What if I'm going alone?

1. Practice, practice.
This goes whether or not you're alone. Know what you're going to say,how you're going to pose, how you'll act. If you're a french maid, what kind of maid? Will you be cute? innocent? sexy? flirtatious? Know all this ahead of time and make it reflect in your pose and attitude.Nothing looks worse than seeing an awesome Roxas just standing there because he didn't know what to do. Know how you're going to smile and pose and be consistent with it.


2. Don't get caught by surprise.
Always be ready for photographers, especially if you have a particularly interesting costume. Be in the "quick pose" mode, as I call it. Have your messenger bag over one shoulder, not over your torso, so you can easily throw it aside and draw that sword of yours.Don't forget that photographers are conformers - if they see two people taking a picture of your awesome Dark Link costume, they'll be inclined to step in and take a quick snap, so don't lose that pose until you're sure that nobody else is interested.


3. Know your limits.
Last Otakon I had a man who was quite interested in my and my friend's costumes. We were half-naked bunnies and kitties! He was asking us to spread our legs, kiss each other, and do other provocative things. Know your limits. If a photog asks you to grab your boob and you don't want to, say so! You're a con-goer, not a professional model. You have every right to deny someone a photograph or a pose. And if he/she insists,call security.