Let's Talk About Age and Cosplay
There seems to be a perceptual cosplay age valley that I've noticed -- younger cosplayers are seen as acceptable ("it's the realm of the youth!"), senior cosplayers are seen as acceptable ("cute little old lady dressed as an old lady, aww"), but the closer to middle age you are, the more you get questions like this ("do your taxes" and the like).
That said, it's purely in the mind and not at all a real issue haha
People who don't cosplay and only consume photos of cosplayers might have their view since they ~~largely want either fap material or expect the person to look exactly like the character~~ don't understand the community and the hobby, and people who are in the hobby but buy into that mindset of needing to be attractive or otherwise looking like the character in face and body or who buy into social media numbers too heavily also can have that mindset.
This mostly effects women and those perceived as women but can cut across genders.
That said...... most people who are high level craftsmanship cosplayers are in their 30s and 40s because that's when you have enough skills built up and money to do that kind of cosplay. That's not to say you can't put on a bought cosplay at any age, just that crafts skews a bit older. Also you'll never know under all the makeup and wigs lmao
So yeah, just decide what the hobby means to you and do what you want, since it's just that. A hobby. No one is going "am I too old to be into model trains?" or whatever. It's a bit different when your body is part of the hobby, but if you mentally separate your body and looks (middle aged people can be and are hot btw, at least I am LMAO) from wearing a costume as something that is necessary to the costume, it doesn't matter. Be free. (And if you're worried about it get really into makeup! Yes even as a man!)
That said, it's purely in the mind and not at all a real issue haha
People who don't cosplay and only consume photos of cosplayers might have their view since they ~~largely want either fap material or expect the person to look exactly like the character~~ don't understand the community and the hobby, and people who are in the hobby but buy into that mindset of needing to be attractive or otherwise looking like the character in face and body or who buy into social media numbers too heavily also can have that mindset.
This mostly effects women and those perceived as women but can cut across genders.
That said...... most people who are high level craftsmanship cosplayers are in their 30s and 40s because that's when you have enough skills built up and money to do that kind of cosplay. That's not to say you can't put on a bought cosplay at any age, just that crafts skews a bit older. Also you'll never know under all the makeup and wigs lmao
So yeah, just decide what the hobby means to you and do what you want, since it's just that. A hobby. No one is going "am I too old to be into model trains?" or whatever. It's a bit different when your body is part of the hobby, but if you mentally separate your body and looks (middle aged people can be and are hot btw, at least I am LMAO) from wearing a costume as something that is necessary to the costume, it doesn't matter. Be free. (And if you're worried about it get really into makeup! Yes even as a man!)