What is a fursuit?
Fursuits are high quality, custom animal costumes. Each one is unique, because every fursuit is hand-made and designed to resemble a specific character. Although sometimes referred to as mascot costumes, fursuits are different from mascot costumes in that they are tailored to perfectly fit to their owner's body. These are no ordinary costumes-- fursuits are made with incredible care, and lots of planning goes into the style, mobility, ventilation, comfort, and durability so that they last for years. Fursuits are luxury costumes, made with quality materials and many of hours of delicate crafting.
What are the different Styles/Designs of Fursuits?
There are many ways an artist can interpret a character. In general, furries have been able to narrow down fursuits into a few specific categories. Each style of fursuit has its own pros and cons, but most people choose the style of fursuit they want based solely on their looks. Make sure you do your research and know what you are looking for before you commission someone for a suit!
Note: CloverCat is a fursuit maker that specializes in Toony fursuits. She is not accepting orders for any other style of fursuit at the moment.
Toony Fursuits are the most commonly seen fursuits. They have cute, expressive faces and are seen in bright colors, natural colors, or a fun combination of both. Toony suits aren't grounded in realism, but still feel like a real living creature.
Realistic Fursuits are made to look as close to a real life animal as possible. Seeing a realistic fursuit in person is breathtaking. However, they have very limited vision and the head can be uncomfortable to wear.
Semi-Toony Fursuits are a nice mix of realistic and toony. They typically have a more realistic face, eyes, claws, and body shape, but have a few toony quirks, such as having brightly colored fur or unusual fur patterns.
Kemono Fursuits are a style of fursuit that is similar to toony, but has a much more exaggerated face and body shape. They are incredibly cute, but are difficult to see and breathe out of.
Quad Fursuits are unique suits that require the wearer to walk on all fours, using stilts. This kind of suit is very rarely made, likely because of the difficulty to make and wear them. But quad suits can look incredible if done correctly.
What Kind of Fursuit do you need?
In addition to the style of suit, you will also need to decide what kind of fursuit you are looking for. While some people want to dress up head-to-toe in faux fur, others may find this too restricting or too hot, and may opt for something lighter, like a partial fursuit that only includes a head, handpaws, and tail. Which type of fursuit you desire may also be a stylistic choice; some people may prefer the style of wearing clothes with a partial, rather than to get a fullsuit and wear clothing on top. Other fursuit makers may use different terms to explain what pieces are included, so be sure you are aware of exactly you are getting before you purchase a fursuit from a maker.
Mini Partial - The head, handpaws, and tail
Full Partial - The head, handpaws, tail, and feetpaws
Plantigrade Fullsuit - The complete costume, with straight, unpadded legs.
Digitigrade Fullsuit - The complete costume, including the knee and heel padding.
Halfsuit - The waist-down section of a bodysuit, and feetpaws