Costumes

Pirate themes are popular for children's parties, and no pirate party would be complete without a sassy sash for all those tiny buccaneers. Pirate sashes make great party favors and can be easily...

Costumes at a medieval fair are grand and elaborate, for men and women. Fabrics are elaborately designed and convey wealth. Rich materials from heavy velvets to sweeping brocades are worn. Men's...

Certain book characters are unforgettable. Long after the book has been finished, you can envision characters such as Sam Spade and Clarissa Dalloway or even Hana from "The English Patient."...

For an absolutely sizzling costume, dress as the crazy Burger King mascot. You can make your own costume out of very few materials. Your costume will have all of your friends laughing and guessing...

Want a great homemade costume idea? Here’s how to make a headless man costume. My sons each wore this in past years at about 8 years old and got great reactions. Here’s how to make it.

The flapper dress keeps coming back into style, so it's not that hard to get one, but for a flapper costume, the details will make the difference between virtual time travel, and just wearing a...

Turtle costumes can be inexpensive to make at home. There are things that you can use that you probably already have laying around the house. For the turtle body, all you have to do is wear green...

Aerobics were huge in the 80s. The boomers were starting to feel their age, and signed up for gym memberships like crazy. At the time, if you went to an aerobics class, you didn't wear what you'd...

Miami Vice was a huge show in the 80s. It came out in 1984 and ran through 1990. Don Johnson's character's Crockett in particular had a big influence on men's fashion. Philip Michael Thomas'...

The T.V. show Magnum PI ran from 1980 to 1988, so dressing up as Magnum fits nicely into an 80s party theme.

If you're going to an 80s party, an obvious look to go for is punk. There are a few holdouts keeping punk alive, but punk had it's heyday in the early 80s.

Clowns have been painting their faces for decades and the designs and colors they paint are an important part of their overall look as clowns. The paint that clowns use must be a specific type so...

With a little bit of fabric and a only little bit of time, you can make your own Greek costume. This costume can be worn for Halloween parties, theme parties or even college parties. A little...

This is a costume appropriate for a formal masquerade ball.

These are instructions for making a fairy skirt. This will turn a leotard, or a simple dress into a fairy costume for dress up or halloween.

Parrot costumes are colorful and relatively easy to make. Although many directions call for sewing, if you are not good at it you can use fabric glue. While the parrot costume works in its own...

A pirate costume for a female has more opportunities for variation and customization than a pirate costume for a man, and considering that a man can choose from a Captain Hook-like villain...

Whether you're dressing for a Halloween party or for a costume ball, making a goddess costume can be a figure-flattering and glamorous choice. Provided that you have the right base garment,...

A pirate's wardrobe changed according to the era, his resources and his locality. A pirate captain kicking about on land dressed flamboyantly to flaunt his fortunes. Aboard ship, the attire was...

A butterfly costume is more than just a set of wings. Pair butterfly wings with other costumes and ideas for a unique look. Incorporate different colors into the costume. Butterflies come in all...

Some people like to appear scary on Halloween and go for as much gore as possible, attaching fake injuries with spirit gum and waxes. Others see their costumes as opportunities to live out their...

The Victorian era covers a period in history from 1837 to 1901. Hairstyles changed several times throughout this period. As women and children's style of dress changed, from severe bodices to more...

Believe it or not you can sew nori seaweed on a sewing machine. It works pretty well, but the perforations caused by the needle weaken the sheets of nori so you have to sew the nori onto a...

This is something made for a a food themed college costume party. Unfortunately none of the pictures turned out, so you'll have to use your imagination, or make your own version to see it. When...

Clowns are normally seen in a circus but are also entertainers at many different functions. There are many fun activities to do with a clown face. Paint your face with face paint to look like a...

You must have missed where it said costume party on the invitation. Now, the day of the party, just minutes before you should be arriving, you learn you need a costume. Not just any costume--a...

The bride is a costume idea that has spiked in popularity in recent decades. The newfound popularity is partly due to the untouchable quality of the bride and the fact that her purity and...

The 1920s represent a rich mine for costume ideas. The '20s had a style all its own as it acted as the bridge from the turn of the century to The Great Depression. The '20s were a time of high...

The world of sci-fi offers nearly limitless opportunities for great costumes. The greatest resource is doubtlessly the thousands of sci-fi movies and TV shows that inform the general consciousness...

The schoolgirl costume is a very popular one. In most cases, the costume is nothing like an actual school uniform; it is too revealing and sexy to ever pass muster. For this reason, a little...

With costumes worn at parties and science fiction and media conventions, being able to throw something together can be handy. Costumes are fun to wear, but should also be comfortable. If you don't...

Say what you want about the 1980s, it was a fun decade. When dressing up for an '80s party, you have a broad array of choices. The decade saw both New Wave and hair band music groups, preppies and...

Creating an costume allows you to put your own creative mark on an ensemble. A one-of-a-kind fairy costume can be easily made at home using just a few simple supplies, such as wire, pantyhose, and...

If you want to get technical, Roman women didn't wear togas, and these instructions are for a peplos with an optional palla over it. Whether you care about historical accuracy or not, it's an...

Arr! Pirates are all the rage right now, and costume manufacturers recognize that fact. As one of the most popular sorts of costumes right now, they can be found easily at any given costume...

Research is important when creating vintage costumes. However, feel free to pull together and adjust pieces as necessary for the occasion. Gather all the essential elements to complete the costume...

If you're a guy looking to dress as a TV character for Halloween, you have many choices at your disposal. Whether you want to create a costume on your own or buy a ready-made costume from a...

As a teen, make a statement when selecting a costume. Step out as the Mad Hatter and incorporate your own slant to the character. Exaggerate his eccentricity. Color a wacky wig yellow and create...

For centuries, masks have been a way to add mystery and elegance to carnivals and balls, movies, books and everyday life. Today, we can admire them at Mardi Gras, in private collections or at...

Whether you're going to a costume party or a historical reenactment, there are many colonial costume ideas. You'll find a number of online sites (see Resources below) with pictures of these...

A hat can be the perfect topper when dressing up for Halloween or a costume party. Sometimes, a hat alone is costume enough. Whether you choose an iconic hat, a themed hat, or something totally...

The Mad Hatter is one of the funnier characters in the classic tale "Alice in Wonderland." He provides comic relief in the story, and his goofy behavior makes him an enjoyable character for teens...

Making costumes for Halloween or for costume parties allows you to put your own creative touch on an ensemble. Homemade costumes are also usually less expensive than ready-made store-bought...

When throwing any first birthday party, the foremost important aspect is to keep it kid-friendly and safe. Include bright colors that the kids can enjoy. When planning a tropical-themed party for...

Toga parties are a kind of costume party in which partygoers wear sandals and a toga (or more frequently a makeshift toga from a large sheet or bed covering). Toga parties were made popular by the...

The swashbuckling adventurer is a popular costume idea for all ages. By paying attention to the details, you can transform a good costume into a great costume. Find pirate boots to complete your...

A Cat in the Hat costume can be used for a play, for costume parties and for Halloween trick-or-treating. You can always buy a store-bought pajama-type Cat in the Hat costume, but a homemade...

During the 1970s, hippie style became more mainstream, disco emerged, and funk revealed a different kind of glamor. All these looks shared common fashion pieces. According to fashion writer...

Sometimes, thinking of an idea for a homemade costume is more difficult than making one. If you want to make an inexpensive costume, it may be a good idea to start by going somewhere you can buy...

A Pink Lady can be a costume for one woman; however, it is most fitting costume for a group of women. After all, the movie, 'Grease', portrays the Pink Ladies as the ultimate schoolgirl clique of...