Back in the summer, I wrote an article about keeping cool during summer conventions while cosplaying. Now that much of the United States and Europe is enduring a nice arctic blast, it seems only fitting to write an article about coping with cosplay in the colder months.

Cosplay is not exclusively an indoor or outdoor activity. While most convention cosplay takes place inside, you may find yourself involved in an outdoor cosplay photoshoot, or having to walk a long way from your transportation to the hotel/convention center door. Regardless of the circumstances in which your find yourself, there are ways to winterize a cosplay costume without sacrificing too much in the way of screen accuracy.

1. Use a body suit, long leotard, or tights

Tights, leotards, and body suits are a great way to provide some extra insulation for cold weather cosplay. More importantly, they can often times be hidden under your costume. If your cosplay costume involves revealing some skin, however, you can usually find "flesh tone" or "nude" tights, leotards, or body suits. For example, River's Edge Dancewear sells long sleeve "nude" colored leotards in kid and adult sizes for just $16.96.

2. Wear thermal underwear

If the tights aren't quite warm enough, you can always go with long johns/thermal underwear. This may not be an option for a Faye Valentine cosplay, but you could definitely get away with it with many types of costumes. You could also pick up a pair of thermal socks! Concerned they won't match your costume? Dye them!

3. Incorporate gloves into your costume

Your cosplay character may not technically wear gloves, but with some creativity you could probably come up with some that match the overall costume enough to get away with it. Fingerless gloves probably wouldn't do enough to help, but something is better than nothing when there's snow on the ground. Besides, it would be super easy to just take them off for costume contest judging, and put them right back on.