The Costumer

Many of us are inspired by the costumes in historical movies and television shows. Costume making, preparation, and wear are always considered in high-budget movies and TV shows. Here are some 2008 highlights of some of my very favorite costumes.

The Other Boelyn Girl. This book-to-movie adaptation wasn’t phenomenal, but the clothing was remarkable. Aside from simply using the most luxurious clothing of the era, the two female protagonists (portrayed by Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson) don clothing specifically flattering to their complexions and figures.

Wall-E. You might think this computer animated Disney feature is an odd pick for this list, but I add it because of the creativity involved. When selecting the outfits of the obese intergalactic humans, the creators of the movie made the uniform nature in which they were dressed a notable plot point, also selling “blue as the new red!” In this capacity, costume functioned to illustrate a real social point applicable in the real world.

The Tudors. Who could ignore the lush mastery of the wardrobes present in The Tudors (Showtime)? Aside from the usual brilliance obtainable for period pieces, this show focused largely on King Henry VIII an his evolving wardrobe. It’s rare that we see a diversity of male styles in historical shows. Aside from Henry’s clothing, the show also demonstrated how men of various clerical and governmental professions, as well as merchants, were supposed to dress.

Then there are Iron Man and Indiana Jones–the former being an excellent movie, the latter being sucktastic. What do they have in common? Very handsome and well-dressed male protagonists. I, for one, am thankful that Indy hasn’t changed his style. I’d wear that hat any day!

Sometimes when I get frustrated with my life, I want to rearrange or reorganize things that I really can’t move (like…work, for example). Therein lies the appeal of working with my hands to physically rearrange other items to compensate. Sometimes I’ll scrapbook, or cross things out and move them on my calendar (not a Google calendar, mind you, but the good old-fashioned desk kind). Most fulfilling is to undertake a large project such as rearranging a costume.

Aside from organizing several different costume pieces to give me some costume variety, this kind of relieves that inner impulse to rearrange things in my life.  There are also some real benefits to costume reorganization:

-You get to see how good you look in them when you try them all on

-Toss what you don’t need, keep what you do

-Find new combinations of outfits (particularly pertinent for renaissance faire attire)

-Rediscover or reinvent pieces you thought you might have lost

-Find comforting memories each time you think about the last time you wore an item

-Prepare items for your next event

-Make sure everything fits

So with the best of luck, get to some serious reorganization, folks!

So my boyfriend pretty much has a Superman complex. Generally, it’s not a bad thing. He’s saved little kids in Kosovo and when it comes to providing for his family or helping out a friend, he always does what it takes. I admire the way that he takes the world on his shoulders, and without idealizing him too much, I have come to realize that I admire him as a real life superhero. However, the man I admire so much is not secretive about his superhero tendencies. During Dungeons & Dragons games, he tends to play a paladin. He gravitates towards good-versus-evil superhero comic books and video games and is currently fixated with Spiderman: Web of Shadows.

One day I noticed something behind the bedroom door–a Superman costume. Life size. Despite the fact that Lois Lane had no integrity whatsoever as a journalist, I have always harbored a secret desire to be a little bit like her. Suddenly I had that opportunity.

The moral of this story? Pick a costume that reflects your own personality. Someone might really fall for you because of it!

Finding Christmas costumes is something best done before December. Christmas costumes, especially if you want to rent, fly off the shelves before the second week in December, making your options more limited. If you are interested in dressing up for Christmas, here are a few classic ideas. As always, you can make, rent, or buy these costumes in advance. Since some of these Christmas faces are so recognizable, you won’t necessarily need a lot of stuff to dress up, nor will it necessarily cost a lot of money. Here are the ideas:

Santa: This is a classic! Being a Santa usually requires a belly (or at least a pillow), a red Santa suit, black boots, square glasses, and a white beard. Don’t forget the jolly “ho ho ho” laugh! Sometimes there is a Mrs. Claus to match!

Elves: Elves have pointed ears and are usually depicted as wearing green. They carry around things like toys and toymaking supplies and help Santa with his list! You’ll need a green hat for this one. This is great for kids and short people.

Rudolph: He’s got the red nose and reindeer ears! The rest of the costume can be done by simply wearing brown clothes, black gloves, and black shoes!

Best of luck, and start thinking about this early!

I’ve received a few requests regarding pet costumes–people want to know where to buy them and if they are humane.

Truthfully, some pets enjoy wearing costumes, or at least pretend not to mind. My mother’s chihuahua, however, detests costumes. The moment you put anything with velcro on or near her, she stiffens up, and most pet costumes have velcro. Therefore, we consider it mean to put our beloved Rosie in a pet costume.

Pet costumes vary in price, so it pays to shop around. The best thing to do is to research online or to check out eBay. For medium and large dogs, it is possible to get them into human shirts if you’re just interested in having them wear a favorite sports jersey.

For a large variety of costumes and pet clothing, check out Spoiled Rotten Doggies.

For pet costumes on a budget, check out Spirit Halloween .

Looking for a way to spice up a costume, specifically one you’re making or putting together via a thrift store? Try dressing in two tones. This will allow you to be a bit more recognizable. I LARP with a group whose costume requirements indicate only black and white colors along with the group insignia. It looks rather intimidating when a group of twenty semi-uniformed characters appear, all wearing different outfits in the same two colors.

The same recognition can be applied to what is commonly known as my ‘link’ outfit. Originally designed to be an Irish warrior outfit for LARPing, I purchased an SCA-certified Irish warrior’s tunic off of eBay, then ordered a custom made hood to match the outfit. The outfit was made of green with saffron (gold) trimming, and with the hood and a pair of boots, I looked just like Link from Zelda! This goes to show that two tone costuming can generate recognition and even branding. Best of luck, costumers!

Believe it or not, there are some great costumes for cold weather. Many historical costumes involve a cold weather variant, because most cultures experienced cold weather at least some of the time. Frequent remedies for the cold include:

Shawls

Cloaks

Caps

Hats

Gloves

Mittens

Stockings

Heavy coats

Scarves

Sweaters/gamgees

The best part about these accessories is that most of them can be found or made in modern times. For accuracy, costumers should always thoroughly research exactly what types of warm garments were worn at the time. Typically, there are reasons why some types of garments were preferable over others–for example, some materials, such as wool, repel water spray and was therefore optimal for fisherman.

Avoiding synthetic materials typically leads to a warmer experience in the winter as well.

If you are going to LARP or re-enact in the cold weather, make sure you’re warm! Unless you’re looking to be completely historical for a re-enactment, it’s best to put warmth and comfort first–especially in a LARP. Here are some tips to get you started:

1) Layer, layer, layer. The best way to stay warm in the cold weather is to layer. Items such as shawls, scarves, knit hats, and leather gloves are all easily obtainable and appropriate for LARPing.

2) Reconsider main wardrobe. Is it really the best time of year to wear a kilt with nothing underneath? It might be fun for a few hours, but after that it could become just plain cold. Bodices and corsets look lovely in the summertime, but a freezing cold chest is no way to enjoy the wintry scenery.

3) Think about safety. Fingers, nose, and toes should always be covered; you should have extra pairs of socks and an extra pair of shoes if possible. It’s easy to seriously get frostbite if you don’t take the proper precautions. Also, remember that cold makes LARP weapons sting a bit more, so go a little easy on the hitting.

Comfort and practicality are very important when we consider costuming. Certain costumes present a historical or fashionable precedent for what should be worn (visibly or not-so-visibly) beneath costumes. Sometimes, the small detail of seeing or not seeing under-layers and undergarments of clothing can really make or break a costume.

For any costumes involving stockings or leggings, make sure you try them on for comfort and fit first (this especially goes for men, whose historical costumes may require leggings although most men are not typically accustomed to wearing hose). This lets you get used to the costume and prevents rather unattractive fidgeting. Note also that historical stockings (if you are going for historical accuracy) are very different than what we wear today and will fit you differently.

If wearing undergarments not meant to be visible, make sure they aren’t! Don’t wear a black bra under a white costume unless it is meant to be part of the outfit. Always wear comfortable undergarments that are not new when possible.

Visible undergarments, such as the chemise in a historical or fantasy costume, should certainly be well-researched, especially if you are going for historical accuracy.

Historical enthusiasts should also make sure they know rules about clothing dye before they use them–especially rinsing thoroughly to ensure that your skin does not become dyed.

Barack Obama is now our president-elect. Congratulations to the supporters, donors, and voters who made this historic choice to change America for the better. After eight long and hard years, I am so proud that my country has chosen to look back to our founding principles and apply them during this election.

That said, it’s time to party it up with style. Here are some ways to dress up to show your support of Barack Obama’s win:

-Be subtle. Politics should stay out of the office, but there’s nothing wrong with suddenly wearing a whole lot of blue or all of our flag’s colors together. The patriotic look is always in style.

-Be…not so subtle. Buy up all the precious pins, shirts, hats, and other pretties. You could even decorate your car or dress your dog.

-Be a moderate. A simple American flag pin will show your support of your country and its momentous decision. A campaign button on your jacket is certainly an appropriate addition as well.

-Go quirky. Do something creative. Perhaps you could even dress to encourage others to write letters to the house and senate members as well as the new president. Put it on a shirt, and hand out some envelopes!

My friends had some awesome costume ideas this year. Being a costume connoisseur, I decided to list my favorites here. This also proves that I have incredibly outgoing, zany, creative friends.

Let’s begin with my dear friend Michael, who is more like a brother to me. Michael opted to go with a classic (if not flamboyant) pirate theme. This is worth a mention simply because he didn’t dress up as James Joyce.

Michael’s girlfriend Liz took advantage of the pop culture Tina Fey/Sarah Palin phenomenon, dressing as Tina Fey dressed as Sarah Palin. She made this evident by wearing a shirt beneath her skirtsuit blazer which read: TINA FEY.

This leads us to my politically-charged friend Michelle, who courageously donned the Barack Obama mask this season in support of her political hero.

The ’suggestively adorable but not slutty’ awards certainly go to Autumn, who donned an adorable sailor outfit, and Clare, a girl scout (troop number withheld). Meanwhile, also on the attractive angle, Dan S. went all out and actually joined the Navy, ditching his anarcho-hippie ‘do for the clean cut look. Talk about Halloween commitment.

Tracy wins the “Best Mom” award, donning a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles outfit for her son’s Halloween birthday bash.

Not every graduate student can be fortunate enough to have a professor and program director who dresses up as a roller derby girl for Halloween. Respect is given simply for the fact that Liz can apparently stand on roller skates for more than an hour (maybe the pigtails helped her balance).

Coming in second is a fantastic looking pair: Jess M. and her husband Bruce, who went historically western with the saloon gal/cowboy look (a favorite era of mine as far as costuming is concerned).

This pair was surpassed only by two awesome witches; both entered the “Which Witch Will Win?” contest along with  me at the Melting Pot. Katy D. and Katie F. tie for the win, attending as a geisha witch and punk witch, respectively.

Today I was very fortunate to receive a Star Trek costume from a friend. This particular friend is very tall and I am short–she had purchased the item when she was younger and had outgrown it. Fortunately for me, I was the right size to fit into this wonderful licensed Star Trek captain’s uniform.

If you’d like to get a Star Trek uniform costume, you’ll have to consider a few things. As always, price is a consideration. Various pre-made costumes are available for less than $50, but the quality is certainly not as great as a well-made item. Also, licensed Star Trek uniform costumes will certainly have the accurate costume details.

Given that some Star Trek uniforms are form fitting, you’ll also want to consider what looks good on your body. Later show uniforms (DS9, Voyager) tend to be much less form-fitting than Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation uniforms.