Well...you already mentioned my fussiness about the details, so I don't know if it's even worth it to comment again on this, but for me a costume is incomplete if you don't have everything exactly as the originating character (or source photo) wears it. It really did bug me about that gun, and I won't wear the costume again until I have it. For me it makes the difference between mediocre and good cosplay -- attention to details.

Things that I can't control like eye colors I can miss those details. (contacts I've tried once for a costume because it was a really major detail.. but it didn't show in pictures.) I'm very nitpicky with the details of my costume. I want to know the inner coat of a character, or how many buttons their collar/sleeve has. I'm always all about the small details for costumes. They're pretty important to me but it may not care for anyone else. It's just that the small love and care you put into your costumes.. I'd rather do it all the way than half-ass it.

I don't think I care for the undergarments because no one should be taking a picture of that in the first place.. unless you want people aiming their camera lens at that area.

I think I go to far for cosplay sometimes such as Taking on a fitness regime for 6 months so I could cosplay as Kamina and Regal (tho I'm in good shape now because of it) and I nit pick little things like how the zippers and buttons look on costumes.

so for me yes the details make all the difference.

@screwball I'll just say this now: thank you for that. So far I have not seen overweight or unfit versions of Kamina. And I appreciate that.

I think with things like undergarments, if it's specific to the character, it can be really fun to do it, even if no one sees it. Just in case someone asks, perhaps!

I think with things like weapons, unless it's ALWAYS in the character's hand, you can go without it, but if the detail is always there, I like to include it, and do it right.

@Brad Rice to be a overweight Kamina would be a huge disservice to him, you cant not shame his manliness.

Details are everything in cosplay. Details can take meh cosplay and turn it into HOLY CRAP THAT'S GOOD!!!

Good example is I was going to cosplay as Axel of Kingdom Hearts 2 fame but I wasn't gonna half ass it like the millions I see whenever I go to a con. I was gonna take a ton of time to get the hair, weapons and stance correct however at the end of all of that I wasn't able to get a pair of Neon contacts so I didn't do it at all. The little detail made me decide against doing it at all. I'm like that with pretty much any character I decide to do.

Because at the end of the day details are what matters most. Anyone can order a ready to go cosplay outfit from a website but it takes time dedication and skill to add all those little details and make it absolutely perfect.

Neon Green* (have I mentioned we need a edit function before :P)

@reibooi Sorry, your mistakes must stand for the entire world to see.

Ha! Best picture...EVER!

I am of the firm belief that DETAILS = EVERYTHING! (Caps'd for the hope you imagine some random guy screaming that at his computer monitor, like A1, yeah, it's that important.)

I view cosplay is a form of homage. Because you loved Metroid so much, you recreate Samus as yourself. Because you loved Cowboy Bebop so much, you recreate Faye as yourself. And maybe you're a man, but hey, you're rocking a spot on costume, so people still get it!

Of course, the degree of which I believe details are everything actually prevents me from cosplaying, more or less. I don't have the physique or features to pull of much, so since I could do a character injustice, I don't even step into that realm out of respect for the source. Anyone who doesn't get Man-Faye would thank me. :)

Yes, details matter. If you ever get a glimpse of the rear in the source material and the panties are neon green with neon pink polka dots, be ready to find or make neon green with neon pink polka dot panties. If you don't, you're shaming your homage! ;)

Hmm... wish there was an Edit button.

Perhaps it's better to say you recreate yourself as the character you cosplay.

I'm still working out for my eventual Chad cosplay. Hopefully by winter next year I'll be where I need to be. I'll probably need shoes that'll add a few inches to boot, since I need superhuman height and I'm only a bit above average height. So I'm going to go with yes to details too. The Japanese attention to detail in their costumes is what makes them good. Really you don't have to be of Japanese ethnicity to do good cosplay, it just seems like Americans are always willing to let some aspects of it slide.

Instead of costumes, I meant entirety of the cosplay: hair, body type, costume and all. Wish I had an edit button~

I'm all about getting all the little details when I cosplay. This is even more important when cosplaying a character from a popular anime/game series, because you can stand out from the crowd by having a perfect costume, while others were lazy and missed things.

You could get by with an incomplete outfit at small cons, but when you hit the big leagues like A-Kon you got put on your A-Game.

Well I don't think it really matters what color your under wear is unless you're cosplaying as a porn star (and if you are stay away from the sakura con)it also doesn't matter if you botch the font of the numbers on mikus arm as long as they are correct and there