100% method to win the con?

>>9460664
If male: Make an impressive and bulky armor from some fantasy/sci-fi with a matching overzised prop weapon and LED's everywhere.
If female: Be pretty, show tits and ass on an armor bikini.

>>9460804
shit i fucked up already lol

Don't lie to the judges. We're like Baskin Robbins. We always find out.

Had a dude spend thirty minutes describing how he made his own patterns and covered his own buttons and even told us which patterns he based his new ones off of. It was a storebought RWBY cosplay he'd made some horrendous alterations to, that he passed off as "Oh that seam got stuck in my sewing machine last night". Had another dude tell us exactly how he'd vacformed his armor. It was repurposed Roman Centurion armor from a Halloween store.

Even if it's just little shit you think we might ding you for, it's better to tell the truth and say you didn't make it rather than have the judges all look at each other as soon as you leave the room and go "yeah they just lied to our faces" and throw your entry into the disqualification pile.

Use a lot of different techniques (foam/worbla/resin/latex/makeup/sewing/wigs/own patterns) and sew everything yourself, including your undersuits etc.
Make sure you spend the time on sanding your armors, and if sewing, invest double time into fitting your pattern right before the final sew.
A well fitting and well refined cosplay that hits the right proportions has the best chances on winning rather than impressive (if the contest is any good atleast)

Electronics is usually not really a pre unless it's inevitable for the character you're cosplaying, nowadays everyone knows how to insert leds and are overdoing it. If you're using leds, make sure to diffuse the light well and that the leds are well aligned, so it doesnt look cheap.

I do think a well-known character works better, because if the public/judges know the character and you did a good job at making a proportionally well fitting cosplay of it, you have a lot more chance of winning, simply because of the ease of resemblance.

Finish your worbla and 3D printed parts.
For worbla items, if that's the natural texture of the item, then cool. If not, then sand/fill as necessary.
Same holds true for 3D. I can't count the amount of times I've judged someone with props fresh off the print bed.

>>9460804
>Be pretty, show tits and ass on an armor bikini.

This only holds up at more mainstream Comic cons where the judges are just some randos actors and personalities rather than craftsmanship judges.

>>9460905
Pretty much this. Any time I see a serged edge in something that looks suspiciously ebay I asked if they serged their costume. If they say yes I ask if they used a two cone or a one cone serger. If they say "wtf you smoking it was 4 cones" then they're legit.

>>9461149
Congrats retard, you just told people how to get round your trap.

>>9461149
Ok, I have a serger and this question would have freaked me out. Like "maybe there is a one cone serger idk about, what should i answer"

Because, you see, for us judges know everything.

>>9461165

It would freak you out... but unless you intend deception, your response should be: "I didn't know those existed, I used one with 4 cones?"

>>9461162
There's a ton of other indicators that's just my fave. Also it's rare that anything that looks like it was bought from eBay would beat anything else.