Posted by This week’s featured cosplayer is someone that we wanted to feature for a long time! Her name is Waifutella and she builds some of the most impressive cosplay but if you ask her, she will say she is just the world’s okayest cosplayer. Temple of Geek has reached out to Waifutella to chat about her cosplay to which she graciously accepted. Continue on to learn about her cosplay, her fandoms, and her love for Nutella.
(Danniel Slade) Can you start off by telling me a little bit about yourself?
(Waifu Tella) I’m afraid there’s not really much to say! I’m a lot more boring than people give me credit for. I’m a full time student, cosplayer, and huge hecking nerd.
(DS) Okay, I need to ask. What does your cosplay name, Waifutella, mean and how did you come up with it?
(WT) Waifutella is a combination of two words- the first being “waifu” (a term that anime fans know well). A waifu is a character who is so perfect you would snatch her up in a hot second and marry her if you could. The second word is nutella- anyone who follows me knows how much I adore it. It’s a bit of an addiction actually- I eat it straight from the jar, on the daily.
(DS) Why do you use the subtitle “world’s okayest cosplayer?”
(WT) *burts out singing Ingrid Michaelson’s “I just want to be okay”
I don’t do well with compliments. I’m a vending machine, compliments are a wrinkly dollar bill- it’s just really frustrating and uncomfortable for everyone involved. When I wore my first real cosplay (Bucky Barnes) to a convention and later posted pics on Instagram, people were complimenting it left and right, and I would insist that my work was at best okay. One of my friends joked that I was the “world’s okayest cosplayer” and… it just stuck ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
(DS) What fandoms are you into?
(WT) Marvel (cinematic and comics) is definitely my go-to, particularly Captain America, Captain Marvel, and both Hawkeyes. I also adore Blizzard Games, (Overwatch/StarCraft II/Diablo III) No Game No Life, Welcome to Night Vale, the Tolkeinverse, HP (hufflepride!), The Witcher, Doctor Who, Legend of Zelda and Kingdom Hearts.
(DS) When did you get into cosplay?
(WT) My friend and I went to our first con together-SDCC- and all of our information about conventions was gathered through Tumblr posts. They made it seem like everyone there cosplayed, and I didn’t want to be the only person left out, so I brought along my Halloween costume. When we got there, it seemed like hardly anybody else was dressed up, but I had a lot of fun! So I kept doing it, and I’ve found it to be a really great and diverse creative outlet as well as a great way to make new friends. Excluding Halloween costumes, it’s been a little over two years now!
(DS) How do you choose what you are going to create for cosplay?
(WT) I’ve actually recently changed my entire approach to this. I used to make cosplays for characters that I liked well enough and weren’t a huge financial burden to make (textbooks aren’t as fun as cosplay, but they’re definitely my priority.). Nowadays, I need to be a hardcore fan of the character and the design. I’m tying to put a lot more craftsmanship and technique into my work; so I try to choose characters that I love enough to spend repeated all nighters working on. It means I haven’t had a steady stream of new content, but I’m a lot more excited to show everyone what I’ve accomplished!
(DS) In total, how many costumes have you created over the years?
(WT) Oh heck. Definitely more than seven. Ummm… I’ve done quite a few, and about half of those were so awful that they’ve never been shown to the internet (and they never will)
(DS) Do you have a favorite costume that you want to wear over and over?
(WT) I would love nothing more than to wear the winter soldier over and over again, but last time I was in it, I broke the elbow! So, sadly, it will have to wait until I can make a new arm.
(DS) What was your easiest build?
(WT) My easiest build was definately the punisher. I grabbed my gun, shoes and shorts from the winter soldier, roughed up and old pleather jacket, added paneling to the sleeves for aesthetic, and painted his logo on a T-shirt. That, plus wig styling, took the better part of an afternoon.
(DS) Now on the flip side, what was your hardest build?
(WT) My most difficult build- I would have to say it’s a tie between two characters. I’ve been working on Captain America and on Twilight Princess for the better part of a year, but every time I finish, I put it on and decide it’s not good enough to represent them properly. So I’ve remade them each at least six times. I think I’ve got them pretty much set this time around, though, so hopefully I can show the final versions off soon.
(DS) What is your favorite convention to cosplay at?
(WT) I think it’s going to be Blizzcon! Last year I went for the first time, and I didn’t really cosplay for it but it was such an amazing convention, it felt like home. I’ve got big plans for Blizzcon 2018, I’ve been working on the cosplays for months now- they’re definately my hugest builds yet.
(DS) Do you have a funny or embarrassing story that you are willing to share that happened while in cosplay?
(WT) So, my second time wearing my Winter Soldier cosplay at SDCC, it got a lot of attention. I was being stopped for photos left and right. Since people may not actually know you, they have a tendency to shout out your character’s name to get your attention (as its a lot more effective than shouting out “hey you” or “cosplayer!!” in a crowded con) I kind of got into it that year, whenever someone would shout out “Bucky” I would turn around and reply as best as I could in character, “Who the h*ll is Bucky?” People loved it. In the evening my friends and I went out for dinner- still in cosplay, and I was still getting pressed for photos left and right. I was waiting at the bar to get a drink and when I heard someone say “Bucky” I grabbed my airsoft rifle, turned around, gave the guy my best winter soldier deadpan and delivered my line, hand resting on the trigger. His face drained and he stammered out “my girlfriend..” turns out he was on a business trip and he and his friend were just grabbing dinner after a day at the office and he was telling his coworker about his girlfriend Becky. He had no idea what Comiccon was and had never even heard of my character. I felt awful! I ended up buying him and his friend a drink as my way of apologizing and reassuring him I wasn’t going to pelt them with airsoft bullets.
(DS) Are you affiliated with any cosplay groups?
(WT) I’m not with any official groups, but I’m part of the @Cosplay_And_Babes Instagram family! I’m also a page model for @Hotandgeeky (also on the Instagram), and I’m definitely an advocate for @butternut_gouache’s #ForceAgainstCyberBullying campaign.
(DS) Looking back at your early cosplay years, is there anything you would tell yourself that you know now that you didn’t know then?
(WT) I’d tell myself not to wear a cosplay that I’m not 100% passionate about. There was a really brief period where I’d make a new costume for the sake of new social media content, and eventually I started getting pressured into wearing specific cosplays because “it would get you more Instagram followers” or “your followers would like that more.” The moment I let that last one start to effect me I had to take a break from cosplay and think about a few things. And honestly? It’s ridiculous that it was even pressured on me to do so. The people who advised that were 100% trying to help me out in their own way and I don’t harbor any resentment towards them for it, but catering to strangers on the internet isn’t me. I’m not getting paid to do this, I don’t have a Patreon, and I’m not here to try to get famous. I’m here to dress up like fictional characters and have fun with my friends, and I shouldn’t let anything influence that.
(DS) Do you have a cosplay that you consider empowering to wear?
(WT) Definately steve.
(DS) What is on your cosplay bucket list?
(WT) I’d love to cosplay every version of Captain America, Bucky Barnes and Peggy Carter one day.
(DS) Outside of cosplay, what do you do for fun?
(WT) I never have fun I’m too focused on my GPA! But okay, I also do archery, play video games and collect vinyl records.
(DS) Are there any other cosplayers that inspire you?
(WT) My best friend Mikky (@mikkydyer on the Insta, Internet do your thing) is a huge inspiration for me. I actually adapted my pants for Captain America and my new version of HydraCap and my upcoming Captain America cosplay from her work. Mikky is absolutely amazing, the craftsmanship and attention to detail she puts into each cosplay astounds me. As someone who never learned how to properly sew (I usually just put fabric in front of a machine and pray it doesn’t fall apart as I’m wearing it… yes that has happened before.) it’s really amazing to see people who put in proper technique and methods into their craft. Besides, she’s not just an inspiration to my cosplay, she’s an inspiration to my daily life, she’s without a doubt one of the best people I have ever had the privilege to meet, and the honor to call my friend.
(DS) What is your next convention that fans will see you at?
(WT) I really only go to one or two conventions a year- between school and finances, it gets rather difficult to do more than that- I’ll be at Blizzcon this November, and after that the only thing that I guarantee is SDCC 2019.
(DS) What would you say to someone who might want to build their first costume but don’t know how to get started?
(WT) Research the heck out of it! You can never find too much information on how to do something. Look at tutorials for characters with similar designs, different tutorials for the same pieces, research the materials you use, try to see how a bunch of other people have done it and use their methods to find what works best for you! And be sure to hit up your local thrift store (I’m partial to goodwill) and see if they have any pieces you can buy for your costume. There’s more than one way to make a cosplay. I started writing a series on my Tumblr page about cosplay research and building.
(DS) How can our readers find out more about you?
(WT) On Instagram @waifutella, On Twitter @waifutella, On Tumblr at waifutella.tumblr.com and on Kofi (bonus content) ko-fi.com/waifutella!
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