I do reckon as long as you don't claim it's yours when you bought it.
The ones I have on CI are bought and I only mention additions to the costume I am doing and buying... Wont mention about the main costume itself if I bought it

I have my Sandplay on my cosplayisland as I have modified it, however my vampire knight school uniform I have not due to being brought for my university graduation and I havent worn it for cosplay as of yet.

Limegreenjelly x

I've made all of mine or adapted clothing for all of my cosplays, though my mother helped me a lot with my first few cosplays. Personally, I would never cosplay if I had just bought the outfit, it would take away most of the point of cosplaying for me.

HOWEVER, I'm not one who thinks everyone should make their cosplays. You may not have the time or the skills for a costume you may want to do. Everyone is at an event to have fun after all, so whether someone has bought their costume or not, doesn't really matter as long as they themselves are having fun.
Though I always recommend that people try, something simple at first and have fun playing about with it and growing as they do so. We all start from square one and learn as we go along.

Though I don't tend to look at bought (not including commissioned or adapted) cosplays as being impressive per-say, because there isn't the skill of a person(s) that has gone behind that. Purely because when I think, 'Wow, that's an amazing cosplay' the skill that's gone into making that outfit is a large part of that. Having said that, I don't look down on those who don't make them either. Especially with original cosplays, because I appreciate the thought that's gone into the cosplay just as much as craftsmanship.

To be honest, until s few years ago, I didn't even realise that people did buy their costumes online.

At the moment, I'm piecing outfits together via shopping. But after Ayacon has passed, I'm learning to sew so I can make and alter my own outfits.

When I first started cosplaying I made my cosplay simply because it was cheaper that way. As a 15 year old that didn't recieve pocket money price unfortunately was a big factor in my decision. However when I went to Expo I realised that making your own cosplay aswell as being less expensive (in some cases) was also alot more fulfilling. Everytime someone complemented my costume I got a real sense of achievement which I wouldn't have got if I had bought it. Since then I have endeavoured to make all my cosplays by hand and I will never regret that decision no matter how annoyed I get if it's not going as I thought it would.

Do I look down on those who buy their costumes? I'd have to say no after all my best friend who introduced me to cosplay has always bought her costumes. I do however think that she and all those out there like her are missing out on a big part of the cosplay community.

I commissioned one of my costumes from a friend because I don't have the sewing skills to put what I wanted together. The rest I pieced together from stuff I've bought in charity shops and the like, making what modifications needed. I have made some bits of costumes myself ie. Lust's fingernails, but I haven't made anything from scratch yet. I'd really like to have a go at sewing something though, as like others have said it is a big part of cosplaying.

Agreed with what everyone else has said about not passing off others work as your own. I see no problem with buying costumes as its something we all do for enjoyment, so it shouldn't really matter as long as you have fun. I do have massive respect for those who can make costumes from scratch though, just because of the time and skill it requires.

Since it'll be my first time cosplaying properly in October, I've bought mine. But I most likely will do for a long time to come too.

I don't have the time nor skill to make a cosplay. I work, alot, and when i'm not working I have a dog to walk and look after ALOT. So I never have time to myself really, the only time I do is when I sleep.

I also don't really care if people want to judge me for buying my costume, I'm going to the expo to have and laugh and have fun, not to be judged.

I don't really like to buy mass produced costumes off ebay (etc) because they're usually overpriced and naff quality. I will buy some stuff on ebay to modify myself though.

I tend to order my costumes online because I suck at things like sewing.

I can cope with doing small modifications, such as ajusting things and making small accsessories, but not working from scratch.

The first costume I did actually involved a bit of sewing and dyeing fabric. Since then I havent really touched a needle since... XD

I see nothing wrong with buying a costume! I bought all of my first ones, and still buy a lot of stuff today. I think to myself 'even though I know how to make trousers, there's no way I can make them better than a shop can', so in instances like that I will still buy things. I am however trying to branch out- more recently, instead of buying the Stocking dress I picked out from a website, I figured 'balls to this!' and I'm now going to make it myself. Sometimes I just feel better about making things, and if I do it well, that's even more of a boon. Plus you can take credit for any compliments you recieve, whereas with something you bought, it's really wrong to take credit.

To me cosplaying is about having fun and becoming a character you really love. The first cosplay I did was Itachi from Naruto, I made the ninja shoes and I had trousers and a t-shirt that I heavily modified but bought the Akatsuki robe.

Now I cosplay Lara Croft, most of what I have is bought, and some of what I'm making at the moment is modified clothing. I enjoy the thrill of finding obscure and unique items of clothing that (with some modification) are perfect for a cosplay.

I also think making a cosplay believable is important, for my Tomb Raider cosplay, my boots are worn in, my guns and belt buckle look used and my holsters are for real guns.

I don't think it matters whether it's bought, completely hand-made or you've modified actual clothing items, as long as you have fun with it.

I have bought most of my stuff from Ebay, mostly the main outfit and wigs but i tend to make the accesories, and I usually adjust my cosplays, like restyle the wig, adjust the size to the cosplay etc.

But i have only recently started making some things from scratch xP
But since i dont have access to a sewing machine then i will have to make do with ebay, but as soon as i get a sewing machine i am most definately going to start making mine properly ^^

I dont look down on anyone who has bought theirs, at least they made the effort to cosplay! =D
And since the majority of my stuff is from there then ofcourse i think its fine XDD (Biased much? xPP)

I put mine on my CI account but i clearly state in the information box that i did not make it, but i do list what i have modified etc.

I don't have a sewing machine either, and I always under estimate how much time and effort sewing by hand takes

Half and half. My stitching isn't as good as it could be i don't think. But sometimes there aren't any costumes for the people i want to dress up as.

I personally don't have a problem if people have bought or made them. Though I prefer to make mines, because I don't like the look or price of the premade ones. Heck, my very first cosplay was entirely shop bought!

I have to handsew everything, since threading up my sewing machine bamboozles me.....Though I do feel proud of myself after its finished, though I buy accessories from shops.

I have commissioned a costume from a friend when I know that there is no way I can make it myself!
Generally I do like to make the costumes myself, I have little experience and lack of tools (no sewing machine) but then that's all part of my achievements when I complete a costume!! ^_^ -help with this I constantly try to sew small things like purses and bags (e.g I sewed by first button onto a wallet last night!!lols :3)

I do buy wigs from ebay (which I often cut myself) and maybe the odd thing from a shop that was so cheap it seemed pointless to try and make (for example if I ever needed I white t-shirt I wouldn't make that).

Buying costumes is fine imo, cosplay should be open for everyone to enjoy including people who don't want to or can't make their own costumes! I agree that it's a cheap trick if someone says they've made something that they haven't, but I've never seen anyone do that so wooo \o/

My first costume was techincally Misty, and I put that together myself, but then really all I did was make a pair of cut off jeans.

My Rapunzle dress was made by my best friend's mother, and I paid her for it, and I would never take the credit for it, thats just bad manners! Also the wig was Jac's, but I'm currently working on my own!

Recently, I've been buying seperate pieces of costumes and putting them together myself, and my best friend's Mum said she'll help me make my next one, so that I'll know what to do next time!