PS: Have you ever experienced backlash for cosplaying as female characters?
CV: Very little, if any at all. I love the cosplay community because it's a superaccepting group of people. If you're doing something different that isn't normally accepted or seen, like gender-bending, usually people love it that much more!
PS: What's your process on deciding to create a cosplay (especially a retro/nostalgic one) that will be recognizable to larger groups?
CV: I usually start with a character that I share a similar personality with. I feel that helps as far as posing for pictures and stuff. From there, if the character is animated, I like to imagine what that character would look like in a real-life setting. What fabrics would their clothes be made of? How would a neon skin tone translate to real life? Things like that. Then I make sure I know as much as possible about whoever it is I'm cosplaying so I know how to pose and answer questions.
