Ruining the magic

"Ruining the magic", also described as "break(ing) the magic", refers to performance or action faux pas made by mascot and/or costume wearers that "ruins" third party viewers' suspension of disbelief while at a event, normally at a sports playing field or convention.

When the "magic is ruined", the viewer is reminded that they are just seeing a person inside a costume, roleplaying a fictional character.

Most common blunders
There are several ways by which suited artists can ruin the magic:


 * Most of the time is behavior that is out of character (emotionally [i.e. anger/depresion] or physically [i.e drunk/stoned]), or when he/she/they break the (not expected/not in character) fourth wall.
 * Another way is by allowing one's skin to be visible while wearing a suit when not appropriate for the character or is it not an emergency (i.e. suit overheating and/or performer asphyxiation).
 * Speaking while suited used to be an egregious act, especially with one-piece heads or bolted shut mouths, but with the advancement of suit technology where expression and motion are more common on suit heads (manual or motor-driven), fully speaking costumes are almost a norm now.

Ruining the magic and furry
Within the furry fandom, ruining the magic while fursuited is also frowned upon. Out of character actions due to emergencies are allowed, and because of them, most furry conventions will have a designated area, normally called the "headless lounge", to accommodate breaks for the performer or to perform emergency repairs on their fursuits.

Partial or half-suits, fursuits without bodies, just normally oversized head, paws, and feet costume elements, are allowed at cons as long as the exposed extremities are covered in fur colored body-hugging tights or wearing normal, extremity covering clothes.

Fursuit Poodling
Fursuit Poodling, or just Poodling, is a term coined by the fursuiting community to identify those fursuiters who show some or all of their human skin on purpose while wearing a fursuit or costume, normally in partial/half-suit mode.

Some fursuiters are against this type of behavior, as they feel it "ruins the magic" for those non-suited con attendants, while those who are fine with it are against this perceived gatekeeping of the act.

Media

 * Tricks Of The Trade Never Take Off Your Head In Public--And Other Important Lessons I Learned At Mascot School article on Sports Illustrated