What to Wear to a Nerd Convention

As a nerd, sooner or later you'll probably want to go to some sort of convention. That’s awesome! Conventions are a fun way to find other people who are interested in the same things as you and to learn more about those things.

Once you’ve saved up money and bought your tickets to the convention, now it’s time to decide what to wear. Depending on the specific type of nerd convention (anime, fantasy, horror, or just a general Comic-Con), you may want to match your outfit to the theme, but to be honest it doesn’t really matter. Here’s a list of ideas if you’re not quite sure:

1) Easy-But-Recognisable Cosplay

This would be any character that has some sort of signature look made up of everyday clothes. Think Rose Tyler’s union jack shirt outfit or Dean Winchester’s signature plaid shirt, cargo jacket, and samulet. This could also be a hipster, modern, etc version or a more fantasy-like character, but make sure it’s recognizable. These types of costumes take no skill and (usually) very little money to put together, so this is a good choice if the convention is soon and you’re on a budget. 

a super cute fem!dean cosplay
courtesy Cosplay Island

2) Bought Cosplay

If you have a little extra money but you’re not very crafty, it’s perfectly acceptable to buy a cosplay from a website like fanplusfriend or one of many etsy shops that sell cosplay. Just don’t go around telling people you made it!

3)  Hardcore DIY Cosplay

You’ve got a decent amount of money to spare, time before the convention, and sewing skills? Nothing’s more impressive than making a costume from scratch! Check to see if the convention you’re going to has a cosplay contest that you want to enter. You could also dream up your own character or add your own twist to your favorite one.

4)  Decked Out in Fandom Merch

I’m guessing that you already have a ton, so if you don’t feel like dressing up, kyou could always just go wearing the nerdiest nerd gear you have in your closet. If you don’t have any, buy some the first day and wear it the next!

5)  Period Clothing/Other General Costumes

If you’ve got a passion for historical clothing, steampunk, or any other cool kinds of costumes, you can buy or make your own to wear to the convention! Since this type of thing isn’t really practical for everyday wear, a convention gives you another chance besides renaissance fairs to wear those rad things you love. 

6)  Alternative Fashion

You don’t have to wear a costume to stand out a nerd convention! If you’re into lolita, gothic, punk, fairy-kei, or any other alternative fashion, put together your best over-the-top outfits to wear. This is a great time to wear these things especially if you’re not quite confident enough to wear them on an everyday basis, since there will lots of other people dressed in clothes that are different from the norm. 

You could also wear a different one of these things on each day of the convention or try to mix two of them! Of course, you don’t have to dress like this. If you’d rather wear what you wear on a normal basis, go right ahead! I just find that these are the most fun things for me, and what’s important is that you have fun at the convention :)