Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Dressing as a home appliance for Halloween may not sound very exciting, but a refrigerator costume is unique, attention-grabbing and versatile. Making a refrigerator costume is cost effective, as you can use items you already have at home, and it does not require any sewing. This costume is sure to attract recognition in costume contests.
A general understanding of musical themes and motifs is very important to your music career. Learn about musical themes and motifs with help from a professional singer and violinist in this free video clip.
Just because you're making a costume at home doesn't mean it won't be creepy. Make creepy homemade costumes with help from a professional costumer and tailor in this free video clip.
Homemade Marilyn Monroe and JFK costumes are easier to put together than one might think. Learn about homemade Marilyn Monroe and JFK costumes with help from a professional costumer and tailor in this free video clip.
Many countries and communities with a large Roman Catholic population celebrate the period between Epiphany, on Jan. 6, until Fat Tuesday, before lent begins. Carnivals in Brazil, Trinidad, Ecuador, Martinique, Venice and Haiti, and the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration feature colorful costumes adorned with feathers, bright fabrics and beads. Participants can make part or all of the carnival costume. You can make attractive headpieces and collars for your costume for less money than buying a commercially produced piece.
Whether you want to dress classy or crazy, a purse-and-pearls-themed party can bring your fashionable friends together. Typical purse parties involve getting together with friends and a purse consultant to buy purses, but another take on this is to clean out your closet and showcase an overabundance of bags, especially bags you no longer use. Inviting your friends to do the same can create a bag-swapping bonanza.
Pop culture is a theme that means something different from one person to the next. While some people include past pop culture icons like Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and hula hoops, others are much more comfortable with current trends like Lady Gaga, Facebook and the Twilight series. With such a broad base, there are some important steps to take to make sure your pop culture theme party is tucked snugly into a niche that everyone will be able to easily understand.
Costumes can be expensive to purchase in stores. Depending on what you want to dress up as, affixing a decorated Styrofoam shell to your back can create many different types of homemade costume ideas, including turtles, ladybugs, crabs and bumblebees. To create a Styrofoam shell costume, first decide what you want to dress up as.
October is the time of year when many people think about dressing up in a costume such as a plug and socket. These two costumes can also be used for electrical exhibitions, such as for a company or a school. The plug and socket costume helps children understand the difference between the male and female portions of the electrical circuit. You can make a plug and socket costume in about four hours.
Everyone wants to host a party that is so awesome people talk about it for weeks afterward, and those who miss it vow not to miss your next one. One way to make people fight to make your invitation list is to give your party some Hollywood ambiance and treat your guests as celebrities on the red carpet. Your preparations may take a little longer to complete, but the extra effort will serve to move you to the top of the best party-host list.
Many children and adults enjoy dressing as superheroes for Halloween or other costume parties. Superhero costumes are also a good addition to a child's dress-up box. Some of these costumes are just a shirt and cape. Adding chest muscles makes them look more realistic. The materials to create chest muscles are inexpensive and creating your own is often more economical than purchasing a costume that includes them. A fabric or craft store is a good place to look for the items you need to make your costumes.
Sometimes you might want to wear a costume portraying a mechanized figure that requires a windup key to lend it credibility. Making a life-sized windup key is easy, if you have the correct parts. Experiment with different mechanisms and anchoring to find what works best for your particular costume. Dressing in a mechanized costume allows you to be interactive with others in a nonverbal, fun manner that triggers lots of laughs and interest.
The LG GR500, also known as the Xenon, comes with several options to customize the phone to your preferences. Among the options is the ability to change the theme, which is the screen's background and text colors. You can select the theme and other phone display options to change the look of your LG GR500.
Whether you're playing the character of a fish in a school play or you're planning on going as some form of marine life for Halloween, you'll need to assemble a convincing costume. As most costume crafters preoccupy themselves with the eyes, lips and fins of the fish, more subtle details such as the shimmery scales or gills are easily overlooked. Add a touch of realism to your costume by cutting a set of gills into your costume using a few simple materials.
Although the many books, comics, movies and video games about the post-apocalypse era are all different, they share a similar clothing aesthetic that favors functionality over fashion. Resources are limited after the collapse of society, so a post-apocalyptic costume can be cobbled together with the items you have around your house — making it a cheap and simple costume to assemble in a short amount of time. With few extra flourishes, you can transform into a mutated gang leader, flesh-eating zombie or scrappy survivor.
Food-themed Halloween costumes are a clever alternative to the traditional ghosts, witches and superheroes. Choose to dress up as your favorite flavor of Skittles, the fruity, colorful candies made by Mars Inc. A Skittles costume is comfortable, and there's no makeup or mask required. To make a homemade Skittles costume, you need to find the color of felt material that matches the flavor you like best. Skittles colors include yellow, green, red, purple and orange in bright tropical shades.
Impress everyone at the the next Battlestar Galactica convention with a realistic Cylon costume. Cylons were man-made robots designed for battle in the television show "Battlestar Galactica." However, they later rebelled and enslaved the humans. Construct a costume to look like a Cylon Centurion by using paper mache to create the chrome mask. It's the most distinctive part of the costume, and once you wear it with black or gray clothing, you look exactly like a Cylon.
Costumes of the period are an essential part of a Renaissance fair. Wearing such apparel is a must for the organizers but optional for participants. The clothes worn during the class-driven Renaissance period varied from homespun, rough working clothes for the peasants, carpenters and weavers to expensive, silk garments for the nobles. So the kind of costume to make depends on the class of society you plan to represent at the fair.
Halloween is an exciting time for many youngsters as they walk around their neighborhoods, going from house to house to collect candy. As youngsters get older, the emphasis shifts from candy and treats to elaborate costumes. Funny, sexy, original and clever costumes often get the biggest reactions. Creating a Mount Rushmore costume will be sure to get you noticed.
Mardi Gras is the period of celebration just prior to Lent, the period of fasting, in the Catholic tradition. Mardis Gras generally takes place in late February and early March, eventually culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Made famous by the celebrations in the city of New Orleans, Mardis Gras parties and carnivals are actually common throughout other areas of the country as well. Mardis Gras parties are only limited by your imagination.
Genghis Kahn was a Mongolian warrior who built an army and went on to build an Empire during the Middle Ages. Ruthlessly destroying tribes across Northeast Asia, Genghis Kahn was a conqueror. The Mongolian Empire was the largest empire in the world before the British Empire. Today, a Genghis Kahn costume is appropriate for a historical or warlord-themed costume party, or for a theatrical production. Make your own Genghis Kahn costume using pieces found at your local thrift store or costume shop, and a few items from a craft store.
A do-it-yourself stegosaurus costume is sure to be the hit of the costume party and is relatively simple to make. All you need is a jogging suit, a long strip of fabric, a glue gun, sponge or foam, and imagination. If you like, paint your face and add plastic fangs and claws for the finishing touches.
The majestic image of a stingray gliding through the ocean waves provides inspiration for a unique Halloween costume. Whether a costume wearer is a lover of marine animals or simply a trick or treater looking for a unique get-up, a stingray costume is a one-of-a-kind costume that can easily be constructed using materials found at any department store or even in the costume wearer's own home.
Odysseus, the legendary King of Ithaca, led his forces to help save the kidnapped Helen of Troy and created the famed Trojan horse. Ancient Greek pottery provides images of warriors from which to derive the perfect Odysseus costume. War garb was a loose tunic covered by an armored breastplate and a girdle of leather straps. Add leather sandals, a cape over one shoulder, and a sword and shield and your own Odysseus steps out of mythology and into reality.
For a sophisticated get-up at your next costume party, dress as a high-fashion icon. You don't need to invest in pricey brand-name clothes to make it look like you're fresh off the runway. So everybody can identify your costume, look to fashion-forward celebrities, over-the-top designs and iconic red carpet looks.
Kaiju suits are often fashioned after famous monsters such as Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Gigan and Baragon and made entirely of foam rubber. But with the growing popularity of cosplay culture and the term "kaiju" being thrust into the spotlight with Kaiju Big Battel -- a theatrical production of actors dressed up as fictitious beasts fighting each other in staged comical showdowns -- more people are building their own suits and showing them off at conventions and cosplay events. The great thing about building a kaiju suit is that your imagination is your guide and the basics of any design are…
Charmander is a lovable monster from Nintendo's Pokemon, a Japanese cartoon world that includes a TV show, trading cards and video games. Charmander, which means fire lizard, is discovered and taken in by the main character, Ash Ketchum, after being abandoned by his owner. Charmander later evolves into more advanced lizard forms, such as Charmeleon and Charizard. For Halloween and costume parties, Charmander is an easy Pokemon costume that you can make with a few simple materials. He is a small orange lizard with a light yellow chest and bluish-black eyes. The most distinctive feature is the flame at the…
A fortune teller's distinctive look is as much a uniform as a banker's pinstriped suit. The iconic look requires plenty of color, bold jewelry, a pair of large gold hoop earrings and a vibrant head scarf. The Romani came not from Egypt originally, but from northern India, so the classic appearance of a "fortune teller" draws inspiration from India, the Middle East and Eastern European folk dress. Complete the costume with a deck of Tarot cards or a crystal ball.
Swing music wasn't the only thing that roared in the 1920s. After early electric- and steam-powered autos had run their course, the end of World War I in 1918 created an optimistic peacetime culture ready to hit the road in gasoline-powered cars. The United States in particular began its love affair with the automobile in the 1920s -- about 20 percent of the population owned a car by 1928, compared to roughly 2 percent in England and France.
Carnival is closely associated with the Caribbean, so it may come as a surprise to learn that the Carnival celebration actually originated in Italy. As the Italians and their fellow Europeans began to migrate to other parts of the world, including the Caribbean, they brought with them African slaves. Because of this, the Caribbean Carnival became infused with the history and traditions of the African culture. Your Caribbean-themed dance should feature the tropical décor and spicy foods of the region.
Familiarity with party etiquette can make the difference between a night of enjoyment or a night of embarrassment. Be considerate of others while looking out for your own safety. Though parties offer a relaxed atmosphere, they're not a free pass to behave however you want. Maintain a friendly, gracious attitude, and you may find yourself with a wealth of connections, friends and continued invitations.
Medieval garb, whether fancy or plain, was based on one simple piece: the tunic. The T-tunic was floor-length for women and usually knee or thigh-length for men. Some tunics were short-sleeved, but most had long sleeves. The sleeves were narrow at the wrist, although the styles changed through the years. Most people wore tunics of either linen or wool, leaving the more expensive velvets and silks for royalty or nobility. However, using a thrift-store cotton bed sheet or wool blanket serves the purpose for an inexpensive medieval costume.
During the Middle Ages, knights required the services of squires, who were young men apprenticing to become knights themselves. Squires performed a myriad of tasks. They served the knight's food and took care of his horses, armor and weapons. You can make a squire's costume that reflects the blend of servant quality and the courtly chivilry required of a young man with aspirations to be a knight. While a knight's armor presents a formidable challenge, you can still make a squire's costume in less than a day.
Each year at Halloween, party crowds and trick-or-treaters are faced with a difficult decision: purchase an off-the-rack, cookie-cutter costume or make one from scratch. An original, one-of-a-kind costume is always the most impressive choice, but the trouble is, not everyone knows how to use a sewing machine, fabric cutter or other clothes-making tools. This year, take a semi-homemade approach to your costume design and create a one-of-a-kind outfit by combining your own wardrobe with pre-made pieces, clever makeup and accessories without ever picking up a tool of any kind.
Halloween is a fun holiday for tweens because they get to dress up in a creative costume that allows them to be a different character for the night. However, purchasing Halloween costumes can be expensive for parents, especially those who need costumes for multiple children. Making costumes out of things your tween may already have or that you can buy cheaply is the best option for those who need to create great-looking costumes without breaking the bank. Though classic Halloween character costumes are usually the easiest to make, there are a host of ideas and options that are both tween-friendly…
Byzantine was one of the more advanced civilizations in the world, forming the Eastern half of the mighty Roman Empire until its fall in the middle of the 11th century. The styles of this century centered largely around the tunic, which was worn in a variety of lengths. To recreate the look of this period, you can select from a simple, tunic-only peasant style outfit or add the more opulent draping overgarments of the wealthy.
Whether you're dressing up as a farmer, a construction worker or a gardener, overalls will certainly help to complete your look. With simple sewing skills, you'll have a custom pair of loose fitting trousers with a bib and straps ready in minutes, just in time to wear for a costume or Halloween party. Rummage through your closet to find some materials such as an old pair of blue jeans to get your costume started. Pick up the rest of the materials at a local fabric store and you'll be on your way to whipping up a fun pair of overalls.
If you have more imagination and creativity than money, make your own costume, like a pencil sharpener costume from a box. Repurpose a large cardboard box for the base of the costume and paint-on the fine details. This craft is simple enough for beginners and it is an ideal outfit to wear with a partner dressed as a pencil or a box of crayons. Children young and old can wear this for Halloween or for a costume party.
Like any form of fishing, chasing the fluke -- known in some regions of the county as a summer flounder -- from a party boat has both drawbacks and rewards. These flatfish, like their cousin, the winter flounder, lie on the bottom, watching for movement and waiting for their prey. This means keeping your bait in motion and getting it near enough to the fluke that it will stray into the flatfish's grasp. Catching fluke also means using a well-built rod that you can hold and move comfortably. There are other specific qualities you should look for when selecting a…
Don't spend a lot of money on a Halloween costume your daughter will only wear once. Create a homemade costume from inexpensive items or items you already have. Get creative and come up with a superhero that no one else will be dressed as. Your child may love the costume so much it will end up in the dress-up box later, to be worn numerous times.
Children's love of animals can be expressed in many ways, from the affection they show to their pets to the posters and pictures of animals they hang on their bedroom walls. Animal-themed desserts, such as cupcakes, can add a memorable twist to any child's birthday celebration. Frostings and candies can easily represent animal fur and facial parts as well as other aspects of the jungle. There are a number of options to create cupcakes and related decorations for a jungle-themed cupcake party.
Beating British Troops during the American Revolution sealed the deal for the United States to have independence from Britain. Both sides of this battle wore easily recognizable uniforms to avoid confusion during battle. Many of the items that you need to create authentic-looking American Revolution costumes can be found at thrift stores or used clothing stores. Dress the part and convince your friends that you are ready to battle along side of your chosen army.
Like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers, dancing up a storm, creating a swirling dervish of creamy floor length silk, bow tie, tails and top hat, a black and white wedding party screams elegance, sophistication and class. You, too, can create old-world glamor with a new-age spin, using a simple color palette of black and white.
Peacock feathers add an array of vibrant colors, which you can use to incorporate into a party theme. Whether you are throwing a wedding party or a birthday celebration, find a way to make your main theme that of peacock feathers. The bold hues and feathery texture add spectacle to parties and help inspire entertaining decor.
When planning a masked Halloween party, create excitement with everything from the invitations to the party games. Adults, as well as older children, can enjoy frightful masked parties. Appeal to your ghoulish and mischievous sensibilities to concoct an eerie atmosphere that befitting the holiday. Create a “spooktacular” Halloween party your family and friends will be talking about for months to come.
Creating your own bomb squad costume is an inexpensive way to start a Halloween party off with a bang. Bomb squads have been in existence since the 1950s, and have served as an integral part of security in large cities. For a fun couples costume idea, one person can be the bomb and her counterpart can be the bomb squad. With some ingenuity, you can detonate some excitement at your next costume gathering.
There are several costumes that call for the creation of long hairy arms, such as a monkey, yeti or monster costume. If you are creating an outfit of this kind for a theme party or to dress up at Halloween, use fake fur in an appropriate color to make arms that match the rest of your costume.
Prefabricated Halloween costumes are a dime a dozen -- but only in terms of how common they are, not in terms of their price as they are anything but cheap. To save money on a frankfurter costume, make one yourself rather than shelling out money at a store. The process saves you money and provides an entertaining but easy project for the days leading up to Halloween.
Puritans were a strict group of Protestants who were highly concerned with religious matters -- more so than state matters and politics. Large groups of Puritans migrated to the New England area, particularly Massachusetts Bay, in the early 1600s. For Puritans, this was known as "The Great Migration." They were particularly known for their strict rules regarding everyday life, and a highly conservative lifestyle. Puritans also wore specific clothing, which was also conservative in nature. Making a Puritan costume for a boy or girl can be accomplished with minimal difficulty.
Applying party makeup can be as much fun as actually going to the event. Looking your best does not necessarily mean piling on the cosmetics, but rather creating a bit of glamour while enhancing the features that you already have. Focus on glowing skin and sultry eyes and pair them with a fabulous dress and sexy strappy heels for the perfect party look.
