ShePropTalk!

May is about Moms! Join us as we talk to some incredible artists that are balancing cosplay and raising humans, and doing it in style.

Some people want to cosplay as their favorite heroes, the people they love, idolize and respect... then there are the folks who pick the most horrendous bad guys to cosplay, characters that no one in their right mind would want to be.  In this panel we explain why it’s so good to be villainous!

To recognize Autism Awareness day we sit down to talk with one of our editors, Queen of Salt and Rock. She’ll talk about what media gets wrong, and sometimes right about Autism, and how we can be better allies for our Autistic peers in the cosplay community and other nerdy spaces.

SheProp turns THREE this month! In this panel we will be talking with four of the founding members of SheProp to learn more about why and how it started, how it's changed and what we see for the future!

It doesn't matter how, good, talented, popular, or successful you are, Imposter Syndrome can come along and say you aren't good enough. And you aren't the only one hearing that voice. In this panel we will talk to people who will shared their experienced Imposter Syndrome, how it has effected their cosplay, creative and professional work, and how to break the cycle.

Cosplayers sew, mold, sketch, and embroider all to create beautiful pieces of wearable art. So why is cosplaying not widely considered to be an art? In this panel we talk about the way society views arts, as opposed to crafts, how it rooted in patriarchy and colonialism, and how cosplayers can reclaim the title "artist".

From postponed costumes to cancelled conventions, 2020 has greatly impacted the cosplay community as a whole. In this panel for PlaidFX con, members of SheProp discuss how the year has shaped their cosplay and making experiences!

It’s no secret that cosplayers love to recreate established and well-known characters from their favorite fandoms, but designing an original character can be an incredibly rewarding experience too! Role-playing games, LARPing, and extended universes have helped to open the possibilities of designing a character that is entirely unique from backstory to costume. In this panel we will talk to cosplayers who regularly create characters that have never been seen before, why they do it, and why you should too!

Canon characters are great, but cosplay doesn't have to stop there! Gender bending, pinup, mashups, steampunk and historical redesigns are just some of the options that can be explored when we put a new spin on familiar characters, and pulling it off is not as simple as it looks. We'll talk to some incredible cosplayers that can show us how its done, and tell us why they do it.

How many times have cosplayers been told to "grow up"? In this panel we are talking to cosplayers who have done exactly that. They are here to prove that cosplay is not just a young persons game, but also that when you can bring decades of experience you the table your creations can be out of this world.  Sure, there are some pitfalls to being a mature cosplayer, but the perks far outnumber them and we're going to talk all about it.

Sara from @cestlasara joins the show to talk about her awesome Zhuque Mercy build, as well as the differences between the Cricut and the Brother machines! This episode is jam packed with awesome show-and-tell, and Sara shares SO many of her tips for airbrushing fabric, adding HTV, making wings, you name it, she shares it! Grab a pen and paper and get ready to learn a WHOLE LOT from this master cosplayer!

Monica from Geeks A Gogo joins the show to talk about her phenomenal Phoenix Monster cosplay build! Learn about how she overcame some of the construction obstacles with the 12’ wings, the larger-than-life wig and crown, and more! Hosted by Beverly of Downen Creative Studios.

As cosplay has gained in popularity it has also gained in price - It’s not called "Cost-Play" for nothing! But cost doesn't have to be a barrier to successful cosplay. We'll talk to cosplayers who not only create incredible art, they do it on a budget. They'll share information on not only how to save money while making costumes, but also why they love to do it.

Let's talk about MASSIVE wings with LEDS! Oh MY! Award-winning, master level cosplayer, foamsmith and speed build wizard Plexi Cosplay joins the show to talk about how she created her larger-than-life, competition-winning Pride cosplay from Darksiders!

Award-winning, master level cosplayer, Jedimanda is back on the show with a whole new book! A must-have for any cosplayer from beginner to advanced, Creative Cosplay is full of great tips and information. From how to research a costume, where to buy your supplies, to what fabrics are commonly used for what kinds of cosplays, this book has it all. "Don't be afraid to be a beginner" says it all - this book is a delight to read, and Amanda adds some personal stories and her own voice to make this book a great addition to your cosplay resource library.

Angela of Fancy Fairy Wings & Things chats with Beverly about her PHENOMENAL fairy wings! From cosplay to the Victoria Secret runway, her work is legendary in both the world of fashion and costuming. 

The Funny, Scary, Genderbending & Sometimes Lucrative World of Spicy Cosplay Creating cosplays, and attending cons can be as fun and exciting as it is stressful and exhausting. Those stressors are amplified while working with a disability. In this panel we will talk with cosplayers who create, compete, volunteer and swim all while working with mental or physical disabilities.

Creating cosplays, and attending cons can be as fun and exciting as it is stressful and exhausting. Those stressors are amplified while working with a disability. In this panel we will talk with cosplayers who create, compete, volunteer and swim all while working with mental or physical disabilities.

Honest conversations about race and culture are more important than ever. In this panel we talk with Black and POC cosplayers about their experiences in the cosplay community, and how their culture, hair and skin has been politicized. We will talk about cosplaying a race or culture that does not match our own, and how we can do it successfully without hurting BIPOC people.

Professional SFX and Theatrical Makeup Artist M from Foresaken Faerie shares SO MANY TIPS and techniques for theatrical makeup application, including making your own SFX prosthetics and working within a small budget! You’ll be inspired to tackle all of those gory costumes you’ve always wanted to try! M also shares her experiences and stories from her many years of working as a black female professional in the film/live entertainment industry. Hosted by Beverly of Downen Creative Studios for SheProp.

Join cosplay ballgown experts Jedimanda, Casey Renee Cosplay, Pros and Cons Cosplay, AbbyCat Cosplay, Miss Tyo, and Momma Sammu as they discuss all things ballgowns! In the world of cosplay, the ballgown sits as the show-stopping top of the sewing heap and it’s not hard to see why.  In this panel we’ll talk with artists  and seasoned professionals who frequent the over the top, larger than life world of ballgown creation, from what to wear underneath all those layers, to how to wear these one person parade floats on a con floor, and why they keep coming back for more.

Costumer Leah D'Andrea joins the show to talk about the many methods she has used to make wings including iPhone App controlled wings (wow!!), and low tech manual controlled packs! Hosted by Beverly of Downen Creative Studios.

Cosplay does not have to be a solitary activity. Working with other cosplayers is a great way to expand skill sets, pool resources and create group projects. Join the members of legendary Team Totoro as they discuss how to put together cosplay collaborations, from making friends all the way to enjoying wearing your completed group cosplay and having a wonderful time.

The incredible designer Sophy Wong joins the show to talk about getting started with adding LEDs and wearable technology to your projects and costumes! She tells us about wearable electronics, sewn circuits, her original design space suit, capacitive touch, Adafruit components, and so much more!

Mother, actress, writer, producer and cosplayer Abie Ekenezar of Babs Cosplay and BabsEK Productions joins the show to talk about how cosplay has helped her path to a career in film. We also talk about the importance of writing stories with people of color as they are reflected in real people, and how she is bringing them to life with her production company! Hosted by Beverly of Downen Creative Studios.

Katrina of Yupkat Cosplay joins the show to talk all about her Ana Bestat costume build! We get an up close look at the details of her work, how she constructed the trench coat, and how she installed magnets to a harness to secure her foam armor pieces! Hosted by Beverly of Downen Creative Studios.

Have you ever wanted to making a latex costume? Jerikandra walks us through the process of some of the basic steps involved with getting started with using this unique material! Hosted by Beverly of Downen Creative Studios. Bonus Featurette Cosplayers: Pros and Cons Cosplay!

Women, Trans and nonbinary cosplayers can face unique challenges when looking for help. Body shaming, self-esteem, ability shaming, slut shaming, and misogyny can be barriers to getting the help and support we need. The SheProp! Community is here to help. Our panelists of experienced cosplayers are ready to answer your questions, whether they are about creating a costume or surviving and thriving in the cosplay community. Special thanks to Leftfield Media, Rose City Comic Con and Awesome Con for including SheProp in this awesome Pride digital event!

Amber of Bodoni Cosplay chats with Beverly about her Cricut projects! We cover tips for cutting EVA foam, Leather, Acrylic, optimizing files for Design Space, fonts, favorite accessories and so much more!

Join special guest host Renee (Pixie Bomber) and featuring Brianneopal in this 2nd episode about Historical Cosplay! Also joining the conversation is LeannaCosplay.

Do you love Historical Cosplay and want to know more? Join special guest host Renee (Pixie Bomber) and LeannaCosplay in this special two part episode! Also joining the conversation is Brianneopal!

How do you use the bathroom in a ballgown? Today’s guest host is Pixie Bomber Cosplay, and she chats with ballgown masters MommaSammu and PinkofY Cosplay about this very important topic that we could all use a little help with!

Tiphani (Pros and Cons Cosplay / Cosplay Contest Support Group Founder) and Mandi (Teca Cosplay) join Beverly for the second chapter about cosplay competitions. Topics we cover include frequently asked questions within the CCSG group, how the contest game has changed over the years, what good judges look for, the creation of cosplay contest rules - particularly creating inclusive rules - and why we see so few people from marginalized communities compete.

Beverly and Abby discuss why SheProp panels are awesome, and how you can get involved with your own panel! 

Cowbutt Crunchies join Beverly, Abby and Melanie to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of cosplay competitions. 


Heather Hanna from Smooth-On joins Beverly for this EXTRA INFORMATIVE episode of ShePropTalk! In this episode, we answer a lot of common questions about resins, silicone, urethane, adhesives, and Heather gives us invaluable tips and tricks for many, many applications!. Taking notes is highly recommended - you’ll also want to save this episode to your tutorial library!

Silhouette Cosplay joins Beverly on this episode of ShePropTalk! We take a deep dive into her well-known incredible Loki costumes, as well as Black Widow, Raven (RWBY) and OF COURSE her INSANE Daenerys from Game of Thrones! Hold onto your seats and prepare to be blown away by Luisa's work!

The incredible Akakioga Cosplay joins Beverly to talk about her costumes, including her legendary Orisa (Overwatch) and  Paletress (Project Ebon Blade). She shares many of her building tips and techniques, including an amazing alternative to LEDs for gems! She also talks about how cosplay culture has changed throughout the years for POC cosplayers, and lends sage advice for any POC cosplayer that is just starting their cosplay journey.  

Holly and Meg chat with Beverly about their second volume of The Cosplay Journal, a gorgeous and unique UK based cosplay magazine promoting the craft, skill and diversity in the cosplay community. In this episode we talk about SO many aspects of creating a publication focusing on cosplay including stories from the field, a sneak peek into the featured interview with Pegsicle Cosplay and much more!

Shining star Tina Rivets joins Beverly in this 10th episode of ShePropTalk! Tina shares her techniques for applying blood and gore latex makeup fx for her genderbend Two-Face and Edward Scissorhands costumes, cosplaying many versions of the (don’t call me) Ash from Evil Dead, Lady Killer, her viral Ash Wednesday Addams mashup, Gary’s mom and more!

Becka Noel joins Beverly in this special episode of ShePropTalk! We chat about Pratt Institute, Cosplay Melee, patterning for McCall’s, working at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply, patterning, original designs vs. replicas, pearly worbla and more!

The amazing and mega talented duo behind Cowbutt Crunchies join Beverly to chat about their costumes, cat charity, cosplay cocktails, and SO MUCH MORE. Are they the best humans ever? Find out in this episode! (Spoiler: the answer is YES)

Deela Designs joins Beverly in the studio to talk about her incredible costumes and original designs. She shares tips on how to cover tattoos with makeup, cosplay burnout and more!

In this special episode, Abby joins Beverly again to talk about sewing stuff! Topics include: how to prevent your machine from eating your fabric, how often you should service your sewing machine, super useful sewing machine feet, tips for sewing slippery fabrics/bulky fabrics, scissors & rotary tools, and Abby's favorite patterning books!

AbbyCat Cosplay joins Beverly in her studio in a special show-and-tell episode! Abby shows us several of her costumes including her award-winning SteamPunk Wicked Witch, her famously evil Professor Umbridge, her “Bunbridge” bunny version of of Professor Umbridge, secrets for making a bunny suit, and shares many more of her sewing tips!

Alexandria The Geek joins Beverly to chat about her amazing Hippolyta (Wonder Woman) & Mercy (Overwatch) cosplay builds! She shares her tips for making spartan helmets, flowy capes, foam patterning, Mercy’s staff and more! Topics: Hippolyta, Spartan Helmet, Capes, Mercy, Staff, Worbla, EVA Foam

In this episode, master builder and creator JediManda joins Beverly to talk about her incredible Dr. Strange and Captain Marvel costumes. Amanda also shares many of her sewing and patterning tips for starting and complicated super suits! 

In this episode, Dahlia Darling Cosplay joins Beverly to talk about POC (people of color) within the cosplay community, body paint, cel shading, painting on vinyl, patterning and more!

Welcome to our first episode!! Beverly (Downen Creative Studios) chats with Sharon (Sharon Rose Cosplay)! We talk about SO many topics including the SheProp community, Sharon's incredible Captain America and Wonder Woman costumes, putting a personal touch on your costumes, getting past imposter syndrome, making patterns last longer, and SO much more!