Ah, Halloween…Tis the season for everyone to be in costume! Not just costumers and cosplayers, like Moi. Where do you start? That depends on what you intend to do with your costume. Do you just want something for you (or your child) to wear for Halloween or one weekend at a con? Are you considering becoming a member of a costuming club, like the Rebel Legion or Vader’s Fist, the 501st Legion, for Star Wars? A costume you are going to wear (and tote hither and yon) many times is going to be a different, longer-term sort of project than a one-off Halloween party costume and will certainly need to be made of better materials. (Also costume clubs may have standards for costumes, as both Legions do, which can affect materials and construction.) This article focuses on casual costuming, since people are planning their Halloween finery–even if that finery will be artfully (or otherwise!) slashed and splattered in fake blood before its debut.
The first rule of costuming is: A costume can be Inexpensive, Fast and/or Good – but you may only have 2 of the 3. So, yes, you can get a high-quality costume quickly–but when you see the bill, you’ll be screaming like that college student wandering off alone at Creepy Serial Killer Lake. The first thing to do is decide on your costume and whether you want bought or made.
Making a lot of the costume can save you some money, although perhaps not as much as you expect, unless you already have a lot of the components at home. Example: I am doing Supergirl this year. A good-looking licensed costume by Secret Wishes that includes dress with attached belt, boot covers and cape is $55. Here’s my part list for the one I am making for a total of $34:
- Boots $5 (clearanced for cosmetic damage)
- Top $8
- Supergirl cape and skirt fabric and elastic $6
- Metallic gold duct tape for boot trim and belt $3
- 2 Supergirl emblems $12
I estimate it will take me about 3 hours work to trim the boots, sew the skirt and cape, attach the emblems. Not very much for a savings of $21. But don’t go DIY unless you have the time and like crafting. It is work. Also, if you need a pattern, those are around $10.
What if you decide against DIY? A costume is probably going to run at least $50 for an adult ($30 for most child costumes). Buying pieces separately will cost more. For example, sold separately, the boot tops and cape included with that $55 Supergirl are $15 each. Also, for most costumes, to get the look on the package, you will have to buy additional stuff. Some costumes include only the most basic clothing parts: dress, tunic/pants, skirt, corset, cape, possibly a mask. The only “footwear,” if any, included will be boot tops. Wigs and makeup are very seldom part of the package. So, like any other product, read the label. How much will this add? Hard to say as it varies depending on the costume. Prop weaponry from weird daggers to chainsaws are pretty cheap, for example, but the stiletto boots featured on the models for so many women’s costumes are pricey.
A few words on wigs for your costume. Wigs from the Halloween aisle of your local store, you will probably get one use out of them, maybe two, if you are careful and it doesn’t tangle too much. Costume wigs such as Halloween Express and Spirit Halloween sell for $30 or less will last a little longer. You could get 6 or 8 wearings out of one of those, if you do minimal styling, take good care of it (e.g., store it on a wig form) and the weather is good when you are wearing it. Shorter wigs, as a rule, last longer, since they don’t tangle as much as longer ones.
Makeup is something that you should spend some time on, whether you buy or make your costume. There are a large selection of kits as well as appliances (things like wounds, vampire bites, and bald caps) that are inexpensive (under $20). Reading the labels is even more important than for the costumes. Some products will suggest you do a patch test for allergic reactions, which usually means putting a small amount on the bend of your elbow and waiting 24-48 hours. There may be other cautions as well. I have noticed that a number of sets caution against using red or yellow makeup shades around the eyes or blues and greens on lips, I presume due to the specific pigments. Pay attention to all warnings–or you might be looking horrible for a lot longer than one night–at best. Also, you will want to do one or two trial runs of your makeup, to get the look right and see how long it lasts. Buy enough to do so.
Also, for the love of fun-size candy bars, don’t do an offensive costume! There are so many fantasy tropes, video game heroes and villains, and other fictional characters (plus our own RPG PCs) that no matter what the venue, we don’t have to resort to costumes that are walking sex jokes, perpetuate stereotypes, or otherwise insult others, intentional or not. You would think that this would be a no-brainer in the 21st Century.But no, even professionals at work still have trouble with the concept, as shown by this 2013 Ask A Manager discussion. Do check out the link–it’s an intelligent and lively discussion–even if you won’t be wearing your costume at work or to a work party.
Finally, the most important costuming advice I have, is to have fun buying, making, wearing your costume. Happy Halloween! Now I’m back to work finishing my Supergirl costume.
Credit: Thanks to my cosplayer daughter, Ariane, for the information on wigs.
Disclosure: I have a seasonal job at Halloween Express.
Linda Whitson
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