Cosplay is a waste of time?

*insert buzzer noise here*

Wrong.

Think of it like this: there are people out there who are willingly spending their money on things that they enjoy. What's wrong with wearing costumes? Childish, sure, but it's something we enjoy to do. It's not easy either, depending on the route. You can take the easy way out and buy one online/get one commissioned, the middle route and alter clothes, or the much more challenging route, and make it all yourself (mostly all that is, making wigs doesn't look too easy).

Each one has it's own benefits as well:

Making the cosplay, though it may be challenging, as long as you know what the hell you're doing, it pays off in the end. You get an amazing "handmade" (I say this because you might be using a sewing machine and I'm not sure if that counts as handmade) costume, that's custom fit and to your liking. It's pretty damn rewarding when you get to wear it and say you made it yourself. Plus you can even enter contests with them and maybe win awards. Even though they may only be worth a certificate, doesn't it feel nice to be recognized for your hard work? It takes a lot of time though depending on both skill level and what you're aiming for, but it can be fun if you like sewing and prop building.

Then there's the "closet cosplay". Why does it have the word closet in it? Often these are costumes made of clothes you already own. Now this isn't as difficult as making, but it still is a challenge. You can't just throw on a baggy white long sleeve with baggy jeans, scribble on eyeliner and say you're L. No. Just get out. Now.

It takes more than that. I know cosplay is just for fun, but put more effort into it, eh? Try picking something suitable and simple to do. I can't really pull anything off the top of my head that's very easy to do, but lets say Namine from the Kingdom Hearts series. a white dress with scalloped ends and light blue sandals, and straight blonde hair with styled, straight across fringe/bangs ( I've committed this crime many times, and it angers me to no end, but hair is a big part on cosplays!). Very doable, even without the scalloped edging on the dress; who knows, a girl can have these simple pieces in her closet, and from a series so popular, someone is bound to recognize you!

The "easiest" method is to buy or commission a cosplay. It's not entirely easy I'll admit. I've never ordered one, but I've read stories of how rough it can be: shipping errors, sizing errors, scams, poorly made costumes/props, and so on. The only word of advice I can give you is, READ REVIEWS. Were many people satisfied? Did anyone complain about poor quality/service? Had anyone complained about being conned out of their money? Pay attention! It's one thing to make a small mistake like a typo in the address you want the costume sent to and it's arrival is delayed, but it's a completely different story if the person/company you bought from stole your money. Make sure to give plenty of reference images too, you don't want to order a cosplay for Sora (Kingdom Hearts) but get a cosplay for Tidus (FFX) instead!

So yeah. Cosplay is srs business from my standing. I won't lie, people might disagree with me, I have pet peeves about cosplays which I probably have committed before. I'm not perfect at it yet, and have only just begun my journey into the world of cosplay. There's plenty to it aside from that: choosing a cosplay, materials, props, makeup, wigs, shoes, acting the part when needed, etc. Is it a waste of time? I say no, it all pays off eventually. Have I changed your mind about cosplay? Probably not, but hey I'm just trying to get people to understand it's not stupid or a waste of time. It's a hobby, like anything else, and if you enjoy it, go for it. If it's not your cup of tea, just go and accept that it's something people actually do, like watch Jersey Shore (though I've yet to meet one I could understand).