“Cosplay is a craft completely driven by passion, which is why I love it so much.”
♥
What inspired you to become a cosplayer? I was brought into the Cosplay community organically. As a child, I would love watching cartoons like Pokemon/Yugioh, and then I discovered the anime Naruto right when it was getting very popular! I loved the series so much that I would wear a Naruto headband in everyday life… My mom was very encouraging of my interests/hobbies, so she found out about conventions and took me and my best friend at the time to AWA 2008! It was her encouragement that got me to my first con, and I had seen pictures online of people dressing up so we made my first costume together. I was Sakura from Naruto. After my first con, I was hooked, and after seeing all of the different costumes, I knew I wanted this to be a part of my life.
What’s your favorite cosplay? I would have to say that my favorite Costume from over the years has been my portrayal of the character Orihime from Bleach. I loved the series, and my friend would be Rukia so we were just a dynamic duo! I would go to cons and not see a lot of people Cosplaying Orihime, but I would see HUGE groups of Bleach Cosplayers, so I made a lot of friends through the fandom that I still talk to today. When I started Cosplaying her, I was probably 14 and I did not have all of the stuff for the costume, so one of my favorite memories with this costume is when I met a rare girl that was also cosplaying Orihime, who gave me the hairclips I needed to finish the costume. I still use them to this day (:
How long have you been Cosplaying? Since 2008. But I have been playing around in costumes probably since I was a small child. I always loved dressing up!
Do you plan on making this a career? I am actually involved with a group known as Concept Galaxy right now that do live Cosplay Variety shows at conventions and I consider it to be very professional and profitable. I love performing/writing/costumes in general, and Concept Galaxy has given me a platform to use all of the skills that I have gained through theater in the Cosplay community! 
I think Cosplayers are extremely versatile in the skills that they have and a lot of people don’t realize just how serious Cosplay is nowadays. It has so many profitable markets from the performing aspects, to the design/sewing aspects, all the way to the sheer amount of people that seriously invest in the events centered around the fandoms/craft! I think there are a lot of career opportunities present, it just depends on the route you want to take it and for me, its in the performing/events coordinating!
Do make your own outfits? If so what’s your process? I do not make my own costumes! I cannot sew at all. I have styled a wig or two on occasion, but I get all of my costumes online. I invest a good bit of time into the selection process though! Finding the perfect wig can be stressful!
In a sentence what best describes you? I am a passionate person and I think that Cosplay is a craft completely driven by passion, which is why I love it so much.
Do you go to Cons in your area? Which ones? Whats your favorite? I do go to cons in my area and outside of my area! I have attended Fal-Con, MoMo Con, Dragon Con, Anime Weekend Atlanta, MTAC and Hama Con! I think my favorite convention is tied between Kami Con and Anime Weekend Atlanta. AWA was my first con, but both AWA and Kami Con just feel like home for me. I feel like my best self when I walk through the halls of those cons.
Katy, you are awsome. I love the pic of you dressed as Stephanie from Concept Galaxy. Can’t wait to see you at Realms Con one of these years!