Honestly, I like the advice someone gave me, your first suit should be as cheap as possible, experiment in it, make modifications to it, roll around in the dirt in it, have fun with it!

Then when you do get an expensive suit you'll be used to knowing how to clean and repair it.

Wow thank you kindly for such a fast reply :)

Perhaps its a bad thing but Im very into how I look. So Im scared to just get any suit then pray I will like it once its finished.

I'd probably highly recommend going to your local costume hire store then, buying a suit from the directly (it'll probably cost less then $100) and be really generic but if you've never suited before it might be good to get the experience before splashing out lots of cash.

My current main suit (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8071093/ right in this picture) was actually my third suit after owning two really cheap mascot suits and getting used to them.

5 things nobody tells you about fursuiting

1 - It's hot. Really hot. Really really really hot, even very simple lighter suits are really hot to wear, you'll sweat lots more, sometimes your suit might steam up if it's got glass eyes and such it's generally a physically unpleasant experience.

2 - It's limiting. You can see a very small amount of the world, your hearing will generally be impaired, you will have trouble speaking out of the suit most of the time it's a very confining enviroment.

3 - It's time consuming. Getting into and out of suit can take a while, sometimes more then 30 minutes, during which time you are already getting hot and sweaty and not even doing anything!

4 - It's socially restricting. Whilst in suit most people follow a bunch of unspoken rules, you don't take your head off unless you have to being the main one, this can 'cause DRAMA.

5 - It's awesome. If you can get past all the above, it's one of the most amazingly fun experiences you can have really! it's entertaining it always makes me feel better during suiting and there's really nothing like it.

Not too sure there is that kind of shop around here...Hmm.

Your on the right in that picture?

I have worn a head and gloves before so I have had a taste. Best of all I managed to get a very nice wooden fur suiter tag during that practice run ::grin::

I could hear find but I was turning my head alot to look around.

My main issue was a poor fit and trouble with air flow to the point I had to slow my breathing. Just a half hour left me exhausted lol.

And I have been told to get a handler to help me "see". Which amused me the very idea of a dog needing a seeing eye human lol!

Having a handler is always a really good idea, at least someone to look out for you to make sure you haven't fainted or anything in suit is really awesome and best way to avoid critical existance failures.

my advice would be get a head paws tail and feet in the style you like and wear them with some nice clothing to brake into the fursuit experence.

There will allways be the limited vision so haveing a handler is good or run with a group of suiters is ok to, you tend to look out for each other and if there is a handler for some of them ask if thay will help you.

I'd rather forgo suiting if friends go out in their suits and be a handler to them.

as for a full suit some people wear tshirt or sport jersey over the upper part of the body when out in public events( its easy to wash them then the compleat suit) and yes you can wash suits in a bath tub or a very large washing machine on gentle with mild soap but you have to hang dry then for like 2 or 3 day

Im having a very difficult time deciding if I want a full suit right off or to go with pieces as no matter whom I talk too looks like I could wait from six months to a year. I think having that kind of wait twice would be painful lol!

Bonded too the words right out of my maw.

Start off with a partial and see how you like it. You can usually buy a pre-worn head and partial on furbuy or furbid. That's what I did with my first suit. The biggest issue with that is you really have to be careful about the head size, as you would lose vision if its not right.Actually, I just commissioned a new partial and very realistic suit from . Take a look at her own suit that she did for herself and you will be simply amazed. It is expensive but well worth it. It can be seen here.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7849906/

Wow Im in love with those paw pads! Im partly relucant to dare deal with used as such brings to mind words like "ewww" as it would be very hard to judge what the inside looks like from photos? And by the way whats the best way to measure your head so you know your size? Do you have a pic that shows her tail? Had no idea you where into fursuiting by the way ::Grin::

it depends on the maker as to how to mesure your head but
get a cloth tape mesure or a string and loop it around your head above your eyes to the largest part of the back of your head 23-24 is about standard size but allways add an inch. if its a haft size round up to the higher number then add the inch.

the pony head I made you I think is 24in so you might need a 25in

I have been told my jaw is uncommonly large by dentists lol Tho to be fair my state does have a high elder pop and as you age you shrink or so I have been told?

are you going with the white wolf fursuit?

I had thought of doing a fursuit with this character http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6277692/ But thinking for my first suit I need to be more simple in design so yes probly a white wolf. But thinking about that is white a pain in the tail to keep white?

White is a pain to keep white, but it's not impossible. Just takes more time sometimes depending on the type of stain.

Going for the female body?

I do love the look of white but Im wondering will I come to regret such a choice cleaning wise?

Im still undecided on female or not as I am pondering and wondering if it will overly complicate things.

Just add boobs and a butt. And probably not talk in suit. You would have to practice female mannerisms.

Yes going to go with white wolf to make things easy. The other idea would take alot of air brushing making it impossible to wash

This one looks so painful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ-y2PKnh6E

It's tiring just watching it walk.

The color choices just dont do anything for me. I have seen some nice looking "real" wolves and wolf dogs so I think that person could of done alot better on the coloring.

Tho I do like the looks of the feet but owie cant imagion the wearer is able to walk much the next day lol!

your more or less waling on the balls of your feet and putting lots of pressure on the ankles and knees to walk in that kind of rig and it make you all most 7 ft tall!

just some normal feet are fine with maybe didagrade legs?

Im being told digigrade legs add alot of weight and heat to the suit.

depends on if its foam or polyfill polyfill can be removes and washed like a pillow. foam is much harder to cleep cleaned and fresh

but also how much fill is used is afactor.

heat well under armor helps a lot and there is really no way to get away from heat in the suit you get use to it

I guess it depends how the legs are built and where you are putting pressure. But I met someone at the convention this year that had simple digigrade legs where she had to stand on her toes and she was complaining how much her feet hurt.

I am going to be honest with you here. I think you are a fairly low energy fursuiter, so you may be happier saving up for a nice, realistic suit that you can walk around in and show off. However, a toony suit would be good if you just want to play around with the experience. Either way, you better make sure to have some type of air circulation in there for you (I don't need that, but some people like to be able to breath better).

Hah! Well we can cross off hand stands and cartwheeling from the list right off lol! So no you dont have to worry about me being a rival ::snicker::

And yes walking around and being seen does sound about my style ::grin:: And yet I have been thinking alot about where my life is now and how I need to make changes. For example its hard for me to really express myself if I dont know the person I get all scared and nervous which the person seems to read as me simply being unfriendly and aloof.

And Im not always going to have people like you or the pony around to be my wingman in these social guagmires that to a person like me seem so alike to standing in quicksand.

I think alot about that very first day we met in Philly.

Also I feel my shyness has been holding me back from getting a better job. The recent interview I had practiced all the possible tech questions...And yet I got so nervous I stumbled with the fluff questions.

Ok here is what I am pondering so far...from Clock Work

Mask - moving jaw, custom follow me eyes, Wefted hair accents
body- Faux fur, one color no markings, female
gloves I was confused on these so will have to email
feet- Padded digitigrade?
tail- med tail (wolf), one color no markings, Articulated armature

Gloves=hand paws
the legs would be digitgrade.

Clock works is a great choice I've seen some of their work close up

I was confused by how they say the glove stops at the elbow on the website ...is there a gap between glove and suit?

some builders go to the wrist some to the elbow it just depends and no thay will overlap the fuii body suit or can be worn under a t shirt as a partial.

the body suit may only go down to the elbow or wrist so no skin is showing

For the mask, you need to be able to breath well so you can enjoy it. Consider fans or maybe a balaclava head which will have a smaller muzzle because there is less foam wrapped around your head.

The legs can look digigrade without being like the one you showed me in the video. Look up pictures of Digeri Dingo as a good example or look at Tig's new legs. Basically you use padding to make it look digigrade.

If you are going for white, consider what type of white. Off white? Bright white? My Ozzy suit was off-white, my provo suit is a bright white (almost has a blue tint).

Yes on the clock page they say to get one of those bala things to help hide your mouth ::grin::

Its the legs Im still a bit unsure about as I dont want to be on my toes nor to feel knives are stuck in my foot after walking just a short time in the posture. Will check out that dingo. And look at tigs legs while watching your skit ::Grin:: I remember that border collie we saw a few years back that had the digi look padding just seems to be a wide gulf in what looks good and what does not.

I had forgotten the many shades of white lol!

If it is a balaclava head, you may not need fans, nor may there be any room for them. It would be something to ask CW about.

The border collie you are talking about is likely Nova Zax. Tig is not wearing her body suit during the skit, but she should have pics on her FA page or favs. If not, I will dig up some pics.

Yes, there are many shades/tints to white fur. It makes it challenging when we try matching different lengths of fur (for example, when we want an area to have extra long white fur).

If (when?) you do get a fursuit, I can give you some tips about washing your suit and keeping it white. Basically you just make sure to use determine that is color/scent free and add some baking soda to get the sweat out of it. Wash on cold, hang dry. If you get serious stains in it, I have been able to get those out with Spot Shot.

Best of luck! Sounds like we may have another canine suiter soon!

Had to look up Clock Work, but I have seen some of their suits and that looks right up your alley. Consider starting with a partial to save money. The only downside is if you do get the full body commissioned later, hopefully the fur will be the same color (not all whites are the same, sometimes not even between different batches).

A friend of mine who nearly lives at Anthrocon directed me to them because of my own tastes. Im a bit surprised you had not heard of them before as I hear many ravling about that suit company. From the price quote I got off their site the "damage" looks manageble if I cut back on somethings. Also it will serve as a sort of carrot to help me slim down lol! Another friend told me I should be the one buying the fur and sending it to the maker that way I can buy double what I need to help with staying the same color.

Tig knows many of the names of fursuit builders. I just know if a suit is pretty.

Does the suit being canine based help it being pretty?:>

the cheese is right you are a low energy suiter not everyone is bounceing off the walls some just hang out in suit and chat or interact with other suits or any public around.

a short muzzle is better for air then a long one and it being open somewhat helps too

Yes no cartwheeling from me lol! I might ponder doing a rap or even singing but that would be the extend of my entraning lol

Was wondering if CW puts in fans

you can only ask!

Just to let you know - I partial most of the time, at dances, or for events. I man the bar at the Feral dance in partial, and partial up to tend to the headless lounge. One thing to remember, if you fly to cons there are luggage restrictions and its a lot easier to pack a partial. I've only run around in the woods once in full suit but it had to be done. Michael yelled at me for taking an expensive suit into the woods *lol*. A director friend of mine wants to use me on stage and that would require full suiting but something like that would be rare.


I'm pretty fit (I'm active now and finally maintaining a leaner body weight) and have a high toleration in suit but I'm definitely not a high energy suiter. I'm also very low in flexibility due to my body type (hint: I'll never win awards for dancing or gymnastics). Even with the great vision I still need a handler - having a muzzle effects how you see obstructions.


If I bring it to a con, I will full suit for a parade depending on the theme and whether I have a costume I want to wear, I've used it for halloween, and have used it for photos and special events. for stage plays or such you might want a full suit. I have spent a few hours in suit til my eyes go blurry. Note I don't need glasses and my mask uses my own eyes so my vision is very good. My suit is heavily padded for the realism and quite hot as well. The digitigrade is an illusion created with padding and airbrushing. Another thing to consider is at the larger cons the parades have got longer and longer. At one FC between getting ready for the parade, being in the parade, and photos after the parade I was in full suit for almost four hours and my eyes felt dried out. I can take in water through a long twisty straw so Michael could give me a drink after the parade.

We find a partial is more practical. If we theme the suit - cowboy, samurai, a wolf that was suspiciously dressed like the wolf in shrek, (I went out with red riding hood on Church st during halloween in Toronto), we would be covering the body anyways and it gets harder to find costume parts for the full wolf. If you use jeans, kimono etc you can actually use them again in R/L if they aren't oversized for a full suit.

If you get a full suit, get a spare tail not attached to the suit to make your partial. I already had a good match due to my character already having a tail and subsequently made another myself as they do show use - you're always sitting on it after all.


Also consider what a bitch a full suit is to wash after use. I think it takes as long to wash as it does to use!


In sum, while you may want the full suit to "complete the illusion" or for performance there are a lot of pros for a partial and cons for a full suit.


1. You get a lot of use out of a partial

2. Body suit requires a lot of maintenance

3. Body suit is harder to transport

4. Body suit requires a lot more physical exertion

5. Partial is a lot less expensive

6. If you gain or lose weight you don't have to take in or let out a partial

7. Partial is easier to costume


My experience. I've enjoyed suiting. If I were to get another realistic suit I would likely get a partial. if I got another body suit to wear with my partial I would not get a realistic padded suit but would go for something like an unpadded body suit for running around in. BTW under my full suit I always wear under armour.

For flying I was thinking to simply mail the suit to my hotel then mail it back home. Not sure on the pricing but I know UPC sells a reuseable shipping container so Im sure others do as well. Just seems so much easier to ship it but Im not sure exactly what cost range I would be looking at but Im thinking it could not weight they much.

Im being told different things on the maintenance/cleaning part some saying its not that much work others saying its a pain.

As for getting a partial Im a bit uncertain as it seems rather a pain trying to match fur coloring later on if wanting a "full set" I would have to find out where CW buys the fur and get a couple yard for later use just to make sure the body color matched later on.

Hah the gain and lose weight part is my chief worry lol! As I currently would like to lose a couple pounds its harder to do then one might think. More so having a "desk" type job.

Costuming well let me note you my ideas on that :)

But yes you have some very sage advice and bring up alot of good points. I dont see myself dancing or prancing about ::grin:: I see myself more padding about to be "seen" and get my picture taken sort of thing. Of course as I get my paws wet I can expand on my actitives more so. But yes wearing a partial is a bit more in line with my visions of the future...wearing the tail and head about...not sure about the gloves and feet as those seem a greater hinderense with interacting with doors and such.