Where Do I Find Red Longjohns in NYC?

October 29, 2008 8:36 PM

CostumeHelpFilter(NYC): I'm trying to pull my costume together at the last minute (namely: Artie, the Strongest Man in the World.) To do so, I need red longjohns / thermal underwear / tights -- and I need 'em someplace in NYC, so I can buy ASAP. Anybody know where such things could be purchased? (Online stores are not too helpful at this point.) Thanks!
posted by theoddball to shopping (9 comments total)

My first thought would be K-Mart (there's one on Astor place), and probably any similar place.
posted by SansPoint at 9:03 PM on October 29, 2008

American Apparel.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 9:40 PM on October 29, 2008

Military surplus
posted by rhizome at 12:16 AM on October 30, 2008

American Apparel will almost definitely have them, but they're going to be a bit pricey. If I was you, I'd start at Delancey St. and walk up Orchard, stopping at all of the little miscellaneous clothing shops to see if anybody has a really cheap pair; if not, by the time you're at Houston you're at American Apparel anyway.
posted by saladin at 4:46 AM on October 30, 2008

You can definitely get red TIGHTS at department stores -- in the women's department, so just say you're getting them for your grandma if anyone looks at you funny, maybe.

You can definitely get long johns at K-Mart/Target/places like that; they may have red, they may not. But if all they have is white, all you need is a box of red fabric dye (which they'd also have as well) and an evening's soak in the sink to take care of that.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:49 AM on October 30, 2008

Oh, and good idea. I'm going as Madame Defarge -- I've hacked up a dress that looks the part, I picked up a hat and I knit -- but I've sort of resigned myself to everyone still thinking I'm "a pilgrim lady".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:51 AM on October 30, 2008

I don't know if there are any Jockey stores in NYC (Jockey like the underwear brand, not small horseriders) but I picked up some cheapish red thermals there last week out in CT.
posted by cobaltnine at 5:17 AM on October 30, 2008

I was Artie last year and had a terrible costume before my friend took the reins. Everything we got was purchased from Target an hour before the party started:
Boy's red spandexy athletic shirt
Girl's way-too-short-and-small sweatpants
Blue fabric paint

I put everything on and she painted blue stripes on my shirt. It came out really good, but this is a costume where attitude is EVERYTHING. I danced like Artie, talked like Artie, and even went out on the roof and posed a few times. Make sure you get the haircut right too. Oh, also remember to write 60% titanium, 40% cotton on the shirt's label.
posted by nomad at 3:32 PM on October 30, 2008

Saladin nailed it -- but to everyone who suggested American Apparel, you were also correct.

The shirt had to be improvised a bit (who knew red/blue stripes of the right kind were so hard to find?)

Thanks, all!
posted by theoddball at 6:54 PM on November 3, 2008