Cosplay takes a very different form than other types of costume creation throughout history, with a focus of fan-created costumes inspired by media dating back approximately fifty years to sci-fi conventions and the Star Trek fandom. The term ‘cosplay’ was coined by Nov Takahashi, a creator at Studio Hard as a mashup of the words ‘Costume Play’. Cosplay specifically focuses on costumes inspired by stories told in various forms of media ranging from comics to TV shows, and it runs parallel to costuming. The difference between cosplay and costuming, as described by Costuming.org, is the foundation of cosplay in fandom, whereas costuming covers a much broader scope of original designs and ideas.
If one traces a looser definition of cosplay back past the advent of sci-fi conventions, cosplays crop up in history even during the 1700s and earlier. Victorian era nobles enjoyed dressing up as cupids, greek gods, and characters from their favorite serials, participating in fan activities not dissimilar from what goes on today.
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