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
Male to Female
Crossplay!
1- The Hair
1- The Hair
• Buy more feminine wigs. Curls and fringes
look more girly, and there are 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.
• Pick a padded bra so you know they’ll be the right
shape
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 chicken fillets
• Tights filled with rice
• 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.
Body Language
Standing:
• Men use a more predator-like stance where
the shoulders come forward a lot more.
• 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 more of a curve.
Body Language
Walking
• When men walk they swing their shoulders a
lot more. Walk with your feel apart, not
in a straight line.
• Girls keep their arms at their sides. 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.
Body Language
Sitting
• Men keep their legs wide open and
relaxed.
• Women sit with their legs crossed or
together. Women generally don’t
expose their crotch at all because
if they’re in a skirt you would see
their underwear
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!
If you want a copy of this slide I’ll post it up on the
Alcon Forums
If you email me at Tab@khaoskostumes.com I can also send
it to you
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 are a couple of options.