The Cospunk Prince and Halloween! Tips while shopping

Hey everyone! With this being me absolute favourite time of year for Cospunking, I thought I'd share some tips on using Halloween/Costume shopping to your advantage.

Pre-Halloween Shopping

1. If You Can, pick a costume with multiple pieces for Halloween.
If you just buy a pre-made costume, try to get one with multiple parts. While all together it's a costume, the parts seperate could make a great addition to a cospunker's wardrobe. For example:

I found this costume one year, which I decided to buy and came with the shirt, skirt, and two arm warmers.  I was able to use the skirt again and create a cospunk creation even before I started using the term cospunk:

And then, though I have no pictures, I was able to use the arm warmers and shirt for other things.

2. If you can, avoid buying long/styled costume wigs for cospunking.

Most costume wigs sold in stores and supermarkets are usually very, very low quality, especially if they're a kid's costume. (I was Draculaura from Monster High one year, and when I took the wig out of the packaging it was already ratted and the pigtails were coming out).  Bobs might be okay, but as for my own personal experiences long haired wigs or wigs with up-dos are usually very hard to maintain and you only get one use out of them, if that.

For high quality wigs, go to http://www.gothiclolitawigs.com/, http://www.wigwarehouse.com, /http://lockshopwigs.com/

Tips for After Season

 1. Day Afvter Halloween Sales!
Most stores start clearence sales as early as the day of/after Halloween. Use this to snag special deals on costume accessories such as tights, shoes, hats/hair accessories, etc.

This is all I can think of right now, I apologize, but if you have any questions hit me up! I'll certainly answer on the next blog.

The Cospunk Prince signs off!

The Cospunk Prince gives answers:.

Hey meeps! I decided to do a Q&A blog, so you get to know more about myself and the way of cospunk. I've asked my facebookies for questions, and thought of some to answer as well. So here you go! <3

Self Introduction:

 

 

1. Why call yourself The Cospunk Prince? Are you transgender?

I am not transgender, no. But to be honest, I really don't like specifying gender identity or sexuality. I'm physically a girl, but I don't necessarily act like either sex(if you go by the stereotypes.) Some days I like wearing dresses and showing off my feminine figure, other days I prefer baggy clothes and hiding my hair under a cap. When I cospunk, the way I carry myself depends on the wig I wear and I tend to act more masculine when I have my blue wig on. Likewise, when I wear my hair down or my choco-strawberry wig, I tend to act like a little child. How I dress depends on my mood and how I feel like carrying myself. Either way I am fearless. Human. And I'd like to be percieved as such.

As far as the name goes, when looking for a title I didn't want to say 'The Cospunk Kid'. Too generic. Cospunk Princess/Cospunk Queen didn't have the impact I was looking for, and assumed that I would be mainly wearing dresses and lolita clothing. With Cospunk Prince, I feel like it gives that cool image I'm looking for. 

2. Do you have a youtube or DeciantART channel?

I have several, but none dedicated to The Cospunk Prince yet. They Are:
DeviantART: darke-angelic-sins(literature), Kinjadahedgie(art)
Youtube: yessudesu(Jpop singing and dancing), xNovaKayne(drawing videos and Monster High Reviews)

3.Out of all anime/manga characters you can think of; which character do you relate to the most? (I'm thinking you're like Himamori Amu.. but that's just cause you're so cool X3)

Awe, thanks! x3 It's funny you say that, actually, because when I was in high school I wore my hair like her, and my friends all wanted me to die my hair bright pink to match her =w= As for who I can relate to the most.. That's a tough one, really XD  In a sense I'm like Hunny from Ouran High School Host club, because I love cute things and sweets, and I'm always told I look and act MUCH younger than I am. But at the same time Hunny is really strong, and you could probably break my arm with one poke, that's how weak I am 8D' 

Personality wise, it all depends, because my personality changes depending on my mood. I normally can't control it. o2o I like to see myself as both Duck from Princess Tutu(scatterbrained, clumsy, but full of love and will go to great lengths to make things work out in the end and make everyone happy) and Mizore Shirayuki, a quiet, solitary individual who seems a bit cold in appearance but is quite protective of her friends. As a friend somewhat pointed out, and from reading the description of the character, Nagato when he was a child is very similar to how I am today. 

4.How did you first get started in Cospunk, and if you had to pick any other single fashion type instead, which would you prefer to wear regularly?

I believe it all started  after AnimeNEXT 2012, after I cosplayed for the first time as Hatsune Miku. While I always mixed up my clothes beforehand and tried creating my own style(mainly with experimenting with accessories, dresses over pants, etc.) , it was adding costume elements to it that made it complete. a few months later I decided on that name for my style. If I had to pick a single fashion type..Even though I wouldn't be able to really wear any dresses, after looking up a few, I'd say Crust/Gutter Punk would be more my style. 

 5. What are your influences?What inspires you?

Cosplay and Japanese fashion, for starters. I love all kinds of Japanese fashion because each garment is so different from the next, even if it's a similar style or colour. You can mix-and-match alot in Japanese fashion and it still coordinates really well. Monster High and fandoms come into play alot, too. Between my Frankie Stein purse, Monster High themed shirts and petticoats, and accessories, not to mention band swag and MLP themed clothing/accessories, I'm expressing my interests. Add a bit of Japanese fashion or something you'd not normally wear with Childrens Show/Band related stuff, and you got yourself a killer cospunk statement. Not to mention wigs.

6. Do you always wear wigs? Why/why not?

I will admit, more often than not I will wear a wig when I'm out and about. Not because I hate my normal hair(though I do admit I need to cut it, it's getting alot of split ends and my hairline is already receding), but because the colours of my wigs go better with my cospunk creations and give just the right edge to them. If I want to wear a clip-on hat, I usually have to wear a wig or otherwise the hat will fall right out of my real hair. Usually I'll leave my wigs at home if it's raining/snowing, if I have to try on clothing(unless I'm shopping for things to go with the wig), or if I go somewhere right before/after work. If I'm just staying in the house all day or don't intend on going anywhere, I leave my hair down.

7. What do you plan on doing for your blog?
  
I'm going to be doing quite a few 'Cospunk Prince Goes To _____'  series, in which I will cospunk at public events like festivals, carnivals, etc. and try to mingle with strangers. I may or may not do another shopping trip, maybe online shopping tips. I definitely want to do a blog where I give someone a cospunk makeover, but I'm not sure how I'm going about that one yet haha. 

8.  How much clothing do you actually have?

Way too much, my friend. XD But I have so many because I can create many more cospunk creations if I have a diverse wardrobe. Even then, I only have four pairs of shoes haha. Not counting sandals.

 9. Have you been made fun of or ridiculed by your style?

Surprisingly enough, no. Unless behind my back I'm talked about, I get complimented on my style from friends, fans, and strangers alike. I've never gotten any kind of critical remark from my clothing or wigs other than a friend of mine saying I'm beautiful without wigs(Thank you friend, you know who you are <3). Everyone I encounter respects my style and just goes with it.

10. I've noticed you barely wear makeup. Is there a reason?

Simply put, I don't like makeup. XD It takes forever to get on, gets smudged or fades easily, and then some damage the skin when you try to remove them. On the rarest of occasions I'll wear a light shade of lipstick or purple eye shadow, but again, it's a rare occasion.   

12-Hour Blog: The Cospunk Prince goes Shopping

Start Blog- 10:30 EST

Today I'mma be going on a massive Cospunk shopping spree at my local mall in Ocean County. With a set budget, a camera, and a notebook, I'mma be roaming around each store and trying to piece together the perfect Cospunk creations. Why not follow me on the journey and use this for your future Cospunking trips as well?

~~~~~Before You Leave, Things to Consider~~~~~

1. Budget
 In this day and age, it's stupid to just go with card-in-hand and blindly spend. Since clothing can be expensive, I advise taking a set money out of the bank and putting it into separate envelopes, based on what you want to buy. For example, I'm probably bringing $500(Though I'm pretty sure I'm not going to spend it all, It's the perfect amount to divvy up into four sections.) The sections:
1. Skirts/Pants- $125
2. Shoes/Accessories- $125
3. Shirts/Dresses- $125
4.Misc. $125

The misc envelope is in case I see something that isn't Cospunk or clothing that I may need, plus gas money, plus food money.

2. Look Through Your Closet/Dresser
On a shopping trip this big, you want to make sure you don't overbuy on a certain thing, and see what you really need in your wardrobe. You have 40+ Tshirts? Don't buy any. Lacking more dressy clothes, not enough colour? Look for those instead. I'd make a list of what you're searching for(Then again, I am the king of lists XD), just in case.

For my trip, I'm mainly searching for more summery stuff- Tank tops, shorts/skirts, more colourful stuff. But, since I'm also going to a Steampunk event with my friends in May, I'm looking for some darker, elegant, steampunk-esque clothing and accessories. I have enough ties and neck accessories, so I'm mostly looking for clip-on hats, headbands, etc. in terms of accessories. I also really need a pair of boots and maybe a new pair of sneakers.

3.What to wear AT a shopping trip
I always screw myself over with this whenever I go on an unplanned trip, because Cospunking involves a ton of layering. When I have to try something on, especially a shirt, I'm always taking off 5 things before I can get the one thing on. Try to wear as little as you can while still staying cospunk, like a dress and skinny jeans or something like that. Here's what I'm wearing:

Just enough to be Cospunk, but only two layers and barely any accessories.

4.Wigs
Trying clothes on is a bit difficult with a wig on, but if you wear a wig on a daily basis, bring the wig you use most(or that you want to coordinate with more outfits) in its bag and try it on with the clothing you try on. Make sure you bring a comb of some sort. I'm bringing my Choco-strawberry wig and possibly my electric blue wig as well, while just wearing my hair down for today.

Other Things To Bring
In my messenger bag I usually put my camera, batteries, and a spare accessory in one of the outer pockets, since the two wigs will be going in there. As far as where to place each envelope, I'd say put them all in one Ziplock bag and put it with the camera if there's room.

So now you know what to do, and I'm all set to go. Now here's the fun part, shopping! For the purpose of this blog I'mma be taking pictures of all that I try on, state the store and the price, whether or not I bought it, and write down how much money I'm left with after each transaction(for each envelope). Some things I might try on with a wig, others regularly. I might end up wearing my wig within the middle of the shopping trip for the lols, too. XD And if I think of any other tips, you'll be the first to hear it.

Also, as a little game for myself, I'mma be asking the store clerks how old I am. =w=

Save Blog- 11:33am EST
Get to the Mall- 1:15 pm EST

 Sears

 This shirt I decided to try on, but I just didn't like the look of it so I didn't buy it. The jeans cost me 12.99, on sale from 30something.

I LOVE this vest. While it doesn't necessarily go with the tank top I have on, it goes with the pants and I see alot of possibilities with it. The top cost me 8.99, also on sale <3

Though I did  like these jeans, since this was the first store I went to, I decided to only get one pair of pants. Since I had to go through that store to get to the car on my way back anyway, if I didn't find something better in a different store or still wanted them, I could buy them after I finish the rest of my shopping. I didn't buy them.

Grand total spent in first SEARS trip:  21.98

Claire's
I just have to say this is by far my favourite accessory store, and the first wig-switch of the day. XD I went in there with my hat on and hair down, but then quickly changed into my Choco-strawberry wig when I found these accessories(All these pics were taken at home, though =w=).

Hairclip set-on sale for 3.00(buy one hair accessory get one half off)

Purple bow- 4.00

Pink Bow- on sale for $2(buy one get one half off)

I bought a fourth hair accessory, a clip-on-hat, for my electric blue wig at $14.50.

I also bought a tie in this trip, but I'mma wait to show you that =w= I bought it for $8.50.

Accessory total for first Claire's trip:  35.99

Break From Cospinking..
 At Claire's, being a Monster High doll collector, I found Jinafire Long from the Scaris:City of Frights collectiong and swooped her up without a second thought, being my first $25 out of my Misc. envelope. =w=

 Justice
Formerly known as Limited Too, this is a kids'(specifically girls 16 and under) store. That don't stop this 19 year old nopenope. I still fit in size 14-16 clothes, 12s if I'm lucky. XD I still had my choco-strawberry wig on as I went into the store. Also, everything in the store was 40 percent off.

These size 16 jeans, while colourful, weren't exactly what I was looking for, so I didn't buy them.

I did buy these fuchsia coloured, polka dot jeans though, also a size 16. =w= As well as this size 20(the only size they had other than a 10) plaid vest-shirt. This makes a good outfit in itself, but I could probably cospunk it up by putting on my black tank top, unbuttoning the first few, and adding a tie of some sort. The vest cost me $19.74(originally 32.90,  saving me $13.16) while the pants were 16.01(originally 44.49, grand savings of 28.48).

I also bought this lovely white blouse for the same price as the vest-shirt.

Grand total for Justice trip: 55.49. I saved $54.8, which means if not for the sale, I would have spend over $100.

Break from Cospunking..

After Justice, on my way to Hot Topic, I spotted the Build-a-Bear workshop and immediately went in to make mahself a..

Pinkie Pie. <3 They were out of Rainbow Dash when I got there, but she's still adorable. I want to say she cost me $25, plus 12.50 for the outfit, for a grand total of 36.50.

Hot Topic
Here's where I made my second hair-change, into my electric blue wig. And where the Punk part of Cospunk comes into play =w=

Mesh top for 16.98, and shorts for 26.50.

Same outfit, but with the clip-on hat from Justice and that tie I was telling you about. =w=

A unique Garter skirt for 26.50.The colour will go with alot, and the style is different enough to make any casual outfit turn Cospunk.

Grand total: $82.63

Plus 3 misc. MLP buttons at 1.99 a piece and another pack of hair clips for 8.97, being a total of 15.99.

Payless
I was in desperate need of work shoes, so I bought a simple pair of Airwalk sneakers for 9.99(originally 24.99, on sale) that I didn't take a picture of.
BUT.
I then found these for 19.99 and snagged em-

Giving me a grand total of 29.98 and saving me 15 bucks.

5・７・９
I normally  never go into this store, but there was a dress that caught my eye that I desperately needed to try on. Glad I did too, because this $18.60 dress(originally $24.80) fit like a charm.

Add my wig and a bow, and I'm good to go =w=

I also bought this top for 12.60:

Grand total: $31.20, saving $10.40

On the way back to Sears..

~Got a coffee and a cake pop for around 5 bucks
~ Monster High Magazine at FYE for $5
~Stopped back into Claire's and bought these babies:

These I snagged for $16, originally 29.50.
Grand total: roughly $26

Sears Part 2
Didn't take pictures, but I bought 2 swimsuits =w= spending a total of 47.98.

~~~~~~~Counting My Envelopes, I had remaining..~~~~~~~~~

Misc- $2
Accessories- $28
Tops- $27
Bottoms- $30
Total- $87

Thus meaning I spent-
Misc- $123 
Accessories- $97
Tops- $98
Bottoms- $95
Total- $413

If I didn't hit all those sales, I would have spent at least another hundred. It pays to look for sales!

Now here's the fun part, mix-and-matching my new clothes with my older ones. Because I was so tired after trying everything on, I just chose a few outfits to switch into, with the help of Love and The Brother.

Hope you enjoyed this long-as-hell blog post! The Cospunk Prince Signs Off.

Inventing Style: CosPunk

Inventing Style: Cospunk

Cospunk is the fusion of cosplay, Lolita and casual fashion into one crazy, unique style of its own. While the title was invented by yours truly, most anime fans and convention goers dress and experiment with this style, helping them stand out in public. In this sparkle-worthy blog post I’m going to teach YOU, yes you, how to transform your wardrobe into a Cospunk Paradise.

1.       Find a staple

By a staple, I mean an accessory of some sort that you will incorporate into every outfit. This accessory can be a piece of jewelry, neckwear, a hat, or something from a convention like a pass or a button. Your staple may change as your fandom changes or as the seasons change. I have 2 staples that I incorporate into every outfit:

Gothic Collar: This at first was just a casual accessory, but as time went on I realized the collar gives a hint of my personality to the people who see me. Now, I barely leave the house without it on(unless I’m going to work).

Berryz Kobou Concert Pass 1/ Stocking keychain:  Just last June at AnimeNEXT, I got to meet my current favorite Japanese idol group, Berryz Kobou. Since they inspire me greatly and I’m married to the idol on my pass(Tokunaga Chinami, she just doesn’t know it yet =w=), it is another thing I never leave the house with. I usually tie it around my belt loop, but when I’m wearing a tie-belt or my cosplay belt, I wear it around my neck. If it takes away from the outfit I’m wearing, then I tie it onto the strap of my purse or messenger bag.

My winter staple will most likely be my Pinkie Pie scarf, temporarily replacing the collar until spring comes again. 

2.       Play dress Up

As silly as it sounds, this style is all about combining costume with casual. If you are a cosplayer, think of it as making your costume modern- switching a cosplay skirt or pants with jeans, wearing cosplay accessories or the wig with a T shirt and jeans, etc. Say you own a Lolita style dress or shirt, dress it down with some colored skinny jeans and some punk accessories. Don’t forget to incorporate your staple into each creation. Supporting two different fandoms at the same time, wearing two colors that normally wouldn’t go together or wearing neon socks while the rest of your outfit is dark is all acceptable in this style. Just have fun with it!

3.       Accessories are a Cospunk’s best friend.

This is the most important thing when I’m picking out an outfit, because I am absolutely obsessed with accessories. While too many accessories can make an outfit look like it wasn’t thought out or too cluttered, too little would make it an ordinary outfit. Here is my max limit on accessories:

      Hair- 3(one hat/headband, 2 hair ties)

      Neck- 1(collar, necklace or tie)

      Arm- 4(arm warmer on each arm, watch, bracelet)

      Hand- 3(glove on each hand, 1 ring)

      Waist- 1(belt, cosplay accessory, tie, or Concert Pass)

      As for a minimum, I like to wear atleast 3-4 accessories including my two staples. I try not to wear arm and hand accessories together on the same arm unless necessary (like a fingerless glove and a watch, or an arm warmer and a ring). A no-no in my book is wearing more than one neck accessory, because more often than not it takes away from the top half of the outfit. 

4.       Keep your outfits consistently inconsistent

What I mean my this is a cospunk never wants to wear a similar outfit more than two days in a row. You might think this is difficult to do if you have a staple, but it’s actually fairly easy- go with a different colour scheme, wear your hair differently, support a different fandom than the day before, etc. This is easier to do with more accessories and clothes.

Personal photos of Cospunk:

Shopping suggestions(mainly for girls)

                ~Claire’s (Accessories)

                ~Hot Topic (clothes, accessories)

                ~H.Naoto (Japanese fashion, found online and at most anime conventions)

                ~whatabeautifullife.com (Lolita fashion)

                ~Mandee(casual fashion and accessories)

                ~fanplusfriend.com (cosplay, Lolita)

                You can find the most epic things at anime conventions or even in your local market!