I hope that everyone had a fun Memorial Day weekend – I know I did! This past weekend, I was lucky enough to go to Comicpalooza in Houston, Texas to rep Custom Comix (with our fearless leader, Holly), meet some celebs, see some awesome cosplayers, and of course, spread the Melvin love all around. This being my first comic-con, I definitely learned a thing or two about what wardrobe choices work when you’re milling about a huge convention center for almost 12 hours and what doesn’t. Read on for some tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your next con experience and not hate yourself by the end of the day.
I’m going to start with something painfully obvious: Houston in May is not only hot but also incredibly humid (though it’s not the most humid time of the year by far). This, of course, limits the things you can comfortably wear without feeling like you’re dying. For me, that translates to kicking jeans to the curb altogether – something I tend to do every year starting in about April – and sticking to more warmth-friendly items like dresses and shorts. After wearing a dress for load-in and again on Saturday, I have to say that I prefer the shorts option. If you have an awesome pair of thunder thighs like me, going for shorts instead of a dress when there is a lot of walking in a hot sticky environment leads to less discomfort in the long run, plus it eradicates the need for ladylike behavior.
Another thing I cannot stress enough is wear the right shoes! I made the mistake of only bringing sandals and a pair of flats and I’m still regretting it today. My thought process was of course that it was going to be hot, so sandals would be the way to go – so wrong. I have blisters from my gladiator sandals that would make an actual gladiator weep. I would recommend a good pair of Converse (or really any kind of tennis shoe) because you will be walking a lot more than you may originally think. Be it from having to park far away from the con or walking to get cheaper food (so you don’t lose your parking) things will come up and you don’t want to hate yourself later.
Overall I would say just keep things simple. If you’re going to be going to a con for multiple days, chances are that you’re going to be incredibly tired, so putting a lot of thought into your wardrobe choices will not sound like fun by the end. Pick out your clothes beforehand, keep accessories to a minimum (because you may find something awesome at the con), and maybe pack an extra shirt in case something tragic happens, though you could always buy one there, too. Regardless of whether you’re in Texas in the summer or New York in the winter be aware of the environment that the actual convention is going to be held in. Comicpalooza had a pretty hefty turn out and when that many people are in one place (even if it’s huge) with all that body heat it’s going to be a little toasty and maybe stuffy. Also check the forecast because some imminent weather could completely change your outfit choices.
Then again, hardly any of this really applies to you if you’re cosplaying, except possibly the comfy shoe part; I’m not sure how people were surviving the day in 6 inch pumps. Next week I will get into the good, the bad, and the “meh” of the cosplaying that I saw at the con and perhaps a few tricks I gathered from people on their cosplays. If you have your own tips for making a weekend of geekery more comfortable or some funny mishaps, leave them in the comments! Until next week my lovelys!
 Doctor Who Converse – shippe… $139.95
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 This is how I roll – sided d… $15.25
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 The Original Upcycled Comic … $25.00
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 Boba Fett Messenger Bag $60.00
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 Hand Painted Lord of the Rin… $100.00
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 III Baby Pink Plus Size Stud… $36.00
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 KAPOW Geek Headband, Blue an… $15.00
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 Keep Calm and Troll On funny… $17.99
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Awesome post! I can’t wait to read about the cosplayers!