Introducing Superhero Hype Cosplay With Ashlynne Dae!

Note From the Editor: Comic conventions may be on hold, but the art of cosplay is here to stay! Today, we’re launching Superhero Hype’s cosplay coverage. And we’ve also asked cosplay superstar Ashlynne Dae to join the site as our special corespondent. She will be sharing a behind-the-scenes look at her creative process, as well as pictures of her incredible costumes. She’s also provided us a gallery of ten different costumes at the bottom of this post. But first, an introduction is in order. Take it away, Ashlynne!

Hello there! My name is Ashlynne Dae! I’m a cosplayer, streamer, host, and model from Southern California who has been cosplaying in some regard since 2012! Since then I have made and pieced together countless cosplays, now averaging about 60 a year! I’ll be sharing some cosplay tips, tricks, news and more with you for the next few weeks and beyond!

I’d like to take the time to introduce myself and tell you all just a little bit about my background and how I got started cosplaying! I have had the great privilege of meeting so many wonderful and talented people in my time in the cosplay community, and have seen the community grow and shape in so many ways since I joined it. It is truly my passion and my drive, and I am so lucky to be able to play dress up for a living! I have participated in, won and judged cosplay competitions, though competing isn’t really my scene! I prefer to live in the judgment free zone of cosplay as much as possible!

I have been given the opportunity to build costumes for some fabulous major companies, and have been hosted at some amazing international and domestic conventions. I also have a thriving community of Patrons and Fans as well as a website you can visit to see more of me and my work! You can also catch me streaming games on twitch and watch the occasional cosplay building session there as well! But more on that later, for now here is a bit about me!

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I started off sewing historical costumes at a young age, I was 12 when I first learned to sew with my mom on my grandmother’s 1940 Singer sewing machine. I still have that machine and it still works! I’ve since modernized my tech a bit, but I will always fondly remember that time, because it gave me my foundations for the career of my dreams. I spent the next several years learning how to sew from historical costuming books and patterns, taking high school sewing classes once they became available to me to hone my skills. I was lucky enough to be at the only school in the district to still offer sewing classes as electives!

I graduated with home economics honours (I know that seems so dated to say haha!) and moved on to further my education by taking a full course load from two community colleges because they offered a vastly different variety of courses! I got my foundations and basics of sewing and fashion at Orange Coast where I also eventually transferred with a AA to Cal State Long Beach, while simultaneously working on a certificate from Saddleback College because they offered fun courses like Millenary (hat making), Shoe Making, Corsetry, Tutu making. and so many more specialized courses!

I eventually went on to graduate from CSULB with a BA with honours in Fashion Design. I worked in the fashion industry for a few years during this time as a Production Assistant, which is basically an assistant technical designer. I would eventually go on to quit my day job to pursue a full time cosplay and content creation career! It was the biggest leap of faith imaginable, but I am thankful every day I took it!

RELATED: Check Out Our Cosplay Photos From Dragon Con!

So enough about my background, on to some costume stuff! A lot of people ask me what my first cosplay was. I have two answers! The first time I ever cosplayed I was Bellatrix Lestrange for the midnight premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2. But the first cosplay I ever made was Lady Loki for Wondercon in 2013! That was my first time ever cosplaying at a convention, and I didn’t even know what the word “cosplay” meant! I had to google it when I got home that day after someone told me they liked my cosplay! Now I couldn’t imagine a life without cosplay in it. I’ve made costumes from almost every fandom imaginable, Marvel, DC, anime, manga, Disney, cartoons, video games, sci-fi, fantasy, and more!

As I mentioned earlier, I started out making historical costumes, so I’ve always had an eye for historical based cosplay. But over the years I’ve added more techniques to my repertoire. I work extensively with knit materials to get the body hugging super hero suits we all know and love just right. I also work with EVA foam and thermoplastics to create armor and props, resin and clay to cast and mould, wigs and hair to craft the perfect hairstyle for each character, and so much more!

RELATED: Check Out Our Cosplay Photos From Comic-Con!

It is my hope to share some of my cosplays with you, as well as some of my techniques and things I’ve learned over the years. There are also some cool things happening in the world of cosplay, and we will also spotlight some other talented folks! I hope you find what I have to say informative, fun, and entertaining! And I’m happy to answer any questions if you have them about cosplay! You can find me below!

Instagram: @ashlynnedae
Twitter: @ashlynne_dae
Facebook: Ashlynne Dae
Patreon: patreon.com/ashlynnedae
Only Fans: onlyfans.com/ashlynnedae
Official Site: ashlynnedae.com
Twitch: ashlynne_dae