A Cosplay cat costume is serious business, so it's important to know how to make Cosplay cat ears so that they look perfect for whatever you are trying to achieve. Whether you are trying to look like a specific anime character or fantasy cat, the ears are a crucial part of the picture.
How to Make Cosplay Cat Ears
For most people going to a Halloween or costume party, cat ears are something you either pick up in a costume shop or drugstore, or make quickly and cheaply with cardboard or even paper.
Cosplay costumes are a very different beast. The goal of Cosplay is to have an outstanding costume, so every detail counts. You don't have to be a professional designer or seamstress to create a memorable costume, although that definitely helps, but you do need to be skilled, patient and have strong attention to detail.
If you are making cat ears that are part of a headband rather than a headpiece, this is easier and allows you to play with your hair or use a wig. You can also attach them using hair clips.
If you want to know how to make Cosplay cat ears that are still on the simple side, you'll need fur fabric, some wire, and pink or white satin. Work with the wire to shape the ears. You are going for basic triangles but you want to shape them evenly and have them be tall and wide enough to stand out as you intend. Once the wire frame is ready, you can measure and cut the fabric to fit. You will probably find it easiest to measure and then sew the satin lining into the fur, creating little pockets that you then slip over the wire frames and sew at the bottom to secure them. If you like, you can add a few strands of plastic thread or maribou to give the ears a more truly cat-like appearance.
More Elaborate Ears
The serious Cosplayer needs to know how to make cat ears that stand out in the crowd, or at least hold their own. For this, you want to build ears more sturdily from the ground up.
You'll need foam or batting to give your ears some nice heft and thickness. Take your time shaping them. It's best to draw the design first and model it before applying it to the foam. You might also try cutting the foam a bit bigger than you intend and trim accordingly. You will cut out a small section in the center bottom of each ear to help you create the angle. Use hot glue to secure the shape.
Instead of satin, which has a nice sheen but might look cheap on close inspection, search for a pale pink or peach or gray fabric with a light fuzz, more like a cat's true inner ear. You will use glue to attach this as well, so be sure to cut out a triangle larger than the finished ear so that you can trim to size. Glue lightly, as you can always add more. Start from the inside and work out, pinching gently.
You will also glue on the outer fur fabric so the same rule of cutting a larger swatch applies. While fur is the preferred fabric, you may choose to use velvet or another light nap fabric instead. In this instance, you'll achieve a better finish if you sew it to the inner ear fabric.
Detailing
Depending upon the look of your cat, there is always more you can do to add dimension and interest to your ears. Cotton or maribou as fluff in the center is charming and textural. For a less furry cat, an Egyptian-style earring is striking. You can use fabric paint or a highlighter to create more shading and thus dimension. And you can use wire to fix your ears in a pose.
You are now ready to hit the Cosplay party in style.
