Fursuit

File:Furry Character Sheet.jpg

A model sheet used as part of the design and built process for constructing a fursuit.

File:Sydney Swans mascot-Syd "Swannie" Skilton.jpg

The mascot for the Sydney Swans is a fursuited bird called Syd "Swannie" Skilton

File:Anthrocon2010group.jpg

A large group of fursuiters at Anthrocon 2010.

Fursuits are animal costumes. Fursuits can be worn for personal enjoyment, work or charity.

The term "fursuit" is believed to have been coined in 1993 by Robert King and is usually used to describe custom-made animal costumes owned and worn by cosplayers or members of the furry fandom. Unlike mascot suits, which are usually affiliated with a team or organization, fursuits represent a stand-alone character.

Fursuiters may adopt another personality while in costume for the purpose of performance. Fursuits are typically sold online by commission or auction, but can also be sold at conventions.

Creation and construction

Many suits include special padding or undersuits to give the character its desired shape (this is especially present in larger characters or those of a particular gender). Costumes may cost less than one-hundred to many thousands of dollars depending on complexity and materials used.

Other suit variations include the partial suit, which only has a mask, gloves, a tail, and possibly feet, with regular clothing covering the rest of the body. Three-quarter suits also include part of the body, like the torso or legs. This type of fursuit works well for characters who only wear a shirt without pants or just a pair of pants without a shirt. Quadsuits are designed with arm-extending stilts so that the wearer can walk on all fours, for a more realistic appearance.

Fursuits can be expensive to clean.

Applications

Animal costumes have been part of human culture since prehistorical times. Some of the customs have continued such as the Kurentovanje festival in Ptuj Slovenia, where participants dress in costumes of sheep or rabbit fur with feathers and animal horns and part of a fertility rite. As part of his circus side show in London in 1846, P T Barnum had a man dressed up in a fur suit of an "ape man" who ate raw meat.

Fursuits have been used as costumes in films. The fursuit used in the television series Harry and the Hendersons cost USD$1 million. Fursuits have been involved in incidents such as Bigfoot sightings.

Some players of live action role-playing games (LARP) create elaborate costumes, including fursuits, for their characters with emphasis on Japanese pop culture such as manga, anime, and video games.

Some furry fans do fursuiting for a job or to bring attention to an event or charity. This can include mascots at baseball games and the like; but not all mascots are furries, nor are most fursuiters mascots. Many are hired through an agency to represent a character, while others bring their own constructions to an event instead.

See also

• Cosplay
• Fur clothing
• Kigurumi