Question from a non-fursuiter: What got you into it?

[Sinamuna]

I've always found fursuits to be... unsavory and fairly creepy if I'm honest. I'm not a hater, nor would I bash anyone for doing it (especially if they're having fun and not harming themselves/others). But... it's always been one of those bizarre things I could never wrap my head around.

In my uncultured eyes, it looks like the same fursuit everyone wears, just with different colors/cosmetics here and there. That, and I imagine it's incredibly heavy, hot inside them, as well as uncomfortable/hard to move around it because of the big clunky paws and feet. I get the joy of buying one, or creating one yourself somehow- that's impressive in its own right if it's unique and well-made.

But... yeah... ;w; I'm not trying to be rude so please don't read into this wrong! I'm just a "light furry" questioning why hardcore furries like the suit stuff. lol
(Not asking about fursuit...play...or any of the fetish stuff, so keep it clean if you answer, guys XD)

 

[Zehlua]

I got into fursuiting because I love the Muppets... seriously. Puppeteering is a beautiful art, AND it requires acting and doing fun voices! So when I fursuit, my suit has to have a moving jaw and some kind of thing with the eyes, whether they blink or follow you around. I also animate, so I'm very passionate about creating the illusion of life. I'm committed to playing whatever character I am to the fullest extent. I really want to be able to suspend someone's disbelief, make them really believe for a moment that they're talking to a real creature.
Some day I want a fursuit head that blinks. Any animator will tell you that that's one of the first signs of life in a character. That's what makes them feel like they're alive.
I just love the theatrical element and the physical art element of fursuiting. They make me feel so happy and excited! You get to bring a character to life!

 

[Frank Gulotta]

I like bizarre

 

[Raever]

This statement,

In my uncultured eyes, it looks like the same fursuit everyone wears, just with different colors/cosmetics here and there.

And this statement,

I get the joy of buying one, or creating one yourself somehow- that's impressive in its own right if it's unique and well-made.

Mildly contradict themselves.

However I get your point. Fursuits really are a love it or hate it thing. Think of it like cosplay - some people want to dress up and spend a lot of time and/or money to be a character. Even if sometimes that effort ends up a little uncomfortable. Other times, people just want to go to a convention to enjoy the art, food, venues, (etc). There isn't an end all be all reason to make yourself like Suiting if you just don't get it. - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with disliking it. Personally speaking I find that the more creative the suit, the cooler it is.

 

[DergenTheDragon]

I would like to get into fursuiting, partially because I'd wear it all the time cuz ITS SO FRWAKING COLD IN THIS HOUSE and partially because the other day I hallucinated having a tail, (not just visual, I could feel the weight and sway of it as well) and it felt amazing. And now I can't get that feeling out of my head, I must know what it actually feels like..

Edit: plus I kinda wanna see Dergen in the flesh. My brains run through probably 100 times what that would look like, but imagining it and seeing it for real are worlds apart.

 

[Keefur]

Several years ago, I wrote an essay on this for a Furry book called, "Furries Among Us". The essay was called "Fursuiting and the Fandom. Fursuiting is an amazing way to step outside of yourself. I first got into it as a way to make other people happy. It seemed to fill a huge hole in my life that I did not even realize was there. To paraphrase my own essay, I was able to bask in the reflected glow of joy that I bestowed upon others. Is it for everyone? No. Others are right in that it is hot, sweaty, and clumsy. If you are claustrophobic, then don't even think about it. If you are thinking about trying it, I suggest you try to get someone to let you try their suit on for five or ten minutes. When you first don a suit, don't try to wear it longer than twenty minutes on the first try. It takes some getting used to. Stay hydrated and take a handler with you, at least at first. Remember... It isn't the suit that makes the character... It's the character inside that makes the suit. You are an actor. If you aren't an actor, then you are just yourself wearing a bunch of fur. Please feel free to note me if you have any other questions.

 

[DergenTheDragon]

Several years ago, I wrote an essay on this for a Furry book called, "Furries Among Us". The essay was called "Fursuiting and the Fandom. Fursuiting is an amazing way to step outside of yourself. I first got into it as a way to make other people happy. It seemed to fill a huge hole in my life that I did not even realize was there. To paraphrase my own essay, I was able to bask in the reflected glow of joy that I bestowed upon others. Is it for everyone? No. Others are right in that it is hot, sweaty, and clumsy. If you are claustrophobic, then don't even think about it. If you are thinking about trying it, I suggest you try to get someone to let you try their suit on for five or ten minutes. When you first don a suit, don't try to wear it longer than twenty minutes on the first try. It takes some getting used to. Stay hydrated and take a handler with you, at least at first. Remember... It isn't the suit that makes the character... It's the character inside that makes the suit. You are an actor. If you aren't an actor, then you are just yourself wearing a bunch of fur. Please feel free to note me if you have any other questions.

That, is a very good explanation. I think you've hit the nail on the head with that one.

 

[reptile logic]

I haven't worn one in over twenty years. Mine was official; Smokey Bear. Despite the heat and other difficulties, I found that being someone else, in the eyes of others for a time, to be exhilarating. Great fun; more rewarding than I had initially expected. I truly enjoyed playing the part of The Bear.

Now and then, I consider building one more suited to the 'sona that fits me best. The technical difficulty of realizing my vision, as well as the cost, keep me from following through. For the same cost, a good, used motorcycle can be more fun, more often. I also don't need a handler to ride it.

 

[Toby_Morpheus]

I'm not a suiter, but some say that it helps them be more social because in some people, like those with varying forms of autism, have a really hard time with face-to-face interaction, but a mask/costume can help them with it.
I've had a similar experience with VR. I've only been doing it for a month and I already feel a lot more confident in irl interaction.

 

[Paulosaurus]

I didn't start out as all that interested in suiting, then a friend of mine got his first suit. And, while looking back it's a well-made, professional piece, at the time my reaction was "You paid HOW much for that? I could just make one for way less!" Unlike many, I actually put my money where my mouth was, and produced my first, incredibly laughable attempt over the course of about 2 or 3 weeks just before FC2013 on a budget of under $200 US. It was hideous and actually painful to wear, but I'd made it myself.

A few months later, I looked back and thought "Ok if a throw a bit more time and money into this kind of thing, maybe I can make a suit that's actually decent-looking and wearable..." This brought me to the Mk-2 version of my own suit and the first of a number of experiments into materials and techniques that I couldn't find evidence of other makers using at the time (this would become a pattern as I went on).

7 years later, I've made a dozen or so suits and a kigu or two, several being commissions (though I still mostly do suit-making as a hobby and not my primary source of income). I've suited at every con I've attended since then as well as local meets and special occasions when work schedule would allow. Probably those most time in-suit at once was around 9 hours straight at FC2016 in a feathered raptor costume that I won first place at the masquerade event with.

I don't really suit up all that often lately outside of cons and occasions such as Halloween, and I'm not nearly as in-character as many suiters are, but it's still fun to stomp around as a dinosaur from time to time.

 

[MischievousPooka]

I see it as how people want to have fun and some build confidence. I don't really have a fursona fursuit. I cosplay different characters and I have two that are a partcials. And I have one that is more like a kigurumi suit which is less hot and good for being outside more.

The material is thin and the head has a wider opening so I don't overheat.

But I find it fun to dress up in any costumes instead of wearing the boring clothes I have wear at work during the weeks. And I also like peoples reactions I get at cons.

 

[RyuokoWolf]

I was once a wee lad 8 years ago, who stumbled on a fursuit on DeviantART without being completely aware of the furry fandom and it kinda called out to me. I wanted to do it and wanted to have one for a very long time.

 

[Kit the fox]

I'm a furry but at first I was wondering why I didn't like fursuits and still wanted to be a fox.. thats when I realized i was a quadsuiter

 

[Kit the fox]

I've always found fursuits to be... unsavory and fairly creepy if I'm honest. I'm not a hater, nor would I bash anyone for doing it (especially if they're having fun and not harming themselves/others). But... it's always been one of those bizarre things I could never wrap my head around.

In my uncultured eyes, it looks like the same fursuit everyone wears, just with different colors/cosmetics here and there. That, and I imagine it's incredibly heavy, hot inside them, as well as uncomfortable/hard to move around it because of the big clunky paws and feet. I get the joy of buying one, or creating one yourself somehow- that's impressive in its own right if it's unique and well-made.

But... yeah... ;w; I'm not trying to be rude so please don't read into this wrong! I'm just a "light furry" questioning why hardcore furries like the suit stuff. lol
(Not asking about fursuit...play...or any of the fetish stuff, so keep it clean if you answer, guys XD)

You should try quadsuits! Trust me, I had the same situation where I thought first it's were creepy with big eyes and stuff and then I found out about quadsuits, fursuits that are on all fours and look almost EXACTLY like and animal look it up! :3

 

[zandelux]

Given the discomfort of wearing a suit for a long time, and given that you're basically performing in character while you wear it, do most fursuiters also take breaks? Like change back into regular clothes and hang out at cons? That's what I like about cosplaying, you can cosplay at like an anime con and still enjoy it normally. Sometimes people will come up and take pictures with you, is all. Fursuiting sounds more like a job, if you do it for the whole day.

 

[Kit the fox]

Several years ago, I wrote an essay on this for a Furry book called, "Furries Among Us". The essay was called "Fursuiting and the Fandom. Fursuiting is an amazing way to step outside of yourself. I first got into it as a way to make other people happy. It seemed to fill a huge hole in my life that I did not even realize was there. To paraphrase my own essay, I was able to bask in the reflected glow of joy that I bestowed upon others. Is it for everyone? No. Others are right in that it is hot, sweaty, and clumsy. If you are claustrophobic, then don't even think about it. If you are thinking about trying it, I suggest you try to get someone to let you try their suit on for five or ten minutes. When you first don a suit, don't try to wear it longer than twenty minutes on the first try. It takes some getting used to. Stay hydrated and take a handler with you, at least at first. Remember... It isn't the suit that makes the character... It's the character inside that makes the suit. You are an actor. If you aren't an actor, then you are just yourself wearing a bunch of fur. Please feel free to note me if you have any other questions.

Are u sure its not about a killer furry on a spaceship killing off crewmates who are trying to do,their tasks while the killer furry is hiding in vents

 

[zandelux]

Are u sure its not about a killer furry on a spaceship killing off crewmates who are trying to do,their tasks while the killer furry is hiding in vents

Plot twist: the humans are the real monsters, and the furry is the hero.

 

[Kit the fox]

Plot twist: the humans are the real monsters, and the furry is the hero.

I like that story

 

[Mambi]

You should try quadsuits! Trust me, I had the same situation where I thought first it's were creepy with big eyes and stuff and then I found out about quadsuits, fursuits that are on all fours and look almost EXACTLY like and animal look it up! :3

Never knew about them, looked them up, saw some good pics of great ones, and I see what you mean!!! <wide smile> Seems the majority are dog and wolf (naturaly, they're adorable and fun!) but add the word "feline" and a lot of good tigers and other cats come out to play! <raur>

 

[Kit the fox]

Never knew about them, looked them up, saw some good pics of great ones, and I see what you mean!!! <wide smile> Seems the majority are dog and wolf (naturaly, they're adorable and fun!) but add the word "feline" and a lot of good tigers and other cats come out to play! <raur>

I want to see if they have realistic fox ones

 

[PhyloSallas]

I've always found fursuits to be... unsavory and fairly creepy if I'm honest. I'm not a hater, nor would I bash anyone for doing it (especially if they're having fun and not harming themselves/others). But... it's always been one of those bizarre things I could never wrap my head around.

In my uncultured eyes, it looks like the same fursuit everyone wears, just with different colors/cosmetics here and there. That, and I imagine it's incredibly heavy, hot inside them, as well as uncomfortable/hard to move around it because of the big clunky paws and feet. I get the joy of buying one, or creating one yourself somehow- that's impressive in its own right if it's unique and well-made.

But... yeah... ;w; I'm not trying to be rude so please don't read into this wrong! I'm just a "light furry" questioning why hardcore furries like the suit stuff. lol
(Not asking about fursuit...play...or any of the fetish stuff, so keep it clean if you answer, guys XD)

Honestly I feel ya. I'd classify myself as furry lite too, as I enjoy anthros immensely and primarily draw them, but the suiting always seemed...too much for me. I hear that commonly it's about stepping outside yourself and being someone else awhile, but I guess I just never really felt the need to...prolly cuz I don't really know who I am enough to have something to step outside of. XD

But honestly you guys who do it are awesome. ^_^ you keep on rocking those suits!