hellocosplayReviews of hellocosplay.com

As someone who is fairly casual when it comes to the cosplay scene, having no knowledge In creating my own costumes and a lack of local costume makers in the area, my options for obtaining costumes are fairly reduced to having to order from websites such as HelloCosplay. Now I warn you, this is going to be a fairly long review, but I feel it's important to give my full thoughts in the hopes that this will help others. Not just with HelloCosplay but when using other Cosplay or costume services online. Introduction: First off let's get one thing out of the way; THEY ARE BASED AND PRODUCE THEIR COSTUMES IN CHINA, despite having sub-sites with different domain names (ex HelloCosplay.co.uk, or Hello Cosplay.AU) that are mainly just websites which display all their products and prices in your regional currency. So keep that in mind if you use one of said sub-sites thinking it's being made from within your home country, sorry kiddo but their not! This also factors into another poetenial problem that I've seen some people complain about, but more on that later. Costumes and Quality: So you may be thinking, what are their actual costumes like? Well me and my friend orderd one of Star Wars Imperial Officer costumes (mine's being in grey while his was white & black) they had two different versions on offer, one being slightly higher in price. We decided to go for the most expensive one, and there was a couple of things to note: The first being that they actually look like they did in the pictures, something which is rare considering most of these Chinese costume tailors will often re-use each other's images while the acultual end product may have slight or compelte differences (this is something that's particularly bad on sites like eBay) so although it may look like your getting a nice costume for a cheap price, chances are those pictures aren't reflective of what you'll receive. However HelloCosplay appears to take their own photos for much of the costumes, and I can confirm from having it in hand for awhile now that it does match what was shown. From the quality of the build, to what's actually included, it was all there. The only thing I noticed is that the shade of grey is slightly darker than in the pictures, however I suspect this was all down to the type of studio lighting they used and so it doesn't bother me that much. Wearing the costume itself is very nice, since this was my first movie based cosplay I'd done, I'm quite glad that the overal quality of the costume is better than what I was expecting. It feels nice and looks great to wear. The fabric used has a nice weight to it, having a much thicker garbedine style material used instead of that cheap, paper feeling, polyster fabric most cheap costumes use. The tunic jacket itself is very well done, being lined on the inside like a professional suit jacket, durable clip buttons that secure the tunic over the shoulder bone well, and it even has the correct chest level pockets for code cylinders (the little pen-like devices Imperial officers wear) The only real complent I have is that the collar doesn't have the greatest fastening system, being a single clip button that doesn't completely close up the collar and thus leaves a small gap when viewed from certain angles, but other than that it was everything I was looking for. The horse riding style trousers/pants also were well done. I have a bit of a beer belly gut, so I was concerned they wouldn't stretch out enough but thankfully they did. They have a nice zip up system at the centre with inserts for a belt, overall not bad and they do the job well. Oh! They also include an officers belt but out of everything this thing is tatty looking and low quality, which shouldn't be an issue cause you'll probably want to get an Imperial officer belt with an actual metal buckle from elsewhere! Overall, considering how much I spent on it (£90 total including shipping) The quality of the costume was well worth it, some slight design overlooks but nothing that a clothes tailor can't work their magic on. So in this category, you'll get exactly what you'll be paying for from HelloCosplay. Measurements: Now this is the bit I was hiniting at earielr, the one some people were mad about. Since these lot are based in China, which uses Asian body sizing charts that are actually different from what we use In the West, any custom measurements you provide them will more than likely not be exact! I see so many people complain about this, not knowing that they are only going off their own regional clothing system. So their basically looking at your measurements, and designing it to what their charts say, which will either be slightly smaller or larger depending on your body build. For reference, since I already had experience of this in the past, I went for the standard M size option provided (I'm generally a medium on most clothes anyway) this led to the trousers and jacket tunic having a comfortable, all be it very slightly looser fit, especially at the collar area. However, on the flipside my friend provided his exact measurements, and was complaining that it was quite tight around the elbows. So how do you get around this? 2 Ways: Try including in the order notes if they can convert the measuremenrts to your country's regional sizing chart, so they can have a better understanding of your bodys shape and produce a better costume that you'll be happy with (or you could convert it the other way around, Google is your friend!) Second is to simply take it to the local tailors when it arrives, they will most likely understand and be able to take it in or out for you. In short, providing custom measurements is really hit or miss, and sometimes depends on the complexity of the costume. If you're really confident, then sure go for it, you might be surprised. If not then, them just order one of the preset size options, then take it to the tailors if need be. This something that occurs with most online cosplay and costume retailers, so keep this in mind for future reference. Shipping Costs and Disptach Time: The shipping costs on my costume were not too bad, only like £10-15 for express DHL shipping. The production time took about 1-2 weeks, and once it was ready I recived a confirmation email and tracking number. Since it was DHL, it was professionally handled and arrives pretty fast, certainly faster than what I was expecting at least. So overall not bad, reasonable charge and fast shipping, considering it came from the other side of the world! Communications and Payment: They have a number of different payment methods to choose from, including most card providers and most importantly Paypal, so the checking out process was fairly simple. As for communication, not much to comment here considering they only sent two emails; one for confirming the order and one saying it had been posted, I never needed to email them back for anything as I was pretty contempt with my purchase. So I assume their communication isn't horrendous, but I've seen other people state otherwise, so be aware I guess. Final Verdict: Overall, I'd that HelloCosplay is decent as a service. Their costumes in my case were above average quality, prices were reasonable for what your getting, and the shipping costs and delivery times were more than adequate. The only thing I will state again is that they are a Chinese based operation, so they're not perfect and have the potential to mess up, be it with ordering custom measurements or other factors. But other than that, me and my friend are more than happy with our costumes, and will be sporting them for the upcoming Comic Con, and I'll certainly consider using them again in future. Thank you for taking the time to read this review, and I hope you found it helpful :)

Measurements where massively incorrect. I sent them my measurements and the top was still at least 2inches too big. Rest was okay, belt hung slightly loose. My cape didn't actually come with anything to hold it up so it just slides off my shoulder with the slightest movement. BUT delivery was EXTREMELY QUICK I received my cosplay in a matter of weeks if that !! The quality is really good, the material feels lovely against my skin. I'd still order again from Hello Cosplay but have a back up tailor to adjust anything to fit.

So far I have purchased 4 cosplay outfits from this company (anime based) and most outfits have turned out satisfactory with minor mistakes. The website is easy to navigate and nice layout. The photos for each outfit is a little worrying as you can't tell if its something they have done themselves or copied from a different cosplay site. The said outfits wont come EXACTLY as described in the photos as they are tailor made and may look different depending on material, sizes etc. One outfit I purchased for a friend was just too big in all areas. It was like it was 3x her measurements. Most however have turned out fine however there maybe minor changes from what you see in the photo e.g proper bows that tie around the neck, arms etc may just be a pin when really it should be something to tie around for that extra detail. Sometimes the odd material like tassels may start to fray early but this can be prevented with trimming with scissors and using glue at the tips. Orders are within reasonable times and can arrive between 2 - 3 weeks depending on time of year, how much staff available, the materials needed, making and lastly shipping which is usually through DHL. The prices are a little too expensive depending on the outfit. Some complex outfits that have boots, body armor, victorian style will require more attention and money. However you are not just paying for the outfit, you are paying the tailor and the material. And lastly an extra £15 - $30 may be added for shipping costs. When ordering try to give as much detail as possible like all measurements and even the optional ones. Try to go one number below so the said outfit hugs your body and doesnt sag anywhere. Also make sure you add notes for e.g you want an elasticated skirt or real bows etc. There was once a special case I requested to the company and that was to make something that wasnt available on the site so I had to send them pictures and examples along with my measurements and they accepted my request for a reasonable price and free shipping. This was a Kigurumi (Japanese onsie) based from an anime and it surprisingly turned out great with nice material with a couple of minor mistakes but nothing serious. I've had it for 2 years and I still wear it on a cold winters night and it feels great. So I say these are trustworthy. Be sure to give as much detail as possible as I said. For those interested on what I ordered just google Laura Bodewig cat (or neko) and see.

I have bought from HelloCosplay multiple times, and I was amazed each and every time! Unfortunately, my latest order was not so perfect. The wig I orders (which they didn't ship out yet, lucky me!) was "updated" to a newer style and colour. I was not told of this until I emailed them about how long it was taking for it to ship. My only issue with HelloCosplay was that they did not updated the photo of the wig. I was believed that I was still buying the wig that was featured. Although I cancelled my order due to this issue, they were very diligent about contacting me, and making sure I was 100% satisfied. Although, personally, I did not like the updated wig, this will not stop me from shopping here again! I will continue to recommend this site to friends and family.

I ordered my cosplay (Bleach's Ichigo in his Bankai form) last week (21/09/15) and it arrived 9 days later on the 30/09. I am amazed with this as with it being Halloween I expected some delay but 9 days is phenomenally fast (from China too). I had also ordered a custom size (because I'm short, yet a total fat-a*se) and the tailored fit is unbelievably good. Unfortunately (and I expect due to the speed of the build) there are a couple of mistakes, firstly the sash is missing from the bundle (no biggy as I can source one locally) and secondly they didn't continue the white trim all the way up the Kimino/Jacket which makes the costume look a bit odd, but overall for the price I paid £60 all in, I am VERY happy with the service and will definitely be using them again.

In the second week of April, I ordered a Revolutionary Girl Utena Cosplay Utena Tenjou Sword Prop through Hello Cosplay, which was listed as having a making time of 7-10 days. When there was no notification of shipment after this time period, I contacted the seller and inquired about the status of my order. They emailed me back a few days later and apologized for the delay, stating that it would not be completed until around the first of May. True to their word, the package shipped out in the first week of May and arrived a few days later. The jewel set in the sword was a little loose but held together otherwise. In spite of the delay, I was satisfied with the overall quality of the product and the customer service I received.

I ordered a cosplay of Yuzuki Yukari a while back. The outfit they offered consisted of everything but the wig and some ornaments. This was the first time I had ordered a cosplay online before so I was nervous about what state it would arrive in. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Before placing my order I had emailed them asking if I could have more pictures of the cosplay, in which the replied by the next day saying that it was a custom order, so unfortunately they could't provide them. Once I had placed my order, they sent me back an email pointing out a mistake I had made in my measurements - very helpful considering that the outcome could have been disastrous if they had made it to the faulty sizes I had accidentally provided them with. Secondly, I asked if they could make it and send it out ASAP as my con was coming up soon. My parcel arrived in under a week! - The quality of the cosplay was mostly good, the dress was soft, and the hoodie was well made! However, the patterns on the back of the hoodie seemed to be rushed, with dodgy and uneven sewing (which I mostly blamed on how fast I wanted the order so...). - In addition, the hoodie seems to be a different material from the image (which I won't complain about since I prefer the material I received better). There were also slight differences from the picture shown and the real thing (different material for pattern, no drawstrings) - The stitching of the thigh highs was poor as they begun to undo themselves while I was wearing them. Overall I was very satisfied with my purchase and the customer service. The cosplay was comfy (albeit a little tight) and it was sent out to me in a surprisingly fast time, the only thing I disliked was the poor stitching in some places.

I love my costume a lot. I bought an Ouran full costume and I had it tailored to my measurements. The company was very good about emailing me notifications as to when my package was shipped. They answered my questions quickly and effectively. I look forward to showing it off!