Costuming Essentials

I’ve been working on making my own corset for months. There were some odd issues but the end result is pretty awesome. Big thing is the couple of shortcuts I took worked perfectly and didn’t cause any issues. I used hook and eye tape in place of a corset busk and amazingly it held. Second, I used plastic duct ties in place of metal boning. They are a little bulky but strong enough and I can actually sit comfortably in this without it deforming. The cheap boning in a store bought corset bunches bends and twists when you sit. To make this worse the heat of the body sets those kinks in so the corset won’t lay properly and stabs you. So far no issues with this plastic. Also I have to be careful not to tighten it too much as I easily could without it being uncomfortable (I’m not a tight lacer).

I used a slightly altered version of Butterick pattern 4254. Big change I added a couple inches over the bust to be able to wear it as outerwear.  You can see in the photos the inch wasn’t enough so I had to wear something under it. If you want to make this as outerwear I’d suggest adding at least 3 inches and cutting it to the desired level just before inserting the boning and binding the top. Definitely make sure you can raise your arms over your head safely at the level you are going to cut it to.

I decided to wear it for a punk sexy character I’m playing. I am actually sporting a faux hawk here which is high fashion long hair mohawk. I’ll try to get you a shot of that next. In the long run this outfit will add bits of tech so it can go cyber punk.

Sometimes the big costume just isn’t necessary. Especially when dealing with a tight budget, its important to consider the effect you are going for and how to simply but clearly get it across. Often accessories are extremely helpful in conveying an idea. A pair of dark glasses and a scarf can transform you into an incognito celebrity. The scarf pictured here I have used for everything from dance prop to belt to head piece. In this photo it and my attitude are the entire costume.

Even elaborate costumes are lent greater realism by the right accessories. A costume is a complete thing where all of it works together to give a message. The wrong or missing accessory can completely spoil a look. A ball gown combined with tennis shoes will throw off perceptions.

Choose your accessories with as much care as any costume and perhaps even more. If an accessory can be used for multiple costumes or even better in your everyday life, it is quite the find. If it can’t, even if it’s perfect, consider how much use you will get out of it and if it’s really needed. Also consider if it’s a usuable item or something that just fits the costume. I’ve bought hand bags to go with costumes before but 90% of the time the bag is immediately put down somewhere because it interferes with interaction. This goes for cloaks and outerwear too. There are reasons for things like that such as scripted props or photoshoots but without a specific reason if it’s going to be an encumberance to your costume think twice.

This year I made an awesome costume for a good friend of mine (hopefully there will be pictures later) rather than focusing on what I was going to wear. I’ve thrown together something for myself (which there may be be pictures of later) but it doesn’t compare to the last costume I made just for Halloween, a few years ago.

I had the idea of going as a slightly Grecian tribal priestess. The costume  was actually my first experiment in draping. I basically just worked out how to make it with knots and laying it over myself. What really makes the look are the furs, feathers, shells and thorns.

This sort of costume is very easy and frugal. Most of it was items I just had sitting around like shell necklaces from Hawaii. The fabric was just scraps that couldn’t have cost more then $5. The fur pieces were things I had gotten at Renaissance fairs and probably the most expensive part at $15. However, they are reusable for many costume ideas. My favorite bit is a necklace I had made stringing thorns off a rose bush. It was too painful to wear as a necklace but I wore it dangling off the top. Additionally, I wore a shell and straw necklace I picked up at a swap meet for $3 which was the only thing I actually bought specifically for the costume.

40's hair

Proper hair and makeup are essential to really creating a character or costume and having it be effective. I love playing with hair in particular as it can have a dramatic effect on a costume. In this photo I am sporting a 40′s doo known as Victory rolls. Also I have tried to achieve a 40′s look to my makeup.  A surprising and wonderful resource I used to find out about both of these is YouTube.

Here are a few videos I found helpful

Victory Rolls

40′s Makeup