What to Wear Under Your Cosplay: Cosplay Survival Guide

We’ve probably all been there at least once: we’re gotten a little too far in our cosplay build without thinking about what we’re going to wear underneath it. Whether you’re putting on a skin-tight catsuit or a full suit of foam or thermoplastic armor, what you wear underneath your cosplay really matters. When it comes to both your comfort and the overall look of your finished costume, you need to make sure you have the right underclothes ready. In this post, we’ll give you some tips to consider when deciding what to wear under your cosplay and discuss whether it’s worth it to invest in special cosplay underclothes.

Tips for Dressing Under Your Cosplay

  • Be careful when it comes to colors and patterns. Your best bet to ensure that what you’re wearing under your cosplay doesn’t show through is to wear things that are a nude tone that matches your skin. Especially in photographs, even underwear that’s the same color as your cosplay, for instance, can show through your costume, while nude underwear won’t. Along the same lines, don’t go for something with patterns or pictures on it. Those generally aren’t what you want showing through your cosplay.
  • The same goes with seams. Especially if you’re wearing some sort of bodysuit or close-fitting cosplay, get yourself a few pairs of seamless underwear. Seams showing through will attract the eye directly to those lines, which are not part of your cosplay. If you want to keep your cosplay smooth and avoid those pesky seam lines, go for underclothes that don’t have seams in the first place.
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  • The fabric matters too. If you need to wear a shirt or shorts/pants under your cosplay, think about the type of fabric that’s best for your specific circumstances. Go for thinner fabrics in the summer so you won’t overheat and warmer fabrics, like spandex/Under Armor in the winter that will keep you warm without bulking up your cosplay unnecessarily. Choose moisture-wicking fabric when you can to soak up your sweat (because wearing cosplay can get pretty toasty). This type of fabric will help keep sweat patches at bay!
  • There’s nothing wrong with shapewear. No one should feel like they have to wear shapewear to cosplay any character. However, you also shouldn’t feel bad if you want to wear shapewear under your cosplay as well! If you like the smooth look that a pair of Spanx give you underneath your cosplay, then wear them!

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  • Consider the practicality of your underclothes. There are a few practical features to consider when choosing the clothes you wear under your cosplay. If you have the space to wear something with an inside pocket for your phone, wallet, keys, or other essentials, you might want to make that work with your costume. Also, a bodysuit with snaps will make it much easier to go to the bathroom without getting completely undressed. Finally, you can sometimes use your underclothes to make it easier to put on your actual cosplay with techniques like attaching magnets or straps to your shirt, etc. Keep this type of practical detail in mind when planning your cosplay for a more convenient day of cosplay.
  • Get comfy. Finally, opt for comfort wherever possible. Choose garments and shoes that don’t rub or chafe while you’re walking around for long periods of time. Wear things that fit well and that don’t irritate your skin. Pro tip: shoe inserts can make a long con day less of a torture session on your feet.

Investing in Cosplay Underwear Basics

The great thing about a quality set (or a few quality sets, for long con weekends perhaps) of underwear or other gear to wear under your cosplay is that you can wear it again and again to get your money’s worth out of it. Spending a little money on nude, seamless underwear now can help improve your cosplay and your event experience down the road for literal years to come. Many cosplayers will tell you that getting the right underclothes that you can wear with lots of different cosplays is absolutely worth the investment, so when you find what works for you and your builds, don’t be afraid to buy in if you can.