The Costume Resource

Newsies Halloween Costume Ideas

Post author By Christine
Post date February 23, 2015
No Comments on Newsies Halloween Costume Ideas

Tonight I watched the Disney movie musical, “Newsies” with my girls. Not sure why I had not seen it until now.

It was made in 1992! 1992 people!!

I have no idea why we didn’t go see it when we were in NYC a few years ago. It was all the rage. Maybe it was sold out, although I didn’t even try to get tickets. I guess a bunch of boys in a show didn’t seem appealing.

I was wrong.

I liked Newsies for 3 reasons.

1. The songs are memorable, even the beautiful ballad, Santa Fe.

2. My theater-performer-teen mentioned

Tags Disney, period, theater

Accessories Cosplay Couples costume Family Costumes Group costume Halloween Costumes for Kids Halloween Costumes for Men Halloween Costumes for Teens Halloween Costumes for Women Movies Tutorials

Halloween Costume Idea: DIY LEGO Costume

Post author By Christine
Post date October 22, 2014
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Everything is Awesome, Everything is Cool When You Are Part of a Team! –Lego Movie

The LEGO head or mask for a LEGO costume does not seem to be readily available from retailers, so you are in for a few hours of DIY if you want a Lego costume.

The couple from their tutorial here said they spent over 12 hours on their Lego costumes, so be prepared for a trip to Home Depot, cutting, gluing, painting, and drying time. It is worth it because their Lego heads turned out very authentic!

They said they got their instructions from this tutorial here from Instructables.com which has a ton of helpful tips in the comments.

If you allow enough prep time or have lots of help, this is a super family or group costume!

For more ideas, tips, and photos, follow The Costume Resource on Facebook.

Tags Lego, Lego Head

Cosplay General Halloween Costumes for Men Halloween Costumes for Teens Movies

6 Easy Halloween Costume Ideas for Men

Post author By Christine
Post date October 18, 2014
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13 Days until Halloween and guys, you still have time to pull together a pretty snazzy Halloween costume.
These next 6 ideas for Easy Halloween Costumes for Men range from classic to comic and are easy to pull together with a few pieces from your closet and a purchase or two online.

6 Easy Costumes Halloween Costumes for Men:

1. James Bond. Classy, elegant, and he always gets the girl. Black suit or black tux, black bow tie, collared white shirt, well-polished shoes, and don’t forget the cuff links. Even better if you drive a fast car.

2. Indiana Jones. Natural and easy for the rugged or adventurous man. Khaki pants, collared shirt, leather jacket, and a few key accessories including the hat. You must have the hat! A leather or canvas messenger bag is a fitting accessory too and be sure to allow time for some scruff for this costume.

3. Napoleon Dynamite. Comfy, goofy, and you even get a t shirt you might wear again. “Vote for Pedro” tshirt, jeans, and moon boots, which are really hard to find, so the moon boot boot covers may have to suffice. Dig out an old pair of glasses and if you are lucky enough to have some curl in your locks, pick them out for a slight frizzy mess. Oh and keep your mouth hanging open the entire night.

4. Sherlock Holmes. Smart, timeless, and even better with a British accent. Dark trousers, tweed coat, blue scarf, and hat.

5. Jay Gatsby. So smooth and debonair. Oozing style down to his spectator wingtips. Click here for my earlier post on this charming, passionate man.

6. Captain America. Heroic, powerful, and good for those who don’t mind the skinny pants. You can pull off a DIY version in skinny bright blue jeans or sweats, red, white, and blue t shirt, red Converse All-Stars, mask, gloves, and you must have the shield. Or you can just order the really cool but expensive version shown here. Don’t bother with the cheap versions of this costume. You’ll be disappointed in the quality. The fabric on the cheap super hero costumes is so thin you’ll be left feeling a little exposed…

Any extra layer you put under these cheap costumes does not look super heroic. Either do the DIY from real fabric and clothes or go for the pricey one.

Follow me on Facebook for more tips and ideas on costumes for all ages!

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10 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Teen Girls

Post author By Christine
Post date September 29, 2014
No Comments on 10 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Teen Girls

Teenagers can be hard. I have a teen, a tween, and one waiting in the wings.

When it comes to Halloween costumes, teens can be especially challenging. Direct quote from my teenage daughter: “Well it’s hard to decide on a Halloween costume. You want to dress up, but not look like you tried too hard, and you want to be cute still. And comfy. It has to be comfy.”

So there you go. Cute and comfy is the key to a teen girl Halloween costume.

Here are 10 easy DIY teen Halloween costume ideas that fit “cute and comfy”:

1. 80s Chick: crimped hair or high side ponytail, leggings, leather jacket, neon anything, leg warmers, oversized sweatshirt, high tops, bangle bracelets.

2. Nerd: Center part with ponytails or braids, glasses with tape around the center (3D glasses are cheap and easy just pop the lenses out if you want), button up shirt with top button buttoned, cardigan mis-buttoned, high waisted pants with shirt tucked in or a pleated skirt, penny loafers with knee high socks.

3. Audrey Hepburn: Get out that LBD (Little. Black. Dress.), a strand of pearls, 60s style coif.

4. Minion from “Despicable Me“: Denim mini-jumper, yellow shirt, yellow tights, black boots, yellow beanie, homemade goggles.

5. Rosie the Riveter: Bandana to tie around your hair, falsies (false eyelashes), red lipstick, denim shirt with leggings.

6. Hippie: Floral maxi dress, long wavy hair, floral headband, John Lennon glasses, peace sign earrings.

7. Beauty Queen: Short formal dress, heels, glamour hair and make up, dangling rhinestone earrings, a tiara. Don’t forget the sash and give yourself a title.

8. Rodeo Queen: Colored Jeans, a western style shirt, dangling rhinestone earrings, huge Texas style curly-frizzy hair, a cowboy hat with large tiara, a big belt buckle, cowboy boots, a sash that proclaims yourself “Rodeo Queen.”

9. Olympia/Greek Goddess: long white, cream, or gold dress or formal, gold cord belt from Christmas decorations or curtains, a braided or ivy hair wreath, gold jewelry, long wavy hair or loose braid.

10. Wednesday Addams: Black dress or black sweater with black skirt, must have the white collar on the outside, black opaque or striped tights, funky fun black shoes, center part with two hair braids, pale face, black lips.

Many of these items can be found in your closets, at a thrift store, or online if you want it shipped to your door. For more tips on how to create and design a Halloween costume, buy my Amazon ebook here. Follow me on Facebook for tons more ideas!

Cosplay Dresses Family Costumes General Girl costumes Group costume Hair-Makeup-Accessories Halloween Costumes for Teens Halloween Costumes for Women Makeup Tutorials

Wednesday Addams Halloween Costume Idea

Post author By Christine
Post date September 29, 2014
1 Comment on Wednesday Addams Halloween Costume Idea

We have tickets to an upcoming production of “The Addams Family: The Broadway Musical” and we can’t wait to see it! We are musical theater fans and enjoy the soundtrack, so I am excited to see how the songs all fit in. The Addams Family is a fun and festive group Halloween costume idea. Wednesday Addams would also be easy to put together and looks great even going solo. If people aren’t familiar with the Addams Family characters, you’ll still look like a creepy doll just perfect for Halloween.

Her costume is super easy: a short black dress or black sweater and skirt combo, and the must have is the white collar showing. You probably have something in your closet that will work. If not, take a quick trip to the thrift store or a click on the image below. And because it’s a real dress and not a cheap costume made from thin fabric, you would probably wear it again! So much better than buying a costume sold in a bag. Pair the outfit with black opaque or striped tights and funky black shoes.

Here’s a helpful tutorial for the hair and makeup:

Follow me on Facebook for more costume ideas!

Tags Addams Family

General Halloween Costumes for Women Refashioning Tutorials

DIY Queen of Hearts Costume

Post author By Christine
Post date September 3, 2014
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You don’t need to know how to sew to make a fun costume. In this tutorial on a DIY Queen of Hearts Costume from Bethany Mota, she shows how a glue gun and craft glue can refashion a corset, add a layer of lace to a skirt, and even create a new skirt. Who needs thread when you have hot glue? This opens a whole new world of costume possibilities…

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Top 5 Reasons Why I Don’t Like Costumes From Mass Retailers

Post author By Christine
Post date August 28, 2014
No Comments on Top 5 Reasons Why I Don’t Like Costumes From Mass Retailers

I am not generally a food snob, but I am kind of a costume snob. I do not like costumes that come in a bag.

Every year as my family plans for Halloween, we do not shop the costume aisles of the local discount store. Maybe for a few years when my kids were little, but the costume bug bit me bad about 6 years ago and I’ve never looked back. Sure I would hit the after-Halloween sales looking for some bargains for the dress- up bin, but even then I realized I didn’t like those cheap costumes in a bag.

Disclaimer:

I provide plenty of costume ideas on my blog that are from mass retailers. They can be used for inspiration or for those who need it NOW. For sure we all go through crazy times in our lives when costumes need to be quick and we don’t have time to go all out. And occasionally you might even find some decent costumes in a bag. I won’t judge.

Here are the top 5 reasons I don’t like costumes from mass retailers:

1. They are cheaply made. The fabric is cheap and doesn’t last long before you have shredding and tears in the seams. They don’t have finished hems. They are typically wrinkled and impossible to iron without damaging the paper thin fabric. They don’t often last longer than Halloween night after being worn for a party or two and then all day at school, and then finally the big kahuna of trick-or-treating. You may be able to get some wear out of these costumes for pretend play, but they usually turn limp and wilty.

2. It is likely that someone else will show up in the exact same costume. Costume manufactures often sell the same costume to multiple different retailers including online costume suppliers. I don’t mind showing up as the same character as someone else, but it’s not so fun to find an exact twin.

3. They can be relatively expensive for what they are: Something that your child or you may not wear again. See reason #1. They don’t typically come with a wig, accessories, or shoes. So after you’ve spent $20-$30 on the costume only, you still have some more items to purchase, including a trick-or-treat bag.

4. If you wait until the last minute, the pickins’ are slim. You are limited to what the store has in stock and that’s no fun to be disappointed when you finally get your kids to the store with you and they can’t find a costume in the right size.

5. It’s boring. Unoriginal. You don’t get to experience the creative process! I believe that everyone has creativity inside of them waiting to be unlocked. It is so fun to hit the thrift store to find that perfect denim jumper which could be the beginning of a minion costume. That black and white striped skirt that would be perfect for a pirate, or that donated dance costume that glitters like a fairy costume. Put the magic 5 ingredients together, and you have an amazing, original costume that you created yourself!

My ebook, “How to Design and Create a Halloween Costume” describes the magic 5 ingredients in greater detail and will inspire you to put together your own costume this year. If you get stuck in the creative process, contact me on The Costume Resource Facebook page and I can send you some resources and ideas–I’d love to help you create your own costume!

Cosplay General Halloween Costumes for Women Period Costume

How to Create a Steampunk Costume for Women

Post author By Christine
Post date August 27, 2014
No Comments on How to Create a Steampunk Costume for Women

10144713295_2c9fc5bb05_b — Photo Credit LuftFlotte Steampunk…

Steampunk costumes fascinate me.

Maybe it’s because steampunk reminds me of those old fashioned photo booths in theme parks where you are instantly transformed a hundred years back… The photo is printed in sepia on tin type. I loved pausing to watch the transformations, but didn’t want to shell out the cash for that experience.

My lucky day came at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri years ago when my parents footed the bill for the extended family to get all dressed up. Maybe if I get enough requests in the comments, I’d be brave enough to post that picture…:)

Maybe it’s also because of all the cool hats from that time period for both men and women. Hats look so proper. A hat is the finishing touch on a costume from this time period.

I think I also like steampunk for the multitude of textures including the mix up of leather, metal, lace, net, velvet, and taffeta. Often there are some unexpected twists in the costume. The goggles, a little French Moulin Rouge mixed in, uneven hems, the funky revolvers…Tons of room for creativity.

Steampunk even mixes time periods. While steampunk is heavily influenced by the Victorian Era (mid 1840s-1900s), it is often mixed in with modern or militaristic styles.

Key elements in steampunk costumes for women may include:

-Bustles

-Corsets

-Gowns

-Petticoats

-Hats

-Belts

-Ruffles,

-Lace up boots

Steampunk costumes are often accessorized with technological and period pieces including parasols, flying/driving goggles, ray guns, canes, and time pieces. “Modern accessories like cell phones or music players can be found in steampunk outfits, after being modified to give them the appearance of Victorian-made objects.” (Wikipedia)

The color palette in steampunk is predominantly dark rich tones of deep reds, burgundy, navy, dark teal, deep purple, gold, mustard, hunter green, olive green, copper, brown, gunmetal grey, silver, bronze, and PLENTY of black.

If you do not want to make a costume, there are plenty of interesting steampunk costumes for women available. Click on the pictures below for more information. When I costume, I like to purchase one or two important aspects of the costume like the hat or an accessory that seems like a beast to make (like those corsets or petticoat), but then I source the rest from thrift stores finds that I refashion or simple sewing and crafty projects. Just depends on what’s already in my costume closet and how much time/money I have.

If I happen to already have a dress that would work with a little draping and some ruffles and lace added, then I would find an inexpensive hat, deck it out with fabric or trim, and then splurge on the boots that I know I can’t make. Watch for more posts on steampunk accessory ideas and other ideas for making your own steampunk costume.

Here’s a few ideas to get your steampunk costume started…

Tags Comic Con, Steampunk, Victorian

Cosplay Refashioning Resources Sewing Costumes

American Sewing Expo: How to Make Costumes

Post author By Christine
Post date August 26, 2014
No Comments on American Sewing Expo: How to Make Costumes

If you like to sew or want to learn how to sew and have a girls getaway, there is a huge sewing expo happening September 26-28, 2014 in Michigan! Three days of interesting sewing classes for all levels of stitchers including costume classes on cosplay, refashioning, fit, fabric, and costume design careers. Here are the costume class descriptions:

*Costume Magic by Bernadine Vida

Join professional costume designer, Bernadine Vida
as she demonstrates fast and easy costume making
without breaking the bank! It’s fun and simple to cre- ate a multitude of costume pieces using thrift store
garments or even clothes from your own closet.
Watch her as she performs this costume magic right
before your very eyes. Be inspired by

Tags sewing classes

Accessories Hats

White Witch Hat

So I after writing a post about a gorgeous white witch costume idea where the hat and broom really make it special, I went on a hunt for white witch hats.

There ain’t much out there online unless you are crafty and are willing to make your own white witch hat from scratch as shown in this YouTube video at minute 4:30. This tutorial inspired by Elphaba’s Wicked hat looks simple, but I think it will take a bit of time. I like to take the route where I refashion something that already exists. I don’t sew and I love my glue gun. Cover an existing black witch hat in white fabric, and/ or embellish a white hat with silk flowers and bridal floral bling.

For the non-crafter, or time starved, Amazon and Etsy to the rescue!

This hat as shown has a modern feel to it with the fur, the large buckle, and the tiered top. Which could all be good if your dress is more contemporary.

However, this hat could be a great base for