If you're a Disney cosplayer, there's a good chance you've come across Traci Hines. Known for her picture perfect Disney princess look, and her even more perfect Disney princess voice, Traci is as close to the real deal as you're going to get. She's no average cosplayer. She's even appeared in COSMODE magazine in Japan.

Not only does her YouTube channel (TraciJHines) have over 11,000 subscribers, but her videos have over 200,000 collective views since she started the account in January 2008. One of her dedicated followers even created a fan website for her! She's also a talented make-up artist, hair stylist, and a regular model for Hot Topic.

I recently had a chance to have a virtual sit down chat with Traci, where we talked about how she got bitten by the cosplay bug, what is in her cosplay repair kit, and what advice she has for her fellow cosplayers.

On with the interview!

Traci, how did you get into cosplay, and how old were you?

Traci: Well, not sure whether to count Halloween costumes as cosplay. Do they count if they are anime-related? If so, that's where it all started I guess. My first anime costume was Sailor Mercury, from Sailor Moon. I threw it together with pieces from my high school cheerleading uniform, some felt and a bottle of that janked spray-on hair color from a Sav-on drugstore. Pretty sad, but I sure loved Sailor Moon and was excited to actually dress up as one of my favorite anime characters. […] I think I was cosplaying before I even really knew what "cosplay" was.

I put together that closet Sailor Mercury costume when I was about 15, but I attended my first con, Anime Expo when I was maybe 18 or 19, and I wore a Sailor Venus costume that I had had made for me. I've never been that great with a sewing machine. I can construct a costume if I need to; I made an Alice in Wonderland costume in less than a week when I was 17 to wear for a dress up event at my high school. So, I guess that can be considered another "first" cosplay - maybe a more official first since I created the actual garment myself, but I generally do not enjoy sewing the actual costume if I don't have to.