Cosplay Guidelines

Our Guidelines have been Updated

These rules were written by Jonathan Cullinane AKA Nert, they are intended to give an in depth and a general idea of what can and can't be done with costumes and props at UK conventions.

Kitacon believes that these rules cover nearly all circumstances. And please remember if unsure get in touch.

Cosplaying at a Convention: Costume and Prop Rules and Guidelines

There are now many events across the country that have a place for dressing up as your character of choice, and of course we want to encourage this, however there are a few rules that do need to be kept in mind no matter where you attend. Each event may well have its own rules and regulations to follow and sometimes they are confusing or hard to find, or poorly enforced on the day, and some have shockingly taken this to mean there are none! So this is here to give you a general set of rules that apply to them all.

These rules apply to ALL COSPLAY RELATED EVENTS, whether specifically cosplay centred or not. Most of the rules are plain common sense or to help the event follow legal requirements or
considerations for public safety, this list is not exhaustive and there may well be extra rules on top of these at the event you are attending so please check their website or forum to ensure you're not breaking any.

Most if not all events will have an area where costumes and their props may be checked, typically a Cosplay Desk, Reception or Convention Operations room. All props and weapons must be
checked in with these authorities; no exceptions. No item can be granted definite permission before the day so please make sure to do your best to adhere to these guidelines before starting the creation of your props to avoid disappointment.

Depending on the event, and the judgement given, you may be allowed:

• To carry it as part of your floor costume (i.e. general use, allowed anywhere)
• To carry it ONLY as long as it is secured to your person or made difficult to remove/unsheath/etc
• To have it on display ONLY for photo opportunities but kept secured at all other times
• To use ONLY during Masquerade performances or equivalent, item is to be kept in your room or held onto by the event staff at all other times

Permission can be revoked or changed at any time, for any reason, by the event staff. If you have been given a permission ticket, tag or similar make sure you do keep it with you.

All events reserve the right to grant exceptions, so while vigilance toward reporting those breaking the rules is appreciated, do not assume the right to police the rules for the event. Similarly do not assume because a similar item has been approved that all others automatically will.

Props/weapons/accessories/etc may be disallowed for any of the following reasons:

• Too large/unwieldy
• Blocks corridors/doorways or is likely to hit or inconvenience others
• Too heavy
• If it's heavy, it can hurt, especially if dropped
• Too hard
• No props made of hard wood, or any sort of metal
• Even LARP-approved weapons can fall foul of this rule, as they are designed for actual use and can still bruise
• Too sharp or spiky
• No sharp protrusions or edges, make sure they're sanded/rounded/padded/covered or otherwise protected adequately
• Too realistic
• No realistic replica weaponry without obvious 'Blaze' (brightly coloured) tips
• No weapons that can fire any sort of projectile, even foam darts or water, unless it can be shown to be empty and incapable of operation
• No actions which may lead event staff, attendees or members of the general public to believe you are in possession of a real live weapon, even at a distance
• No pyrotechnics, explosives (including cap-guns) or incendiary items
• Actual weapons (including airguns, deactivated guns, blunted/sharp knives or swords, live bows or slingshots) are expressly prohibited

Please understand these rules are in place for a reason and decisions made by event staff must be respected, failure to adhere to these rules can have you asked to put the item away, have the item confiscated, or in extreme cases have your membership to the event revoked and have you be escorted from the premises. Please also note that you are responsible for transporting your props to and from the event subject to all local laws and regulations.

As a side note, some events do feature sellers which provide cosplay-related weaponry and props intended for display which break these rules, this does not exempt them. Such items are still disallowed and they should only be used within your own private property.

The more casual explanation:

Here's all the above, written in more general terms to explain them in more detail, and with far less eloquence. Please keep in mind these rules are more inclusive than exclusive, we want to see impressive creations from you all and give them the full display they deserve, but some will always take things too far, or not quite understand why there are rules at all.

Please also remember the rules aren't there because we don't trust any of you, there are plenty of sensible, responsible people out there, but you can't guarantee that an insensible, irresponsible person won't suddenly grab a prop out of the hands of previously mentioned sensible, responsible person, and proceed to cause short-lived havoc before it is wrested from them. Accidents also always happen, so the rules are there to minimise the chances of things going horribly, horribly wrong for all involved.

These events are for fun and we're glad so many of you enjoy them; the last thing we want is to ruin the fun and enjoyment that comes from cosplay, but there will always be those who can get too excitable (and/or drunk), and act on somewhat impaired judgement at times. We've all been in the situation where we've been asked by other congoers if they can examine our handiwork, some don't even ask, and the first instinct for many when holding a fake sword is to swing it around!

There are many considerations to be made and the onus is on the event staff to make decisions, this is why solid Yes/No answers can never be given in advance, these things are handled case-by-case so please do not assume that just because you've seen a similar prop be allowed, that yours automatically will.

So here's some guidelines as to what can influence the decision the event staff will make!

First thing's first; the golden question. If you only remember one rule of thumb for all cosplay guidelines, make it this one:

If we were to repeatedly hit you with it, would it break before you do?

If your answer lies in the region of 'no', then it's likely to not be allowed for general use. This question covers most of the basics, if it's too heavy/sharp/spiky/madeoflivebadgers then chances are you're going to wince at the notion of being intentionally or accidentally smacked with it, that's the sign that you may need to revise your plans. Again, even if you don't intend to hit anyone with it, accidents can happen, and others who may try to get their hands on your prop may be less cautious with its application than you would.

Where are you likely to have it on display?

Out and about all day ('floor costume') will fall under the strictest of scrutiny as we can't police everywhere at all times to check you're not mucking around with it, it's worth noting the vast majority of props and accessories are still granted this permission, as long as you've properly agreed to not be an idiot with it.

Consideration may be given for items declared safe but likely to attract undue attention, in that you can have them out only for photo opportunities as long as you are sensible with them. If given this permission then your prop must be secured and/or kept out of sight at all other times. Naturally this can be revoked at any time if you're found to not be acting sensibly with them.

The big exception to most of these rules is the Masquerade, or similarly controlled convention-run event. (i.e. not an attendee-run event organised on a forum etc.) During these the rules are far more relaxed, as on stage there are no crowds to accidentally hit or prop-yoinking youngsters to worry about, also the voluntary audience expecting cosplayers are unlikely to be shocked at you pulling out a gun. Most cosplayers will save their larger or more delicate costumes for such events for these reasons, and it's the perfect chance to show off props you're proud of, but can't be carried around as part of a floor costume.

These props still need to be checked and must at all other times be secured in your room or left with the convention staff until it is time for the event, most will be happy to look after them for you, after all we do want to see your impressive work and have it properly showcased! Heavy or oversized items are perfectly suited here.

What is it made of?

Hard-wooden or metal items are likely to be disqualified on sight. Please use some common sense, a metal necklace isn't going to be a threat, neither is a small hardwood box your character carries around, but if you show up with a metal katana, blunt or not, it's going to be a no. If you've made your amazing wings out of thick industrial-grade steel, (and can somehow still stand under the weight) smacking into those is going to hurt. Keep them to Masquerade-only.

Cored weapons (that is to say props with a hard centre, like wooden dowel/broom handles/metal or pvc pipes) are hard to judge without seeing in person, if they are sufficiently padded, with no hard edges or tip, then they may be allowed but this can be very subjective. Many LARP-approved weapons (typically cored with wood or carbon-fibre and foam+latex padding) fall foul of this because they do encourage hitting people with, yet are still solid enough to leave bruises.

If in doubt go with the lightest core you can, e.g. PVC pipe or several thin dowel rods over a single thicker one - the gaps between them make for lighter props and can cushion impacts. Go for hollow plastic broom handles over wooden ones, etc. There are many examples and tutorials around to give you ideas for how to construct your prop in a con-safe way and still look effective, or you can save it purely for Masquerade events. Foam, foamboard, light dowelling, thin balsa wood, even cardboard or papier mache, all have been used to make some incredible props which still happily pass this rule and many others.

If it's clear you've made every attempt to construct your props to be con-safe, it's more likely you'll be trusted to hold onto them.

Can the prop be firmly secured to you?

If it is difficult to remove/unsheath/unholster the prop, and thus the act of drawing them is more obvious to all bystanders and random excitable people can't grab them from you easily, then they are more likely to be allowed. Swords or guns which have been approved, wherever possible, should be 'peacebonded', that is to say tied or otherwise attached to their sheath/holster.

Anything loose or quick-drawn can startle bystanders, children or even by-standing children.

Also, police officers.

Startling police officers with toy guns is generally considered something of a social faux pas..

Is it intended as a weapon?

It's hard to draw a line between a magical girl's 5ft staff of mystical glowy power and a martial artist's hitty-stick or spear, (especially if they're both essentially wooden poles with metallic-decorated cardboard on the end) however, one is only going to be generally held vertically and gestured with - even if a rabid fanboy/girl feverishly gets hold of it - the other is more likely to involve being swung around or mimicking hitting people with.

This is why, say, Belldandy might get away with using a wooden broomhandle for her magical staff, but Kilik wouldn't for his bo staff.

If it's a heavy crystal ball, you could brain someone with it if you really tried, but (we'd hope) the odds of anyone trying are rather low, if instead it's a heavy set of brass knuckles.. Leave them at home, please.

Can it fire anything?

If yes, then no. Foam darts, water, plastic pellets, paintballs, whatever it fires, we don't want being fired. If it was capable of firing but has been disabled, and no ammunition/batteries/etc have been brought, and there's a good reason it needs to be part of your costume, then it is more likely to be allowed, but still unlikely, please don't rely on it being allowed.

This may seem draconian but it only takes a few to start bringing water pistols or nerf guns to have things escalate. As harmless as most of these toys are, accidents can still happen, and water or bubble fluid can make surfaces slippery, or even stain fabric. Ruining a cosplayer's masterpiece dress is not going to go down very well, just like the prop might not go down your throat very well, despite said cosplayer's best efforts..

If you happen to see event staff firing toy guns at each other, that's either an authorised abuse of power as staff, or those weapons were probably confiscated.. Probably.

The smaller the prop, the more likely it will be allowed, generally speaking.

A 6-inch magical wand made out of a thin metal tube may still pass from being too small or light to really cause any injury with (unless you get creative, I guess), prop made out of a 6ft metal pipe?
No.

Realistic-ish prop handguns are often allowed as they are frequently seen and used in cosplay, it will also depend on how well they fall under other rules - realistic automatic rifles or larger guns are far less likely to be approved.

However, if it's small but also lethally sharp and coated in deadly poison, it's still a no. If it's as soft as kittens but larger than most double doorways? That'll also be a no.

How delicate/lovingly created is the prop?

If it's clear you've put your heart into it, and it's quite fragile, it's going to be more obvious you'll take care of it and not let people swing it around, also people will be less likely to want to swing it around!

On the other side of the coin, if it's delicate because it's made of thousands of tiny shards of incredibly sharp glass.. No. Save it for the masquerade, please.

Would the general public be likely to mistake it for something dangerous at a distance?

In other words, no weapons that look real enough to get armed response called in, and don't count on panic-stricken observers to examine your prop carefully enough to spot the hotglue and
duct-tape! If it looks real from a distance, it's a no-go. Any realistic weapons should have the brightly coloured 'Blaze' tip intact at the very least. Most replica weapons, including airsoft, are typically prohibited outright.

Plenty of events take place in conference centres or major hotels which are often situated near things like airports, or other major transport hubs. Airports don't really take kindly to seeing distant figures carrying objects that look like anti-aircraft rockets. They're not going to come over and politely ask to check it's made of cardboard, they're going to send the people with real weapons to go find out. So if you're likely to fall foul of this, then please consider something else, at the very least keep it covered, secured, and only used in the Masquerade.

Even if there isn't an airport to be seen for miles around, the same common sense applies, don't point even fake weapons at people who aren't expressly aware that it's safe, don't point them out of windows, out of vehicles, or anywhere they can be mistaken for the real thing.

Oversized/ridiculous space-age guns generally get away with this because they're clearly of scifi design, similarly if you'll be wearing an outlandish costume that quite clearly transmits I'M IN CHARACTER even to those unfamiliar with the series, or even cosplay at all, then you have a better chance of getting away with more realistic looking weapons, but please, please don't count on this. A giant clown outfit carrying a realistic AK-47 is probably likely to increase the odds of you spending the night in a very small locked room..

Have you been pratting around with it?

Kind of sounds ridiculous to write but plenty of times I have seen people being an idiot, being asked to put their prop away, and then trying to argue they've followed the written rules, or pulling out a similar prop and claiming they should be allowed that instead, or just coming back the next day and hoping someone else who doesn't recognise them will be there to ask. If you've already proven you can't be trusted, you're not likely to be trusted again.

Has someone else been pratting around with it?

If someone you've trusted with a prop was an idiot with it, then the item itself is likely to be requested to be removed from the event, not just handed back to you to continue on with, please ensure you trust anyone you let play with your props.

Lastly, please remember the event reserves all rights to grant exceptions, as well as remove permissions previously granted. These are private events and their rules do stick! Arguing will generally not get you anywhere except possibly escorted from the premises.