We’ve been going to conventions for more than 20 years, and I began as a poor college student where every penny mattered. Most of my outfits back then were either from my closet or pieced together with items I found at the local Goodwill.
Cosplay shopping at a thrift store can be a great way to get your cosplay wardrobe on a budget. We’ve alco created a full guide to cosplaying on a budget if you’d like more info. However, it can be difficult to know where to start looking for the best deals. In this post, we will provide some tips on how to find the best cosplay items at a thrift store.
Men’s suits are great for cosplay
They often have great jackets with lapels that can be used for cosplay. Look for a suit that is the right size and in good condition. You can often find suits at thrift stores for under $10. Dark suits are a staple for many popular characters like Men In Black, Pulp Fiction, John Wick, or even Clark Kent. A generic dark or black suit will also work as a base for other anime characters.
Military Uniforms for Cosplay
You can usually find these at any thrift store, and they make for great cosplay. Look for anything with medals or other embellishments that you can use to make your cosplay more accurate. You can often find military uniforms for under $10.
We are not suggesting that you dress up as an active duty military person, but rather as a character from a movie or TV show. One of the perks of this type of costume is that you can combine the military outfit with a mask for a combination look.
For example, Batman joins the Marines or Spiderman in the Navy. Because military outfits are full looks, you often get a well-made set of clothes that can last a whole convention. You can also vary it up by changing out the mask between days or conventions.
Trench Coat for Cosplay
This is a great cosplay item that you can find at any thrift store. Look for a trench coat that is the right size and in good condition. You can often find trench coats for around $5 in the off season.
A trench coat is a great cosplay item because it can be used for so many different characters. Whether that’s Inspector Gadget, Highlander, or Spiderman, a trench coat is a well rounded item that is always welcome in your closet.
One of my first big purchases for cosplay conventions was a dark black trench coat that I wore a Duncan McCleod. I had long black hair that I pulled back into a ponytail and I had a plastic sword that I kept by my side. The rest of the outfit didn’t matter as long as I had the long black ponytail and coat for people to immediately recognize me as the Highlander from the TV show.
Bridesmaid dresses for Cosplay
These can be great cosplay items because they often come with a lot of material. You can use the material to make capes, dresses, or other cosplay items. Look for a bridesmaid dress that is the right size and in good condition. You can often find bridesmaid dresses for under $10.
Bridesmaid dresses can be used as evening gowns and sometimes they can be worn with little or no modifications. Just by adding makeup and a wig you can quickly become a character of your choosing.
Prom dresses for cosplay
Like bridesmaid dresses, prom dress are a great choice because they often come with a lot of material. You can use the material to make capes, dresses, or other cosplay items. Look for a prom dress that is the right size and in good condition. You can often find prom dresses for under $15. These are also very easy to find in July and August as people will wear them for a prom and then give them away after the event.
Prom dresses are fantastic as a starter piece for a Disney princess look. A yellow dress and glasses are the start of a Belle cosplay. A purple dress and long blond wig will immediately be recognized as Rapunzel from Tangled, or a turquoise dress and red wig as Ariel from Little Mermaid.
Vests and Blazer for Cosplay
These are generic items that can be used to create many background characters like students at Hogwarts or reporters. Vests and blazers often have pockets that you can use to store cosplay items like your phone or wallet. Look for a vest or blazer that is the right size and in good condition. You can often find vests and blazers for under $10.
A black vest and blazer are some of the most versatile cosplay items that you can buy. With a little bit of creativity, you can turn it into a cosplay for a news reporter, business person, or even a vampire.
For example, reporters are often seen with a notepad poking out of their breast pocket. You can easily create this look by carrying around a small notebook and a pen. If you want to cosplay as a business person, you can add a cosplay name tag or badge to the lapel of your blazer. And if you’re cosplaying as a vampire, you can add some fake blood around your mouth for added effect.
You may also want to get some patches for your blazer or vest to match specific characters. If you go this route, we recommend using stitch witch or light hand sewing to attach the patch to the vest or blazer. This way you can change it out later if you want.
We’ve written a full guide on how to create patches for cosplay on a budget.
Face Paint for cosplay
Before Halloween, many local thrift shops will carry new face paints and make ups. These will be very entry level options that will be similar quality to what you’d find at Walmart or a dollar store. We’ve found these to be absurdly good deals right after Halloween as the thrift store will mark them down between 50% and 75% right after.
Face paint and makes are just an amazing tool to have in your arsenal to make a character come to life. And while we often recommend cosplay make up over face paint, there are some character where face paints are better.
You don’t need to cover your entire face, and we’re not suggesting using it to go as a clown. Just adding a little green over the eye can really make a Poison Ivy cosplay pop. Also, if you want to cosplay as a tiger, you’ll want to use stripes of face paint rather than trying to apply makeup in that pattern. The same goes for any other animal cosplays.
Be Patient and Wait
One of the biggest mistakes I see beginners make is to go to a thrift store and look for the closest item in a particular store for a character. They buy something they are not happy with just because it’s the only thing they see.
This is a terrible idea as you’ll still be looking for the perfect piece, and if you’re like me you won’t feel proud and happy as your wearing the cosplay with the piece that you know is off. This doesn’t mean you need to look for a precise perfect replica. My general rule is that if I’m happy making that the permanent item of the cosplay then I will get it. If not, I will pass and wait for something that can be a final piece.
To be fair, if I find something later that is just an awesome replica then I would upgrade, but that’s an after the fact decision. Most of the time I buy something at the thrift store I expect to include it in all versions of that outfit.
I know this can be hard when you are starting out, and there are exceptions to this rule if you think you’ll regret not making the purchase. I try to think about all the instances I chose not to buy something and the money I saved that when I do want to splurge on a custom piece, or a professional made part for a cosplay that I feel good about all the so-so items that I passed on.
Conclusion
Thrift stores can be a cosplayer’s best friend. They offer a wide variety of cosplay items that can be used to create amazing cosplays on a budget. Be patient, wait for the perfect piece, and you’ll be able to create cosplays that you’ll love for years to come.
And we’d love to hear from you. Do you have any tips for other members of our community? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comment section below.
