He just posted a selfie like a day ago...

Intriguing.

Oh that's his friend!

...well...it's not like he's in active. Try to keep contact with him and maintain patience a while longer. If he was outwardly avoiding you then well...that would be another can of worms.

If you're really uncomfortable with him period though. You could request a refund and then go the route of contesting it with PayPal or however that process works. It can be threatening to a seller to go after there online account but....

....when you're dealing with money, you should think that part of it through I 'spose.

-Bones

Rather than ask for results "soon," if you are still interesting in getting the suit from him then set specific time frames/deadlines for when you want to see the results. And explain that if results are not provided in due time, then you would like your refund. Generally it is good to try and work with the artist in getting refund first before putting in a Paypal dispute, but my understanding is that there are time limits on when it can be done with PP. With a suit (such an expensive thing!), a year is a lot of time for money to just let sit without hearing or seeing of any progress. I hope that things work out for you, regardless in whichever way they turn out!

(Also, as a friendly warning, I think call-out journals are now prohibited on FA. I know you're looking for help and not trying to start anything, but just for future ref~)

When I contacted him, I asked him if the suit would be ready for MFF, which was this past November and saw nothing. He told me it would be ready for MFF.

I would (like what Kosi said) give him set deadlines on when you want to see work, or, ask him to honestly tell you were you are on his work list. If he promised you a deadline, and now that deadline is null, ask why you were pushed back without warning. If you do not think he will be done when he says he will be done, then I would ask for a refund..usually when you threaten a refund...work seems to happen (in most cases).

When I first contacted him, I asked him if it would be ready for MFF and he said it would be.

wow

I'd let him know that you need the suit by a certain date, or that you'll need to cancel the order. Make the date a couple days before the PayPal deadline. If you get the suit by then, all is good. If you don't get it, but you have proof that it was shipped, all should be good, as long as you have a tracking number for the package. There is a little risk that it might not be exactly as expected, but at least you would get something. If the suit does not arrive, and there is no proof that it was even sent, by the PayPal deadline, then use PayPal to get a refund.

There is absolutely no excuse for someone taking that long to produce a body suit. I understand that fursuits take time to make, but if someone is so backed up that they can't get a body suit don't in over half a year, then they need to stop taking commissions so far ahead, and stop promising that things will be done before conventions that were over six months ago! It's horrible business practice for anyone to do that. Fursuit makers should not take on more orders than they can reasonably fill in the agreed upon time frame. So, don't feel bad seeking a PayPal refund. Give it as long as you can without losing the right to the refund though. Also, be as polite as possible to the person who is making the suit. It increases the chance that they will make things right. I hope it works out for you.