How would you feel about seeing one wandering around a public park? What about at a party where a few other people are cosplaying? How about wandering around a parade route where it has no link to any of the floats? When I'm referring to mascot costumes, I'm talking about an outfit that makes it look like a bipedal animal or fictional character stepped out of their cartoon. The wearer's body is completely covered, though they rarely wear normal shoes and gloves. The head is sculpted, and may be difficult to see out of depending on how it was designed.
in any of those instances, i'd simply think the person was on their way to a costume party or ball game, or advertising something, or simply off their rocker... why do you want to know?
I worked as a mascot. The only problem I encountered was the incredible heat and little kids running at your feet. Naturally you don't see them, because of your narrow sight, so it happens occasionally that you unintentionally kick one of them as you walk... You must be careful. Because of my experience I look at them a bit differently, I almost always think something like: "You poor bastard. But ok, at least the payment is not bad." Me and my brother. As you probably gather from the picture, the mouth was the hole through which we observed... It's very difficult to see those kids at your feet and anything on your left and right. And it's hot, you sweat like a pig in there if you don't make pause from time to time.
My response would be "Hey, look!" but not "Oh, my God, what is he doing?!" It would be an amusing moment, not a big surprise. I would assume that they were headed to or from something, or that there was some event around the corner that I wasn't aware of.
I'm trying to get a reading about how many people are aware of fursuiters. Basically they are people who sew their own costumes and like to wear them. Some of them even enjoy opportunities to wear them in public. Most of them aren't like their portrayal on the show ER.
CSI had an episode on them as well. I've only ever heard of them from the TV shows and maybe a comment or two online. But seeing someone in a costume, meh, I'd look but wouldn't think much of it.
Unless they were doing something weird or dangerous, I wouldn't think twice about someone in a costume.
yes, 'furries' or whatever they call themselves have been featured in several tv series episodes... seems there's a rather weird subculture of folks who long to be other members of the animal kingdom...
Well, me being me, I'd probably silently 'psychoanalyse' a fursuiter if I saw one. I never saw one just on the street, but I've seen plenty in all sorts of contexts (parties, kids wards, tv etc). There's something a tad fetishistic about dressing in head to toe fur costume for no other reason but to walk around and interact wearing it, but I know a lot of people love it because it makes them relax and to an appropriate degree loose their inhibitions so they can put a smile on people's faces. It's like a stage freight is less awful if you are wearing a mask. So that aspect would attract my attention and inspire me to speculate. But I wouldn't feel creeped out or negative, and if I got the chance I'd love to talk to them and find out more about it. A mascot wearing person like @Poziga I'd think 'You poor thing'. I wouldn't find it odd, unless it kept following me and turning up in the middle of the night, at odd locations, carrying a bag (thinking about that weird clown from Nottingham last year).
