So many costumes and not enough time ,how do you find the perfect costume? After a lifetime of creating, wearing and helping customers find their perfect costume ,here are some top tips to cut through the red tape. These tips will help you find the pièce de resistance for your costume party.
Before shopping for a costume, determine the theme or occasion of the party. Is it a Halloween party, costume party, or cosplay event? Choosing a costume that adheres to the theme of the party will help you create a show-stopping look. Going as Jack Sparrow, a pirate of the Caribbean, is great for a tropical themed night, especially if you already have a goatee. You can still use these tips even if there is no theme.
To Get Started
Research, research, research, costume options and ideas. The more you learn, the better informed you will be. Look online, browse costume stores, your wardrobe and ask friends for suggestions. The result will be a plethora of costume ideas that can be used to narrow your search. Make your decision based on which ideas appeal to you the most. Does the character sound familiar to you? Is it from one of your favorite movies or shows? Or is it someone from your childhood? Costumes that bring back happy memories and resonate with us are always a good choice. Make the most of your positive associations with costume by building on them.
Sure, you can just buy the most expensive costume you can find, but you can add some wow to any basic costume with a little effort. Adding your own unique touches to the costume will make it stand out. Use accessories, makeup or props to make the costume your own. With a movie scene clapper and your action directives, a 1920s costume that becomes an old school movie director will look even better.
Stay away from generic, clichéd outfits
Let’s be honest: doing things by the book won’t make your costume – or your presence – memorable. However, even if your costume isn’t the most original, there are so many ways you can make it your own. Wonder Woman, for instance, isn’t particularly original, but if you’re the opposite sex, it takes on a whole new meaning.
No costume party is complete without a touch of the unusual or outrageous, so even if you’re dressed as, say, a typical cat woman, why not be a cat woman wearing top hat and tails? Are you a cat woman who just won a fight with a touch of alley cat? That’s when a simple smattering of fake blood or strategic placement will do the trick.
Throw some humour into the mix and you can’t go wrong.
Everyone wants to look their best when attending a party. It’s human nature to want to be admired and appreciated by others. This explains why so many partygoers are bending over backwards to be as sexy as possible… and why not? However, humour is equally appealing – if not more so! Having a sexy and funny combination is a killer combination at any party.
Taking yourself too seriously isn’t really that sexy, and to reiterate: clichéd ‘sexy’ outfits like naughty nurses are two for the price of one. Why not be a sexy zombie nurse instead of a sexy nurse? Your outfit will garner more attention if you add some silly elements to it, and you will also appear much more confident.
Be creative with your costume
Be creative and make your own accessories – or your entire outfit, if you’re talented? You can make your kit with tin foil, toilet roll tubes, broom handles, feathers, or beads; there are also Christmas decorations, kids’ toys (e.g. swords, snakes, doll heads), and fairy lights.
A homemade headdress is a statement piece, and you can customize any number of items.Think wigs, tights, masks… anything you can personalize will push you one step closer to ‘best costume’. One of my favorite costume ideas is to dress up as a Christmas tree for your office Christmas party.Using a battery-powered battery pack and a cheap shiny green dress, decorate with tinsel and fairy lights. This costume idea will really shine, especially if the lights are turned out.
Other factors
Other factorsIt’s important to consider your budget before making a costume purchase, costumes can range from inexpensive to quite costly. There’s no need to spend a fortune. Choose a budget and look for costumes within that range. If you want to maximize your budget, you’ll have to get creative.
It is important to choose a costume that is comfortable and appropriate. Make sure the costume you choose is suitable for the occasion. Make sure the costumes are appropriate for the weather, your activities, and the amount of time you will be wearing them. Will you be attending a kids’ birthday party or a work event? All of these will dictate what you should wear. You probably won’t want to be the playboy bunny at your work costume party, but it might be OK for your friend’s 30th. You might think it’s a great idea to dress as a dinosaur for your best friends 3 year old birthday party, but most young children are scared of mascot costumes that cover their heads because they don’t recognize them. In addition, wearing a mascot costume when it’s 40 degrees outside might not be the most comfortable.
Try on your costume
After assembling or purchasing the costume, make sure you try it on before the event. Whilst most of us are a little last minute with these things. Make sure you try on your costume idea before the big event, ideally with plenty of time to change it if needed. A week before is usually enough time to implement last minute changes or work out what accessories you need to complete the costume. When it comes to creating the perfect costume, preparation and planning are half the battle. Nothing more frustrating than a costume that doesn’t fit even if it’s the most amazing idea.
In the end, finding the perfect costume is all about having fun and being able to express your unique personality. With a little imagination and research, you can find the perfect costume for any occasion, to fit your budget, to fit your body type, and to reflect your sense of style. As you look forward to your next themed party, we hope that you take our ideas and work with them to come up with the perfect costume for your event.
Meet Dale Pruser, our fabulous blogger who lives and breathes costumes! With boundless enthusiasm and a knack for turning heads, she’s the perfect guide to unleash your inner alter ego. Dale’s 30+ years experience in the costume and cosplay industry, make her the go-to source for finding the perfect costume. Her passion and knowledge shine through her blog posts, where she shares helpful tips on finding the perfect costume, DIY hacks to make your outfit stand out, and even delves into the fascinating history behind some of the most iconic characters. Her writing is as vibrant and colorful as the costumes she adores. With a twinkle in her eye and a wardrobe bursting with creativity, Dale dives headfirst into the realm of costumes. She lives for those magical moments when you put on a costume and become someone entirely different—whether it’s a mighty superhero, a swashbuckling pirate, or a glamorous 1920s flapper.