# Making a suit: DO'S AND DONT'S (my opinions/tips)



## Deathless (Aug 21, 2017)

I've been meaning to make a thread about this even though it's probably been talked about hundreds of times before on here. _*This is from my knowledge of fursuiting* _and making one from scratch. Making a fursuit can, most of the time, be a stressful, long, and expensive process (especially for the first timers). Well I'm here to list some things to do and not do when making/wearing a suit! Hope this helps! this took me like a few hours to write lol

*The Head:*
*DO'S*

Make sure the head base has structure and you're using the right foam. This is a common mistake with the foam being too thick or thin
If you're doing follow-me eyes, make sure they're approximately 1-2 centimeters deep. Make sure the eyes are not pressing down on your cheeks (if so, just put a thin layer of foam under the part that sticks out)
The vision and ventilation NEEDS to be good with limited blind spots. Make sure the mouth is wide enough for you to breathe!
Make sure to wear a balaclava under your fursuit head! It will keep the sweat out so the foam will not soak it up and make your head smelly!
Wash your fursuit head once and a while so not only will it smell nice, it will have clean fur! The waiting process is long but it's worth it!
It's HIGHLY recommended to shave the fur down so it will look neater! Without the shave, the head will look to fluffy (not as cute as you think it'd be)
If your character has horns, try not to use resin unless it's light. The head can be heavy already and the horns can add a pound or two to the head to make strain to your neck
*DONT'S*

Try not to have the head as just one whole cylinder, sculpt out the cheeks. Along with that, make sure the cheeks aren't too pointy/tall unless your reference calls for larger facial features
If your reference has a mane and it goes over the face, try not to just glue it on because the bottom of the fur can make the suit look a bit messy (Again this isn't that important)
Try to refrain from using paper or cloth for the teeth. Instead do what my maker did and cut little teeth out with the foam you used for head or even styro-foam if you're on a budget/can't find the foam used
Try not to make the ears just triangles! Don't be afraid to curve them to make them more realistic (this is mainly for canine or feline fursonas)
For the ears, if there is a different tip color, do not just sew the different fur over it. Sewing the two fur colors together will make the ears look much better
If your character includes makeup, try not to make the eyeliner too thick, it will end up looking a little goth (unless that's what you intend to do)
Do not just cut eye holes and make your eyes visible, the correct way is to use mesh (with thinner holes) so no one can see your eyes. (Note that you can still see through mesh)
*The Body Suit:
DO'S:*

It's best for you to brush your suit BEFORE and AFTER you wear it (out)! It will keep the fur soft and it will make the suit look new and fluffy!
Make sure you wear light clothing under your suit! It's not mandatory to wear a wet suit, wear comfortable shorts and a light T-shirt
Using an X-stitch with DURABLE thread can make the suit last longer and will obviously have more durability
Make sure to have the same fur that you used for the head so it's not mismatching! That can happen a lot (even to me because I bought everything separate). It's not the end of the world if it happens though
Make sure you know what you're doing! Have a reference sheet just in case you forgot what spot goes where! It's okay to have a guide!
It's HIGHLY recommended to make a DTD (Duct Tape Dummy) so you can have a base to work with so you don't make the suit too big or too small for the person it's being made for!
*DONT'S:*

Do not go in your underwear when suiting (mainly outside)! It's more than likely under the fur will be itchy and the weather could be cold, I don't think the suit will keep you very warm
The body suit is NOT something you should be puttering around in unless you're worthy enough to clean it! Nothing wrong with a little dirt on your suit, just make sure to clean it when it gets VERY dirty
Try not to make the crotch area too baggy (unless you're attempting a digitigrade suit) but do not make it too tight where you can't bend or do much
Refrain from making the legs too long so the suit doesn't look baggy on the bottom of the legs. It's okay to make a little room but not a lot! Same goes for making the legs too short! (use a DTD)
Do NOT use (hot) glue as a replacement for sewing! This can lead to easier rips and the fix to not be the easiest! The glue can get in the way when you need to sew it!
*The Tail
DO'S:*

Make sure the tail doesn't have too much or too little stuffing! The tail should feel like a stuffed animal, squishy but not limp!
Be sure the tail is evenly stitched, so the tip of the tail is uneven (even though this can be easily fixed with some scissors)
Make sure the belt loops are durable! Making them even isn't the most important step, it's just to make sure the tail does not seem crooked when it's worn with a belt
*DON'TS:*

Do not make the belt loops too big! The loops should be about a little bigger than the width of the belt, if the loops are too big, that can show and make the tail flimsy
(this is just in general for any cons you go to) Refrain from pulling/yanking other fursuiter's tails because it can be annoying and easily undone 
Do not over-stuff the tail! The tail is meant to sway and look like a natural tail, it shouldn't be stiff (it should feel like a stuffed animal that is fairly new)
Try to not make the tail flat (unless your character calls for a flat tail). if the character is a canine/feline then you will need more of a cylinder tail
*The Feet:*
*DO'S*

(I personally recommend) Having the shoes you use for the feet be a little larger so you'll grow into them (mainly for younger makers that would like feet paws)
Shave the feet too so they don't look messy! If your fursona/reference calls for extremely fuzzy feet, you should still groom it and make it look neat
Use comfortable shoes (slippers, sandals, etc) when making your feet so you can be comfortable. If you are planning on walking a lot, I personally recommend you using sneakers for comfort
When you are making your feet, it's urgent to use shoes that you can ruin and glue things onto it. You can buy new shoes for this, but you can save money by using some old slippers or something
For outdoor feet, be sure to cut all the sole parts that stick out from the bottom of the foot so the feet will look neater (this isn't the most urgent one)

*DONT'S:*

Try not to make the feet too wide or too tall (of course only if your fursona calls for larger feet). The larger the feet are, it may be a bit difficult walking in them
Don't add too much detail and stress yourself over the bottom of the foot. No one is going to judge the paw pads or the sole you use for the bottom 
Try not to make the toes too large or too far from each other (unless obviously your fursona calls for spaced out/larger toes). It can look very odd and not right (especially for canines/felines)
If you're making any webbed feet (with ducks, geese, swans, or hybrids) be sure to still use the foam even though it may look easier to just cut and glue fabric on shoes 
That's all I really can think of right now. Just remember if you're young, don't be afraid to ask for help with the hot glue and the scissors! You can always Google a tutorial on how to make a fursuit, no one is going to shame you! Practice makes perfect! Also to note, the base can/will look a little messy and ugly (mainly for the head) but once you put on the fur and groom it down, it will look really nice!

Good luck! If I missed anything, be free to comment it!


----------

