Girls, are you geeky enough to costume?

[Art Andrews]

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?

 

[CessnaDriver]

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.

 

[Sundowner]

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!

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

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.

 

[booksandcorsets]

(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."

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Well, the abused can sometimes become the abuser. It takes so very little restraint to realize what you are doing is exactly what has been done to you... but it is hard fact to realize that you are the same as those who did this to you.

Hopefully people will learn to treat each other better.

Regarding papercraft and digital modeling... it still requires skill to create a good looking end product and an awesome end result is an awesome achievement regardless of the techniques used.

Like when I took art in school. Some snubbed their noses at what they call amateur techniques. I told them to STFU and stop being such snobs - if the technique did the trick and was what was wanted by the artist, then it was THE RIGHT technique for the job. Limiting yourself leads to impossibility to thinking outside the box and come up with new and better ways of doing things.

Even if this may not apply to those just jumping on the bandwagon for some attention seeking purposes... if they have fun... why ruin it?

 

[DMC 12]

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.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

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." .)

 

[Art Andrews]

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?

(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."

 

[Deelite]

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.

 

[booksandcorsets]

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.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

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.

 

[booksandcorsets]

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

 

[Deelite]

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.

 

[Deelite]

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.

 

[Art Andrews]

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.

 

[Art Andrews]

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.

 

[booksandcorsets]

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

 

[Freya Willia]

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.

 

[CessnaDriver]

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