I find myself quite guilty of this. I follow quite a few people here on FA, many of which I know only as their characters. Same with folks I meet at cons. I know the characters, recognize the suits, but darned if I would know them IRL.......and that may be a good thing in some cases. But....when a known suiter posts a picture of their hooman self. I always take a look. I always wonder what "the man behind the curtain" looks like.

...but you already KNOW what i look like! This isn't a really serious discussion anyway. I just found it kind of an anomaly in my gallery whenever i make a selfie post.

no idea...

I actually prefer thinking thinking of everyone as their icon...

V.

Certainly cuter.

Bunners

oh absolutely!

V.

:) lol nuzzzles

What?! There's a human inside there?... what have we toldja 'bout eattin' humans? badkitty! *gets the spraybottle* ;)

You haven't seen the video, have you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvU466TYWxY

*finally stops stops coughin after the fit'a laughter an wipes eyes* Ohfurcryin'outloud! jeezal!
an they still wonder why I love bein' a furre... dude that was pawsome!

*takes a bow*

Makes sense. If a rookie fur only knows your fursuit it might be a shock to them that the guy underneath the fursuit looks, at first, ugly as hell. Get to know the guy outside the fursuit could foster better and quicker friendships.

Hey! I resemble that remark!

Just like going to the zoo... furries love to look at those furless freaks of nature.

Riiiiiight.

I've found that it can totally ruin people's expectations.

Case in point: The first time I wore cotton candy, and popped my head in the headless lounge. There was a loud gasp, as I assume people were expecting some cute young thing instead of this greymuzzle.

You can hear a loud gasp every morning when I go to the bathroom and look in the mirror, too.
Cotton Candy is the only fursuit that should be banned as a dangerous (tail whip) weapon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgRE6BPhN2I

"What? You were expecting a pretty young thing underneath this?"

I expect someone young and cute under every fursuit. It's just creepy having you oldies in fursuits.

I don't know if I would call it creepy... a little unsettling at times perhaps.

What's so funny is I've had it happen to me, too..

I must confess that one of my "Guilty little pleasures" when I'd go to a Con was to watch folks meet and exclaim, "You look nothing like your icon..." or similar. I once went through a stage where I often imagined myself as one of my characters, even going as far to grow a "Love Patch" style beard similar to that which my mythical "Artist" wears. I guess the fascination of others more with the actual appearance of a person as opposed to their "Fursona" is because it shows the personal side of the depicted person's life.

It is pretty funny at times when you pop that fursuit head off and someone who was all huggy a few minutes before looks at you and goes, "Ngggggh!!!"

Been there... done that... right?

Most definitely!!

I definitely look better in suit. hehehe Is that not the purpose of wearing a costume, especially in this sub-culture? Nuka's research (Dr. Courtney Plante) over the years has shown that a fursona is basically an idealized version of ones' self. So I think it would only make sense that your character is more attractive than yourself.

P.S. Nothing personal. I have spoken with you many times and you are charming.

I think that wearing a fursuit is just a carry-over from my past girlfriends asking me to wear a paper bag over my head when we went out.
I am flattered that you think I'm charming. (I'll pay you the 20 bucks for planting that compliment later.)

I think for me it has to do with how much of a relationship you can build with someone over the internet with out knowing who they really are. We just know the idea of that person through their fursona, art, writing etc. Its more personal when you get an actual glimpse of the person that creates those thoughts and feelings.

You mean like when you get used to seeing an actor in character and costume, and then later getting to see them in RL? I guess it's in everyone's brain to substitute a mental image of someone you know but have never seen before.

Well, I've seen you before, so it's not a big deal to me. XD But for a lot of people, it's super interesting to see the person behind the character.

I have to agree with you. I've seen myself before and it isn't a big deal. A little scary perhaps. I do like meeting the people behind the fursuit so that I can recognize them later.

I’d rather be known for the old fart that I am, in comparison to my trashy fursuit that’s just a novelty to me heh

Yeah, but fursuiting connects with so many people, and who wants to remember ugly old farts like us?

Hey I never said anything about being ugly ;3

I'm speaking metaphorically.