THE COSPLAY: Esmeralda is my comfort cosplay. I can wear her any time, anywhere. She started a few years ago, either 2018 or 2019, and I can’t even remember anymore why I decided to make her. I have always loved Disney, and definitely wanted to cosplay Disney, but I chose Esmeralda to start. Perhaps it was the fact that of the Disney ladies, she’s one I looked most like. Perhaps it was the fact that her outfit was easy. And perhaps it was the fact that she is a lesser known/lesser cosplayed Disney lady, and I liked the satisfaction of cosplaying a rarely cosplayed character.

When I began assembling her cosplay, I didn’t know how to sew, so I bought everything. I already had a purple wrap skirt that had a very peasant vibe. I purchased the white chemise top you see here, and the purple jingle belt for flair. The hardest part was the corset. If that was going to be the one piece I invested money in, then so be it. I ordered this corset and it’s one of my favorite things to wear. Over the years, I replaced the skirt (the one you see here I found quite randomly while thrifting!) and added little touches like the pink scarf and jewelry. This year, I found a Djali doll on eBay to pull the look together.

It’s a small thing, but I love that I can use my natural hair instead of a wig. I have actually canceled and put off hair appointments so I can keep using my natural hair at conventions. I know someday I may need to use a wig, but I might just keep pushing that off until the urge to cut my hair wins out.

I have worn Esmeralda to RenFaire and to cons now, and I love when people tell me they enjoy the sound I make, what with all my jingling. I love when people tell me they rarely see Esmeralda, and the happiness they get out of seeing it. For a lot of people, cosplay lets them live in a whole new personality and Esmeralda brings out my inner Disney Princess every time I wear her. My goal is to make you believe I AM a Disney Princess!

She is one cosplay that I will probably always be making upgrades to. I plan to make a new corset - something smaller and more flexible so that (while I love my boned corset) is more comfortable to spend all day in. Now that I’m learning sewing, I can make it how I want it. I have an idea for a new tie-on overskirt to replace the jingle belt. While I won’t retire the jingle belt entirely, I’ll have a second option depending on the scenario.

Esmeralda is just the start of my Disney cosplaying. I certainly have ideas for future characters, but Esmeralda will always be my comfort cosplay.

BIO: 2022 is effectively my first year cosplaying at a convention. First was Fanime in late May, and then Crunchyroll Expo in August. I say “effectively” because I always disclaimer that my actual first time cosplaying was about 2013, at SakuraCon in Seattle. I was in college at the time, and scoured the internet for inexpensive pieces to pull a simple cosplay together. I only con-cosplayed that one time, but followed the cosplay world ever since, putting together “casual cosplays” here and there. I feel like watching others build and present cosplays kept my own creative juices flowing. This year, I finally had the ability to learn sewing and have been lucky enough to make friends who I could go to conventions with.

I have always loved narratives, stories, and the characters’ styles in those stories. I love the idea of bringing a character to life, of recreating their look in whatever vision I want to present them in. Sometimes I want to be faithful to their canon appearance. Sometimes I allow myself to tweak features to suit my own vision.

Now that I’ve learned, or begun to learn, crafting skills, I look forward to continually bringing ideas to life, to presenting my work, and having creative work I feel proud of.

COSPLAY AND WORDS BY @BRIE_NM
PHOTOGRAPHY AND DESIGN BY BRIAN NISHIMOTO