Gilderoy Lockhart

Costume Debut: Halloween 2010

Costume Reprised: Aeternitas 2011, MISTI-Con 2013, MISTI-Con 2015, Leviosa 2016, MISTI-Con 2017, November 2017, Leviosa 2019, MISTI-Con 2019

For Halloween 2010, Irvin went all-out (as he always does on Halloween). In 2010, for the first time, he not only pulled together a costume, he made one! He sewed a robe out of three t-shirts (the first project he's ever sewn!), and proceeded to dye it pink. He was dressed as Gilderoy Lockhart, in the "lurid pink" robes Lockhart wore on Valentine's Day - his only human male Halloween cosplay! He then made a new cover for a book so that he could advertise his "new book," Magical Me. And of course, no self-respecting Lockhart would go anywhere without a stack of signed photos. So Irvin printed out about two hundred signed photos of himself as Lockhart, all of them signed in beautiful cursive. He gave these out to everyone over the course of the weekend - his Quidditch teammates, benevolent candy-givers during trick-or-treating, and all the most enthusiastic fans in the Greenwich Village Parade (running out about four blocks before the end of the parade).

As a side note, it's something of a miracle that he didn't catch pneumonia that weekend. That robe was essentially a bunch of light t-shirts, and the following day was spent entirely in pajamas, while it was only a few degrees above freezing point. Warm college classrooms had never seemed so welcoming. But sacrifices must be made to look good on Halloween.

Such an outfit had to be worn again, and so it was at Aeternitas 2011. Irvin wore it Friday evening, and was an absolute sensation. He attended a wizard rock concert, gave out over a hundred signed photos, and engaged in an entire monologue about how much the fans mean to him, and how Aeternitas was a gathering of his fans all about him. It became his signature, the costume many remembered him by.

Because the costume was such a success, Irvin couldn't resist briefly reprising it at MISTI-Con 2013 - the only costume he wore at both cons. He wore it on the final morning, so people could always remember him like that. Also, it was probably the most comfortable outfit he wore all weekend, something many people remarked on.

Once more, many signed photos were given out. Moreover, when he was appointed Deputy Undersecretary to the Minister, he immediately launched into a monologue about how many great ideas he has to run the Ministry before finally being shushed. So committed was Irvin to the character, he even used a highly elaborate Lockhart signature when bidding during a silent auction - this may have contributed to the many items he won!

The Lockhart costume proved so popular, Irvin decided to bring it back for MISTI-Con 2015. This made Gilderoy Lockhart the only character Irvin cosplayed at all three Laconia cons (Aeternitas and the two MISTI-Cons). However, by May 2015 the costume would be almost five years old, and was showing its age. Therefore, before the con, the Lockhart costume underwent a complete refurbishing. The robes were resewn, laundered, redyed, and had a decal of pink hearts added. Even Magical Me underwent refurbishing, as days of sweaty hands gripping it had made the cover grungy to say the least. With new robes and a new autobiography, Lockhart 2.0 made his triumphant debut at MISTI-Con 2015, on the very last day for the Leaving Feast.

Evidently, the Lockhart costume had made an impression, because other cosplayers were emulating it. There were several Lockharts present throughout the con, one of whom even gave out photos just as Irvin had done. It was wonderful - imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery! But of course, nothing compares to the original. Irvin brought signed photos to hand out, but over-prepared, because everyone said they still had theirs from last time, and had cherished it. One con-goer, Alice, was so excited to see Lockhart again, she brought him a bouquet of red roses "from his biggest fan." He was quite overcome with emotion.

Lockhart has become Irvin's staple for the last day of a con (because it's so comfortable). The tradition was kept up at Leviosa 2016, where at least some of the congoers didn't have signed photos yet. Lockhart was there, as usual to promote his new book Magical Me, as seen in MuggleNet's video.

Not one to break with tradition, Lockhart closed out MISTI-Con 2017 as well. The Closing Ceremonies did not provide as ample an opportunity for hamming it up as a Feast would, but Irvin still managed it. At the auction, they were auctioning off all the con's decorations, including posters of all of Lockhart's books. Irvin promptly bid on (and won) all but one of them, leading to the recurring announcement, "And the poster of Lockhart's such-and-such book goes to... Gilderoy Lockhart!" It was the perfect narcissistic gesture, always followed by Lockhart bragging about the book in question.

Irvin is now in possession of seven enormous posters of Lockhart's books. They are all proudly hanging in the hallway in his new apartment.

Lockhart was brought in to be Irvin's final costume of CONjuration 2017 as well - with the bonus of being among fans who had not yet received signed photos. There was a perfect opportunity to ham it up during a panel about putting HP characters on trial in the Wizengamot - Lockhart was on the Defense side of the courtroom, and naturally made it all about himself.

At Leviosa 2019, when Lockhart showed up for the end of the convention, a really cool thing happened: Irvin got actually sign books he had written while dressed as Gilderoy Lockhart! It was a really lovely moment, captured below. Irvin also had a lot of genuine fangirls at Leviosa, so that helped set the scene!

At MISTI-Con 2019, Lockhart was the 14th (!!!) and final cosplay of the con for Irvin. It's a good thing it's comfortable, because it got an entire evening and night of wear, as Irvin stayed in it for the after-parties and the all-night hangout. There was even a Harry at the con whom Lockhart could accost with a lot of sage advice about fame!