First name and last initial: Hayley K.

Where are you from originally or reside currently? Originally from Chicago, IL. Live in Northern VA.

How long you have been cosplaying? I have been cosplaying for about 3 years.

Other Characters cosplayed: Feyris from Stein’s Gate, Punk Blossom from The Powerpuff girls, Silent Hill Nurse from Silent Hill, Princess Mononoke, Jughead Jones from Riverdale, Bellatrix LeStrange from Harry Potter, Beverly Marsh from Stephen King’s IT, 1950s Femme Riddler, Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad, Zenon from Disney’s Zenon Girl of the 21^stCentury, Gwen from Spider Man, Pepper Ann from Nickelodeon’s Pepper Ann, Female Pennywise (aka Pollywise) from Stephen King’s IT.

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Who or what inspired you to cosplay? I was inspired by the creative freedom you can have. I enjoy diving into an alternate persona. It is like an escape from everyday life. It’s important to have something that keeps my anxiety at bay and cosplaying allows me to feel safe, beautiful, and confident.

What do you do when you’re not cosplaying? I work full time for a communications company, I do community theatre, and I also sing in the Northern Virginia based rock band BETTER HOMES.

Which costumes have provided the biggest challenge and rewards so far, and why? I find all of them to be challenging and rewarding in their own ways. Bellatrix was hard because I wanted it to be accurate but also have a taste of myself in it. When I did Suicide Squad’s Harley Quinn that was personally so rewarding for me because of the costume (it was rather revealing) but I felt so confident and it got amazing feedback.

What is the best advice you would give someone new to cosplaying? Have fun, don’t worry about impressing anyone. Do what you want to do and be confident!

 

What is one thing the cosplaying community can do better when it comes to dealing with each other? I wish we were not so critical of each other. Cosplaying is fun and we all need to support each other!

 

Featured Image photo by Chris Racer