed along

[iShield]

Never cosplayed before, but I enjoy being geeky in public.
Loved the looks we got when a few of us were singing brentalfloss on the train.
As far as I see it, you just need to find the fun side to it.
Also, at the con last weekend, we went to a pub in cosplayers in our group and quite a few drunk guys found it really interesting and started asking us about it all.