Hello everyone and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! ::sighs:: Time for a rant! It’s been a while since I done one, I think the one I only did really was more of a interest piece on MagicalPockyUsagi when it comes to being the biggest wheeabo in the world and that was back on Blog Spot by the way!This time it deals with cosplay, not how to do it or anything, it deals with commissioning cosplay makers and time! I am not sure if cosplay rants on YouTube talk about it but I am doing it now!

So, if you have read my Original Character Cosplay Tips post done a week ago, I did mention one tip and that is commissioning someone and do it in a timely manner and trusting them as well, do you know why I came up with it? Well, it deals with the Lolita dresses that me and Vivi, Tobi’s wife (using her other name) were supposed to do for MetroCon during a LARP panel that we are doing Saturday evening. What happened really ticked us off! You see, there are times when I get in contact with people months ahead when it comes to commissions and my friend ManChii didn’t do Lolita so he turned me to a friend he used to know. I contact said friend and found out that she can do it even with a wedding commission she has to fill for a wedding happening during that same weekend. Here comes the complicated part, she was supposed to start back in March, which is around the time JoAnn’s has their fabric sale and she did say she was going to work on them once she got everything. Apparently not! Two months later, I contact her during the weekend of my graduation from college since Vivi was worried and then found out that the dresses weren’t started on and was told that she will start during that weekend due to the wedding commission being moved up! Now what? Me and Tobi have tried contacting her throughout June in case we had to get back ups, which we did of formal dresses not Lolita dresses for this, and no answer at all! I am still contacting her about it on both sides, as in Facebook and my e-mail and still nothing! And yet, during May, she asked me not to contact her even though I said I wouldn’t but wanted to find out about the dresses and sent her my address just in case to receive the dresses if they are done! I would like you guys to comment and see what you think because I also contacted a cosplay maker that helped in giving me measurement info and she said that the dress maker probably moved the wedding stuff up on purpose and instead of starting on our dresses.

I understand that yeah she did have another commission but at the same time she could’ve either said I can’t do it and find someone else or start when she needed to start and instead of waiting right now when the convention is this weekend. Ohhhh yeeaaahhh we are pissed! You my audience knowing, we should be! Now you can see why I did the tip in the first place because after the run around I felt like I was being screwed over. Another thing that the cosplay maker said is that this dress maker did a bad business thing and I agree and so does Vivi.

My thoughts on this is that for anyone who has worked on cosplays or take commissions for other people, a major important thing is time is of the essence! In that cosplay post I did, I mentioned that conventions do come up fast! If you watched Heroes of Cosplay like I did, same thing happens there, so procrastination is a big no-no! It would be one thing if you have five classes and a full-time job, but there are times when the costume might have to be put off to finish a project, which I have done during my time in college, or the boss does call you in and need to get back to it when the opportunity is right. What I am trying to say is manage your time wisely when it comes to making cosplay related items since life is unexpected there are times when it can be figured out. There are also times where cosplays may have to be worked on during the convention as well, I seen it throughout Heroes of Cosplay where some of the people have to work on their stuff the entire day or night to get it done in time for the next day when the competition happens. I do have to say is be careful when it comes to that because even though you are a t a convention with your work in your hotel room, there are times when people love to party and don’t get it done. Yes, I know the first episode where Victoria did that and couldn’t get Lulu done because of hanging out all day on day one. One good instance of working on something during the convention weekend is when Gondras had his very first Kakashi wig spiked up by a classmate of his. She worked on it on day one of MegaCon and got it to him on day two. So, as said before, time management is key if it has to be done during a convention in your hotel room or need to work around the schedule, hectic or not, to work on it.

My second point is communication with whoever you commission with! The last part of that tip deals with trust and will get into detail with that as well! As said above, that dress maker said not to contact her until she gets back to me when the dresses were done and of course June passes! Communication is the key folks especially when you are doing it as a business yourself! When having great communication with your customers gives you more customers and have them coming back in the future and would allow really great recommendations to friends down the line! Plus, it does help in the realm of goodness and customer appreciation if updates are given each week or every two weeks, or even if it’s been a month to see if it’s done or not and can give a good idea if you can meet whoever commissioned you at the convention if need be or if it was local, at your place if it is a friend that did the commission with you. Also, if the local commission is also going on and if they live in your hometown or close to it, you can meet in a place to pick up your needed part. I did this once when I got my Ginji gloves from a friend of a friend’s and went to Borders near me to get them since MegaCon was coming up within the two week period of getting them made and allowed great communication since I had his e-mail and number and made sure that I did call him if I was late, which I was that day. Not the point! Keeping in good communication helps with business and how the customer appreciates all the work you do and how they get updated if it’s taking a while. Not only that, try to keep it professional within that communication as well whether in phone or e-mail since we don’t want to tick anyone if they want to come back later! Civility is very important, especially with trust building up with that person! With trust as well, it does show how well the person works and if you knew anyone that has contacted this person that commissioned before, it is best to ask that friend if the item they asked for was done on time or very up-to-date in contacting them, then you or the person that you commission gets contacted and then you also get information from them about getting it done on time or at least get it done a week or two early, or even a month early if they can, still knowing about their work can help build trust and being able to know from other people in how they do stuff can help with that trust if there are good reviews! So, communication is key on both sides! Without it, then no one will know if the item is done or not and it is a bust! Trust me, I don’t like how the communication is going now between the dress maker and I!

That is it for my rant! I know it was kind of short but I only have problems with the idea of communication and time when it comes to cosplay since it is a time managing work of art and takes a lot of time to do! I never had many issues with this, even though I do admit I did get my With plushie after MegaCon one year but I did have better experiences in getting my cosplays in on time, which happened to be my Lucy outfit and my kitty girl outfit which was done in Naruto style. I am definitely not going back to this dress maker after what has been going on, I even asked ManChii about it and he said she does get her commissions in on time back in the past but not sure now. I know patience is a virtue but this is ridiculous!

What is next on Nerdy Shique Universe? MetroCon of course since it’s in a week cosplayers and cosplay makers!