A photo of the Masquerade from WorldCon 1961, featuring Stu Hoffman dressed as some kind of alien in the foreground, and Sylvia Dees in some kind of chainmail mini dress in the background. They are surrounded by other people in regular 1961 clothing.

It's Cosplay ThrowBackThursday! Taking the Wayback Machine to WorldCon 1961 (aka SeaCon). Stu Hoffman and Sylvia Dees; photo by Ben Jason. Most cosplay at the time was based on SF/F novels & short stories! #cosplaythrowbackthursday #cosplayhistory #worldcon #1960scosplay #tbt

Unknown Sailor Mercury cosplayer caught in a candid shot at Otakon 1999

Day 19 of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay2026 is Cosplay ThrowBackThursday! Unknown Sailor Mercury cosplayer at Otakon 1999, photo by Kevin Lillard of A Fan's View (RIP). #cosplayisforeveryone #28daysofblackcosplay #poccosplay #cosplaythrowbackthursday

Denice Giradeau in a yellow and teal sequined gown, from an illustration by Gray Morrow in The Illustrated Roger Zelazny, WorldCon 1983

Day 12 of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay2026 is Cosplay ThrowBackThursday! Denice Giradeau at WorldCon 1983, as M'Cwye the Matriarch from The Illustrated Roger Zelazny, art by Gray Morrow; photo by Brengibble. #cosplayisforeveryone #28daysofblackcosplay #poccosplay #cosplaythrowbackthursday

Unidentified cosplayers at Otakon 1999 cosplaying as Tommy Fujioka (left) and Batanen Fujioka (right) from the anthropomorphic anime series Hyper Police.

Day 27 of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay2025
is also #CosplayThrowBackThursday! Featuring unidentified cosplayers as Tommy Fujioka & Batanen Fujioka from Hyper Police, photo by Kevin "A Fan's View" Lillard, Otakon 1999! #28daysofblackcosplay #CosplayIsForEveryone #poccosplay #tbt #otakon1999

An unknown cosplayer dressed as Shishio from Rurouni Kenshin, covered in bandages, at Otakon 1999. YES, I know the artist of Kenshin is cancelled and a horrible person, but we did not know that yet in 1999, when Kenshin was the hottest anime on the block.

Day 20 of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay2025
is also #CosplayThrowBackThursday! Featuring an unknown* cosplayer as Shishio from Rurouni Kenshin, photo by Kevin Lillard, Otakon 99! (*Cosplay was WAY more anonymous back then- could go years & never find out who a cosplayer was!) #poccosplay #tbt #otakon1999

Sandy Knott dressed as a "Phoenix Without Ashes", a sparkly white leotard dance costume with feathered headdress and silver boots. From WorldCon 1982's masquerade.

Day 13 of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay2025
is also #CosplayThrowBackThursday! Featuring Sandy Knott as "Phoenix Without Ashes", photo by Debbie King, WorldCon 1982 aka ChiCon 4! #28daysofblackcosplay #CosplayIsForEveryone #poccosplay #throwbackthursday #tbt #worldcon1982 #80scosplay #cosplayhistory

A photo, circa 1999, of an unidentified woman cosplaying as Nadia from the Secret of Blue Water anime. She is descending a hotel staircase and has abs for days. (Back in the old days, you often would never know who a cosplayer was, unless they were already in your friend circle. Keeping in touch after a five-minute interaction at a con was much more unusual in those days.)

Day 6 of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay2025
is also #CosplayThrowBackThursday! Featuring this fantastic Nadia from Secret of Blue Water, photo by Kevin "A Fan's View" Lillard, A-Kon 1999! #28daysofblackcosplay #CosplayIsForEveryone #poccosplay #tbt #secretofbluewater #cosplayhistory #fanhistory #akon1999