Costume Malfunctions and Other Stuff

If something happens to your costume, tell the costume team immediately. Things happen. Zippers break, hems fall, buttons come off. Tell your costume team right away (ideally during intermission or right after the show) so they’re able to fix it in time for the next show. Don’t wait until the last minute to say something; you are not likely to get much sympathy five minutes before the curtain rises! As well, keep your costume pieces together and always make sure everything is accounted for before you leave each day, from your ballgown right down to your sparkly shoes.

Related to costume, makeup is the application of cosmetics to the face and body. A key function of makeup is to help the performer personify and embody the character he or she is playing. Makeup used to be more popular in the theater than it is today. In a modern small theater, performers playing realistic will simply go without makeup of any consequences. Use of makeup is often essential because the age of a character differs from that of the performer. Suppose that 20 years old performer is playing the part of a 60-year-old character. Through the use of makeup, the appropriate age can be suggested.

Theiss explored in her previous works the theme of flying employing in her designs butterflies motifs, but this time she had to apply her skills and knowledge to pieces that had to evoke concepts such as fear, hope and freedom rather than literally represent them. Turning to a dark palette comprising black, grey and dove with some plum added in, the designer employed a series of different techniques to help Donlon’s telling her story. In one costume Theiss for example added a simple woollen strip that tied the dancer’s wrists, and that perfectly hinted at the constraints and pressures that chain and trap us in our lives.

Celeb’s Valentine’s Day Outfits

Every time Valentine’s Day rolls around, we can’t wait to see what our favorite celebs will wear on their big night out. Will they go for something comfy and cute or sultry and smoldering? Will they be on-theme with a red and white ensemble or will they opt for a killer LBD? Well, friends, our burning questions have finally been answered—last night we peeped Rihanna , Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry out and about, and we are seriously smitten with their V Day ensembles. RiRi headed out to a nightclub in Hollywood wearing a bright orange wrap dress with a black fur coat and metallic gold snakeskin sandals.

Whether Valentine’s Day falls on a school day or the weekend, a great (and delicious!) way to start the day with your smallest Valentines is with a special breakfast Kids feel extra special when they are being served something just for them. Decorate the kitchen table the night before (after they go to bed) with decorative plates, napkins, cups and decorations, and then plan a menu that everyone will love. You can dye the waffle batter pink with food coloring or berry juice and top them with whipped cream and strawberries — or put a Valentine twist on whatever your family’s favorite breakfast may be. Bows, ruffles and hearts galore

Stage / Theatrical Costuming

Ah!  This is throwback to some of my costuming background. Although I wasn’t involved in the theatrical aspects of costumeing that much, I was reminded that it takes a lot of thought to prepare for a stage production.  One can’t just throw a ‘blue shirt’ on someone and hope that tells the story of a character.

For more on theatrical and masquerade costumes, visit us HERE:

Argh!!!!

No need to comment on this article or anything else that has to do with the Honey Boo Boo phenomena.  Oh ye of little or no talent like TinyTim of years ago, I hope it blows over soon .

For more on costumes, and especially the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons just ahead, visit us at www.costumescostumescostumes.net

Honey Boo Boo dresses as a pirate for Halloween

“Honey Boo Boo was a popular Halloween costume this year, but the reality television star — being Honey Boo Boo every other day of the year — had to think of a different outfit. She wore a bright pink and black dress Wednesday. The costume appears to …New York Daily News”
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/honey-boo-boo-popular-costume-year-article-1.1196170

Plan for Next Year!!  

Were you left out this year? Were you scrambling at the last minute for a Halloween costume?  Are you an early bird?

Whatever you are, there may be bargains aplenty at your local costume shop.  Forget the seasonal shops!!! They’ve already locked their doors until next year and are packing their inventory to store until next season when they’ll try to sell the same things to you again. 

This is an ad from Buycostumes.  See Ad in right column for more information.

Year round costume shops are less likely to have the storage capacity than their seasonal brethren (rivals or however they perceive the seasonal shop), and might be willing to negotiate a better price if in fact they haven’t already lowered their prices. 

You see…Christmas is coming and so the all-year-round costume shops will need that additional space for Santa Claus costumes, Santa Belles, Elves, Snowmen, and not to mention Santa wigs and beards, belts, padding, boottops and all the other seasonal stuff.

Santa and one of his elves from Buycostumes.  See Ad in right column for more information.

Behind Τhе Ѕcеnеѕ – Соѕtumіng

UW-Grееn Βау Theatre аnd Μuѕіc are jоіnіng fоrcеѕ to prеѕеnt thе popular muѕіcаl Саbаrеt on thе mаіnѕtаgе of thе Wеіdnеr Center Αprіl 20-21. And whіlе thе actors аnd muѕіcіаnѕ have bееn buѕу preparing fоr thе show — Τhеаtrе’ѕ first Wеіdnеr mаіnѕtаgе production іn mоrе than а dеcаdе — Αѕѕоcіаtе Ρrоf. Kaoime Ε. Μаllоу has bееn tоіlіng for mоnthѕ tо make ѕurе thеу look thеіr bеѕt on ѕtаgе. Μаllоу is hаnd-mаkіng thе bulk оf thе show’s cоѕtumеѕ (108 at lаѕt cоunt), an аrduоuѕ prоcеѕѕ that іnvоlvеѕ thоrоugh research, plаnnіng аnd lots оf knоw-hоw. From cоncеpt tо completion, hеrе’ѕ а look аt thе costumes оf Саbаrеt.

“Εvеrу show rеquіrеѕ а certain аmоunt оf research, аnd wе have bееn dоіng an іncrеdіblе аmоunt of іt fоr Cabaret. Wе’vе ѕоrt of іmmеrѕеd оurѕеlvеѕ in thе cаbаrеt culture оf Wеіmаr Berlin, аѕ wеll as thе аctuаl artistic culturе оf the tіmе pеrіоd. …

You аlwауѕ hаvе to ѕоrt оf immerse уоurѕеlf іn the wоrld оf the plау tо figure оut whаt’ѕ going оn аnd to ѕоrt оf think аbоut hоw the chаrаctеr’ѕ rеаctіng and whаt thеу’rе specifically trуіng tо accomplish thrоugh thе line оf thе play.”

At lаѕt cоunt there’s аt lеаѕt 108 cоѕtumеѕ іn this ѕhоw. … We hаvе еvеrуthіng from lіngеrіе аnd underwear fоr thе people іn thе Kit Κаt Сlub all thе wау to rеаllу fіnе 1920s fаѕhіоn — sometimes еxtrеmе 20ѕ fashion, bеcаuѕе Ѕаllу is mеаnt tо shock еvеrу tіmе she’s оn ѕtаgе — аѕ wеll as pеrіоd ѕuіtѕ. There’s аlѕо ѕоmе Nazi rеgаlіа thаt we hаvе іn the ѕhоw … and а gоrіllа, so thеrе уоu go.”

“Every ѕhоw hаѕ its оwn chаllеngе. Sometimes thеrе (іѕ) trick clоthіng, ѕоmеtіmеѕ people hаvе tо bleed оn ѕtаgе, sometimes clоthіng hаѕ to lіght up. Every ѕhоw thеrе’ѕ always ѕоmеthіng thаt you hаvе tо solve, cоѕtumе-wіѕе.”

“(Τhеrе’ѕ) аlwауѕ a nеw chаllеngе — lіkе thіѕ show, Ѕаllу’ѕ gоt to crаck thоѕе eggs оn ѕtаgе, to drіnk thе prairie оуѕtеr, ѕо we hаvе tо have іnѕіdе оf her cоаt, (whіch) is bаck bеhіnd me, thе pоckеt has tо bе lined іn plаѕtіc — ѕо thаt if thоѕе brеаk, there’s nоt а problem wіth thаt … Wіth quіck changes, tоо — there аrе а lot оf fаѕt changes іn thіѕ show, ѕо еvеrуthіng has tо bе rigged tо fаcіlіtаtе that prоcеѕѕ wіth the drеѕѕеrѕ.”

“Τhе vаt room іѕ mаіnlу for іmmеrѕіоn dуеіng. The vаt іѕ actually а ѕtеаm jacketed ѕоup kеttlе from а kіtchеn manufacturer. Ιt’ѕ nоt the оnlу tуpе of dуе thаt I wоrk wіth and thе оnlу technique thаt Ι work wіth, but it’s prоbаblу thе bulk оf whаt we dо fоr Theatre, іѕ chаngіng things frоm оnе color tо аnоthеr. We аlѕо dо a lоt оf distressing оf gаrmеntѕ, which іѕ gоіng to hаppеn іn this ѕhоw аѕ well. … Ι know thаt іf I gо оut someplace аnd Ι can’t fіnd еxаctlу what Ι wаnt, there’s аlwауѕ а way tо аccоmplіѕh that vіа pаіntіng and dуеіng.”

“Ι thіnk what Ι lіkе most аbоut thеаtrе is thаt mу job cоnѕtаntlу chаngеѕ. … Τhеrе’ѕ аlwауѕ something tо fаll in lоvе wіth, with еvеrу ѕhоw.”

For more on costumes, visit us at

http://www.costumescostumescostumes.net

David Lynch’s Dune Hats

Maybe I’m weird, but I’ve always liked David Lynchs stuff…his TV series (Twin Peaks) and his off beat movies.  Dune, however, I didn’t see; but when I cam across this article, I now know why I like David Lynch.  These hats are bizarre.  This is not to say that I like the hats, but it typifies the David Lynch mind.  

Anyhow here is the article and hat photos.

Here’s an exclusive look at a costume detail from David Lynch’s Dune that never made it into the film. Lynch originally planned to shoot outdoor scenes in the city — and the citizens needed some protection from the sun. Here’s a collection of rare pictures of Dune sun hats that were created as a result….More at The Costumes You Never Saw In David Lynch’s Dune

Image by Pink Sherbet Photography via Flickr

The photo above has no relationship with the article.  I just liked it. For more on Halloween costumes, visit us at http://www.costumescostumescostumes.net

Robbers or Revelers?

This stuff really happens. In my career, we were visited by the local police departmeny one time , and the FBI on another.  The police questioned me about whether we rented a gorilla costume on or about a certain date.  We hadn’t, but someone murdered someone while wearing a gorilla costume.  They did catch up with the murderer.  I wonder if he’s allowed to wear the costume in prison?

The FBI paid us a visit because of a bank robbery by George Washington.  Well, it wasn’t George Washington because as you know, he passed away about two centuries ago; but rather a guy wearing a costume of that period.  In this case, as I recall, the costume belonged to us; but I never knew if the perpetrator was ever located.  All I know is the costume was never returned.

Witnesses say robbers were mistaken for Halloween partygoers in Pantego

“Witnesses testified that the three were mistaken for partygoers, with their dark clothes and masks mixing with the ladybugs, SpongeBobs and other costumes at the party on Oct. 30, 2010. When pressed to show their faces, the youths drew guns and robbed …”
http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07/10/4091390/witnesses-say-robbers-were-mistaken.html

 For more on Halloween costumes, visit us at http://www.costumescostumescostumes.net

Thrift Stores Solve Many a Costuming Problem

Ah, the old reliable backup for a costume emergency, or a costume budget issue.  The thrift store can solve many problems, by taking a little of this and a little of that and making your own.  To be sure, there won’t be any items that will convert to a Superman or Catwoman costume, but for many things, a great imagination will allow you to go far.

5 Doctor Who Costumes, 1 Thrift Store Trip

“The countdown to Comic-Con is on, and if you’re not up for sewing a handmade costume to rival Gallifrey’s best-dressed, a quick trip to a local thrift store or charity shop can provide enough mixing-and-matching options to have you dressed as your.”
http://www.geeksugar.com/Doctor-Who-Cosplay-Costumes-20076416

For more information on Halloween costumes, visit us at http://www.costumescostumescostumes.net