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You're a copycat.

Or rather I should say we, so yeah I'm a copycat as well.
More specifically, I truly believe that every cosplayer has copied another at some point in their lives. When they were young perhaps or barely starting out..

And don't tell me you didn't go on tektek and search up other people's cosplays and build up your own from your own ideas+theirs. We all did it.

Now, I am NOT saying people don't come up with their own unique ideas. Just the same as I know that there are those that live off of copying entirely.

But everyone should at least admit that at some point you saw AT least one item on someone else that you wanted to use as well.

And you did.

Heck, I'm pretty sure almost everyone has helped their friends copy other people by telling them the name of the item they were trying ti copy. Or at least turned a blind eye when they know they're copying someone else yet don't rat them out or scold them because they're your friend.

So yeah, call me crazy, but I'm 99.9% sure that again, every veteran cosplayer has copied someone at some point like I said before.

And that most of us are guilty of one of the other points I mentioned.

I'm not doing this to call anyone out, I include myself in all of this.
Because from now on if anyone says I'm a copycat (no, no one has actually done this)
I will say "Yep."

Very rarely can you disprove not copying someone. I attempt to by putting up on my status cosplay ideas immediately as I think about them so everyone on my friend's list is aware that I thought about it even if I didn't implement it.

i.e. Yesterday I saw the Princess Hymn item having the skirt be re-colored in a blue that's close to Aqua's from Kingdom Hearts. I had been waiting since the first item release for a blue re-color for Aqua.

But because I know it'll deflate I'm waiting for that to happen and haven't bought.

Yet there is that nagging feeling, what if someone uses it before me before I buy it and use it?! Well then, I'll be copycat for being too cheap or poor.

I use this as an example at how EASILY people blame others of copying them, and heck, I'm like that too. When there are one too many coincidences and I see my cosplays posted on the What's that Item Thread.

But then last night I sat there and thought about it "So what.. am I going to have every single person that has copied credit me?" just saying it out loud sounded ridiculous.

Then I decided to be honest with myself and admit; you know what? I'm a copycat too. Albeit I have certain guidelines in which I try my best to find a better alternative asap because guilt gets to me knowing I didn't think of it by myself but at the end of the day I'm still a copycat.

And pretty much everyone that has ever complained about being copied, has copied themselves.

No I'm not saying that's bad. But I do know some people are more honest than others about their actions. And no, I am not complaining about people venting. We all do that as well.

So I decided to not be a hypocrite myself any more. (At least on this subject anyhow, I also believe almost everyone is a hypocrite themselves even if they don't realize it.)

Yes, I am a copycat. And so are you.

Again, I know there is creativity. I know people work hard on their cosplays EVEN when they do copy others. But at the end of the day, we're all copycats.
And while wanting to be unique and stand out, we sometimes step down on others at times for taking that uniqueness away.

The same way we at some point took that unique thing from others.

I will say however, that in no point in time do I find it okay for people to complain about others keeping their equip private, but I do find it hypocritical when you go asking for items while hiding your own.

Neither do I condone people acting as though they have every right to know an outfit combination. Be it one item or all. Be it the mole on an avis face or the nose.

Oh and this goes for asking friends about their items. They might be your friend, but you still had your eye on the one item they thought to use and now you're using it as well. Only difference is that it's morally okay apparently since you know each other.

Now what bit me in the butt to say all of this? Simple, last night I realized I've been wasting my time when I remembered this is a pixel dress up website.
Then I realized that everyone that has ever complained about being copied (including myself) is a copycat, friend of a copycat or even helped said copycat.

HOWEVER I do acknowledge that it's never just being copied, it's what is being copied and by whom that creates the problems. I could write an essay about that, but I won't.

My main goal for this post is to announce to everyone that I personally think we're all copycats.

TL;DR: I have copied others, and I'll be damned if anyone denies being the same when being part of the cosplay community.