Cosplay is the most sincere form of flattery.

in I am totally overrated, Random Crap, weekly reruns

Every once in awhile I’ll end up in a magazine or win an award or something, and that’s very nice, but I’m almost positive that what happened yesterday was the most squee-inducing and flattering thing ever.

I got a bunch of tweets from people claiming to have seen me at DragonCon, but I assured them I wasn’t there because I’m an anxiety-riddled hermit who seldom leaves the house, and then I started hearing rumors that there was someone at the Con cosplaying as me.  And it was more spectacular than I could have ever imagined:

Rollers. Traveling red dress. Glasses. Earrings with Beyonce-the-giant-metal-chicken on them. The only thing missing is a taxidermied wolverine.

Related:  Holly Nicole just won the internet.  We can all go home now.  Someone get the lights.

************

Oh, hang on.  Don’t leave just yet.  I forgot that it’s Sunday and that means it’s time for this week’s wrap-up:

What you missed in my shop (tentatively called “Eight pounds of uncut cocaine” so that your credit card bill will be more interesting.):

This week on shit-I-didn’t-come-up-with-but-wish-I-did-because-it’s-kind-of-awesome:

This week’s wrap-up is sponsored by the fantasmagoric folks at Swagbucks, a site that gives you FREE gift cards to Amazon, Target, etc. just for doing stuff online.  To date, they’ve given away $42 million in rewards, and they once saved 5 turtles trapped in sweater drawer.  I made up the turtle part but the $42 million part is legit.  Earn swag bucks for taking surveys, shopping online, or watching videos and redeem them in the Rewards Store.  You can sign up here. 

136 thoughts on “Cosplay is the most sincere form of flattery.”

Read comments below or add one.

  4. Best. Cosplay. Ever. And that’s coming from someone who has a picture of an amazing Thor cosplay. Have I mentioned I am obsessive about Thor? Yeah. 🙂

  7. Dude. I dress up like you like you ALL THE TIME. People never appreciate it.

  8. No one but me understands “gaslighting”…Everyone dies or is near death around Angela Landsbury….or however her name is spelled.

  13. When someone cosplays as me, it will be s sure sign of the Apocalypse. Holly made a lot of new friends. 🙂 What’s more endearing is that she is faithful to one of your tenets: “Depression lies”. Spreading an important message.

  14. Maybe you could hire her to do appearances for you? How awesome it would be to have someone else do all the crap you don’t want to!

  15. I have already begun plans to include Jenny The Bloggess as one of my cosplay options at Denver Comic Con next summer. I shall make a note to find a taxidermied wolverine. (I was actually thinking of something smaller, but if you say a wolverine is the best way to go… A WOLVERINE IT SHALL BE!! Also, not being a seamstress type, I probably won’t be able to replicate THE Traveling Red Dress, but one of my drag queen friends has the most FABULOUS red gown, and I just want to snatch it away from that queen everytime I see it.)

  16. I always worry about my creativity. It’s because the Internet allows you to see insanely creative every day. That cosplay wins.

  19. It’s really funny because there’s a big law firm called Morrison Foerster and their website is http://www.mofo.com. It’s like you’re advertising for them if you just add the “com” after the period. You should totally go tell them they need to sponsor you.

  21. I don’t know why, exactly, but this just made me happier than pictures of baby otters. Congratulations on your entrance into the lexicon of immortality, that is seriously just SO BAD ASS 🙂

  23. I don’t know who I am more jealous of – you, or the girl who was smart enough to be you! And I almost clicked on the Swagbucks link until I found out they didn’t really save the turtles in the sweater drawer. Now I’m too worried about the turtles to think about shopping.

  24. Who was cosplaying your various internal bits and pieces that are trying to kill you?

    And how could this woman be you when she was at a PUBLIC event and NOT in the toilet?

    Despite these questions, well done.

  25. SOMEBODY COSPLAYED YOU!!! That’s so totally rad. I guess now you’ve “arrived”. Though I’m not really sure what that means in this context.

  30. I do believe that is the BEST tweet I have ever seen! well done! send that young woman a prize right now

  31. I don’t know why this made me tear up so much. Maybe I am having all the hormones, or maybe it is the awesomeness of that pendant. For all the ones who relate, we just got recognized too. Thanks, Bloggess, for all you do for us.

  32. Awesome. All that lady needs is a taxidermied snake to use as a cane and she’s set!

  33. You are now officially an icon. Between this and the fact that Lil Bub and Grumpy Cat met each other earlier this week, I am surprised the Intarwebs did not implode.

  35. that is pretty sweet! what a great cosplay idea she had!

    the barrowman / tennant kiss video.. i’ve seen, but it never gets old! love his fangirl scream!

  36. It’s so awesome that you have been cos-played, Jenny! You have an important message to share, and I’m glad it’s getting out there 🙂

  40. whatever happened to the traveling red dress program? it made me so happy and I didn’t even get to try one on. that is total love.

  43. I love the Bad Ass Mofo jacket! I may have to buy it, but I doubt it will get past the PTA at my son’s elementary school. Will I get killed by gangs in L.A. for wearing this? Totally worth it.

  47. Holly Nicole is fucking brilliant!! And just now I was in the car driving home from Boston and I was thinking about “Depression Lies” and how much those two words have helped me and here is this awesome cosplayer who had the idea to dress as you and make that pendant (and the curlers and the red dress) — FUCKING BRILLIANT!!

  51. What is really awesome is not that someone cosplayed you; it is that other people recognized who they were cosplaying. That means that lots of people know who you are. The rest of us can only hope for that level of recognition.

  53. I got sick and tired of seeing “hot” and “diva” on sweatpant butts, so i made a pair that say “Wide Load”. they are pink and sparkly and make me giggle.

  55. I saw Captain Jack Sparrow and a storm trooper walking together at 7am in Glasgow last week but this wins hands down. Flattery like that is awesome! Yay you.

  56. Wow, she went to great lengths! She DID forget a taxidermied something though, so maybe that’s her improvement for next year. Every year there’s a whole gaggle of ladies dressed up as “Slave Leah” or whatever from that Star something movie; maybe in a year or two there will be a bunch of Bloggess clones!!

    Also: I missed the cat picture when it was tweeted but OMG. THAT ROOM. I DIE. ITS FUCKING FABULOUS. I must know more about the walls. And that thing with all the drawers. I’m so jealous. It’s all beautiful and uncluttered and looks like it belongs in a magazine.

  59. Jenny – I’m not convinced that DragonCon could handle your awesomeness. But one day, I’d love to find out. Totally coming as you next year. Time to find a mouse!
    Btw, you need anything from DragonCon? I’m here for 12-14 more hours!

  63. Other than the one on the toilet, everyone’s office is better than my basement hole, stuck between the treadmill and the wood-burning stove 🙁

  70. I was going to ask “Glosses? Did I miss something important?” until I realized that it actually said glasses…damn middle-aged eyes. (Although if you ever did decide to write a post on lip gloss, I’m sure it would kick ass…) Also, did I completely miss out on my chance w/one of the Traveling Red Dresses because I came to the party a bit late? Or should I just make myself my own red dress? (I’m around a size 22-24, FWIW.)

    And yes, Holly Nicole wins the Internet (at least for this 24-hour news cycle), and so do you, for being the inspiration.

  71. I can’t think of anything witty to say, but that is sooo awesome cool! Holly wins with mega reference points. I love all the little touches she came up with. I think you are reaching Elvis status what with the impersonator(s). Jen-ny! Jen-ny! 🙂

  72. YouTube totally recommended that same video to me a couple days ago! Win! I love how much of a fanboy Barrowman is! His squeal is adorbs.

  73. That’s awesome….so cool that your readers could see her literally anywhere and know who she is dressed up as!

  74. If you can make it there,
    You’ll make it anywhere…
    It’s up to you,
    Cosplay, Cosplay……

    In other words, if someone cosplays as you, you know you’ve finally made it. There is no higher form of success.

  75. How cool is that!? You’re big time 🙂 Just ordered the jacket cause I’m feeling pretty bad ass as I’m almost finished with treatment for breast cancer. Go me!!

  78. Brilliant!!! Definitely squee inducing! Now, if she could just get her picture taken next to one of the Doctors or maybe Sam and Dean?

  80. I love this so, so much! And I want a pendant that says “Depression Lies”. Because I have to constantly remind myself of that. (Side note: thank you, Jenny, for bringing that mantra into my life. You are amazing!)

  86. That is so cool slash kind of weird but like awesome all at the same time!!!!!

    As that ghost shark shit is absurd. I saw a commercial or something for it before a movie and I just feel very confused and disturbed and like maybe someone needs to take over making new shows or movies for them….

  88. This cosplay makes me furiously happy. Also I was totally distracted by your awesome apothecary table in the picture of your whispering cats!

  90. I had to go to Urbandictionary.com to find out what “cosplay” was…Why didn’t you just say someone dressed up like you…? It would have saved some time…I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know what it means…but now I know more than I did yesterday…thanks, Jenny!

  91. I have followed your blog for sometime and always enjoy it. I often read it aloud to whoever is in the room, or text the link to various friends. I’m pretty sure I am the last person to read your book, although that can’t be true since it keeps on selling. Point of this shaggy dog story? I really enjoyed your book and look forward to more posts and tales of Texas.

  93. I read or “heard” somewhere that you really know you’ve made it when drag queens dress up like you. This woman is your “drag queen” – you’ve made it!

  95. That’s called cosplay? How did I not know that.

    Now if she had brought your entire living room so that she/you could remain a hermit, she really would have nailed it.

  97. That must feel good. I’m gonna start acting like all of the pudgy, balding middle aged men are just pretending to be me.

  100. BADASS!!!!

    Also, can we get a line on the Beyonce earrings? I’d wear those bitches with pride……

  101. When I was a kid I couldn’t go in the pool by myself so I totally get the ghost shark thing. Also Sharknado totally stole the bloggess idea, except hers were rattlesnakes in a tornado. I still say she should totally get royalties for that.

  103. This was my first Con and just putting the dress on made me happy that I was being dorky and ridiculous and I didn’t care if no one else got it. I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect many people to recognize the red dress. There were so many Star Wars and Star Trek and My Little Pony and Disney crossover costumers that I figured people would just think I was going as Princess Wonder Woman (one person did ask that). I certainly didn’t expect the overwhelming outpouring of love from all over the globe. You guys have no idea how incredibly, furiously, uncontainably happy you all have made me feel and I want to pass that along. Serioulsy, I feel like Dash at the end of The Incredibles, “That was the BEST vacation EVER!! *sigh of contentment* I love our family”.

    My work computer won’t let me open the traveling red dress website, so I can’t figure out how to “officially” donate this one to the cause, thus I’m going to just put it up here: I will loan the dress to the first person who emails me their mailing address (within the U.S. or Canada only, sorry – I can’t afford international shipping). I say loan because, like Sam Vimes, I’m a suspicious bastard and I don’t want anyone to think they can sell it to someone else or try to make a proft off of it, but feel free to pass it on. It is a thing of joy and is supposed to be shared – ‘though I imagine that everyone in this audience already knows that ;o)

    The dress is a size 18/20 and likely wouldn’t fit anyone smaller than that, but there’s a 3 to 4-inch modesty panel under the corset lacings, so it should go up a few sizes. note: if you’re “top-heavy” like me, you’ll need a proper backless/strapless bra to hold you up – the stays in the dress are not strong enough on their own and it might make you feel sad, as it did me the first time I tried it on.

    @ Lisa: I didn’t think the airlines would let me bring anything taxidermied, but I had small buttons of Juanita and Copernicus pinned to the ruffle of the bodice.

    @Sandra: I was going to gut my old conair and make a hairdryer purse, but I ran out of time (I made 3 other costumes) and didn’t feel like carrying that clunker around all day.

    celynnen at gmail is my email address

    (You are the best and I LOVE that you’re passing on the dress to the Traveling Red Dress project. This is the facebook page where people pass on their red dresses or donated photography sessions: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Traveling-Red-Dress/150889871693313 but this works as well. 🙂 Also, you totally inspired me, so I’ll buy a red dress in your honor to the very next person leaving a comment here that they need one. So proud to be part of such a wonderful community. ~ Jenny)

  104. Is it sad that I almost don’t want to be the next person to respond? I would LOVE a red dress, but I am terrified at the mere thought of wearing it. There are a dozen easy excuses in my head about why it’s a bad idea, and I’m pretty sure Jenny will be the first to tell me to not listen to them. So I’m posting.

    Also… that is the Best. Cosplay. Ever.

    (Being terrified but still responding is exactly the mark of someone who deserves to wear an amazing red dress. I’ll email you with the details. ~ Jenny)

  107. I love this. I wish I had seen you at Dragon*Con! I didn’t have the guts to dress up at all, even in something everyone would have gotten. You’re amazing!

  109. This girl wants a red dress if no one else claims it! <— shameless selfish plug. it's been one of those days.

  114. @Holly – saw you walking down the street as I was going into a panel and let out a squee at your Bloggess cosplay! So awesome! It was brilliant. Cheers!

  115. Holly, the heroine (in every sense of the word) my current novel-in-progress is called Holly. She’s built a lot like you and I’m really proud that she has you as a namesake. I feel like it’s a sign that an awesome Holly just showed up when I’m about to send my fictional Holly out into the world. Thanks for the inspiration! (You seriously rocked those rollers, by the way.)

  116. I loved how Holly Nicole’s reply (#103) worked in a reference of Sam Vimes. Any time you can bring in a Discworld reference is a win for me. This has been a great story all weekend!

  117. I just read the entire Wikipedia on Cosplay because I, too, had no idea what Cosplay was, or that it had its own portmanteau, or was itself worthwhile and defined an popular enough to become its own (bad) Wikipedia article.

    And now that I know what Cosplay is, and I can’t UNKNOW it, I either want to 1> die, because if I feel any older I shouldn’t have a heartbeat anyway, or 2> live forever, Cosplaying EVERYTHING. Starting with this (SECOND) bottle of wine.

  118. A shout out to the brave ‘plus size’ folks of the world. I have nothing against skinny people, I’m just not one of them. Seeing this post, and in particular Holly’s generous offer to send the dress on, lightens my heart just a little. It comes at a good time; it’s been a rough day, following a rough week during which I believed the lies of depression and my eating disorder.

    From a size 18/20 woman who isn’t brave enough to dress so beautifully, I thank you for going out and being awesome.

  124. Well, I’m going to be useless for the rest of the day… dreaming of a David Tennant and John Barrowman sandwich.
    For snuggles. Maybe we’ll even invite the fox.

  126. Totally what Cosplay is supposed to be about. Holly gets a gold star for the day/year/lifetime!

    And as for the “Where Bloggers Blog” site, I think Jenny is the only blogger with a real office. Or at least the only one who seriously submitted a picture of their office. My favorite is the blogger who took a picture of their toilet! Not the most comfortable place to spend a lot of time typing, though.

  129. Bisaya People can’t seem to open the Swagbucks website, and is that because we’re Filipino? Is the internet racist? Help! More free stuff here, where everything is not free, because, you know, almost all are mindblowingly in poverty? But seriously, what gives Swagbucks? Your twitter is so amazingly good at not replying,too, so any help out there?

  131. Given that I saw Victoria Belmont of Cosplay Burlesque do her Bloggess routine at Interventioncon last year… I guess I could say that not only did I see you at a con, you were taking your clothes off.

    Ahem.

  134. My husband has written a fantasy novel and desperately wants to attend a DragonCon to promote it. I keep saying no because cosplay freaks me out. That’s really my only reason. However, if people at DragonCon would start trying to look/dress like me, I could support it, as there’s nothing disturbing about large groups of women-like characters wearing lounge pants and zip hoodies, except for the obvious laziness re: personal hygiene.

  135. Last time YouTube recommended me something, it was the Pentatonix and Lindsay Stirling cover of Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive”. I’d never even heard of the original before.

    And yes, YouTube made a good call that day, too. 🙂

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