Goddess of Cosplay
The internet is a place that not only allows, but encourages people to be all they can be, whether that be themselves or someone else. With this standard in mind, none can disagree that Alisa Farrington is the best of both worlds in this regard. Also known as Alisa-chan, she's been in the game of cosplay (dressing up as one's favorite or most similarly resembled anime characters) for seven years. In that time, she's constructed over 100 different costumes, taking on whatever she feels best represents her personality and challenges her talent. Newmoanyeah had a chance to exchange words with this seamstress goddess, and we're letting you eavesdrop on the conversation for some of the finer points of wardrobe construction. So without further ado; here's an interview with the cosplayer herself, Alisa-chan:

NMY:		Your site bio says you've been in the cosplay scene since about 1996. How many cons do you figure you've been to in that seven years?
Alisa:		I'm honestly not sure. I started out going to just one con a year and gradually started adding cons on each year. I now go to about 8 cons a year, and it's a lot of fun.
NMY:		In all that time, you must have some memorable moments. What are some stories of the highlights and lowlights of your cosplay career you can share with us?
Alisa:		As far as the highlights, I met my boyfriend while cosplaying and we've been together for five years. ^_^ I've also gotten to meet a lot of friends and have many wonderful memories. What I can't say is that I've won a ton of awards, because I haven't. I do what I do because it's fun to me and it's something that I seem to be good at. As for lowlights, I seem to often be the center of negative attention, sometimes attracting stalkers, sometimes being in the middle of a bunch of silly drama, sometimes being attacked on websites. Mostly, it's very good though.
NMY:		What other places and with whom do you indulge in this hobby with outside the safety of conventions, if at all? Because one would think for the most part the public at large wouldn't be so understanding.
Alisa:		Well, Rocky Horror has allowed me to enjoy making costumes and wearing them. Halloween of course is an opportunity if I have a party to go to. Other than cons, Rocky, and Halloween, I don't wear costumes. ^^
NMY:		Is there a sort of process you go through when creating your costumes (selection, gathering materials, sewing, etc.)?
Alisa:		First is research to get all the details and angles of the costume. I usually print out a picture and take it when I go materials shopping to get as close a match to the colors and textures as I can. Sometimes I use patterns, sometimes I just wing it. A lot of making a costume is trial and error. I've gotten a lot faster as I've learned new techniques and ideas.
NMY:		How much time and money does it usually take on average to make your costumes?
Alisa:		That depends on each individual costume of course. I think the most I ever spent on making a costume was $200. I've also made costumes completely out of leftovers from my fabric bins so they cost me virtually nothing. It's great when I can do that.
NMY:		I'm sure everyone who's viewed your gallery has their own favorites of your work - to name a few, the Dawn, Sophitia, and Capcom-related costumes are all amazingly well done, in my humble opinion. What costumes from your collection are meaningful to you?
Alisa:		The red battle Dawn has the most of my blood, sweat and tears put into it so that 's my personal favorite right now, although I plan on topping it soon. Lum would be special to me just because it was one of the first costumes I ever made, and Lum is my favorite anime character. Belldandy, Sophitia and Morrigan are also favorites of mine. Every costume has a special place in my heart though. They all have memories attached to them.
NMY:		Looking over your galleries, you've very wisely not limited yourself to solely anime characters. What do you think attracts you to cosplay the various characters you've chosen - perhaps their look? Personality? A combination of both, or something completely different?
Alisa:		To me cosplay is a form of fanart, and I just do what I like. I don't attend solely anime conventions; I also attend Sci-fi and fantasy conventions, so I have taken those opportunities to branch out and do things different than my norm. Helps me not to get too bored, too.
NMY:		Any resources or advice you'd like to share with aspiring cosplayers?
Alisa:		Wal-Mart and thrift stores are good places to shop for bargain materials. Aim for characters that you look like and are fond of. Do the very best that you can, be confident, and remember to have fun. You'll meet a lot of people, get your picture taken, and maybe discover something that you really enjoy.
NMY:		Separated at birth? Finally, a semi-personal request: I've actually been looking to create a costume myself for my first con...someday, and have attached a photo of myself [note: see sidebar for comparison] that you might lend your opinion about what might be best. Since Barrett from Final Fantasy 7 is played out (not like I could pull off that open-shirt look anyways), I've been thinking of hacker Lee Samson from Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door but as long as your suggestion doesn't involve wearing a barrel with suspenders and a bag over my head, I'll be happy.
Alisa:		I think that it would be a great idea for you to do that character, because you really look like him. The only problem I could see is that you would not be recognized very much because he looks like he wears street clothes. However, if you were to find a Cowboy Bebop group, it could work really well. Thank you very much for the interview, and good luck with making it to a con someday. ^_^

No no... thank you!
We'd like to return the thanks to Alisa, whom you can find out more about here, as well as peruse her vast collection on her website. And if you should feel so inclined to drop her a compliment (and you should)...

...tell her Newmoanyeah sent you.