by Meghan

The first time I ever went to a fan convention, it blew my 14-year-old mind. “You mean, EVERYONE here is into the same geeky stuff I’m into?” Growing up in a small city where maybe you’d find one or two like-minded dweebs, this was a huge deal. Needless to say, my enthusiasm got the best of me, and at the end of the day I was starving, exhausted and broke. Thankfully, since then I’ve learned a few tricks along the way to maximize fun and minimize the bad stuff. In anticipation of DragonCon, I’m going to have to remind myself of my own personal Ten Con Commandments:

1. Thou shalt wear what you want
Spandex? Sweatpants? Stilettos?  Sneakers? This is the one time of year where you get to wear whatever the hell you feel like wearing, and I fully plan on taking advantage of it. And no passive-aggressive comments out loud about “UGH I would never wear THAT at a convention. ” I know I’ve changed my ideas about what to wear many times, there is no one true way to dress at con.

2. Thou shalt take several breaks
DragonCon happens every year. Don’t burn out early trying to squeeze several days into one! I’ll make sure to get plenty of sleep, eat good meals, and find a quiet corner every once in a while. I’m packing tons of outfits, which might seem unorthodox, but a costume change forces you to take a substantial break. Get different shoes on so that the ones you are wearing don’t rub you in the same spot all day long.

3. Thou shalt not overinvest into a panel/event
Things go wrong, lines get long, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t let one sucky event ruin the whole day. Having a plan B and a positive attitude has helped me bounce back from the inevitable disappointments.  Also, no one likes a party pooper, and DragonCon is one big party! 

4. Thou shalt make several trips to the dealers room
The crowds may be intense, but buyer’s regret is longer lasting. Do a recon mission, then buy everything you want later, when you’re sure you want that thingamabob. If I absolutely need to get it, I’ll definitely remember to make a special trip for it later.

5. It’s just a costume
Have you ever walked around on a TV show set? Everyone knows they are poorly-made facades, but it doesn't really sink in until you actually see that the “bar” is just two large pieces of poster board attached with duct tape. Likewise, some of the best costumes are just enthusiasm and dreams. I shouldn't let the details bum me out so much that it takes away from the fun.

6. Embrace thy fandom
That’s what I’m here for, right? Don’t always tag along with your friends. It’s nice to learn more about a variety of geekery, but carve out some time for your own interests, even if nobody else is into it. It’s hard for me to leave the pack sometimes, but it’s worth it to go to that event I really want to attend. That being said…

7. Try new things
Sometimes I stumble into some of the best panels I’ve ever attended by accident! So what if I didn’t make it into Big Event #1 with the massive line? I’ve learned everything from hat-making to pumpkin carving tips during some of the more unorthodox schedule listings. Who knows, I might become a fan of something really new and fun by the end of the weekend.

8. Put down thy electronics
I shouldn’t drain my battery fiddling with my phone. My friends and my schedule will still be there, don’t worry about ‘em. Spend some time soaking up the atmosphere- everywhere you look, there is something to see, especially at DragonCon. I’ll definitely take a break or two to plug in during the day, but I should make more of an effort to be present in the moment.

9. Make thy peace with the crowds
Crowds at DragonCon, like Atlanta traffic, are inevitable. No need to let them get me down! If there’s something really exciting I want to get to, getting there early is the best. Plus, I get to meet all the other die-hard fans. And unlike Atlanta traffic, the obstruction is usually way more exciting and fun. Like a hoop skirt, or a team of stormtroopers.

10. When in doubt, add booze and friends
Enough said.

My Dragon Con Advice Article…
by Annie

Hey wait, I have one of those already! 
Diary of a Noob: My First Dragon Con

So that's done... So, let's do a last minute sewing project, instead!

I was done. I finished all my costumes, totally done. But then I saw a friend post pictures of cute Doctor Who fabric at Joann's Fabric and I just had to get some and make something! I decided to replicate one of my favorite skirts to go with my shiny new Geek Girls Inc. tee shirt and wear it during Dragon*Con on a casual day.

To make your skirt fit for your body size, the elastic will be your waist measurement minus 3. The long side of you fabric rectangle that will be the skirt body will be twice the elastic number.  For the sake of example I'm going to use the numbers I used.

Cut the fabric to the length you need for your rectangle, that (waist-3 x2) number. The short side of the rectangle should be as long as you want the skirt to be, I cut mine to 17”.  So I have this big 54 by 17 rectangle.

Fold fabric in half vertically with the right sides together (the side with the print). Pin and sew the rough edges together. You will end up with a big tube.

Next finish the edges on the top via surger (if you are cool enough to own one. Side note can I borrow it?) or via zig-zag stitch.

Take your length of elastic and sew together with a zig-zag stitch to maintain stretch. This will also be a tube. 

Increase the tension settings on your sewing machine, then using this setting sew a straight line straight across the top edge of your fabric just under the finished edge. Do not lock off either end. By the time I was done sewing just the line it was already almost all the way gathered. Take one of the threads from this row and gently pull and continue gathering this fabric until it is the same size as the elastic tube. Important: be sure to adjust your machine back to it's original tension setting at this point!  

That's it! Once you get the gathering down it's a pretty easy skirt.

I also made my little Geek Girls skirts too! Joann Fabric had such cute fabric I couldn't resist. 

by Ariyanna

DragonCon is coming there is still so much to do!
Planning, packing, procrastinating, I don't know when I'm through!

Costumes are in pieces, lying about the room.
   The craft store's still open - away I'd better zoom!

The day is almost here, I cannot wait to hear,
            the cheers, the shouts!
     The fun that DragonCon is all about!

Last year I learned a really hard lesson about working right up to the night before a Con getting costumes done. I worked all day and through the night on the Wednesday before DragonCon putting the final pieces on my Sailormoon costume. I made it through Thursday without any sleep but it was all downhill after that. I had a tough time enjoying myself because I was worn out before the fun even began.

This year I promised myself I would not procrastinate and wait until the last minute to get my costumes completed and so far I'm on track. A friend of mine had the great idea to create a costume board where she has pictures of all of her costumes lined up so she is inspired to find pieces and work on them far in advance of the Con. Smart girl!  

If you are a first time cosplayer my advice would definitely be to make a costume board with several ideas and start EARLY finding and ordering the pieces you need. Get excited about Con 6 months early by working in advance on your costume pieces. Not only do you get your costumes finished ahead of time, you will have more time to fix any mistakes that may happen along the way, scrap a bad project or change your mind, and have one less thing to worry you as the Con gets closer. You will be satisfied with your hard work and enjoy your cosplay much more.   


It may be a bit late for this advice - but there is always next year!

Happy Costuming!
Ariyanna

by Jen

As my Twitter profile proclaims, Dragon Con is my favorite weekend of the year - and it's almost here!

This will be my first year traveling any real distance to Dragon Con.  I lived in the Atlanta area for 14 years, but this year I moved to Phoenix, so now it's not just a matter of driving downtown to get to Con - I have to plan ahead!  Plane tickets have been purchased, hotel reservations made and confirmed, and I have to plan my costumes with greater precision - it's not like I can just call my husband to bring me something I leave at home!

The best advice I can offer to Dragon Con attendees is this: 
Plan well, and use the app wisely!  

It has so much more than just the schedule (though it's nice to be able to sort by celebrity, location, day/time, or fan track) - if offers maps of the downtown Atlanta area, which can be confusing if you aren't familiar with the five host hotels, and a feature that lets you connect with your friends and see their schedules so you'll know who you can stand in line with!

I can hardly wait to get on the plane that will take me to my favorite weekend of the year!

by Maria

That personal oath held fast. I've had one skirt made for my Saturday night costume, a 1950's version of Wonder Woman.  Other than that, I'm breaking out previously worn cosplay. I'm feeling more relaxed about con than ever because of this simple fact. 

That being said-there are just three weeks left until Dragon Con! Dragon Con is like the 4th of July, your birthday, and Halloween all rolled into one! I'd add Christmas but, sadly, there's no tree and the only gifts we get are the ones we buy for ourselves at the art show or the vendor's hall. 

So, what else will I need for that weekend? 
After registration is done and my badge is in hand, the rest is all about having the food, water, and a few extra necessities to survive the crucible of Dragon Con each day. Here is my personal list of items to pack before heading off each morning for the con:

• bag or small backpack 
  
• small umbrella for rain or providing shade (handy when waiting in lines which often form outside of the hotels)
  
• water bottle/sports bottle (16 oz. or larger; hydration is important)
  
• food, not just granola bars (I pack turkey sandwiches and pb & j. Food can be hard to get in a hurry, and it’s often overpriced.)
  
• medications and eyeglasses (My daughter brings contact solution and a case.)
  
• a phone charger (a phone will lose its charge at a much faster rate at the con)
  
• cash and debit card (I try to figure out the cash I need for autographs and/or photo ops, and bring additional for food and parking. Debit cards are used almost everywhere, but a few places expect cash.)
  
• my BADGE! (The staff will not replace a lost badge, so I make sure to bring it in my bag to con. Access to anything at Dragon Con will require that badge.) 

These are the basics I've found to make Dragon Con weekend go smoothly. It’s the most wonderful weekend of the year, but being prepared can make a big difference. Maybe next year I’ll work on a new costume…. 

by Brooke

For my first Dragon Con cosplay experience, I had the help of several very talented friends in creating a River Song costume. These friends showed me the ways of thrifting to find pieces on the cheap. They lent me perfect accessories from their dedicated costume closets. One gifted costumer made me a replica of River’s gun out of upcycled bottles, dollar store toys and spray paint, and a holster out of belts and a leather jacket pocket. Their passion inspired me to up my cosplay game for the next Dragon Con.

The following year, things turned ambitious. My friends and I fueled each other’s costuming fire, and those of us with little costume creativity pushed ourselves to keep up with the fashion show frenzy. One costume for the weekend wasn't going to cut it – we each needed at least one full embodiment of our character of choice for every day of the con. 

We had a blast. And we were exhausted. The people in the thick of it had been pulling all-nighters to finish their costumes and sew outfits for others the week before Dragon Con. Many costumers were running on caffeine, adrenaline and Dairy Queen and ended up getting the con crud halfway through the weekend. 

I think we learned from the mad rush. This year we still have big group costume plans, but most of us started thrifting and eBaying and hot gluing months ago. I’ll have a couple of simple and very imperfect costumes. I now know my “constume” limits.

Being comfortable is my first priority. My feet revolt after walking in heels for 20 minutes. No matter how much I tease it, swirl it, spray it, gel it, my hair falls into frizzy curls after an hour in the crowds. Being a hot, sweaty mess for 16 hours a day just doesn't tickle my fancy. I want to enjoy the rush of being surrounded by 50,000 amazing and creative people without worrying about getting backne.

And you know what? That’s okay. If I've learned anything in four years attending Dragon Con, it’s that nobody actually cares what you wear. They are all too worried about how THEY look.

Wear exactly what you want to the con. Rock that fanny pack. Wear sneakers. Wear your glasses. Hell, wear a fanny pack, sneakers, glasses and a Princess Leia gold bikini. That wouldn't be the weirdest look at the con. Want to show your love for a character, but don’t have the time/money/motivation to transform yourself into the perfect facsimile? Use what you've got and wear it with pride. Above all, have fun and don’t compare yourself to the cosplay queens and kings.

So to kick off two weeks of Geek Girls, Inc.’s crazy con stories, here is my advice to you, gentle Con-goer:

Stay calm and don’t stress about your costume.

Enjoy the Con on your terms, and you’ll be able to say…