Halifax-area teen showcasing DIY skills with cosplay wigs she’s selling on Kijiji
Cosplay is a big business, and a Halifax-area teenager is cashing in.
Olivia Smith is just 15 years old but has been selling her hand-styled wigs on Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist for a minimum of $200 apiece.
“That's a really reasonable price when you consider how much time and product goes into making a wig," Smith says.
According to Allied Market Research, the global cosplay industry in 2020 was valued at $4.62 billion — and it's growing, with that number expected to increase substantially by 2030. There is more than one way to make money through cosplay: corporations mass-produce costumes, bloggers create how-to guides and make-up tutorials and some guests bring in big paycheques from convention appearances.
There's also a big do-ityourself community in the cosplay world. In Atlantic Canada, you can catch DIY artists like Smith selling their hand-styled wigs and homemade costumes on digital marketplaces.
It's more complicated than you might think to make these costumes, Smith adds.
“The wigs I work on have at least four pieces: a base wig, bangs, and two other sections to create the bulk. I wash these pieces in warm water and fabric softener when I get them. Cold water causes everything to shrink,” Smith explains.
At this point in the process, the work isn't even half over. Wigs need to be perfected before they can be bought and sold.
“After everything is washed, I blow dry the hairpieces and place the base wig piece on a styrofoam mannequin head. Then I attach the other pieces and clips," Smith explains.
The most tedious part is teasing, hair spraying, and styling.
"The main idea is to get hair that doesn't move. This takes around three to five days to get it perfect. The hairspray fumes are intense," Smith adds.
WHO ARE THE BUYERS?
The primary market for these specialty items are new cosplayers, but Smith points out this is for newbies with deeper pockets.
“I've sold lots of wigs to first-time cosplayers so that they don't have to learn to style right off the bat, but
it can be pricey. Learning to do things yourself can be cheaper. YouTube is your friend," Smith says.
For Neo Heilman of Halifax, dressing up as a character from an anime or video game has always been a performative and fun way to get into the source material. They've been going to conventions and making costumes since childhood.
“My first convention was
just a few hours from where I lived, so I begged my mom to go and even got her involved by asking her to sew me my first cosplay,” Heilman says.
“Dressing up just looked like so much fun to me.”
Conventions are a big part of the cosplay experience. The roots of these events can be traced back to the early 15th century when people dressed as famous historical figures or popular characters from stage plays at European festivals. Modern-day conventions, or ‘cons,' took off in the 1980s and are an opportunity for fans to connect with other enthusiasts.
“I love feeling like I'm part of a community built up around the love and dedication of a media that I consume,” says Heilman.
“I've always had trouble socially, so being able to make friends by walking up to someone at a convention and just jumping into a conversation about a costuming technique is so freeing.”
“I’ve always had trouble socially, so being able to make friends by walking up to someone at a convention and just jumping into a conversation about a costuming technique is so freeing.” Neo Heilman Cosplay enthusiast
KNOW YOUR STUFF
Smith has purchased extensions and wig pieces on the same digital marketplaces she sells her own work on.
"I've only ever spoken with pleasant and helpful people,"
exactly Smith says. "They knew what they were selling and could tell me everything I needed to know before going through with my purchase.
advice That's my main piece of for people getting into cosplay — do a lot of research about the places you're buying your cosplay. There are many moving parts to this whole cosplay thing, so it's crucial that you know what you're getting into.”
While Heilman mostly finds the community supportive, there's also a dark side.
“There's bigotry and elitism. Also, people will pick apart cosplay over accuracy and leave hateful comments. It's part of being online, but it does hurt," Heilman says.
"It used to be about geeks finding a place to fit in; you weren't expected to do everything perfectly, all that mattered was having fun.”
Heilman uses digital marketplaces to sell and buy costume pieces but says the decision to sell a homemade costume is a tough one.
“The costumes you've worn, especially the ones you've made yourself, carry such great memories. Selling them is a huge decision. I've put hours and money into my homemade costumes, so that makes them feel priceless to me.”
Instead, Heilman prefers to buy.
“It's great when a skilled creator sells costumes they've made. It's like buying an art piece. I love to see the workmanship behind someone's cosplay up close, and it's special to breathe new life into a piece someone retired.”