So, I wanted to do this cosplay thing. I’ve seen those guys at conventions, all dressed up, looking cool. I thought, “Why not give it a shot?” But I didn’t want to spend a fortune or, like, take months to make something. I just wanted something quick and easy.
First thing I did was to look around my place. What do I already have that could work? I found some old clothes in the back of my closet. A red cap, a pair of blue overalls, and a red long-sleeved T-shirt – boom, that’s kind of like what Mario wears, right? I mean, it’s not perfect, but it’s a start.
- Rummage through old clothes – found a red cap, blue overalls, and a red T-shirt.
- Think of characters with simple outfits – remembered Mario and Luigi.
I tried the stuff on. The overalls were a bit tight, and the T-shirt was a little faded, but hey, it kinda worked. I looked in the mirror and thought, “Yeah, I can see it.” But it was missing something… a mustache! I didn’t have one of those fake ones lying around.
Then I got this idea. I went to the kitchen and grabbed some black marker. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, but I was careful. I drew a big, bushy mustache right on my upper lip. It looked a little goofy, but it definitely said “Mario.”
- Try on the outfit – overalls a bit tight, T-shirt faded, but recognizable.
- Realize it needs a mustache – don’t have a fake one.
- Get creative – use a black marker to draw a mustache.
To complete the look, I thought about Mario’s brother, Luigi. I didn’t have green overalls, but I did find a green cap and a green T-shirt. So, I could switch out the red stuff for the green stuff. Two costumes for the price of one, sort of.
The Result
I took some photos of myself in both outfits. They weren’t exactly convention-ready, but it was fun. I looked pretty silly with that marker mustache, but I definitely looked like I was trying to be Mario and Luigi. It was a quick and easy cosplay, just like I wanted.
This whole thing got me thinking. You don’t need to spend tons of money or be a master crafter to do cosplay. You just need some stuff you already own, a little bit of imagination, and maybe a marker. And who knows, maybe next time I’ll try something a little more ambitious. But for now, I’m pretty happy with my quick and easy cosplay adventure.