Allayed Cosplay

“All the things she said,
all the things she said
Running through my head,
running through my head,
This is not enough.”
-t.A.T.u

Ilya Rozanov cosplay test, rule 63 🏒

[🚬Fake cigarette🚬]

[📝: Wore a crucifix instead of Ilya’s Russian Orthodox cross because I was raised Catholic and would thus have guilt wearing anything else. 🫠]

It’s hard to believe it’s been over ten years since I first went (think SuperWhoLock era), and a lot has changed, but AB will always be my home con 💛

PAX was a whirlwind, as usual, now—back to regular life 👾 😴

First con of the year is in the books! I’ve never gone as Bones to a con, so it was fun to exchange 🖖 with other Star Trek cosplayers. Arisia is always a fun con to go to and is a bright spot in the bleakness of January lol. Also, this was my first time wearing blue eye shadow since middle school dances, a [redacted] number of years ago. Between the glittery eyeshadow and tricorder, I was covered in sparkles when I got home. ☠️ Sad there’ll be a gap year next year, but I’m excited to see what Arisia looks like in 2028!

“Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?
But because I knew you,
I have been changed for good.”
-Elphaba and Glinda, ‘Wicked: For Good’
💚🩷
Throwback to an Elphaba look last year for the first Wicked movie! 🪄🫧

Team Jonathan?
Team Steve?

🙌 TEAM NANCY 🙌
Is it December 25th yet??
Note: The gun in the first set of photos is fake.

“To me, my X-Men!”

“I can be that witch again.”
-Agatha Harkness
Recreating my photo from last year with the same skeleton with a closet cosplay inspired by Agatha All Along!

When I did this shoot last year, I was mentally preparing myself for my autism diagnosis test that would take place the same week.

I got the official diagnosis a little later that I have Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AuDHD).

This wasn’t the biggest surprise—there were clues that had been adding up for a few years that I was probably autistic—but still, getting a professional diagnosis was a huge relief. It was like stepping back from being too close to a huge painting and seeing that things finally made sense when I had a proper viewpoint.

I chose my Helaena Targaryen cosplay for this post because she’s autistic-coded, and I immediately felt a strong kinship with her character when I watched the show.

Long before my diagnosis, cosplay and conventions have been a place where I’ve felt accepted and supported by my peers—fellow nerds, that is, whether they be neurodivergent or neurotypical. Even when I go solo to a con, like RICC most recently, it feels like I’m home. This is partly due, I think, because of all of the wonderful, weird, and unexpected encounters and collaborations that can come from interacting with other fans and cosplayers.

Unfortunately, I have resting serious face, so if you ever see me at a con and I look very serious/sad/mad, I’m actually having the time of my life 99% of the time. The other 1% is when I’m under caffeinated and plotting my route to the nearest Dunks. I also rarely wear my glasses at cons, so if you see me frowning, I promise I’m just squinting and trying to make sure I’m not waving at the wrong Superman.

I’m very fortunate to have fantastic family and friends that have supported me the whole way. I wish all neurodivergent people could have that kind of support; I know not all do.

Anyway, nothing has really changed day-to-day, and I didn’t create this to try and garner any sympathy—just wanted to say hi to any other neurodivergent cosplayers out there!

[p.s. while helaena’s special interest may be bugs, mine is definitely not. The ones in the photos are fake. Swipe the carousel to see. 🙃]

Another RICC is in the books! I only managed to remember to take selfies of my cosplays. 🫠 I need three days to recover from 3 day cons now. 😴

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻🐦‍⬛