Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with costumes

Help us recreate iconic film costumes for our holiday party

Unicorn on the cob — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:22:37 -0800

[CostumeFilter]: My company is having a Hollywood-themed holiday party in two weeks. Please help me think of a good costume for myself and my boyfriend. Difficulty factors: He has a beard, I'm short and curvy. The idea is red carpet moments, classic Hollywood, or memorable screen roles. Ideally this would be something highly recognizable, like the Marilyn Manson/Rose McGowan red carpet look (but nothing x-rated) or, say, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra. Unfortunately, I can't think of many "memorable" red carpet/Oscar moments that couples have shared, and I don't want to just buy a nice dress (boring!) when we could go full costume instead.

The couple with the best outfit wins a significant amount of spending money and a trip to Hollywood, so we are motivated; he is willing to shave the beard if it's worth it.

So far, we've kicked around the idea of going as young Obi-Wan and Padme Amidala or Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz (he'd make a reluctant cowardly lion) but we don't want to get TOO crazy on spending money and have a short amount of time to work on it, since the Thanksgiving holiday's about to start.

Both of us have black hair and he wears glasses, if that helps. The celebrities we most closely resemble naturally are Tori Amos (me) and a mix of Charlie Chaplin and Justin Long (him).

We don't have to go as a specific couple from the movie itself, just two characters from the same film will also work but I'm having trouble finding stuff like this by poking around on IMDB. Googling for Hollywood couples is equally unhelpful, since I'm trying to cross-reference roles and memorable looks. Thanks for any suggestions!

Irish costume help needed

Astro Zombie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:39:10 -0800

Is there an Irish equivalent of the Cockney Pearly Kings and Queens? I'm looking to create a costume, and I am looking for a costume that has the same qualities as London's Pearly Kings and Queens -- outrageousness, maybe working class, showy, etc. Is there some sort of Irish cultural or regional (or even emplyment-base) costume that has these qualities? Imagine if Liberace were to dress Irish and you'll have an idea of what I am looking for, although, failing that, anything distinctive and unusual will work that's a bit outside the kilts and Aram sweaters that have become a sort of a cliche.

Brains: racked

Juicy Avenger — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:33:11 -0800

yeahIknowHalloween-filter: You have a hot pink party dress. You have a ridiculously poufy crinoline petticoat. You undoubtedly have a better imagination than I. So what would you be for Halloween? I hate to use my first AskMe question to plead for custom Halloween ideas but you kids are just so dang SMART and my brain hurts SO much.

I'm a short, round, blond girl looking for a costume that is a little offbeat and obscure but not quite, say, "a uterus" -- as one friend suggested. In the past I've gone as a deviled egg and freudian slip, so big fan of visual puns and/or random objects. The dress is basically cheap, shiny, satiny material and knee-length (and lord knows I did not pay that much for it. The petticoat makes me just want to be a big ol' cupcake -- but alas, the first idea is rarely the best, so that will be my fall back. (Though ideas for making me into a really awesome cupcake are welcome!)

Catch is I really want to thematically include my boyfriend who is tall, blond, and could basically be anything! We have been thinking along the lines of historical, literary, or slighty pop or alt-culture villianous duos. Or just regular duos. Or cartoon duos. Or inanimate duos. Hell, there's little time to be picky! So what do you see us going as?

And we're accepting applications for a Babyface Nelson

andromache — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:52:48 -0800

We're in NYC. How do we dress as Bonnie and Clyde for Halloween for under $40/pp? I want to convince my lady to go as Bonnie to my Clyde for Halloween this year, and I want to enlist your help in making my case. Upside: we get to dress as dapper 30s badasses and cover ourselves with bullet holes and fake blood. Downside: she wants to go as the Hamburgler. And that means if I want to do a team costume with her (which, I don't know why but I do) I'm probably going as Ronald McDonald. And fuck that.

Neither of these ideas is as great as the first idea, which was we just go all out and get really elaborate furry costumes, but I poked around online and it looks like they run about $90 and up to rent for a night. Would be hilarious and memorable, but that's a lotta scratch for a one-night rental.

So I guess the question is this: Where could we get vintage/30s-looking clothes in NYC for purchase or rent for under $40 per person? Doesn't need to be exactly like the Faye Dunaway/Warren Beatty movie, or even like the real-life Bonnie and Clyde, just something that says "old-timey mobster". Are there any Goodwill/thrift stores where you've found stuff that would work for this?

And what, other than a beret for her (that part from the movie has to stay, I think) and loads of gory bullet holes for both of us, would make us obviously Bonnie and clyde-ish? For instance, I could rent a suit maybe and use my own white shirt to ruin with fake blood.

Also--will we get arrested by overzealous NYC cops for carrying a fake tommygun around on the subway on Oct. 31st? How fake does it need to look to avoid spending All Hallow's Eve in the slammer (you'll never take me alive, coppers!)?

joint costume

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:49:42 -0800

I need some joint (and punnish) costume ideas that are relevant and funny. Two people 30ish. Things like "bangers and M*A*S*H", so fresh and so clean.... Idea + implementation is ideal. Thanks in advance! I have access to excellent costume shops, second-hand clothing stores, and army surplus. I have all day Saturday to put this together.

Costuming for the Overly Ethical?

tejolote — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:14:23 -0800

Prison party fashion...without the prison? I'm going to a prison-themed party at the end of this month, and I'm having trouble coming up with something to wear because quite frankly, the prison theme creeps me out a little. I see prisons and jails and guards as something real, and it's impossible for me to fetishize something that seems so large and close and terrible.

However, I do want to go to this party, and I like costumes, and I want to have a good time and look good, or at least interesting. And however much it bothers me, I don't want to rain on anyone else's parade.

Is there anything vaguely related that I could do that would be a little farther removed and not so squicky? I've thought about actual prisoner-created fashion like http://www.Haeftling.de/ , but I'm not sure enough about getting something from overseas in time for the party.

I may end up going with something generic like a sailor uniform, which is somewhat in keeping with the spirit of the theme but seems more fun to me. Any other ideas?

What dead rockstar do I resemble enough to be for my friend's 27-Club party?

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:12:33 -0800

I need to dress up for a friend's party as "my favorite dead rockstar." Given my looks (brunette and curvy) and my budget (low), who can I be? According to the invitation, the definition of "rock star" is being stretched considerably: Beethoven, Django Reinhardt, and Frank Sinatra would all qualify. Basically, if someone was connected to music, and is famously dead, I think I'm okay.

I would really like to work with my looks rather than against them. I'm white, and pale on top of that. I have fairly long, wavy brown hair, and although I can do it in a few different styles, I'd rather not wear a wig. I have some fun playing around with makeup, so I would be happy to experiment with different styles depending on the suggested look or time period.

But my main distinguishing feature is an unusually curvy hourglass figure -- a 36DD bust and a waist-hip ratio of about 0.65. I am around a size 10, not technically plus-size, but I generally read that way due to my large bust/hips and relatively small waist. My personality is pretty demure and quiet, but my body nowadays has more in common with a comic book.

Right now, all I can come up with is Mama Cass. However, that's not really attractive or even practical -- these outfits will be worn on a bar crawl, so muumuus are less than ideal, and I don't want to be stuck carrying a ham sandwich.

My budget is ideally around $20, although it could go higher if I could reuse the piece next month for a Halloween costume. (Either way, please no Joan Holloway suggestions -- similar body type, but everything else is wrong.)

Thank you!

Halloween in New York

Neonshock — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:42:22 -0800

My boyfriend and I are flying into JFK from the UK on Halloween (landing approx 12 noon). Hive Mind! I command thee to besearch your crystal ball and telleth me some spooking goings on I simply can't miss on that fateful eve! Its my birthday early November so I decided to pop over the pond as I have never been to the US. I only just realised we land on halloween, it seems very exciting since we dont really 'do' H'ween over here.
Id like to dump our stuff, go find some costumes (possible? and where?) and head out to go be very childish and eat 'candy'. We are both mid-twenties, we like dance music and clubs, are pretty much up for anything different and will have a plentiful amount of cash available.

So, New Yorkers, where do we go? And what do we do? Am I misguided in thinking that there will even be anything to do? Please educate me.

What do Different Colors Look Like on B&W Film?

barfmann — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:20:26 -0800

Shooting a black and white 16mm film. It's my first (an "exercise"), and I'm not yet sure of the stock. How do different colors show up when filmed w/ BW film? My specific concerns: how best should I costume my actors so they remain dynamic when photographed (ie. nice deep blacks or pure-ish whites; avoid grey)? Esp: how can I costume them to keep them distinct from the background (grey/brown garage walls). Let me know if you need more info to be helpful; thanks meta people.

Professional quality product shots from home.

infinityjinx — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:31:43 -0800

Home photography filter: Tips/tricks on taking/editing professional-looking self-modeled product shots for my clothing web store. Hi all,

I've been making funky costumes/outfits/clubwear for years it's time I try my hand at a real webstore. I have a brand name, a domain and a line in progress. How do I take awesome/cute/sexy/fun product shots of my clothes? Difficulty - I want to model them.

Here's what I have...

Panasonic Lumix DMZ-28
Tripod
Some white sheets and lots of colored fabric
My apartment
An industrial neighborhood in Brooklyn

What do you recommend? What are your tips for professional-looking self-modeled product shots with no budget and incredibly amateur tools? I'm looking for everything from modeling/location tips to how to achieve optimal lighting, to camera settings, to post processing tips. Do you think white backgrounds are best, or should I shoot at different locations - or does that just depend on my personal aesthetic?

Let's assume I'm fairly competent with my camera and I'm a quick learner of new skills. I'm also open to great books or super helpful web links (my Googling results have been mediocre so far).

Thank you!!

Costume on Fire

roomthreeseventeen — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:10:34 -0800

Bizarre question. Where would I get a fabric tested for flammability in NYC on a Saturday? Asking for a friend, I assume it's for a theater production going up tomorrow night!

Dazzle An Audience In Two Lines Or Less?

Lipstick Thespian — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:06:13 -0800

How Can I Make Walk-On Characters More Vital? I'm in the middle of a run of the show Jeffery by Paul Rudnick and am cast in a variety of walk-on, one or two-line bit parts. I'm having trouble with line readings that are so short, and in making my time on stage fill up more space.

Any working actors on Mefi who can give some tips on more fully-realized smaller parts?

Also - bonus points for helping with the logistics of rapid-fire costume changes - I have three in the first 20 minutes of show time, plus prop placement and my entrances could be smoother.

1. Peeps 2. Glue Gun 3. ???? 4. PROFIT!

Unicorn on the cob — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:07:42 -0800

I want to affix Peeps (the Easter atrocities) to fabric in order to make a costume. BY TOMORROW. Crafty MeFites, hope me with your glue-gun wisdom! I am attending an Easter party tomorrow that requires some kind of costume. Everybody knows I hate Peeps more than anything in the world, and lo and behold, the neon critters are on sale. So I decided to make myself into one giant neon Bunny Peep. Tons of googling and clicking leads me to believe that I can hot-glue them directly onto most things, and ribbon is mentioned here in this book.

A friend who is quite crafty has assured me that Peeps + glue gun + fabric = disaster; there must be something between, like a piece of cardboard or other intermediary surface that will adhere to the hot glue while also keeping the fabric from sticking to any backing, myself, etc.

I have already cut open the packages to allow them to harden as much as possible so they don't melt as soon as they touch the glue gun; I'm not sure that spray-varnishing them now would have them ready-to-wear by tomorrow afternoon, since the varnish would have to dry overnight. (I read that one woman allowed them to dry for five days before making them into garlands and wreaths, and 5 days from now is not an option). Also, I don't want to buy more stuff unless I have to; something around the house (painting tape? more fabric? buttons? I'm listening...) would be ideal.

Please don't suggest another costume idea; I already spent time and money getting this ball rolling and won't have time to whip up anything else from scratch, time-wise or financially. I have a lot of neon pink components now in front of me--what I lack is the ingenuity to make it stick. Literally.

Alternatively, would another type of adhesive work better? I am not married to the glue gun; it's mentioned a lot in Peeps craft links, though. Bonus if you have experience making arts and crafts with Peeps--firsthand knowledge is what I'm really looking for here.

Looking for a lego head mask.

jedrek — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:55:24 -0800

Where in the world can I find a Lego head mask? So I came up with an idea for a project, alas, it requires me to procure a large, adult-sized Lego head mask. I would love to make it myself, but I really want it to be smooth and shinny, like a real Lego head. Get some of that nice sheen in there.

Just so we're clear here - not a mask made of Legos, but a mask made to look like a lego head.

Ebay and google have failed me horribly. I'm even looking for larger-sized, non-mask Lego heads as props for this project. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Help my friends and me become fabulous '50s starlets for Halloween.

zembla3 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:05:32 -0800

My friends and I are planning to attend a Halloween party as starlets from Hollywood's Golden Age - Veronica Lake, Ava Gardner, Susan Hayward and Audrey Hepburn. Can anyone recommend a place in the New York metro area where we can rent or buy fabulous '50s-style dresses at a reasonable price?

dress-up tourism

Dcotton — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:54:50 -0800

where in the world can you go as a tourist and dress up in the traditional costume/apparent of that culture? a folkore student is looking to expand her thesis area which relates to "dress up tourism--" places where you can go and participate in dress-up activities that allow people to try on the traditional garb of a folkgroup, culture, region, occupation, etc. Preferably things touted as tourist activities. For example. going to Japan and dressing as a Geisha. There are many North American Old ort or Old Village type activites--but where else in the world????

Absorbing sound...as a bunny.

janepanic — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:59:34 -0800

Hello all! I am looking for a particular kind of mask, and I am hoping you can help me find it. I'm looking to get a couple of masks as seen in this Mates of State video:
link!

I've never seen them for sale anywhere, and I'm not sure if they have a special name. I really like the squirrel and the owl, but really I am not picky. I live in Hamilton, so a real-life store in Toronto would be fine. Or somewhere online. Whatevs. Anyone seen these around and know where to get them? Thanks!

Costumes for my clones!

pyjammy — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:20:58 -0800

What can my triplet infants be for Halloween? Last year, you helped with my Halloween costume when I was pregnant. This year, now that the babies are ex-utero, I need a costume idea for them!

Details:
- They'll be nearly 11 months old at Halloween
- They're identical boys
- They aren't walking, so they'll be sitting in strollers for this, which can be incorporated into the costumes
- I don't mind dressing up, but my husband is resistant to dressing up. Hmmph.
- We're in Louisiana, so it will probably be pretty warm

As in my last question, clever is best, though mildly offensive I suppose would be inappropriate. Inexpensive is best, since there are so darn many of them to dress. And I'm pretty crafty, so I can try to make them (hence the long lead time on this question.)

(For the record, I was a magic 8 ball last year.)

Help me think of Reenactment Photos for Cosplay

Del Far — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:11:24 -0800

Creative Ideas Filter: I need ideas of Famous and Memorable Photographs or Paintingsor famous and memorable scenes from History, Movies, or Television that can be Reenacted on the spot without planning by 3-6 people for me to photograph for a final project for school. So I have this final project for school and I realized that I could use my trip to the NY Comic-Con for "fun and profit." We had previously done reenactment photography in my digital photography class and I had a lot of fun, and I just thought, I could get some hilarious shots of people already cosplaying but also reenacting great scenes for me.

Imagine it, all the Naruto cosplayers reenacting the Mexican stand off scene from reservoir dogs. Or a reenactment of Jesus' Last Supper with people dressed up as DC heroes.

NYC, Halloween, easy ideas for costumes

priested — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:29:07 -0800

Costume ideas, Halloween, NYC... traveling light, help???? will be in NYC on business the weekend before halloween and have been invited to a "halloween" party/ scavenger hunt in Brooklyn... any suggestions for a costume that does not involve bringing a bunch of stuff in my luggage? doesn't have to be elaborate...bonus points for anything I could buy in Manhattan before I catch the subway to the party...
gracias...

HalloweenCostumeFilter

radioamy — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:38:26 -0800

Halloween costume help! Help a music nerd dress up as a song. I am planning on being "Devil With a Blue Dress" (blue dress, devil ears and tail, etc). I'm trying to think of a good companion costume for my boyfriend and we've both drawn a blank. The only song I could come up with is "Rocket Man."

FWIW, boyfriend is about 6 feet tall, slender with some muscles. We both live in the US (New Orleans to be exact).

Help us Hive Mind!

Help me get my Goth on.

donovan — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:50:56 -0800

Help me get my Goth on. "Let's see what you've goth! Get dressed in your finest moody goth clothes and come to the GothBQ/housewarming this Saturday starting around 4. Eat bats and whatever you bring to throw on the grill."

Beyond a black tee shirt and eyeliner I goth . . . nothing.

Please help me assemble a suitably impressive outfit in the next 36 hours. And bonus points for creative grilling/potluck ideas.

Yet Another Costume Question

arha — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:52:16 -0800

I need a costume idea, theme "Myths & Legends". Help me, please! I've been invited to my sister's art school's ball on Saturday night. The theme is "Myths and Legends", and I need last minute inspiration.

I am female, in Australia, serious bonus points for cheaply achieved ideas (I am on a student budget myself).

One thought was just shoving a razor blade in an apple, carrying it all night, and explaining it as an urban legend, but that seems a bit naff. Anyone have anything better?

Help me list the world's unexplained mysteries

chippie — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:17:36 -0800

I need a list of "unexplained mysteries" for a group theme costume. What else is there besides UFOs, Bermuda Triangle, Nessie, etc.? Here's what I've got so far:

* UFOs
* Bermuda Triangle
* Loch Ness Monster
* Bigfoot/Sasquatch/Yeti
* Crop circles

I feel like there must be more! Thanks

Would you be shocked if I changed into something more comfortable?

otherwordlyglow — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:40:44 -0800

Where in San Francisco can I get my hair set to look like a 1930s movie star? Any other tips on a 1930s boudoir look would be appreciated, too. I'm attending a costume where the directive was to embody the 1930s. I'm not too excited about enacting a depression-era housewife so I decided to go to the opposite extreme: Jean Harlow. I have mid-length blonde hair and I'd like to get it styled and set in the sort of wavy glam style that she had. Or barring that, I'd go for a Veronica Lake look, even though that's not quite the right era. There's no way I can do this myself so are there any salons that can do old-fashioned set and style hair-dos?

I already have a great silk nightgown and am making a pair of marabou slippers. I need to find a good bed jacket or robe and then any and all other accessories (long pearl strands? a big old white mink stole?). Any other thought are appreciated.