Crossplay It s like cosplay but queerer Introduction-

Crossplay! It’s like cosplay, but queerer.

Introduction- Why Crossplay? • Because you like the Character • For a laugh • Because on the Con scene it’s accepted and encouraged • To prove you can • To see if you can

Female to Male Crossplay!

1 - The Hair

1 - The Hair • Buy more masculine wigs. Fringes tend to look more girly, as do curls.

1 - The Hair • Fake beards are easy to buy and are completely masculine. Try to get professional ones that are hairs woven into net. They’re more expensive but look good. You can get them online from a number of places • Stubble can be added using a stippling brush and an oil based face paint. Alternatively for a hint of stubble gently stroke mascara over pre existing fine hairs on the face to darken it. • For larger facial hair buy crepe wool and build it onto your face using spirit gum or prosaide.

1 - The Hair • If your legs are on show, don’t bother to shave them for a week or two. Even bishies have some leg hair, it’s just the magical anime film lenses don’t pick it up. • Armpits are the exception to this rule. Unless the character has obvious armpit hair, keep them shaved.

2 - The Face

2 - The Face Do’s- • Men have thicker eyebrows than women. Use a darker coloured pencil to fill out your eyebrows. Focus around the outer edges as that’s where men tend to have thicker bits. • Apply foundation in a slightly darker colour then you’re used to as men tend to have a darker skin tone. Try to avoid going orange though. • Put a layer of foundation over your lips. It will make them look less full and will dry them out so they have that flaky dry look. • Use blush under your cheek bones and white above them to make them look more prominent

2 - The Face Don’ts • Leave the lip-gloss/chap stick. Dudes don’t use it, and it’ll make you pucker your lips throughout the day. • Don’t apply eyeliner if you can. If you have to for the character then avoid the waterline and just do a thick band around the eye. • Avoid eye shadow. It never really works. • Glitter is also never really a good idea.

3 - The Chest

3 - The Chest • A binder is just as vital to a costume as a good wig. Put it in your budget before you decide to do a costume. • Using bandages or duct tape around a shirt are two methods of binding which are damaging to your health. Problems include: Breathing troubles, bruised ribs, cracked ribs, chest pains, dizziness, fainting. Binding also breaks down breast tissue which means that they start to sag and can become lumpy prematurely.

3 - The Chest Brands of binders available T-Kingdom • Easy to get into • Good for smaller sizes • Thicker material so hotter to wear Underworks • Lighter fabric so they’re cooler • Good for larger sizes • Much harder to get into if you’re small

3 - The Chest Alternative Binding methods • Use a good sports bra • For open chests use medical tape to move the breast tissue to either side. • Design the costume so it doesn’t matter • Use a binder commissioner

4 - The Crotch

4 - The Crotch • Wear boxers. You can get tight boxer brief styles similar to shorts which don’t ride up, but avoid briefs or thongs. They can visibly show through your clothes. • Padding the crotch doesn’t matter that much, it’s a personal preference. • Socks are generally rubbish- if you’re going to pack do it with a prosthetic.

5 - The Feet

5 - The Feet • Men’s shoes tend to be wider than women’s, so you may find yourself needing a smaller size. • Avoid wearing heels, even if they’re platforms to make you taller. Heels change your stance so you’ll stand like a girl. Platforms make your proportions wrong. • If height is a big problem for you use insoles inside shoes. Or find shorter friends.

6 - The Body

6 - The Body The basics: • Use make up to define muscle on your body. Use a light brown to trace around the muscles to give them definition, then a white to highlight them. • Wear trousers that are baggier than you normally do to hide hips. Also wear them much lower as women tend to have a higher waist • Use shirts/tops that aren’t clingy and tuck them into your trousers so they don’t come in at the waist so much • Sew shoulder pads into things to make your shoulders look wider

6 - The Body Posture: • Men use a more predator-like stance where the shoulders come forward a lot more. • When you sit down don’t cross your legs. Keep them wide open and relaxed • When you walk swing your shoulders a lot more. Walk with your feel apart, not in a straight line.

Male to Female Crossplay!

1 - The Hair

1 - The Hair • Buy more feminine wigs. Curls and fringes look more girly, and there a lot more “women only” styles available

1 - The Hair • If your legs are going to be on show, shave them. For the love of all things anime, do it. • Start by shaving with an electric razor about the week before the con, then do a closer shave with a disposable razor and cheap foam. • Then shave them again the night before. Not in the morning when you’re panicked.

1 - The Hair • In general give any parts of your body that have excessive hair and may be on show a trim. Armpits especially. Remember to use an electric razor first to get the bulk of the hair • Shave your face in the morning before putting makeup on.

2 - The Face

2 - The Face A Basic Makeup kit needs: • Tweezers • Foundation, powder and concealer in a slightly lighter colour than your skin • Blush in either pink or brown • Eyeliner, Mascara and Eyeshadow in colours that suit you • Lipstick, Gloss or a chapstick depending on your preference

2 - The Face Putting Makeup on: 1) Apply concealer to any red spots and bags under your eyes 2) Apply a thin layer of foundation 3) Dust a layer of powder foundation over the top to prevent shine. 4) Apply blush according to your face shape

2 - The Face Putting Makeup on: 5) Apply eyeliner to your waterline, then the rest of your eye 6) Apply eyeshadow over the lid of your eye, then blend it outwards 7) Apply mascara to the top and bottom lashes 8) If you’re using fake eyelashes apply them. 9) Now put on lipstick or gloss and you’re ready!

3 - The Chest

3 - The Chest • Measure around your chest to get the correct bra size. In the UK they have a stupid system in some stores where they add 5 to the number of inches, and that’s the size you should get. • You can adjust the band if it’s too loose by sewing it. If it’s slightly too small fabric land sell bra extenders • Adjust the straps so that the band of the bra is straight across your back and doesn’t ride up.

3 - The Chest Ways to fill your bra! • Socks- get nice soft ones, not hard man socks • Water balloons- double bag them with condoms. Warning: these will be cold! • Furniture foam carved to shape • Silicone breast forms. You can buy silicone stick on bras from shops or go online and get proper ones.

3 - The Chest Making fake cleavage: • Use medical tape to stick the two pecks together. Alternatively use a stick on silicone bra to bring them together • Wear your padded bra over the top • Apply blush into the cleavage to define the shape and highlight with white on top.

4 - The Crotch

4 - The Crotch Basic Tucking • Buy a pair of tight underwear • Put them on and tuck the penis back in between your legs • Place your slightly larger fancy panty shot underwear over the top to hide the other pair • Try not to get an erection.

4 - The Crotch Complex Tucking Method: • There is an area of skin on the front of the pubis where it’s possible to move the testicles to. Gently try this to see if it’s possible, if not give up. Don’t force this! • With the testicles out the way fold the penis and empty scrotum down. For extra security fasten it with medical tape (though do an allergy test on another patch of skin before you do this!). • Put on a pair of tight underwear and then do as before.

4 - The Crotch Buying Underwear • School girl brief styles are best for tucking • If you’re wearing a tight pair or shorts or trousers use boyshorts so you don’t get a panty line • Tights are good for costumes. If you’re wearing a pair wear them over the first pair of underwear and put another pair over the top. This stops the crotch from falling down.

5 - The Feet

5 - The Feet • Unless you’re lucky and have small feet, your best place to find shoes is online. You’re most likely to find them in fetish websites. • Get thicker and lower heels if you’ve never walked in them before. Practice in them and find out where they rub before you spend a day in them • Get a pair of insoles and sit down a lot more than you usually do. Pace yourself throughout the day so you last longer.

6 - The Body

6 - The Body The basics: • Try buying an underbust corset to wear under your costume to bring your waist in. It will help support your new breasts and give you shape. Steel boned corsets are actually the most comfortable! • Add padding to your hips to make yourself look curvier • Try not to show off your arms if yours are muscular. Instead cover them up with sleeves or a wrap.

6 - The Body Posture: • Women have a more submissive posture than men. Put your shoulders back and expose your neck. This makes your chest look a lot smaller, and your hips wider. • When you stand bend one leg to drop your hip down. This gives your hips a curve. • When you’re sitting cross your legs. Women generally don’t expose their crotch at all because in a skirt you would see their underwear • Walk with your feet going in a straight line like you’re on a tightrope. If you’re wearing heels keep all your weight on your back foot until your next one is down and then transfer. Make sure your legs straighten all the way when you put a foot down.

General Notes The Voice • Don’t worry about your voice- in general no one really cares. • Having a convincing voice actually makes for really awkward conversations.

General Notes Bathrooms • The only law in the UK on bathrooms is that transsexual people should be allowed to go in which ever is their chosen gender. • However, I don’t recommend you do so. People see the bathroom as a safe haven, cross players using them gets people worried and you’re likely to have an incident • Try not to change in the bathroom at a con. It’s just awkward for everyone including yourself. Lots of them have changing facilities which you should use if you can.

General Notes Safety at cons: • If you’re a guy don’t crossplay outside of the con. The general public is full of dicks who think wearing a skirt makes you a homosexual and that you need to be punished for it. Also be careful in heels, they’re dangerous! • If you’re a girl society will just think you’re butch. You’ll be pretty safe except from yaoi fangirls. If approached by a group that want you to yaoi with their friend/your friend /your sibling it’s fine to say no. You paid for the con, you should enjoy it how you want to and not have to succumb to their whims.

Now ask me questions! Helpful links www. underworks. com – Underworks binders www. t-kingdom. com – T Kingdom binders Sephirayne@hotmail. co. uk – Binder commissions www. lovehoney. co. uk – A sex toy site that sells packers. Use at your own discretion people! Just search packer and there a couple of options.