How to Look Like a Cat (Neko)
Buy ears., Cut ears out of fabric., Secure the fabric together., Fold the ears in half., Pin the ears in your hair., Buy a tail., Sew fabric together., Wrap wire., Stuff the tail., Secure the tail to yourself., Make a cat eye., Fill in the cat eye...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Buy ears.
Ears are the easiest way to start displaying a neko look.
The cheapest commercial option is to buy a headband.
Cat ear headbands can be found in various stores around Halloween but can also be ordered online or found in pop culture stores such as Hot Topic.
You may also find cat ear hoodies that serve the same purpose., Making your own ears is a cheaper, more customizable option than shopping for the ears you want.
Fluffy ears can be made from fabric.
Draw an outline of the ears on paper.
Make the ear shapes five inches (12.7 cm) across and three inches (7.62) upwards from the base.
Hold the paper to the fabric and cut around it.
Do the same to a pink fabric if you wish to color the inside of your neko ears.Cheaper, less work-intensive ears can be cut from a strong paper product such as cardboard or a birthday card or even wires.
While many neko ears are furry in cosplay, they don’t have to be.
Use your imagination., Attach the fabric together with pins as you work.
To form the ears, first sew around the edge on the non-pink side, leaving the base open.
Flip the ears inside out, then stuff them with a soft material such as feathers or cotton from a craft store.
Pin the ears shut, then sew them shut. , While the ears will look fine straight, for added effect you can make the ears curved like those of a real cat.
Fold them so the sides of the pink lining contact each other.
Find the flat end opposite the point of the ear.
Pin it shut then sew it together. , For these fuzzy ears, try using a hot glue gun to attach hairpins to the backs of your ears.
Attach the pins to the side of your head so that the pink insides point outwards and away from you.
Now you’ll have convincing, fuzzy ears.
You can customize your ears with ribbon, bells, glitter, and anything else you feel like using.
Cosplaying is about your own unique look. , A tail is a more pronounced way to state yourself as a catgirl or catboy.
Tails will be harder to find than ears, but they may also be bought online or from a costume store.
If you can find one, it’s a simple solution for those who want to start cosplaying without crafting.
Search online or at costume stores. , A way to make a fluffy tail from scratch is to make if from fabric.
Get a furry fabric from a store near you.
Cut two rectangles of fabric to the length you want your tail. 33 inches (83.82 cm) long and five inches (12.7 cm) wide makes for a nice, long tail.
Lay one piece of fabric over the other.
Pin it together.
Sew all around the edges, leaving one short side open.
Turn the tail inside out by grabbing the inside and pulling it out a little at a time.Cheaper, less fluffy tails can be made out of material such as tights.
It is perfectly acceptable to use whatever you have on hand for your look. , Unspool and straighten floral wire or a wire coat hanger.
Without cutting the wire, lay it along the length of one end of the fabric and attach it with a hot glue gun.
Roll up the fabric and wire, then spiral the wire around the outside of the tail to give it shape.
Thicker wire or fabric means you’ll need less material to stuff the tail, so be careful. , Take your wire and fabric roll and push it into the tail.
Do it a little at a time.
The roll should fill the tail so that it keeps its shape.
You can also use material such as cotton with or without the wire, but it will take you longer to fill the tail.
The tail should only be fully sewn shut if you are not planning on using the wire inside it to secure the tail to yourself. , If you haven’t cut the wire free from the spool yet, you can use it to make a fastener.
Try making a loop with the wire.
Cut the wire using scissors or a wire cutter, then twist a second piece around the loop ends.
This loop can hook onto the waistband of your pants or a belt.A pin is also an option if you don’t mind piercing your tail and clothing.
Another way to do this is to sew the tail onto an elastic headband or fabric belt.
You may find these easier to adjust and slip off as needed. , The cat eye technique is a common practice, but it’s perfect for when you want to look like a neko.
All you need is liquid eyeliner.
Felt-tipped eyeliner pens are simple to use and offer precision.
Color the lash line on your top eyelid.
When you reach the outermost corner, continue the line diagonally and outward past your eye., Make a second line from the end of your first to outline the wing.
One way to do this is to draw it down towards the bottom lid line, but another way is to layer a second line the same way you did the original one and right next to it.
Fill in any space between these lines.
The wing you make with the eyeliner can be as thick or thin as you desire.
A thinner wing will give you a more subtle cat eye. , Use a mascara brush to coat your top and bottom lashes.
A couple coats of mascara serves to emphasize the eyeliner without the need to line your lower eye.
While you can add eyeliner to your lower eye instead, it may overdo the look. , Many cosplayers choose to emphasize their eyes with eyeshadow.
You can choose a cream coloring and apply it under your brow on your upper lid, then put a dark shade such as brown on the crease, and finish with gold or purple on your eyelid.
Use a brush to blur the lines and create a smokey look., Many cosplayers don’t use face paint when dressing as a neko, but it is still an option you can use to customize your design.
Facepaint can be found anywhere, including party stores, costume shops, and dollar stores.
It can be used to copy additional features of a cat, such as the nose, whiskers, or coloring, to make your cosplay stand out and feel even more cat-like.One way is to use an eyeliner pen.
Color along the bottom of your nostrils.
Make a line from your nose down to the center of your lips and add dots for whiskers.
If you want to look more catlike, draw a thin line down the center of your upper lip and lines out from the corners of your mouth.
Use your eyeliner pencil to form a cat’s mouth.
If you have sensitive skin, stay away from cheap makeup unless it has mild or hypoallergenic written on the label. , Your neko accessories and makeup can be worn with anything, but you may want to coordinate your clothing to match your ears.
This can be done by wearing cat colors such as black and white.
Anything that makes you look cute, such as a patterned top, a skirt, and black boots, will emphasize your look. , When your hands are not otherwise occupied, practice making a paw.
Keep your fingers together and bend them forward.
Also bend your wrist a little.
When your hand takes on this rounded shape, it looks like a paw and you can move it against your cheek in small circles to act like a cat.
Let your nails grow out a little to complete the paw. , The Japanese sound for a cat meow is “nyan.” Practice pronouncing the “ny” together in one syllable.
Keep your tongue near the roof of your mouth when doing this, and when you reach the “an” part, your mouth will open like a cat’s meow.
Use this sparingly for when you want to look cute, such as when you’re confused or when someone addresses you, or else you’ll wear it out. -
Step 2: Cut ears out of fabric.
-
Step 3: Secure the fabric together.
-
Step 4: Fold the ears in half.
-
Step 5: Pin the ears in your hair.
-
Step 6: Buy a tail.
-
Step 7: Sew fabric together.
-
Step 8: Wrap wire.
-
Step 9: Stuff the tail.
-
Step 10: Secure the tail to yourself.
-
Step 11: Make a cat eye.
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Step 12: Fill in the cat eye.
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Step 13: Apply mascara.
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Step 14: Add eyeshadow.
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Step 15: Add facepaint.
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Step 16: Wear matching clothing.
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Step 17: Curl your hands into a paw.
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Step 18: Make cat noises.
Detailed Guide
Ears are the easiest way to start displaying a neko look.
The cheapest commercial option is to buy a headband.
Cat ear headbands can be found in various stores around Halloween but can also be ordered online or found in pop culture stores such as Hot Topic.
You may also find cat ear hoodies that serve the same purpose., Making your own ears is a cheaper, more customizable option than shopping for the ears you want.
Fluffy ears can be made from fabric.
Draw an outline of the ears on paper.
Make the ear shapes five inches (12.7 cm) across and three inches (7.62) upwards from the base.
Hold the paper to the fabric and cut around it.
Do the same to a pink fabric if you wish to color the inside of your neko ears.Cheaper, less work-intensive ears can be cut from a strong paper product such as cardboard or a birthday card or even wires.
While many neko ears are furry in cosplay, they don’t have to be.
Use your imagination., Attach the fabric together with pins as you work.
To form the ears, first sew around the edge on the non-pink side, leaving the base open.
Flip the ears inside out, then stuff them with a soft material such as feathers or cotton from a craft store.
Pin the ears shut, then sew them shut. , While the ears will look fine straight, for added effect you can make the ears curved like those of a real cat.
Fold them so the sides of the pink lining contact each other.
Find the flat end opposite the point of the ear.
Pin it shut then sew it together. , For these fuzzy ears, try using a hot glue gun to attach hairpins to the backs of your ears.
Attach the pins to the side of your head so that the pink insides point outwards and away from you.
Now you’ll have convincing, fuzzy ears.
You can customize your ears with ribbon, bells, glitter, and anything else you feel like using.
Cosplaying is about your own unique look. , A tail is a more pronounced way to state yourself as a catgirl or catboy.
Tails will be harder to find than ears, but they may also be bought online or from a costume store.
If you can find one, it’s a simple solution for those who want to start cosplaying without crafting.
Search online or at costume stores. , A way to make a fluffy tail from scratch is to make if from fabric.
Get a furry fabric from a store near you.
Cut two rectangles of fabric to the length you want your tail. 33 inches (83.82 cm) long and five inches (12.7 cm) wide makes for a nice, long tail.
Lay one piece of fabric over the other.
Pin it together.
Sew all around the edges, leaving one short side open.
Turn the tail inside out by grabbing the inside and pulling it out a little at a time.Cheaper, less fluffy tails can be made out of material such as tights.
It is perfectly acceptable to use whatever you have on hand for your look. , Unspool and straighten floral wire or a wire coat hanger.
Without cutting the wire, lay it along the length of one end of the fabric and attach it with a hot glue gun.
Roll up the fabric and wire, then spiral the wire around the outside of the tail to give it shape.
Thicker wire or fabric means you’ll need less material to stuff the tail, so be careful. , Take your wire and fabric roll and push it into the tail.
Do it a little at a time.
The roll should fill the tail so that it keeps its shape.
You can also use material such as cotton with or without the wire, but it will take you longer to fill the tail.
The tail should only be fully sewn shut if you are not planning on using the wire inside it to secure the tail to yourself. , If you haven’t cut the wire free from the spool yet, you can use it to make a fastener.
Try making a loop with the wire.
Cut the wire using scissors or a wire cutter, then twist a second piece around the loop ends.
This loop can hook onto the waistband of your pants or a belt.A pin is also an option if you don’t mind piercing your tail and clothing.
Another way to do this is to sew the tail onto an elastic headband or fabric belt.
You may find these easier to adjust and slip off as needed. , The cat eye technique is a common practice, but it’s perfect for when you want to look like a neko.
All you need is liquid eyeliner.
Felt-tipped eyeliner pens are simple to use and offer precision.
Color the lash line on your top eyelid.
When you reach the outermost corner, continue the line diagonally and outward past your eye., Make a second line from the end of your first to outline the wing.
One way to do this is to draw it down towards the bottom lid line, but another way is to layer a second line the same way you did the original one and right next to it.
Fill in any space between these lines.
The wing you make with the eyeliner can be as thick or thin as you desire.
A thinner wing will give you a more subtle cat eye. , Use a mascara brush to coat your top and bottom lashes.
A couple coats of mascara serves to emphasize the eyeliner without the need to line your lower eye.
While you can add eyeliner to your lower eye instead, it may overdo the look. , Many cosplayers choose to emphasize their eyes with eyeshadow.
You can choose a cream coloring and apply it under your brow on your upper lid, then put a dark shade such as brown on the crease, and finish with gold or purple on your eyelid.
Use a brush to blur the lines and create a smokey look., Many cosplayers don’t use face paint when dressing as a neko, but it is still an option you can use to customize your design.
Facepaint can be found anywhere, including party stores, costume shops, and dollar stores.
It can be used to copy additional features of a cat, such as the nose, whiskers, or coloring, to make your cosplay stand out and feel even more cat-like.One way is to use an eyeliner pen.
Color along the bottom of your nostrils.
Make a line from your nose down to the center of your lips and add dots for whiskers.
If you want to look more catlike, draw a thin line down the center of your upper lip and lines out from the corners of your mouth.
Use your eyeliner pencil to form a cat’s mouth.
If you have sensitive skin, stay away from cheap makeup unless it has mild or hypoallergenic written on the label. , Your neko accessories and makeup can be worn with anything, but you may want to coordinate your clothing to match your ears.
This can be done by wearing cat colors such as black and white.
Anything that makes you look cute, such as a patterned top, a skirt, and black boots, will emphasize your look. , When your hands are not otherwise occupied, practice making a paw.
Keep your fingers together and bend them forward.
Also bend your wrist a little.
When your hand takes on this rounded shape, it looks like a paw and you can move it against your cheek in small circles to act like a cat.
Let your nails grow out a little to complete the paw. , The Japanese sound for a cat meow is “nyan.” Practice pronouncing the “ny” together in one syllable.
Keep your tongue near the roof of your mouth when doing this, and when you reach the “an” part, your mouth will open like a cat’s meow.
Use this sparingly for when you want to look cute, such as when you’re confused or when someone addresses you, or else you’ll wear it out.
About the Author
Janice Green
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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