That $40 roll of faux leather from Joann's actually ruined my last two cosplay builds

The texture looked fine in store but it peels like crazy after just one wear and now I'm stuck redoing Maleficent's sleeves and a holster for a third time, anyone else had cheap pleather fall apart on them?

2 comments

2 Comments

foster.dylan14d ago

Ugh yeah that cheap faux leather is such a trap. It looks okay on the shelf but then it just disintegrates after one con. I learned that lesson the hard way with a jacket sleeve.

parkernelson14d ago

You say "after one con" like that's a bad thing, but honestly that's kind of the point for me. I buy cheap faux leather stuff specifically for conventions because I know it's gonna get beat up and I don't want to cry if some drink gets spilled on it or it gets ripped on a badge corner. Plus, the cheap stuff lets me try out wild colors and styles I'd never commit to in real leather, you know? I've got a jacket that literally started peeling after two wears and I still wore it for like six months because the distressed look worked for the whole cyberpunk aesthetic I was going for. It's not like I'm expecting it to last a decade, it's costume pieces that do their job for a weekend and then I toss 'em without guilt.