It's not just a hobby, it's an obsession

HURON TWP. — Standing in a shared hotel room crowded with dismantled pop culture characters, one woman diligently prepared her first, of many, costumes for the day. Standing among boxes and bags of cosplay pieces, Siesel starts the process of getting dressed up as Disney princess Belle for ColossalCon at Kalahari Resorts on Friday, June 2, 2017. Lindsay Siesel, of Bellevue, quickly sewed on a button to her refurbished Belle gown to dress up as the Disney princess at ColossalCon, an anime convention at Kalahari Resorts."It's an obsession, it's not a hobby anymore," Siesel said as she pulled on the dress. Siesel, like many others attending the convention, was there to "cosplay," a contraction of the words costume and play. Almost complete, Siesel daps on the final touches of lip color for her Belle costume at Kalahari Resorts during ColossalCon on Friday, June 2, 2017. "Every girl grew up wanting a princess dress so getting to do this is really great," she said. "It's about becoming that character," she explained, "I dress up as people that I relate to or a character with qualities that I want. You really do start taking on their better qualities, like heroism or bravery."From Princess Leia to Jessica Rabbit, Siesel has constructed dozens of costumes over the nine years she's been dedicated to the craft. These characters are showcased on her Facebook page, Sheikahchica Cosplay."I like the challenge of figuring out how I am going to put a costume together," Siesel said. "It's a good test of your skills."In addition to conventions like this weekend's ColossalCon, Siesel gets into character for volunteer opportunities.Kevin Swoboda, of Cincinnati, helps Lindsay Siesel with her wig in preparation for ColossalCon at Kalahari Resorts on Friday. Swoboda and Siesel shared a hotel room with several other con-goers. Dressed up as Belle, Lindsay Siesel poses for a portrait in the crowded convention center at Kalahari Resorts during ColossalCon on Friday, June 2, 2017. "Right now, I'm Belle, I'm not myself," Siesel said. "I can go up to people and interact with them in a different way."A convention visitor snaps a picture of Siesel, as Disney princess Belle, during ColossalCon at Kalahari. Before getting into costume, Lindsay Siesel sews on a button to her refurbished Belle dress. Siesel got the dress from a friend who used it for a Disney princess company. "It needed a lot of work," she said. Siesel makes a last minute repair on her Belle dress to cosplay at ColossalCon at Kalahari on Friday, June 2, 2017. "I dress up as people that I relate to or a character with qualities I want," Siesel explained. "You really do start taking on their better qualities, like heroism and bravery."