Girls, are you geeky enough to costume?

Wow, how far we have come. Our hobby has almost always been the butt of jokes and derision, but now that we (the geek/costuming community) have gained a bit of notoriety and a brief moment in the spotlight, we are doing to everyone else what has always been done to us.

Check out this article on CNN that begrudges any woman who costumes but isn't a "true geek."

Booth babes need not apply – GeekOut - CNN.com Blogs

I think this mentality is absolutely appalling, especially considering how we, as a community have been ostracized, excluded, and ridiculed for decades. Are there wanna-bes and people who are only here for the attention they can get while we are a hot trend? Sure. Should be exclude those people or tell them they are not worthy of sharing in the fun with us because they can't tell you what episode of Star Trek Kirk fought the Gorn or don't know what Vader helmet has a C-scar?

This mentality falls right in line with people who want to ostracize those who use pepakura to build their props or those who are using various 3D building implements.

Have we gotten so big and so bold that we can now turn out noses up at others and tell them they are not worthy to be a part of us?

What do you think?

Well it's clear SDCC for instance is a multimedia event now and it's going to attract models
or what have you promoting themselves, I'm not stupid enough to think some of them really care about the characters, I've been going 30 years it's not hard to tell whose who.
I've been tempted to ask OH, Wonder Woman huh? Big fan? What's her powers?
But I won't. That's rude.

Well you have those folks in everything to a certain extent. Some people just wear sports jerseys or hats because they color coordinate. It doesn't bother me. A funny story, a local tv anchor always wears a Detroit Tigers hat so everyone assumed he was a Tigers fan. Well he addressed this on air that he doesn't even like sports but LOVES Magnum P.I. Lol I thought that was awesome!

I posted a response on a similar subject in a different site not too long ago.

Similar, at least I'd imagine, to people who saw the Original Star Wars trilogy in theaters. While we may enjoy it and maybe even go to the theater to watch re-releases, but it isn't the same. I'm sure it means much more to them than it does kids in this generation.

I've never understood this mentality. Isn't seeing, playing, experiencing something for the first time valid in everybody? Whether you were there when it came out shouldn't really matter because (example) I wasn't around for the original STAR WARS' release but what it means to me is equal, if not more so, than those who first saw it in 1977.

Same applies to Zelda. I played OoT upon release but I know kids who were just born that year that have ended up playing it and loving it (as well as the rest of the series through it) more than I do.

It's this sense of elitism that people foolishly find pride in that ruins the image for many who want to be a part of something or mocked for it. "You weren't there! You can't like it the way I like it. You don't understand." That kinda attitude is repulsive and dangerously obnoxious if left unchecked.

I can almost understand it, all through school I had the **** taken out of me for what I like, and now these people are calling themselves "nerds" or "geeks". It's pretty hypocritical. Sure it winds me up sometimes, but I'm not the kind of girl to hold a grudge. They'll move on eventually.

DMC 12 said:

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I can almost understand it, all through school I had the **** taken out of me for what I like, and now these people are calling themselves "nerds" or "geeks". It's pretty hypocritical. Sure it winds me up sometimes, but I'm not the kind of girl to hold a grudge. They'll move on eventually.

Well, you now have the opportunity to say: "see how fun and cool this is - and all these years you were missing out." .)

Haha... sorry if I set things off on a particular foot. I am just adamantly against this attitude that you have to somehow "earn" your way into wearing a costume.

Is it frustrating to see someone put a ton of effort into a costume only to be overshadowed by someone who has put in little or no effort but a lot of T&A? Sure it is, but that is life. It isn't fair and it is never going to be, but I hate seeing us becoming what someone on facebook dubbed as "reverse elitists" and trying to put stipulation on who should and who should not wear costumes.

I think that statement from PAX is terrible because what is is saying is that someone isn't a "booth babe" if they know enough about a product... so... if you know enough, you can wear skimpy clothes, but if you don't know enough, you are scum. What is "enough?" Who determines it? Do we start testing for your level of geekdom? If you know a lot about Star Wars but not a lot about Star Trek does that mean you qualify to wear one but not the other?

Why are we segregating people and looking down our noses at those who don't have the same agenda as we do?

booksandcorsets said:

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(You may have pre-loaded the debate....)

I'll take the opposite opinion here. I think this is article is very similar in its complaint to the "no booth babes" policy that PAX takes: ie, they don't want skin selling something that isn't actually present. There's some good quotes from some of the PAX higher-ups on Kokatu.

To quote: "Our definition of a "booth babe" has been a model (male or female) that has been hired to stand/sit in skimpy clothing to market the product. If that person knows the product inside and out then it's less of an issue. A company representative that can interact with attendees in a way that provides value as opposed to 'hey stare at my body' is something that we encourage whether or not that representative is physically attractive or not."

I think the questions need to be asked, concerning "Booth Babes":

Are you paid to wear a costume, for something you would NORMALLY not do and could care less, as its just another job?

Or are you paid to wear a costume, but are a fan, and normally do costuming or cosplay on your own time?

My company hires "booth babes" from time to time, and many of them, its just another job. Otherwise, they could care less about the costume or the product we are trying to sell.

We also have hired "fans as booth babes/guys" who are costumers themselves, but are knowledgeable about the product we sell and knowledgeable about costuming/cosplay as well.

Art Andrews said:

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I think that statement from PAX is terrible because what is is saying is that someone isn't a "booth babe" if they know enough about a product... so... if you know enough, you can wear skimpy clothes, but if you don't know enough, you are scum. What is "enough?" Who determines it? Do we start testing for your level of geekdom? If you know a lot about Star Wars but not a lot about Star Trek does that mean you qualify to wear one but not the other?

To clarify: they aren't policing cosplayers. There's been a lot of debate on this subject on their forums and it's gotten heated at points. What their policy is strictly against are models being hired by booth owners like Sega, etc, that then stand outside the booth to attract attention and hand out promotions (becoming a "product" themselves).

I personally agree 100% with this policy; my time on the PAX East floor was spent looking at games and it was refreshing to have a hugely busy environment that didn't shove scantily clad women who have no idea what they were promoting in my face at every turn. I liked that. And on the flip side... the cosplayers had even more attention b/c there were no "official" ones.

Another thing. Those to whom this is just a momentary fad... they'll slowly weed out eventually... however... there's the off-chance that someone actually gets bitten by the bug and becomes really passionate. However... that diminishes if they are treated poorly and with arrogant superiority from those who's lived it for many years.

Negative behavior kills new opportunities.

Deelite said:

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We also have hired "fans as booth babes/guys" who are costumers themselves, but are knowledgeable about the product we sell and knowledgeable about costuming/cosplay as well.

FYI this IS allowed by PAX policy

booksandcorsets said:

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To clarify: they aren't policing cosplayers. There's been a lot of debate on this subject on their forums and it's gotten heated at points. What their policy is strictly against are models being hired by booth owners like Sega, etc, that then stand outside the booth to attract attention and hand out promotions (becoming a "product" themselves).

Exactly. They aren't cosplayers or costumers. They are models hired to do a job. They get a "cheat sheet" summary version of the product they are trying to sell, and then "attract" interested people by dressing up in a costume provided by the company that hired them.

Otherwise, they would normally not wear a costume and they don't actively work or make costumes.

I personally agree 100% with this policy; my time on the PAX East floor was spent looking at games and it was refreshing to have a hugely busy environment that didn't shove scantily clad women who have no idea what they were promoting in my face at every turn. I liked that. And on the flip side... the cosplayers had even more attention b/c there were no "official" ones.

However, I have no problem if the person they hired is ACTUALLY a fan, a costumer and had a hand in making the costume or contributed in a way to create the costume. There are many professional cosplayers that do this already.

booksandcorsets said:

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FYI this IS allowed by PAX policy

Yup. I know. Which is why as a company we started focusing on the fans and not hired/paid models.

Too Much Garlic said:

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Another thing. Those to whom this is just a momentary fad... they'll slowly weed out eventually... however... there's the off-chance that someone actually gets bitten by the bug and becomes really passionate. However... that diminishes if they are treated poorly and with arrogant superiority from those who's lived it for many years.

Negative behavior kills new opportunities.

You have nailed my argument perfectly.

booksandcorsets said:

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To clarify: they aren't policing cosplayers. There's been a lot of debate on this subject on their forums and it's gotten heated at points. What their policy is strictly against are models being hired by booth owners like Sega, etc, that then stand outside the booth to attract attention and hand out promotions (becoming a "product" themselves).

I personally agree 100% with this policy; my time on the PAX East floor was spent looking at games and it was refreshing to have a hugely busy environment that didn't shove scantily clad women who have no idea what they were promoting in my face at every turn. I liked that. And on the flip side... the cosplayers had even more attention b/c there were no "official" ones.

Thanks for the clarification. I am very torn on that. I can't think of the girls name, but for at least the past two years Mattel has had a model at their both who dresses as Sa female He-Man. I don't know the girl and don't know anything about her, and I suppose she is technically "just a booth babe" but she looks AWESOME, interacts with the fans, takes amazing photos, and puts up with a LOT of photos, never dropping her smile. Is she just a paid actress? Probably, but who cares? To me, she is very inspiring and I would think that she has probably inspired a few others to want to create their own costume. Why does it matter if she is a geek or not or whether she knows what Men-At-Arms real name is? She, in one way or another represents us, even if she may not be one of us.

TBH I REALLY wonder if female costumers are looking at this differently than men. I don't see many male booth babes.

Too Much Garlic said:

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Another thing. Those to whom this is just a momentary fad... they'll slowly weed out eventually... however... there's the off-chance that someone actually gets bitten by the bug and becomes really passionate. However... that diminishes if they are treated poorly and with arrogant superiority from those who's lived it for many years.

Negative behavior kills new opportunities.

As a art teacher, I see this happen a lot, and I caution my students that there are cliques for everything - and that getting into hobbies (especially ones with online social groups) can warp their goals to gain some kind of acceptance. Its important to remember *why* you are doing something.

In my area I've seen costuming explode in popularity with the kids/highschool/college crowd. So what if they are using hot glue and duct tape? I've made costumes from games I've never played, probably never will play. There's no question that the sci-fi/fantasy realm is a place of inspiration, even if you didn't grow up with headgear and wedgie stealth-assaults in the hallways.

I can tell many reel geek girls because they are wearing arcane anime character costumes I have never heard of.

I'm on the fence. I've always been kinda meh about folks that are mentioned in the article. but they aren't exactly new. Booth babes are lame though, absolutely. But if its talking more about the conwh---s, as it has been dubbed for as long as I can remember, thats just anyone costuming for attention with no knowledge of the character, etc... well I dont recall a time with out them. I've been costuming for 10 years. In reasonable shape and out of it.

They're kind of annoying but its their life, who cares. I feel bad for the guys these girls string along (believe me, some of them stoop pretty low for free crap and attention and free rides at con... and I imagine as more ladies figure out they can do that, they will) but they make every girl who spends more time and effort to make accurate costumes look 100% better.

Yet, who am I to tell them to get out of my hobby? As was mentioned, most of the rest of society tends to tell geeks and people seen as different to get out or that they don't belong. We shouldnt do the same. But I can absolutely say I do feel very poorly towards those who use costuming and their bodies it to milk things out of people, especially those who dont even CARE about the fandoms they represent while doing it. And those people should GTFO. I think the author is very specific about that the way I read it. He mentions the taking advantage of things, and that some other folks take the hating too far. So I think that article isnt that bad considering.

You dont have to be a full on geek about the fandom, but you should have at least played the game or watched the show and enjoyed it. Not bought the costume from Hustler or Fredericks of Hollywood and went down to the Con to reap whatever you can.

I only just went to my second con this year (Philly comicon), and I didn't really see "booth babes." I guess it's not that kind of event?

Honestly, though, I'd expect that you'd be more able to sell when you aren't just defaulting to cheap manipulation like "LOOK AT THIS HOT BABE! Now buy our product" and are instead using fans who can go in-depth about their character/costume and the product itself, and veer off topic into other geeky stuff. It'd seem more genuine, and your company would come across as attempting to genuinely cater to fans, rather than simultaneously trying to put one over on them while insulting them in the belief that these poor benighted basement dwellers will never come this close to a pretty girl again in their lives or whathaveyou.

booksandcorsets said:

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TBH I REALLY wonder if female costumers are looking at this differently than men. I don't see many male booth babes.

I guess you could call me one. I work various vendor booths for a few hours here and there because it's fun and I get to entertain and make people happy while in my costumes. I see fewer costumers at vendor booths with provided costumes these days. Most of the costumed characters I see at vendor booths at SDCC are fans and part of a costuming club. Is this true for every con? No idea, I don't go to every con. But I like the trend that I'm seeing at SDCC

I'm all for people having fun with whatever but I definitely understand the frustration from the established hobbyists.

I'm sure cops or military folk wouldn't like it if I paraded around public in their uniforms, ya know. They "earned" the right to wear that uniform exclusively and the accolades that go along with it are the spoils of their dedication to that lifestyle. I think a similar thing is happening here when "normal" folk just want in on this cool thing we've been building for years.

Nerd culture and costume culture is a club of sorts and people are kinda feeling like people are getting in with going through the initiation or "paying your dues" in a way. I I think the issue deals with some pretty primal emotional stuff that be easily discounted.

Nick

Lady Geeks are hot!!!! Stop hatin and build a prop!!!! Seriously, if some chic is in a wicked costume and she's truly not a geek, nothing you or I can say or do can make her feel more out of sorts than the fact that she's not a geek and she's wearing a geek uniform. I mean seriously why are we even caring about this? There are hippocrites in every facet of our lives. Why not in geekdom as well????