Cosplayer Spotlight: Peachy-Hime Cosplay
Cosplayer Spotlight: Peachy-Hime Cosplay
Cosplayer Spotlight: Peachy-Hime Cosplay
By Nolan P. Smith
Cosplay fanatics of the world, rejoice! We are back once again with another Cosplayer Spotlight! Want to be considered to be featured? Shoot us an email at nolan@pastramination.com with a few photos of your cosplay, we would love to see your creativity shine! Now, onto this time’s spotlight: Peachy-Hime Cosplay based out of Kansas City, Missouri!
Peachy-Hime Cosplay, real name Teresa Beeding, can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/peachyhimecosplay. Her cosplay includes Princess Peach (Super Mario Brothers); Princess Daisy (Super Mario Brothers); Ishizu Ishtar (Yu-Gi-Oh!); Bulma (Dragonball Z); Domino (Pokemon); Rogue (X-Men); Malon (Legend of Zelda); Mara Jade (Star Wars). She is currently working on Lady Jaguara from Wolf’s Rain; Shinobu from Ninja Nonsense; Springtrap from Five Nights at Freddy’s; and Chocolina from Final Fantasy XIII.
(All photos provided by Teresa Beeding)
What got you into cosplay?
“My earliest memory of wanting to cosplay was BEGGING my mother to dye my hair blonde and buy me a pink dress so that I could be Princess Peach. Little did I know that, 20 years later, I would quite literally become my childhood idol! I really started getting into the cosplay scene around 2008, when one of my friends invited me to go to Kansas City’s local convention, Naka-Kon. It was my first attempt at real cosplay, and my first costume was (of course) Princess Peach. I absolutely fell in love with the entire thing! The cosplay community is such a loving, welcoming entity that I really felt right at home with others who love to nerd out just as much as I do. For the first few years of cosplaying I only did Princess Peach; then about 2011 I started expanding my wardrobe with other characters, and currently I have 8 characters that I have solid costumes for.”
How was the process for crafting your costume?
“I started off with absolutely no sewing skills whatsoever – crafting was my specialty. I had my first Princess Peach dress put together from several costume parts and a birthday party crown. As I started getting more and more into cosplaying, and when my fashion major friend moved in with me for a few years, I started picking up sewing little by little. The first cosplay I completed by myself was Ishizu Ishtar – then I went on to do Domino and Sports Peach. Mostly I am what you would call a ‘compiler’ – I get individual items for my cosplays – like a mini-dress here or a long-sleeved shirt there – and then I cut them up and sew them back together in the design I want them in. Since my sewing skills are still not great, compiling and making adjustments is a much easier process until I learn how to actually sew from scratch!”
“The best part of cosplay is knowing that no matter what your age, height, weight or skill level is, you are loved and accepted by the cosplay community. Someone, somewhere out there, has had their day made by just seeing you in costume. By wearing your obsessions on your sleeve (literally), you are opening yourself to a wide world of friends and like-minded people who are geeking out with you just by taking your picture. I have met some of my closest friends at conventions, and I know they are going to be my friends for life. And just knowing that you aren’t going to get judged or be called a ‘weirdo’ because of the things you love is just the icing on the cake. As far as the worst part about cosplay – time flies much too fast because we’re all having fun!
What conventions have you attended? Which ones do you plan on attending in the future?
“My home convention is Naka-Kon in Overland Park, Kansas. I have been going faithfully each year since 2008. About two years ago is when I started branching out to other local conventions, including KawaKon in St. Louis, Cosplacon in Jefferson City, Kansas City Comic Con, Planet ComiCon, and SausomeCon in Kansas City, Missouri. Unfortunately my con season is over for this year, but next year I plan to attend all the above cons again, including ACen and Nebraskon!”
