QUEEN RIOT - A CLASSY COSPLAY CONTESSA

If you thought the life of a Cosplayer is all sewing, stitching, dressing up, and looking bitching, well, you're wrong... dead wrong. The life of a cosplayer isn't all glamour and sheen. No. I'm afraid it isn't. On occasion people in this very brave and bold profession, are faced with other people who are none so brave or bold. Now to find out what I mean by this, here, check out this interview I had with my great-pal, Ashley, only the other day, whilst bitching about some kick-ass stitching.





1) What are your own origins, Ashley? Plus what path did you take in life before you got to where you are today?   I wanted to be an artist and draw for a living for as long as I can remember. At the earliest age I remember wanting to be a film animator because I love cartoons so much. I went to art college after high school, and have been making a living off of creativity ever since.

2) How did you come up with the name ‘Queen Riot’?   I've always had a fondness for mad, power hungry women. It was half derived from my name 'Ashley Riot' and half from my love of the 'Queen of Hearts' character from Alice in Wonderland.

3) What is your ‘regular’ job? And does it in any way shape or form aide you as a Cosplayer?   I'm an illustrator and graphic designer. I work on video games and advertisements and I also sell my own personal work online and at conventions. It definitely helps to be able to paint when I'm working on certain aspects of a costume.

4) How did your friends, family, and work colleagues react to the news that you're a Cosplay model?   My family isn't too thrilled with it. They don't understand the craft behind it and just see it as 'being weird'. My friends and college's seem to think it's pretty cool though. Most people I know still ask me where I buy my costumes and are shocked when I tell them they're all handmade.

5) Who decides in the costumes you wear? And who makes them?   Decides what I wear? Ha! Why on earth would anyone decide what I wear but me :)

I only make costumes of characters that I love. No point in investing all that time and money into a costume if your heart isn't in it. I hand make all my costumes, and if I ever get any prop help I make sure to credit the person.

6) What have you learnt about yourself as a Cosplay model? And were their any unforeseen obstacles you had to contend with?   I learned that I wasn't as prepared for negativity from other females as I thought. I knew early on that one has to grow a very thick skin to deal with bullying and name calling by people online. It's just a fact of cosplay. 

Moreover, I wasn't prepared for the women who come up to me at shows and scold me. Telling me how offended my more revealing costumes are to them. Even though I always make sure to wear dance tights and other safety measures in sexier costumes, I still get ladies very angry with me. It was a new thing I had to face, and very confusing.

7) What was the best / worst convention you ever attended?   I try not to spread negativity, but Anime Weekend Atlanta has consistently been a fairly poor experience. It's usually the people who attend, not the conventions fault. But it's the show where I get the most number of angry scolding mothers yelling in my face, scolding me, or complaining to the staff about me. And on multiple occasions the convention staff has asked me to change, although my outfits were within their guidelines. It's very frustrating and ruins the convention for me.

How Atlanta also has one of the most fun conventions. Dragoncon is easily one of the most fun conventions I've ever gone to. I also was privileged enough to attend E3 and enjoyed that quite a bit.

8) What would be your dream Cosplay gig and outfit?   If Nintendo would hire me to model for 'Bayonetta 2'.

9) Has there ever been an outfit you just did not like wearing? And if so, why?   I like all my costumes, that's why I pick them! However, a good deal of them are very uncomfortable. I strongly dislike wearing contact lenses, but they add so much to the look of a character that I can't help but love the effect!

10) Do you have a credo you live by?   Stay Classy.

Ha! Perfectly put, Ashley. Perfectly put. So when you have the time, folks, by all mean please check out everybodies favorite classy cosplay contessa at www.queenriot.com, or alternatively, throw her a like on facebook.