#FeatureFriday with Kira Kelly

I'm so excited to finally share this interview with the lovely and so sweet Kira. She's so down to Earth, and extremely talented! Read her full interview below.

Hi there I’m Kira! I’m a cosplayer and cat enthusiast from Atlanta, GA!
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How and when did you get into cosplay?
My very first cosplay was Momocon in 2009, back when it was still held at Georgia Tech. Like most people those days I was a closet-cosplay Misa Amane from Death Note in the most heinous blonde wig. But it didn’t matter, I was hooked! It was actually enough to convince me to go to Georgia Tech for college, so in a way cosplay altered the course of my life.

What do you do when you're not in cosplay or geeking out?
At my day job I’m a social media editor for a Fortune 50 company, and on weekends an agency model when I’m not drowning in worbla and craft foam!

What is your proudest cosplay accomplishment?
Definitely my Jinxrat, which I wore at DragonCon 2017 – everything was Extra™ from head to toe, from the lights in the braids to the motion sense-activated jaws.

What cosplay(s) are you working on right now?
Currently working on Mera for the Justice League premiere – gave myself 2 weeks, here’s hoping I finish! – and then after that a cosplay from the video game Smite.

Who is your cosplay idol/inspiration?
I really admire Cutiepiesensei Cosplay – we actually went to college together and graduated side-by-side. She’s really incredible at what she does and handles everything with absolute grace.

​What is your dream cosplay?
Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda, and Padme’s lake dress from Attack of the Clones (holy dip dye Batman)

What is your favorite convention to attend and why?
DragonCon, no question! Not only is it in my hometown it’s the biggest party of the year, with all my favorite people in amazing costumes. If you haven’t been, you need to!

Do you have any cosplay or convention pet peeves?
People touching your costumes or props. You hear “cosplay is not consent” but people don’t seem to think it applies to your props too – I’ve had things almost broken because people feel entitled to touch, move, and hold things that require careful handling. Most of my things are held together with spit, gum, and a prayer, so I have a heart attack every time.

Do you have any horror stories or mistakes you've made that others can learn from?
I made a gorgeous pair of wings out of chicken wire and 16-gauge wire that I assumed from tutorials would be strong enough to stand up. I only tested it on after I’d completely decked it out on both sides with $300 worth of feathers to find out it was completely unwearable. It hangs in my costume corner now as a reminder to never skip the planning stage, it’s an expensive mistake!

Do you have any tips or words of encouragement for other cosplayers?
Don’t feel bad about commissioning things! I love learning new skills and techniques, but my learning curve isn’t always as fast as my convention schedule. If there’s a complicated piece of a character that you want to do but don’t trust yourself to handle, don’t feel bad about asking for help – I’ve commissioned quite a few things while I work on my own sewing and crafting skills rather than put the character on the back burner or let the quality of the cosplay suffer. Every convention my commission slush fund is smaller, as I force myself to trust myself more – but don’t ever let the community shame you for asking for help!

Where can we find you on all things social?
I am on Facebook, Instagram, and (sometimes) Twitter at @xkirakelly – come say hi! <3

​Photos for this interview provided by ChrisWithACamera, PI Creative, and World of Gwendana.

I admire Kira so much. Her work is amazing, and she's incredibly inspiring and humble. Go follow this sweetheart on all things social.

​Know someone who should be interviewed on the blog? Send me an email! Everyone is welcome!