# Gift ideas for a budding cosplayer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 16, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253 "2012-11-16T23:49:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/1 "2012-11-16T23:49:33Z")
My sister-in-law just turned 16 and is starting to really get into cosplay/ anime/ conventions (actually, she’s been into anime for a couple of years, it’s the other two that are newer). I’d love to support her and get her something cool and useful for Christmas. I know very little about cosplay, but I’ve seen threads about it on the Dope so I thought I might be able to get some suggestions here. I don’t know what specific shows/ series she is into, although I could probably find out from my mother-in-law. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/2 "2012-11-17T00:24:48Z")
Without knowing what characters she wants to dress as, buying her a wig would be a disaster. I suggest theatrical makeup as a generic gift for a cosplayer. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/3 "2012-11-17T01:00:54Z")
A sewing machine (or gift card to a place that sells them). ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/4 "2012-11-17T01:35:14Z")
If she has a sewing machine, then a gift card for fabric. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/5 "2012-11-17T02:07:25Z")
I have two cosplayers and the sewing machine and gift card ideas are just right. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/6 "2012-11-17T02:59:30Z")
For people that are heavily into costuming, help getting into a heavy duty sewing machine, maybe even some of those nifty computer controlled ones for doing custom emproidery would be great. Another thought that would be helpful for various accessories the price of decent 3D printing equipment is falling fast. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/7 "2012-11-18T23:46:07Z")
I’d go with the fabric store gift card. A good sewing machine would be a very generous gift. Be careful, though, as a lot of the cheaper machines ($100 range) tend to be crap. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/8 "2012-11-19T18:37:54Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > For people that are heavily into costuming, help getting into a heavy duty sewing machine, maybe even some of those nifty computer controlled ones for doing custom emproidery would be great. > > Another thought that would be helpful for various accessories the price of decent 3D printing equipment is falling fast. In my experience, cosplayers usually make that hard stuff out of floormat or fun foam. Which, BTW, is an idea if she makes that sort of stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/9 "2012-11-19T19:11:13Z")
Are there any cons in your area whose entrance fees are for sale yet? Summer cons often let people buy tickets well before christmas. ---
**Author:** ![solosam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@solosam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solosam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/10 "2012-11-19T21:17:15Z")
Belts. Get a nice, thick, leather belt from a fantasy armor / costuming store, with a big metal buckle. It doesn’t matter what genre or character you are attempting to portray, everyone can use a high quality leather belt. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-ideas-for-a-budding-cosplayer/641253/11 "2012-11-19T22:29:20Z")
Gift card to fabric store. Gift card to hardware store. Heavy-duty sewing machine. (Tell the salesperson that it needs to be able to sew at least three layers of padded vinyl together.)