Have you ever imagined yourself as Dave Strider at a cosplay event? Or, are you a fan of this fictional character? Well, you will be delighted to know that he is cited as one of the top Homestuck characters that is applauded by many enthusiasts.
To play the character from the popular online fiction series Homestuck, there are some key pieces that you need to have for your outfit. The look you are aiming for is what most people think of when they hear the character’s name.
The online series has a devoted fan community, and Dave is a fan favorite. Now, are you ready to portray his role? To ace your cosplay, read further and indulge yourself with the story of Homestruck.
What Is Homestuck?
In the late 2000s, American cartoonist Andrew Hussie created the internet fiction series Homestuck, one of his four MS Paint Adventures. Often called a webcomic, Homestuck is partly made of single panel pages and relied heavily on instant message logs and Flash animations to tell its story. It also used browser games on occasion.
Homestuck is basically a story of a group of friends growing up. It is also about how this group of teens unintentionally brought on the apocalypse by installing the upcoming computer game Sburb’s beta version.
The teens come into contact with Internet trolls, who are really horned aliens. The kids and the trolls work together to complete the game and create a new universe.
Noted for its nonlinear plot, Homestuck has become quite a successful online series and even has an 8,000-page count. It has many sequels and related projects, such as the adventure game series Hiveswap.
Who Is Dave Strider?
One of Homestuck’s main characters, Dave is the third character that the reader meets. His older brother, referred to as “Bro” in the series, raised him.
Aside from sick beats, his main interests include his online friends and being cool. He is cajoled into playing Sburb by Rose Lalonde. He becomes her server player.
In the game, he maintained numerous stable time loops. He also became quite successful on the crocodile stock market, of all things.
An ironic hipster, he would have you believe that he is above petty things like human emotion. However, he is still a teenager, so he has the usual problems kids his age have. Jade Harley will surely understand this.
How Can I Do A Dave Strider Cosplay?
Some people say that he is the easiest Homestuck character to cosplay. Maybe because his clothes are pretty common. He is also really popular, so you will likely see plenty of him at a cosplay event. However, don’t let that fact stop you from cosplaying as him.
His clothes are quite easy to find, so you will not need to spend a lot of money on items for your costume. When done right, this costume looks great. Here are some things that you can do:
1. Makeup
No, we are not talking about troll makeup. Putting on some makeup helps with making your skin look less strange when wearing a wig. Makeup also makes skin look better in photos.
Skin
Are going to use lots of cosmetic products? No, do not need a lot except foundation (for evening out your skin) and powder (for setting the foundation). There are tutorials online which are helpful for this. There is no need to do anything with your eyes since you will just wear glasses.
Eyebrows
If you have very dark eyebrows, try applying powder makeup on them. Then, fill them in using brown eye pencil. You do not have to do anything to your eyebrows if they are not very dark.
Lips
Put some lip balm on your pink or red lips and cover them with some foundation. A chapstick can be useful here. The goal is to make your lips look less pink.
2. Eyes
For your costume, do not use movie theater glasses since they have a weird shape and the lenses just look strange. Aviators will be your best bet.
Sunglasses
As for the sunglasses, find a pair of black aviators. However, if you want iShades, you can get creative and try making the Apple symbol using carefully cut scotch tape. The quality may not be the same but they can be fun to make.
Eye Color
Since you will be wearing shades, there is no need to get contacts. However, if you think you should wear contacts, get the help of an eye doctor before going on eBay to get yourself a pair of bright red ones.
3. Hair
The head part of the costume is quite important. Depending on who you ask, his hair can be white, blonde, light brown, or red. There are people who even suggest that he does not wash his hair.
Hair Color
However, when you are cosplaying the character, try to think of your own skin tone. Consider how the hair and your skin will match up. If you have skin with yellow undertones or olive skin, you can go with white hair.
Hairstyle
Swept to the side, his hair does not look like it goes past his ears. Since it is not really spiky on top, you can keep it straight by using some hair spray.
Wigs
For your wig, check eBay first since wigs are usually cheaper on shops there compared to cosplay websites. However, make sure that you check whether the wig is of good quality and from a good seller. You can also check out some Arda wigs.
4. Shirt
The women’s version of his shirt is cut differently and has shorter sleeves, so make sure that you do not get that version. There are some shirts available on eBay. Of course, you can also watch some tutorials and improvise. You can save money by doing this.
DIY
Have you got any extra shirts you haven’t worn for a year? If you have something like a “baseball shirt”, you can just add the details yourself. Search online for some suggestions. You do not need to sew the detail on. Instead, use some fabric paint to print a broken record detail on the shirt.
5. Shoes
Red Converse Chuck Taylors seem to be his choice of footwear. You can go with either regular Chucks or high-top ones. It doesn’t look like he has shoelaces, but it could be simply stylization. Depending on how much you are willing to shell out, there are several options on eBay. Try checking out ads on special offers.
6. Pants
He wears black jeans, so put on a pair of straight-leg jeans that are made for guys. The pants should not hug your legs. Steer clear of girls’ skinny jeans because they will not look right as part of your costume.
7. Props
Here’s the fun part – you have plenty of choices here. Just remember not to use things which he could not have had during the time he was sporting this outfit. There are some helpful tutorials online for making props.
Swords
He has around 10 different swords which he uses. Perhaps the easiest is the 1/2 blade or the sword. For a more impressive look, you can try getting a Caledscratch but beware, it’s not going to be easy.
Timetables
If you want to make the timetables, you can use invisible thread so they seem as if they are floating from your hands. Try searching for instructions for making these items online.
Do you think there’s something missing with your outfit? This costume is not merely wearing a t-shirt and sporting some sunglasses. You can improve your costume and set yourself apart by making a prop. This way, you save some money and you have something extra when you take pictures while cosplaying.
Alright, so you nailed the Dave Strider look a T. What’s next? Channeling him. To help you get in character, try reading the series again or take a look at the pesterlogs, which is universally neglected and often misunderstood correspondence between Homestuck characters. Doing this can improve your true understanding of the character. Perhaps it will help with the swag as well.
