When it comes to finding cosplay costumes and props, there are a variety of options available to you.
Online retailers: There are many online retailers that specialize in cosplay costumes and props. These include sites like CosplaySky, CosplayHouse, and Miccostumes. These retailers often carry a wide variety of costumes and props from popular anime, manga, video games, and other fictional sources.
Commissioned costumes: Another option is to commission a costume or prop from a professional cosplayer or prop maker. This can be a great option for those who want a highly accurate and detailed costume or prop, but may not have the skills or resources to make it themselves.
Conventions: Cosplay conventions are a great place to find costumes and props. Many cosplayers and prop makers will sell their creations at conventions, and there are also vendors that sell costumes and props as well.
DIY: If you are handy with a needle and thread or have experience with crafting, you can also make your own costumes and props. This can be a great option for those who want a truly unique and personal cosplay.
Second Hand: you can also find cosplay costumes and props second-hand. Some people sell their old costumes and props online or at conventions.
I get how daunting it can be, I remember around 2013 I was invited to go to a convention with some friends and wasn’t even sure what cosplay was at the time, I ended up deciding to cosplay a young Erza Scarlet from Fairy Tail, as I was a big fan at the time, my mum made her dress, I created her sword and shield out or cardboard, duct tape with paint and then bought her wig and eyepatch online.
To start there are a few things to think about; are there any characters that you love or something that you are into recently? For example, an anime series, Warhammer, a video game, etc. What type of cosplay would you like to do? Do you have the skills/resources to achieve this? How simple is the design? Can you afford this? Would you need to wear contact lenses? Are there any existing tutorials for cosplaying the character? Would you feel comfortable cosplaying this character? Can you practice styling wigs?