There’s nothing like watching live theater to inspire you to create your own incredible productions. You practice your singing and acting chops to take back to your community theater stages. But all the practice in the world won’t help you recreate Angelica Schuyler’s dress or the Masque of Red Death costume from Phantom.
But just because you don’t have the funds for a silk hoop skirt for your high school’s production of the King and I doesn’t mean you can’t create dazzling costumes. Our hacks for designing theater costumes on a budget will help you do it.
If you’re building your costumes from scratch, it pays to have a meeting where you identify the aesthetic of each character. This is especially important in contemporary plays where the cast wears modern clothes. When you have the elements in your head, you make it easy to identify what you need without overdoing it.
For example, let’s say you needed to costume the character Sonny from In the Heights. His style is laidback and urban-inspired. So, identifying the elements of streetwear fashion would make it simple to come up with an ensemble that fits the character.
You never know what you’re going to get at a thrift store—90s Cosby sweaters, 80s prom dresses, or 70s platform shoes. That’s what makes them the perfect choice for finding pieces for costuming and at a good price. If you’re doing a period piece, antique shops will often have historically accurate older pieces.
You can also use the thrift store for bases you can turn into full costumes if they don’t have the exact costume you need. For example, you can easily turn a knee-length white maxi dress into a Grecian toga with a few adjustments and accessories.
Some thrift shops will have special sales around Halloween, knowing people are looking for costumes. This is a good time to find truly unique pieces. And once Halloween is over, those pieces are often on super sale.
You can’t DIY some pieces, like leatherwork or specialized period hats. That’s when you need to call in someone who knows what they’re doing. If you don’t have the skills to make it, Etsy is a great resource of artisans who can potentially produce the big-ticket items for a smaller price than major companies.
Having to design theater costumes on a budget can feel like a huge obstacle when you’re putting together a production. But with a little ingenuity, it can become another chance to let your creativity shine on and off stage.
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