No damn kidding.

... Also, I totally facepawed because of the "muzzle was wrong" part... Seriously, more "big name" suits suffer from it than not, too...

Indeedy...

Man I feel really sorry for that kid.
Sadly this is always the problem, with hardcore fans, they don't know when to stop and forgetting the actual spirit of what they should actually represent, a nice and kind community.

As always great art there, keep it coming.

Man why people got to hate. But once again I agree with you, if you are happy with it then that is all that matters. I do find it a little funny that they are wearing fursuits in the picture, I get why but still a little funny.

I bought a $60 white wolf mask from spirit of Halloween. I like it, and my friend's girlfriend who makes fursuits thought it was hand made. She's going to make the rest of the suit for me. If it makes me happy to have it and makes her happy to craft it why should anyone else care who made it?

I know not everyone in this fandom is 100% accepting and supportive (like I had thought they were when I first joined), but that's just low. They should have congratulated him on getting his first suit, I think his resourcefulness is really neat. If anything the jerks that attacked him don't are the ones that aren't "real" furries, they lack the sense of community that's a big part of what makes most of the fandom great.

That's pretty insightful.

Frankly speaking, considering how much I've seen people behave lately, this does not surprise me in the least. Really sorry to hear for that kid.

I've seen this a lot, too. Not just in the furry fandom, also when I was in some car clubs....

Every group of people of every interest always has opinionated and sanctimonious assholes in the group that ruins it for all the people trying to get in with the crowd. You just gotta refrain from letting them get to you and put their words in one ear and out the other, and just be yourself and have fun. Don't live up (or is it down...?) to this kind of person's standards; you put yourself into a shell you never break out of.

*faved*

People can be proper dick's. It pains me to read this .

It almost makes one think that we evolved with middle fingers for a reason.

When someone tells you something like "You aren't a real furry", it kind of hurts. D:

The irony there is how they are less of one than you for how they treat people.

I see. Mmm. I remember that I when I joined the furry fandom, I found it quite open. >'===='>

I know right?

I also feel badly about it. Only thing the buyer could've fixed or tried not sure of the details is tried un-mat the fur

What was amazing with this fandom in the 90s was the wonderful variety in tips of costumes, with the commensurate variable quality between newcomers and experienced people, with the former being inspired by the latter before becoming those who are inspiring new newcomers.

Now it's fursuit-or-nothing, and only from certain Big Names. But they came from somewhere, and will be succeeded by others in a few years when circumstances make them stop. (I've been in this fandom since 1987, I've seen costuming grow and change, and seen a succession of must-have-from costume makers. That won't change.)

Enthusiasm from newcomers is what keeps any fandom going, and should not be dampened. If it fits, doesn't fall apart and most importantly is making the wearer happy, then that is the most important part. The rest is circumstances (not everyone has our can have money).

Thank you for another insightful piece.

I know this situation personally. Not exactly from the fursuit community, but from the Animegao Kigurumi community. Everyone in the community knows the top/most sought after maker. And the general consensus for several bears has been that if you don't have a head made from them, you might as well not bother spending your money. I didn't have a spare $3000 lying around, so I learned to make my own. From the moment I presented it to the community, all I heard were insults, both public and private. Several members of this community even went as far as to hack into my Facebook account and my email account. That was three years ago. I still receive the occasional insult across Facebook... Even after removing and blocking every single person involved with the community.

I may not know you, but from reading your comment I'm terribly sorry to hear that happened to you. I hope you're feeling alright from that horrifying experience.

I have moved on. And I stay away from anyplace those people frequent.

That is just evil of them, no matter what they say, you put effort into that and they should not be jerks about that.

You cannot insult someone because they got cheap fursuit. This is just ridiculous. However my advice to poor furries: if you cannot afford a fursuit that won't make you look like an idiot, then don't buy it. Using fail fursuit won't get compliments but would ridicule you. The problem is complex. If the fursuit is cheaper but still it looks acceptable then there's no point to have fun of someone. If you are going to get attention in wrong way, then you will get it. This is harsh but this is how it is. You get fursuit to look good and have fun too. If you don't look good, but you have fun, then maybe wear it at home. I don't know. That's what I think, but I won't talk like that to hurt someone who is just starting. There's no need to hurt people because they cannot afford something. xd I cannot afford any fursuit now, but that's not a problem. I just have to live without it. :P

The thing is suit quality (especially if it is home made) is subjective. It may look good to you and maybe to others but there will always be those who will ridicule you. Now a professional suit is definitely going to turn more heads especially if you're publicly suiting but it shouldn't matter, as long as you're having fun. You're not just being harsh you're being down right cruel. You are basically telling someone that you would prefer they keep their "ugly" fursuit at home because it's easier then calling out this horribly behavior.

That's funny but most of the fursuits are home made, aren't they?

I would say it's about 50/50. Exactly what is funny?

If the home made fursuit is worse than made by professional.

I don't get it? Isn't it generally a given that a professionally made product will look better than one that is home made? My point is that it shouldn't matter as long as the individual is having fun. It's our job both as furries and human beings to call out shitty behavior like this when we see it.

that's so true

I haven't gotten anything verbal, but I do get looks of disgust and amusement from suiters when I prance around in a tail I received and a hat with fox ears. Like, I'm a starving artist. What do you want from me? I made the hat myself and that cheap looking tail was part of a trade where I made 10 VERY small plushies that all had to be hand stitched. I literally bled fo this tail. Screw you guys.

critique is for enlightening and helping them improve what they have or for the next one. But it has to be done a certain way. most people are not critiquing they are outright being hurtful and bashing anymore.

Even in an accepting community like this, there are those little thorns.

anymore it's getting very clicky

Too true... too true... I get flacked due to, well your not cute if your not in a full suit..

I think you're cute.

*blushes* Aww thank you.

In my opinion, the partial you have is really cute! Don't let anyone get you down; this looks a lot better than some full suits I've seen.

Hehe, thanks. I really appreciate that.

D'aww poor little guy.
Nice work, that's cute. :D

this is so true

Pointing out faults = fine. Just saying something like "It's garbage" or "money/time all down the drain" =/= fine.

Only if your helping them with how to avoid or fix the faults.

I had the same problem with money, if i wanted a suit by a wellknown maker i had to spend 2500-3000$ and this would mean more than two years of saving with my currently income.

I found someone doing good for 800 and got it. Im happy eith it but dont had a reaction yet because i not went to a con until now. I have to optimize it a little, this will help me to learn about mskingbthem too.

And if someone really takes on me like they do on this poor fella, i invite them to pay for me if they are this rich, this usually shuts thier mouth.

"... i invite them to pay for me if they are this rich, this usually shuts thier mouth. "

Best comeback ever. XD

Why must one judge such a perfectly cute costume?

That bunny has had enough,

I will hug a suiter and make a point to if there cringe worthy x.x
I feel both my suits are terrible, yet I try and do have fun... kinda the whole point I thought o.o

Some of the comments thought x.x
Bought ruined the fandom for me

I empathize with this kid so much.

People are assholes. And it really doesn't matter what you wear or how much it costs. I love my simple ears and tail from the dollar store. People should shut their cakehole

RUDE!

Still hurts regardless.

o.O I just don't understand the venom that persists in this community... Send some affection and respect this young person's way. I'm glad they got their 'suit' and sorry people have to be so petty. Hope this experience didn't chase them off.

Well Said, and I'm sorry this is happening. it's not cool to tear someone's happiness apart like that.

Even though I've never personally encountered this at furmeets or conventions, this just breaks my heart, because I feel the same way. Detailed suits are expensive, but if someone orders a less detailed one, that doesn't make them any less a furry than others.

Thank you for the daily dose of tolerance and understanding, Okami. ^^

D: I hate it when people do things like that. Who cares as long as you have fun and are excited! That is why I came here and staid. all the fun

I get down talked a lot because I still use a ps2 and ps3 system.
"New gen rulez *yadda yadda yadda (don't wanna add the details in that)"

I feel that way as if it would be a fursuit (metaphorically speaking...if I'm doing a metaphor right) I'm just happy with what ij have

Also, I find this piece very adorable with a chibi furry in a chibi fursuit. :3

Adam Savage talks about this occasionally, and I agree with him. Its about what the wearer thinks and feels.

Its not about how good it is, whether you made it yourself or not, its about how good it makes you feel. Sometimes you see someone with a derpy looking (or maybe just Derpy herself) fursuit, or it looks old and worn, or maybe its some generic suit from China, but their having an awesome time, love it dearly or they are just trying to start out. Its about the what the person wearing it thinks, what their standards are and all that, Yeah, you can judge them, not let them be part of your super secret fursuit society or whatever, but their here in this fandom and theres nothing you can do about that, so let them have their fun!

Adam Savage talking about cosplay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXbXNV9-ZAg

I think Uncle Kage should go on TED talks and talk about furries

Personaly,I never encontered this problem,even in the cosplay community.The only one that critizised one of my costume is my mom.But it sadden me that there is all this hate.Cosplay and fursuiting(even Kigurumi and Larping)are suppose to be a hobby that makes everyone who enjoys it happy.Why is there some individuals who share the same interest as others,yet they bash on them because their costumes/suits are not the same quality as them?
You are right about the fact that the most important thing is that the wearer is happy.He or she can ignore what those haters are saying.He or she is happy with his/her costume,no matter the quality or cost.I respect all cosplayers and fursuiters,,and other costumers.

IT bothers me because if you want to turn people away from being a fur this is how you do it..

Indeed,and that is sad.It bothers me as well.

Sadly enough, this kind of bashing occurs not just in this fandom, but I've heard of it happening in the community of Cosplay. Some people are elitest when it comes to Cosplay. Some are on the side of, "No online bought costumes! Its not Cosplay if you bought if off the internet!" where there are those who are okay with online bought or thrown together Cosplay. Heck, I remember the first time I made my fursona's fursuit partial for an Anime Con. I went to. It wasn't super pretty, it had its flaws ALL OVER XD I'll admit it. Sometimes, the first time you make something isn't the prettiest.

Even if you can't afford to purchase a professionally made suit, especially from a well known suit maker, try your hand at making it or even do what the person. Don't let others negative view points get you down and destroy the magic for you.

It's not "costuming" (i.e. the creation of costumes, for theatre, screen, or cosplay) if it's store bought, but some costumers feel that the word "cosplay" should be limited to the activity of fan costuming (i.e. only the creation of costumes) as well, and including modelling costumes dilutes the meaning of the word "cosplay".

I can't say I agree. Cosplay = costume + play. It encompasses costuming, prop making, modelling, dress up, photography, making publications, really anything goes. If you want to play tennis, do you make your own racket? :P

everyone gets by the best they can, please be kind to others, or you know at least don't be a dick

i've actually seen this happen in person before. someone referred to a costumer as a "dollar store fursuiter" and told them they had no right calling themselves furry and had no place in the fandom.

Like i dunno... here i thought we were known for being accepting and stuff then you see this behavior and i just don't get it. as though it was how much money you spend on things that dictated whether you were a REAL furry... this mentality is just asinine! Fun fact? If that WERE the case... I sure as hell wouldn't be considered a furry, despite my contributions to the fandom... in fact... most high profile artists wouldn't fit the description... does that make any of them somehow LESS furry? better stop buying all that art from them then :P

and if that's not the case then WHY ARE YOU RAGGIN' on people for expressing themselves the best they can within their means?!

some people's children, i swear.

sorry for the rant. Elitism is sorta strikes a nerve with me.

fofr the most part i know how you feel, being pushed down and shoved into the dirt for likeing what you have or bought. then for having pride in it and showing it off, and being thrown into the ground even harder? its one of the worst feelings anyone could ever feel. reminds me of my family when they found i was into the furries. then even worse when i told them i wanted to get a suit to dress in.
all to point... people are cruel beings.. fur or not. all of us have been cruel to another being in one point in our life wether we like it or not. some regret it other.....well people do what people do.

I feel that the society tends to misunderstand the furs, what makes the simple fact of being a furry harsh.
There's no space to intolerance between furs... =<

I think the meaning of furry is something like: different "species"of human accepting each other.
If you ask me a word to define the real meaning of being furry, I'll choose acceptance

Ok, you can call me naive. u3u

I thank you for making awareness of this reality that we live daily.

I used to be very harsh when judging fursuits, I would never mock the person wearing it but still I would cringe whenever I encounter an "ugly fursuit".
Still I believe I was being selfish and flat out ignorant, why? Because I was not considering the person's point of view about the fursuit that HE/SHE/THEY are wearing.
Do they look like they are having fun? Yes. Then, why not go beyond the aesthetic point and just understand that we all should be supposed to be having fun, together as a group. We choose to be furries because of a big number of reasons.
People even call us crazy, most of us are in fact I don't doubt it but let's face it, the otakus aren't doing any better, the trekkies I'm pretty sure that they have their issues too but all in all we are here because we want to belong, (most furries at least), and also because we wanna have fun and enjoy the fact that we can share this whole furry, yiff, fantasy, escape, reality or whatever we are supposed to be sharing. When we go demeaning others and actually making them feel bad, we are either being too blind to see beyond our noses or we really don't care about how others feel, behavior that can be quite poisonous in communities such as this one.

All in all cruel people will always exist, because it can be pathological and because that is part of humanity as well, so all we have left to do is just try to understand and sometimes just say: "fuck it this is what I have, I am happy with it so fuck the world." and within that keep in mind all of the above, when dealing with people's reactions.

A piece of coal can be as worthy as a piece of gold depending on the hands that are holding it... but not all of us will have the same glasses to appreciate it.

"Everyone's budget is different"
exactly, it still gives people outthere with a pricetag where they actually "think" its fair and if you say something as "small nobody", you get bashed from "fanboys" or people who actually think those prices are normal.

700$ for one drawn picture with a normal quallity? For me, its expensive as shit and noone can tell me thats normal. i see work behind things like music, art or fursuits but if fanboys (or like) keep defending such exorbitant price AND its "takers" (creators/artists) it makes no sence AT ALL. a lot people, LIKE me, see the 700$ objective:

for 700$, i can pay my rent at least twice, could get a new consol, can go on a good long road trip or save it up for some big chrismas presents for my whole family.

that is just a sample but thinking THAT way is not wrong at all, it sure sounds like people "complain" about the high prices but defending them IF youre NOT the artist/creator and only a fanboy is -NOT- your job. Sure, you might payed one picture from this person and youre happy, sure, im also glad you enjoy it but a lot other people might have other things in mind WHAT you actually can to with that whole lot of money.

Next to this, we are still in the furryfandom and a lot people pay way to much for stuff they just "pay for". Would you pay 500$ for a regular "G" rated art or for a "A" rated one? Also fame and name is also a thing i could talk about "now" since a whole lot of the more "known" artist outthere just think they draw on golden paper, wile the more smaller artists which might even have a artstyle very close to those known ones maybe only take 30-50$ insteed of 700$.
A last point from myself, i rather help and pay such "smaller" artists AND (even) tip them as giving people which already earn (or "wish dream") with such high prices a own home.

Some of the smaller artists deserve really our attention more then the bigger ones.

I was furre before furry was cool. I'm still a furre and will always be that. My furre-sona head I made so long ago that it's hidden in the fog of the past but I take it out once in a great while and wear it. Maybe I'll make a tail and paws but that's not high on my list of furry things. That being said, you do what you can with what you have and when you can do more, you make more.

You should never put someone down. It's just an awful thing to do.

I've been told, through the ages, that I'm not furry enough for a number of reasons. First it was because I didn't have art of my fursona. Then it was because I had art, but not from a big name artist. Then because I didn't have a fursuit. Then my ex sold that. Now I get told I'm not furry enough because I can't drink. I'm getting the impression that the problem is really that I'm not wanted, and people just use excuses instead of just telling me to my face.

Wait, someone said you're not furry enough because you don't drink? What kind of excuse is that?

That's my thoughts. Ironic given how long I've been involved in the fandom for.

THIS is so true!

Been saying it for years, people are assholes.

I find the greatest critic for my fursuit is myself. I feel I cannot go anywhere in it without the lightsaber, for fear that no one will notice me otherwise.

I have seen a few not so great fursuits before and kind of privately thought they looked off but I mean that's just rude to shit on someone else because they god forbid didn't have three grand sitting around. If I had approached someone and said "hey this looks off can it get fixed" that's something worth bringing up.. but I mean.. really. :|

- I find myself doing this at times: I like to take photos of fursuits, and I tend to gravitate towards people wearing fursuits that are well crafted. I try to take photos of fursuiters who have fursuits I don't like as much, because I think everybody should have a good photo; but I'm sure I take slightly disproportionately more photos of fursuits that I like.
- And I also have a distaste for Chinese mascot makers, and that's because they make 1) low-quality product that is also often 2) plagiarized design. In short, they make shoddy knockoffs, of Mario, Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and even knockoffs of original fursuit designs, and they do it out of profit, not because of their passion for the work.

(clicked the submit button by mistake, this comment will be continued later)

I'm ethnically Chinese myself, and I cringe when I see this kind of disrespect to original creativity. Of course this is not universally true; I've seen some Chinese mascot makers that make high quality product, and some that clearly are having fun with their work. And I have nothing but respect for work from actual Chinese furries, who, despite the lack of tutorials and resources in their (our) language, still produce amazing work!

Some samples of Chinese fursuits:
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/21758231/
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/17890957/
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/17318536/

i know how that little guy feels. when i got my very first fur suit. no matter how friendly or cute i was. no

one wanted to talk or hang out with me. they took one look at my head and said not cute enough. so i then

had to some how fix my suit just so people could at least say hello to me. so yes just because some one

doesn't have a suit made by a very popular well known maker doesn't mean you should ignore them or thing

there suit is trash. because at least i liked my suit until people at fur cons gave me the boos.

Sound advice, and a very sweet picture. I heartily agree. Very good advice, as is most of yours, which is why I love the positive messages you send with your art.

Oh, I'm so sorry! QnQ *hugs you*

The quality of fursuits has reached this amazing high art over the last 10 years. It meets (or has surpassed) what Hollywood movie props would use! ...yet at the same time, if you wore what was once a high-quality suit then, you'd be laughed at now. It's an "arms race" that has left everybody behind.

I agree with you; what some people have is all they can afford and if they love it, they should be supported for what they love, and if one thinks that they should be helped, then help them.
I've wanted to purchase a fursuit once but now that I think about it I probably will never be able to afford anything like that, and I'll just be saving on my future of academics. Recently, something similar has happened to me at school. One of my classmates asked me what I think about cars and I replied that my family didn't own one. He told me he can't believe how poor my family was. That stung.
Frankly, for having no suit and just standing out as the person I am void of much technology except for a computer and smartphone, I've had to leave one online furry social media site. This message is important. Some things that we want are just too expensive. Some things are valuable to us because of just how much effort we've had to spend on them, not the numerical value of the cash.

I recently attended a gaming convention as a vendor, and at this convention there was only one fursuiter that attended. I wish I had pictures, or at least had gotten their name so we could chat, but they were obviously younger, probably a teen. They were accompanied by their grandparents, and were dressed up as a black, gray, and white angel dragon. This suit would have fursuiter snobs in a tizzy; the three colors of fur all had different piles and textures, the eyes were a bit off-center, and it was a bit baggy on such a small-framed person. But you know what? As bad as my perfectionist sense cringed, I was ELATED to see an angel dragon at the con, making children smile and laugh with their cute antics. Even more so when I finally had a break from vending to go up and talk to them. I swore I could see their face light up through the mask when I told them I recognized what they were, and they stayed in character so beautifully (they squeaked instead of talking, and reminded me of Telephone in their mannerisms). After they hugged me and wandered off to go look at another table, their grandmother said I was the only person who knew what they were all day, and the only person to give them a hug instead of a high-five. It broke my heart, because despite how amateur their work was, they had put a lot of time and effort into their suit, and were proudly wearing the fruits of their labor. And the fact that they were in-character and enjoying themselves so immensely mattered more than my cringe at technical flaws (I despise shoddy sewing and poor gluing purely because it affects the longevity of a costume). I really wish I had gotten their name, because I would love to talk with them and see them get better and better at what they've done.

I will preach it until the day I die; a costume is just a costume until you make that character come to life. And if a fursuiter is passionate about the character they're portraying, then it is no one's business but their own how much they can afford to spend on a suit to help in that portrayal. Least of all someone who is so hung up on appearances that they forget that even professional suit makers had to start somewhere.

I wish some of the big makers would comment on this.

I once roomed with a maker at AC 2010. He was making fursuits in a new way and I really thought he could do his creations for Holly Wood instead - because, these were quite personalized. At one point, got so pissed I ended up seeing my fursuit maker upset over the talk and was reminded it is the character that makes the fursuit come to life.

My current fursuit Tigertoy is near his life term. It tears at me that he might soon end. I've had to resort to half suiting lately or using my Halloween costume. My Halloween costume is a werewolf mask altered and added various parts to be used as a partial. I named him Dusk. I do what I have to with my Halloween costume Dusk.

Also another thing is Tigertoy is a plush character yet just because he is not made like that it is not thought to be one... *Sighes*

Frankly it is what you bring with the character to life not the money.

A lot of thoughts on this.

For one there are Chinese makers that dupe people into buying suits and these suits are already of characters that HAVE their own suits. I'm not kidding! There are people who have had their own fursona stolen and copied as a piece of shit suit. If the furry bought that because he loved the original and wanted to have a copy.. to me that's wrong. Sorry. Imagine if you spent money to get your own suit created and found out that someone did a knockoff of your suit..

It'd make you feel pretty shitty hmm?

However, if it was a generic suit then it's fine. I have seen people wear $7,000 fursuits and.. they plod around because that's all their motion is! And I have seen people in $200 suits that were made themselves and they act better than the rest of the fursuiters that I know.

The point is the person makes the suit.. not the other way around. It's never that.

Also I am not surprised .. I had gotten into a heated argument over twitter and I was told by a furry to "get the fuck out of their fandom"

Right. I am 48 years old and been in the furry community for 25 years. And you want me to get out? Fuck you.

Wow, you been furry almost longer than I"ve been alive X3

Sounds like how I might have to go for my first suit <.<

You predicted the story of Emma Tiger!
Glad that bullies like the ones in the picture are in the minority and that most furries know what it's like to be marginalized so they protect those who are.

Oooooh, yes, I'm well acquainted with THESE SORT OF PEOPLE. Chased me out of the Darkstalkers fandom for a good twelve years. 'Course it drove me to take up American Comic books, which worked out EXTREMELY well for me! So, I guess it was a blessing in disguise?

Nonetheless, I'm still NOT a fan of these kinds of people, no matter what fandom they're from.

Nig-